 |
| Virpazar, Montenegro |
Whenever you hear about Montenegro, the instant image that comes up in your head is the summer sunny hot weather, the turquoise clear water of the Adriatic Sea, and pebbles beaches. But the winter season is also pretty, although there are some differences. The snow-capped mountains along the coast, the ski resorts in the north, the laid-back lifestyle, no tourists, - the best time to dive into the local life.
The mild climate, the sea breeze, gorgeous mountains, and no snow on the coast – the picture is quite tempting for those who want to have a snow-free winter. And why wouldn’t it be tempting!? I mean, the idea of not having to wear all the warm clothes I have in my closet because outside the temperature is lower than in the freezer seemed like a dream. Where we come from, we are having the classic winter that lasts for 4-5 months, with lots of snow and freezing weather. That’s why spending winter somewhere with a milder climate somewhere on the seaside was a longtime dream for us.
 |
| Bar, Montenegro |
Our first winter in Montenegro was in 2017-2018 when we lived there for 3 months. It was also our first New Year's celebration abroad, away from family and friends. The second winter was during the 2019-2020 season, as part of our one-year residence. Although we did like the change, there are things that are completely different from what we knew and had during a cold time of the year. And here I am, sharing our own experience on the local winter lifestyle.
Weather
The weather on the coast during the winter season is changing - from sunny and warm to windy and rainy days. November may be all about raining non-stop with just a few sunny days. When it’s pouring every single day for an entire week it’s hard to step foot outside because you’ll get completely wet just within a minute. On most days we'd just go out only to the grocery store and back.
On days when the winds are extremely strong, you can barely walk, and everything is flying around – from trash and plastic bags to chairs and everything else that’s on the terrace or balcony. Earthquakes are also frequent guests. The last one that happened in 2019 when Albania suffered massive destruction, we also felt it quite well in Montenegro. Things were moving around the house and it lasted for about 10-15 minutes. It happened a couple of weeks ago when neighboring Albania suffered massive destruction.
 |
| Bar, Montenegro |
There are also moody days and I love how the scenery changes – from flying fluffy grey clouds over the mountains to a thick fog that covers everything and you can’t see anything within only a couple meters away. But when the storm was gone, and the temperature rose again, and the sunshine was bright, I loved spending the days outdoors, whether we'd go hiking in the nearby mountain or sunbathing on the beach.
There is no snow during winter (with only a few exceptions though) and the day temperature varies from +10ºC to +18ºC (50°F - 65°F). Although it’s not the cold we are used to and we dress lightly on sunny warm days, the locals are all wrapped up in warm coats, hats, and boots. Winter in Montenegro looks more like classic European autumn when the sun still gives warmth and happiness, and people go out for long walks every day.
For those who love the snow and the snow sports, the real white winter takes is within only a few hours driving up to the north, to the Durmitor National Park, where the snow lies on the mountains' slopes from December till March.
 |
| Bar Promenade, Montenegro |
Heating
In Ukraine, we live in a multi-storey
building where there is central heating, so the apartment is warm 24/7 during
cold months. In Montenegro, they don't have such a thing. People mostly heat their
apartments using air-conditioning and electrical heaters. But those who live in
their own private houses have fireplaces, so firewood is a must purchase for every winter season. So they say.
This was no news for me because I grew up during times where we'd only use firewood and coal in order to heat the house, and I knew how it works. But that was long ago. Since the gas came in, it became a lot easier and quite effortless to maintain the house warm. So I thought we'll manage it.
During our first Montenegrin winter, we lived in a small studio where we only had the air conditioner. I must say that it wasn’t the best option to keep the apartment warm for two reasons - the electricity bill, and the high humidity on the coast. The buildings lack waterproofing during construction, and during rain and cold season there is mold on the walls and this isn't healthy.
In 2019, because we were staying for a longer period, we rented an entire floor of a house. We had a huge living room with a kitchen, two bedrooms, and a big terrace with a splendid view. There was a burning wood stove that can be used for heating and for cooking at the same time, so we've been told by the owner who lived on the ground floor (because that's how most of the locals do) that we'll need to buy wood. She counted that we'd need around 4 m3 of firewood which will last for 3-4 months. We paid 170 euros (185 USD) for it.
We’ve started to use it earlier because it got colder, especially the nights when the temperature dropped below zero degrees. We weren't able to heat the whole house only with one stove, that’s why for the bedroom we used the electric heater. The stove itself isn’t ideal – sometimes it would take at least 30 minutes to light that fire and the room is warm as long as the fire is up. That’s why warm socks and hoodies are a must on a daily basis.
Entertainment
Don’t think that once the summer season ends, life stops in Montenegro - that’s not true. There are still so many things to do, attend and see. You can enjoy the same good services but at lower prices and fewer crowds. There many festivals where one can learn about traditions and how the locals entertain themselves.
The most famous and attended are The Masliniada, The Wine and bleak festival, Mimosa festival, winter Kotor carnival, etc.
Masliniada is held every year in the old town of Bar for 2 days, on a weekend, in November or December. It celebrates the new olive's harvest, where local farmers and producers of olives and olive oil show and offer their goods. You can find olive spread, cosmetics and soaps made from olives, fruits such as oranges, tangerines, figs, chestnuts, also local honey, homemade wine, and cheese, and everything else that grows in this region. Local bands and musicians entertain the visitors, as well as an exhibition of folk costumes that used to be worn in Bar and its surroundings centuries ago. We did attend it twice, and we had so much fun - listened to local music and artists, bought the best honey and cheese, tried all the yummy olives and freshest pomegranate juice.
The second festival we've visited was the Wine and bleak festival. It is about a local small fish called bleak and the wine made in Crmnica and Virpazar on the Skadar lake. The celebration lasts for a whole weekend in December in the small village called Virpazar. Visitors can taste free wine, eat fish and other local dishes, listen to traditional music at the concert and witness the award for the best wine of the year.
So, whether your visit to Montenegro during winter is for a short trip or for a longer stay, you can still have one of the best experiences and new memories. I also wanted to share a short video about the festivals I've mentioned above so you can get a quick glance at what's going on during the celebration. Hope you'll like it.
If you want to know more, or have questions - feel free to ask. I'm always happy to answer.
0 Comments