Little Things

A Picturesque Country by Clear Adriatic Waters, Montenegro Should Be Your Next Stop in Europe

- Karishma Kirpalani

Majestic mountains, an untouched coastline, red pebbly beaches, royal blue Adriatic, Venetian piazzas, cobblestone streets, old-world charm, a fleet of yachts and a whole lot of sunshine. Welcome to ‘little Montenegro’, as termed by Jay Gatsby, the fictional character created by F. Scott Fitzgerald. ‘Little’ is quite an apt description here, since we’re talking about a country some 1/250th the size of India. And, yet, there is so much to this beautiful Balkan nation.

Upon landing in Dubrovnik, Croatia, I booked a taxi from the airport and told my driver to take me to my first stop in Montenegro—Sveti Stefan. The two-hour drive that ensued felt a lot shorter because my driver, Josip, was a good conversationalist. Other than recommending some of the best haunts for mouthwatering Mediterranean food and a few places where I could find the prettiest Balkan vistas, he shared plenty of tales from the region. When we reached the shoreline, he drove onto an enormous ship that transported us across the ocean to Montenegro.

Sveti Stefan, a private islet owned by Aman Resorts, is probably the most photographed place along the Adriatic. To reach the resort, we took a narrow pathway from the vibrant Crvena Glavica Beach, where a small crowd enjoyed the refreshing waters. Everything from the hospitality to the food, the spa, the pool, the pink sands, and the ultramarine waves at the hotel, made me feel as if I was a celebrity. And why should it not? Sveti Stefan has been host to Hollywood actors like Elizabeth Taylor, Kirk Douglas, Sophia Loren and Marilyn Monroe, to name a few.