Seekers of budget holidays in the lap of bewitching nature choose Montenegro. Tourism in the country is quite developed, and the mores and language of local residents are quite similar to ours. Risan is one of the oldest cities in Montenegro, it is a resort and is developing at the expense of tourists.
History of the city
The city of Risan (Rhizon) is located on the banks of the Boka Kotor Bay, has access to the Adriatic Sea. This valley is located at the foot of Mount Oren, the mountain part protects Risan from strong winds, making the climate dry, which, in turn, helps to transfer heat more easily.
The first mention of ancient Risan dates back to the 4th century BC. In those days, the city was the capital of the Illyrian state and had its own deity, Medaurus, depicted as a rider with a spear.
As a result of numerous wars and invasions, the city was captured or devastated by the Romans, Slavic and Assyrian tribes, Serbs, the Ottoman Empire. In 1688, the city became part of the Republic of Venice, later it was captured by France, and eventually moved to Yugoslavia. The influence of all the invaders is visible in the architecture and local cuisine. The best period from that time for Risan was the era of the reign of the Romans (I-II centuries AD).
Now Risan is a city of independent Montenegro with a small population (a little more than 2500 people). The city has a port, a hotel, a school and a wellness center. Most often, it is visited by lovers of environmentally friendly recreation. There are beautiful views, the sea, beautiful nature, pleasant climate.
It is worth noting the cleanliness of the air of this quiet place: there are no industrial buildings in the city, and many coniferous trees, in particular cypresses, grow in the forests.
How to get there
From Moscow to Risan can be reached by plane. Air ticket Moscow-Tivat in the summer will cost about 7 thousand rubles. Montenegro has two airports from which you can get to the resort town.
- Tivat. Located 17 kilometers from Risan, it is the nearest airport to the city. Regular buses depart from the bus station at intervals of about an hour. Of course, if there is luggage, public transport is not the most convenient option for transportation, but it is budgetary: the cost of the trip will be about 2 euros.
- Podgoritsy. The airport bus station sends a lot of buses to Risan, the difference in remoteness. From Podgorica, the journey will take about three hours. You must first specify the route: there are regular buses that do not call in the city you need.
Of course, it will be more convenient to take a taxi from the airport, but this method is quite expensive, although there are a lot of taxi drivers waiting for tourists who have just arrived. To save on private carrier services, you can pre-book a taxi from the airport to the city of Risan: either through a travel company, or through the airport.
Another convenient way is to rent a car, which can be issued in large cities.
What to see?
Despite its rich history, Risan has few attractions. One of the most famous is Roman mosaic in an ancient villa. Recently, the ruins of the villa have been restored, and now tourists can observe and study the floors decorated with drawings, which are more than two thousand years old.
The villa itself includes patio, pool (created to collect rainwater) and a couple of surviving rooms. The uniqueness of this building lies in the ancient mosaic, it is a very painstaking work of the ancient masters. There is depicted the ancient sleep god Hypnos - this is the only surviving image of the deity.
In Risan, many excursions are conducted both to other resort cities of Montenegro and to neighboring countries: Serbia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, etc. These are two-day and one-day information tours. In order not to spend too much money, you can take a tour of the city or to nearby caves.
The city itself can also be considered a tourist attraction, there are small old buildings, provincial houses and narrow streets with old paved roads. The city is worth a visit:
- the palace where Mark Ivelich lived;
- the main Orthodox church of Saints Paul and Peter;
- Risan Park;
- Gabela street with old buildings and a pavement where cars are not allowed.
The main advantage of the city and, perhaps, the whole of Montenegro is its fabulous nature. Despite the simplicity of the landscapes, they are able to captivate with a combination of mountains, sea, coniferous forests, rocky ravines, cliffs and rocks.
How to spend leisure time?
The beaches of Risan are mostly gentle, which is perfect for families with children. Their length is about one kilometer. Concrete blocks are located on the territory of the Teut Hotel, free sun loungers and umbrellas are provided for hotel residents, and you can rent them on all other beaches. The main beach of the city is pebble, the width of the beaches in Risan reaches 10 meters.
Reviews of the beaches of Risan are mostly positive, but sometimes the water turns a brown orange color, this is a seasonal phenomenon that occurs due to algae and large waves. The infrastructure of the beaches is well developed, there are water rides, cafes and toilets, located close to swimming areas. The safety of tourists is monitored by lifeguards, on the main beach of Risan there is a medical center. A big minus is the proximity of the highway.
To avoid the noise of the road, just select the beach in front of the hotel.
The restaurants and cafes offer an abundance of seafood, mussels are in great demand. In addition to fish dishes, there are many fresh fruits, food is mostly boiled or baked.
Clubs in the city are also available, but they work until a certain hour so as not to disturb the sleeping city.
Vacation in Risan according to reviews is suitable for people seeking solitude from the bustle of the city, and couples with children. Immerse yourself in the measured life of a small provincial town, stroll through the coniferous forests, wander along the old streets - such a vacation will be too calm, and a long stay in such an environment can be boring only if you do not have a car that allows you to get to other cities of Montenegro.
An overview of the city through the eyes of a tourist, see below.
