my m o n t e n e g r o
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Lake Skadar; Biogradsko Lake; the Slivlje abyss; Biogradska Gora National Park; kasoranja – the devil’s pod
Slavica Milić
times as well as in the evenings. With an authentic local offering, it remains my favourite outing in the height of the summer, as well as in the much quieter winter time.
Slavica Milić is senior marketing executive of Luštica Development
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WHICH ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES STAND OUT FOR YOU? The church of Sveta Klara in Kotor. This place makes you take a moment to admire human skill over and over again. The church’s baroque altar is the work of the extraordinary 17th-century Venetian sculptor Francesco Cabianca. A yellow marble curtain embedded in the altar looks so vividly in motion and realistic that it leaves me breathless every single time. It is unbelievable how passion,
commitment and the talented hands of the sculptor have woven so much soul into what was cold stone. WHICH SHOPS CAN’T YOU LEAVE WITHOUT BUYING SOMETHING? Lappa in Kotor’s Old Town, with its unique handmade clothes and jewellery collection. You are guaranteed to always find something interesting. WHICH BARS HAVE THE BEST ATMOSPHERE? Back in 2007, the southern side of the Kotor’s Old Town was largely still abandoned. My former workspace was a secluded little office bordering the old Franciscan monastery, and there were few shops or cafés nearby. So when Pub Bandiera opened, no wonder it quickly became my personal getaway, during break LUSTICABAY.COM
DUSKO MILJANIC, MILOS ZVICER
My favourite route for relaxation is the hike around Biogradska Gora National Park’s mountain lakes
WHERE IS THE FIRST PLACE YOU GO WHEN YOU ARRIVE IN MONTENEGRO? I always go for my all-time favourite walk down Kotor promenade, towards Sveti Stasije in Dobrota. Half way along, I usually make a short stop at an old fishing pier. The beauty of the spot and the peace of the bay waters here is hypnotic.
WHICH ARE YOUR FAVOURITE GALLERIES AND EXHIBITION SPACES? The treasury at Cetinje Monastery. Take a walk through the history and learn everything about the everlasting struggle of the small Montenegrin nation to preserve its integrity, independence and national pride. From the first printed books in Crnojević typography to the shroud sent as an apology by Russian empress Ekaterina to Montenegrin ruler Petar I Petrović-Njegoš, every item in the treasury holds an emotional story which is sure to capture your interest. TELL US ABOUT THE BEST MEAL YOU’VE ENJOYED. As a vegetarian, I adore simple food. Usually, the lighter it tastes, the more I appreciate it. Still, my happiest days with food were during the era of a Colombian chef, Lina Maria, at my former post at KSI school. Her vegetarian lasagnas were out of this world! LUSTICABAY.COM
WHERE DO YOU RELAX? I love the mountains and have been taught to live in harmony with nature. My favourite route for relaxation is Biogradska Gora National Park and the hike around the mountain lakes scattered around the park. Climbing from Dolovi Lalevića towards Bendovac, I always have my own little reunion with natural magnificence of this park. Sleeping in the wooden cottages in the middle of the rainforest there is an even better way to unwind and detach. There are a few bears around, here and there!
country’s centrally located town of Nikšić, where I was born, it remains one of the few largely unpopulated spots, with a unique morphological characteristics (the terrain is ‘sinking’). It is also home to the largest abyss in the former Yugoslavia. With the beautiful scenery, totally off the beaten track, and my family house still nearby, this has always been my favourite meditation spot.
WHAT’S YOUR MOST EXCITING DISCOVERY? The devil’s pod, an ancient endangered plant found around Skadar lake, and called kasoranja by the villagers. Once a year, for a short time, it bears ornately shaped fruit – a type of nut with four barbed spines which resemble the head of a bull or a flying bat. It looks very scary and if you dare to touch the fruit, it activates a strong odour that will make you regret you touched it! SHARE YOUR MONTENEGRIN SECRET … Slivlje. Secluded on the very edge of the ISSUE 2018
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