Ulcinje

In the far south near the Albanian border lies the ancient seaport of Ulcinje, one of the oldest towns on the Adriatic coast. The town's inhabitants are mostly Albanian Muslims, and the language is widely spoken here. In a central part of the town is a vast and lively market where villagers from around Ulcinje sell fresh local produce, including a great variety of olives and home made cheeses.

The old town is thought to have been founded by the Greeks in the 5th century BC In the upper part is the Balsica tower, which now houses an art gallery; there is a very good museum complex which incorporated a unique 14th century church-mosque. In front of the museum is a small square which was once served as the local slave market. A number of narrow winding paths lead down to the lower part of the town, and to the Cathedral of St Nikola which stands on the site of a 15th century monastery.

Ulcinje has a pleasant sandy town beach, and just a short drive away is Velika Plaza, an amazing 13 km stretch of beach with soft powdery silver sand, extending as far as the eye can see.The sand is reputed to have medicinal benefits, as it is very mineral rich. The warm turquoise water here is very shallow making it an extremely safe place for children to swim and play. Various sports and watersports equipment is available to hire.

At the end of this stretch of beach at the southernmost tip of the country lies Ada Bojana, a naturist island separated from the beach by the Boja river. The island has thick sub- tropical vegetation, and is home to many endangered species such as the logger-head turtle.The winds that blow onshore here make this a fantastic area for windsurfing, and is also a popular location to sail and water ski. On the edge of the Bojana river stand traditional wooden houses on stilts form where the local people fish several of these are little restaurants serving the catch of the day.