Treasures of the Old Towns: Bar and Ulcinj

What are the two ancient towns, Bar and Ulcinj hiding? What does the Old Olive Tree testify to be the only natural monument in the region? On a route through the past with interesting stories, legends, rich history, we will bring you closer to life in this region 2,000 years ago. In the Old Town of Bar, where East and West merged, there are the remains of all civilizations except Austro-Hungarian Empire. Today, the Old Bar is the largest open-air museum and it is on the UNESCO list. A visit to the Old Town of Ulcinj will reveal who the pirates of Ulcinj were and why the monument to famous Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes is located in this town.

Bar is the only town whose Old Town is not located on the coast, but at the foothill of the Rumija Mountain (about 5 km from the coast). The Old Town of Bar extends over four hectares, with its 250 public, profane, sacral and military edifices. Multiplying this with 2,800 years of proven material culture, there is no doubt, this is one of the largest archeological sites in Europe.

From The Old Olive Tree, the road to Ulcinj takes us through one of the most beautiful olive groves of the Montenegrin coast – Valdanos, where we will take a photo break.

Are lighthouse keepers still needed, you will find out on this route as we take a break at the lookout point with a view of the oldest lighthouse in Montenegro, Mendra.

The Old Town of Ulcinj is one of the oldest towns on the Montenegrin coast. It is considered to have originated in the time of Illyri, B.C., as evidenced by the Cyclops walls of that time. Ulcinj experienced the greatest prosperity from the 12th to the 15th centuries, especially under the influence of Venice. In 1571, the Turks conquer Ulcinj, and Islam becomes the dominant religion, and the town gets an oriental appearance.