Godspeed to Olympos, Wed, 20 Sep 2023 | written by Simon
Simon at a City, Sea in Europe, Montenegro

The toe I sprained yesterday is still hurting a lot and makes it hard to walk. And thus, today is another day of just chilling by the seaside. I’m determined to make the most of it.

First, St Stefan, with its pictoresque built up island. It turned out it’s 25E to get on it, plus it’s a lot of walking, so I passed. Instead, I sat on the beach with my foot in the sea and wrote a bit. Also, seaside showers are just so useful! Just bring soap, job done.

Next, I drove to Budva. What a change of scenery! So far, I have to say that the Montenegran seaside was a pleasant surprise. I am used to seeing coastlines that are built up with the ugliest hotels, massive tasteless multis that destroy the landscape. Yet, up to this point, I have eseen very little of that.

Well, exactly. Up to this point. Budva, unfortunately, is doing its best to become as ugly as possible. Not only is the town filled with massive hotels – the slopes around it are getting built up, too. I visited the walled old town with its cute low buildings and narrow streets, but then was straight back to the tourist hell.

And it’s such a contrast here! On one hand, shiny five star hotels, on the other, so many old half-derelict houses. Here, luxury yahts parked in the marina, just a little in town – old Ladas falling apart on the roadside. The tourist district is sparkling clean, but go just a little bit beyond and you’re waddling in plastic trash.

I didn’t stay long, but somehow I feel rejuvenated. Must be those fancy hotels.

On the way out, I spotted a weird fallen house on the slope. As in, somebody was building a house, got the entire thing up including the roof and then… it just rolled down the hill. The whole thing. It looked hilarious, so I had to go investigate, passing on the way a bunch of construction sites and big signs about land being sold here. I have a feeling that in five years, this whole area will be full of luxury holiday mansions.

The further away I got from Budva, the better the views got – from a distance, the ugly hotels are just small white dots. The mountainous coastline is stunning.

For the sunset, I drove up to the ruins of Fort Kosmač, which is on a long coastline walking route. I think one day I’ll need to come back here, just for some walks.