Shore Excursions, Private Tours & Private Guides in Montenegro! Private Guide Montenegro Private Guide Kotor Montenegro Tours  Private Excursion Montenegro

I still remember the sheer thrill I felt when confronted with the extraordinary beauty of the Bay of Kotor for the first time – and each time I visit, that thrill returns. For me, Montenegro is at its most magical on long summer evenings when the streets fill up with people, young and old, heading out for a slow, social stroll – a scene that's repeated in every city, town and village throughout the country. Sit me somewhere with a glass of local wine, a plate of grilled squid and a view of the passing parade, and I'm in heaven.

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There's not a lot of it – barely 300 km from tip to toe – but Montenegro's coast is quite extraordinary. Mountains jut sharply from crystal-clear waters in such a way that the word 'looming' is unavoidable. As if that wasn't picturesque enough, ancient walled towns cling to the rocks and dip their feet in the water like they're the ones on holiday. In summer the whole scene is bathed in the scent of wild herbs, conifers and Mediterranean blossoms. The word 'magical' is similarly impossible to avoid.

Ever since the Roman Empire split in two 1600 years ago, this land has sat on the borderline between east and west – and it's all the more interesting for its turbulent past. The richness of its cultural history can be seen in the mosaic floors of Roman villas, flamboyantly painted Orthodox monasteries, ornate Catholic churches, the elegant minarets of mosques, and the sturdy fortresses built by the numerous powers that have fought over these lands. Then there's the legacy of 50 years as a communist state, independent of both the Eastern Block and the West. For those with even a passing interest in European history, it's a fascinating place.

 Imagine a place with sapphire beaches as spectacular as Spain's, rugged peaks as dramatic as Switzerland's, canyons nearly as deep as Colorado's, palazzos as elegant as Venice's and towns as old as Greece's and then wrap it up in a Mediterranean climate and squish it into an area two-thirds of the size of Wales and you start to get a picture of Montenegro. You could easily drive clear across the country in a day – or spend a month and be left wanting more. Ironically, this tiny place is populated by giants – arguably the tallest people in the world.