From Portonovi, a boat took me to the Blue Grotto, whose electric turquoise waters leave the Blue Grotto of Capri in shadow. And from there, like a 1950s movie star, into the heart of the Bay of Kotor, past the fishing hamlets and exclusive waterfront villas of Ljuta (Djokovic also bought one), to ‘to the UNESCO-listed medieval walled town of Kotor for a stroll after the cruise ships had departed and the locals came out of hiding.
For Montenegro also shares the curse of other Mediterranean gems, like Venice, Dubrovnik and Rhodes: flag-waving guides and indescribable crowds crowding the maze of cobbled streets, taking selfies in churches and scaring the legion of cats. The solution: go there outside opening hours or out of season.
Privacy is one of the benefits of new ‘village resort’ developments – and none are more remote or more ambitious in scope than Lustica Bay – a planned €1.5 billion project, covering 690 hectares of wooded hills, with 6 km of coastline. and four beaches, far from the crowds.
I stayed at The Chédi, integrated among houses built in vernacular style and excellent restaurants. However, unlike the blight caused to Budva by excessive development, Lustica has the environment at its heart, pledging to develop no more than 10% of this virgin land. And the breathtaking views from its 18-hole Gary Player Golf Course, which will be completed in 2028 and will be Montenegro’s first 18-hole course, are sure to add to the mix for many travelers, tempting a new sporting elite of the world’s busiest. European links established.