Kolašin: attractions, weather and location map

The small Montenegrin resort of Kolasin attracts more and more tourists every year. Ski slopes, beautiful nature, special peace and tranquility, and, of course, delicious meat dishes - this is the secret to the increased popularity of the town. We will talk about how to get, where to go and what to eat in this article.

Kolasin is a small town in Montenegro, surrounded on three sides by mountains (Belasitsa, Sinyaevina and Komovi). Kolasin - an ancient city, takes its history from the 17th century, when it was founded by the Turks. They used the settlement as a transshipment, along the route of caravans from Istanbul to the Adriatic Sea.

Due to differences in height, the resort is suitable for both beginners and more experienced athletes. The town is surrounded by a centenary forest, which is protected by the state and is part of a national park. By the way, another name for the city is “air spa”. It was received for healing air and a pleasant climate.

For a long time Kolasin remained in the shadow of the larger ski resorts - Zabljak (Montenegro) and Kopaonik (Serbia). However, in 2008 a large investment company drew attention to Kolashin, having bought ski slopes and built 2 hotels. Since then, the city began to actively develop, attracting tourists.

The climate on the territory of Kolasin is temperate. This resort is not suitable for a summer beach holiday in its classical sense. The tourist season starts with the arrival of winter, in early December, and lasts on average until mid-April.. In summer, Kolashin is just as beautiful, but it often rains.

The average annual rainfall is 1200 mm, and sometimes even higher, so skiing is ideal here. Most precipitation falls from November to the second half of January. The least precipitation is recorded in July and August. On the slopes is relatively warm and a lot of snow. In general, the weather is quite pleasant - summers are warm and winters are snowy, but without severe frosts. The maximum summer temperature rises to +30 degrees, in winter drops to -10.

Kolašin is not only a ski resort, but also an ancient city with many attractions.

One of them is Moraca Canyon, located immediately on the territory of Kolasin and Podgorica. Rocks are considered a feature of the gorge - they are bare, steep, vertical. The shores are rich in flora and fauna. The best view of the canyon opens from the Dzhurdzhevich bridge and the observation deck (near the deepest point of the canyon - Platie gorge).

On the territory of the canyon is the monastery of Moraca, built in the XIII century. Services are still being carried out in it, pilgrims and tourists are being received. An example of the architecture of the XVII century can be called the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin, where ancient frescoes and rare icons are preserved. The church of St. Nicholas is also worth a visit.

During it, tourists enjoy the view of forests, and the climax of the hike is the descent to Lake Biogradsky. Its uniqueness is that it is one of the five glacial lakes. By the way, guest cottages are located nearby. They can rent a room to live in the lap of nature. A trip to Lake Biogradsky will be remembered not only in beautiful places, but also in fishing. For lovers, even special tours are organized. In winter, the lake is also crowded. A skating rink is being poured here, slides for adults and children are being built, and sports equipment rental will be organized.

Biogradska Mountain delights with its forests. According to local data, some trees are one thousand years old, and in girth they reach half a meter. At the very beginning of the forest zone, tourists are greeted by the already described Biograd Lake. In addition to it, there are 4 more glacial lakes hidden among the untouched greenery of the forest. Most tourist routes involve visiting the highest point of the reserve (2139 m).

Naturally, it is worth visiting the ski slopes located 8 km from Kolasin. There are 2 centers for skiing holidays - “Belasitsa” and “Trebalevo”, it is more correct to call them Kolashino 1450 and Kolashino 1600 (in fact, this is one resort). The first has a total length of 15 km, and the longest route is 4.5 km. As some of the tracks have FIS class, international competitions are held in Belasitsa.

If you go east from the city, you will find yourself in a picturesque place - the Prokletie National Park. The name from Serbian is translated as “damned mountains”, and from Albanian - as “Albanian Alps”. Despite the gloominess of one of the names, this place is distinguished by lush vegetation, rich wildlife. That is why in 2009 it was decided at the state level to decide the status of this territory - to declare it a national park. Lovers of mountain climbs can climb the highest point of Prokletiya - the peak of Evil-Kolata (2534 m), as well as visit numerous beautiful canyons.

The proklet is also rich in waters - many mountain rivers and streams flow here, resembling springs during a drought. One of the attractions is Lake Plavske. In the summer, excursions are organized to him. In winter, it is inaccessible to tourists - the lake itself freezes, and the road to it is covered with snow. A visit to the lake will be interesting not only for nature lovers, but also for anglers.

There are ancient buildings and sights on the territory of Prokletiya: the Tsar and Vizir Mosque, the Church of the Holy Trinity (XII century architecture), Kula Rajepagich, the monastery of Vysokie Decani. In addition, ancient residential buildings in the construction style typical of Montenegro have been preserved here.. These are small-looking, but spacious and comfortable houses made of stone and wood. You can touch history by getting acquainted with cave paintings, also available in the reserve.

Kolasin, like any tourist city, despite its small size, is full of cafes and restaurants. Most of them work until late at night, and opens at 10-11 in the morning. Portions in Montenegro are large, sometimes one is enough for two people.

Montenegro is a meat country. At first glance, it seems that the usual meatballs and steaks are served here, however, thanks to signature sauces, they acquire an authentic taste. National dishes prepared according to lost old recipes can be tasted at Konoba and Savardak. In the first institution, candles are lit in the evenings, the second is also no less atmospheric, since it is made in the form of a wigwam. Another restaurant that has preserved the authentic national style and cuisine - Viline Vode.

As in any other mountainous region of Montenegro, Kolasin serves a variety of meat delicacies. The hanger is popular - chop, cooked with an incredible combination of seasonings, chevapchichi - sausages from different types of minced meat with spices, razhnichi - kebabs of veal and pork.

It is worth a try and the lamb, which is prepared in a special way in Montenegro. They put it in a cast-iron pot and close it with a massive heavy lid (sach). Hot coals are placed on top of the lid, and thus the meat is cooked. As a result, a lamb from a sacha (that's what the dish is called) is incredibly tender and juicy.

Since Kolasin is more a mountainous region than a seaside one, fish and seafood are a little less popular here. But still, seafood is served, however, the cost is sometimes too high. Please note, unlike meat dishes, for dishes with seafood indicate the cost per 100 g, and not for the entire portion.

In Kolasin, you can also find a national seafood dish. This is a thick chorb soup made from several varieties of fish, flour and spices. Unlike ordinary fish soup, it is cooked without the addition of cereals, and has a much thicker consistency.

You should definitely try cheeses in Montenegro. There are many varieties of them, since there is a special relation to cheese in Kolasin. It is served as an independent dish, as an addition to the main one, and also put in cereals, make sandwiches, sauces. National cakes are prepared with cheese: kachamak, kashkaval. The most famous cheese - kaymak, reminds the consistency of sour cream, has a pronounced creamy cream shade.

If you prefer classic European and world cuisine, although you would like to try some local delicacies, head to Traditional Restaurant Vodenica or Restoran Slavija.

You can accompany dinner with wine, although Montenegrin wine is not very appreciated in the world market. Instead, you can try vranac - a special kind of wine with a pronounced tart taste. If you want a stronger drink, you can recommend krunak - grape vodka.

Since the town does not have its own airport, it is more convenient to fly first to Podgorica. The distance to Kolasin from her is 80 km.You can fly to Tivat, but then you will have to get 150 km to Kolasin.

Budva is located from Kolasin in 2.5-3 hours by car. Many go to Budva for a cultural holiday, and stop there, but only come to Kolasin to ski. At the same time, the road between the cities is very picturesque, so a car trip turns into a full-fledged journey.

In this case, the journey will take 5-6 hours. It gets dark early in winter in Montenegro, this should be remembered when making a trip plan. As a transfer, you can hire a taxi or use the public bus. Their prices vary, depending on the features of the route and season.

You can move around the city on foot or by taxi, public transport almost does not go. However, the city is quite small, so walking will not be tiring. If you plan to travel to the suburbs, it is more profitable to rent a car.

You can choose a hotel or a hotel in the center as a holiday accommodation. They are classic places of relaxation, prices vary depending on the status of the hotel, the level of service, proximity to entertainment venues. Most hotels include breakfast. In addition, when booking a room, you can immediately order a transfer from the airport.

If you are relaxing with a big family with children or companies, take a look at country villas. In addition to rooms and bathrooms, they usually have a kitchen equipped for cooking.

Bianca Resort & Spa is very popular with its windows overlooking Belasitsa Mountain. The rooms are from standard to deluxe, most of the hotel is lined with wood, which creates a special atmosphere of comfort in the hotel. 3 km from the center is another popular tourist place - Villa Apartmani Villa Bjelasica. The view from the window here also opens to the mountains, in addition to bedrooms and guest areas, there is a kitchen. For an extra charge, you can visit the gym and sauna.

Consider other popular Kolasin hotels.

• Chalet kolašin - has 4 stars, rooms of varying degrees of comfort, a kitchen.
• Apartments Šcepanovic - The best place to stay with children. Cozy houses for one or several families are surrounded by a garden. Has ski storage, parking.
• Holiday Home Bijeli Potok - an institution for those who travel with four-legged pets. Pets are allowed, the hotel has a children's play area, parking, sauna.

An overview of the attractions of Kolasin see below.