Bar Montenegro – Harbour City, Stari Bar Ruins & Europe’s Oldest Olive Tree
Location: Southern coast of Montenegro – approx. 1 hr from Budva, 30 min from Ulcinj
Highlights: Stari Bar (ruined city), Stara Maslina (2,000+ year-old olive tree), King Nikola Palace
Special feature: Montenegro’s largest coastal city, ferry to Italy, end of the Belgrade–Bar railway
Best time to visit: May, June, September – quieter than peak season, pleasant temperatures
Bar is the city most Montenegro tourists only see through a car window – on their way to Budva or Ulcinj. A mistake. Because four kilometres from the harbour, high up on a rocky ridge, lies one of the most fascinating ruined cities on the entire Balkan peninsula. Next to it stands an olive tree older than Christianity itself. And the harbour is the only direct sea route from Montenegro to Italy.
Bar is split in two: modern Novi Bar on the coast – harbour, promenade, everyday life. And ancient Stari Bar inland on a hilltop, frozen in time. Anyone who gets to know both will understand Montenegro just a little bit better.
Stari Bar – the Ruined City above the Sea
Location: 4 km from Novi Bar, on a hilltop at the foot of Mount Rumija
Entry fee: approx. €3–4 (ruins area)
Duration: 1–2 hrs walking tour through the ruins
Getting there: By car (car park at entrance), taxi, local bus, or 45 min on foot uphill
Stari Bar is no ordinary old town – it is a complete medieval city that has lain in ruins since 1878 and was never rebuilt. Venetian walls, Ottoman buildings, Romanesque churches, a mighty aqueduct – all layered on top of each other, overgrown with grass and time, and pervaded by a haunting sense of melancholy that is hard to put into words.
The city was first recorded in the 9th century as “Antibarium” – meaning roughly “opposite Bari” in Italy. Venetians, Ottomans, Serbs, Montenegrins – all have left their mark here. In 1878 Stari Bar was heavily damaged during its liberation from the Ottomans, and the earthquake of 1979 caused further devastation. The residents moved to the coast, and the ruins stayed behind.
What you must see in Stari Bar
A circular trail leads through the entire site. Highlights include the Venetian city walls with their customs house and Ottoman powder tower, the Citadel with the finest panoramic views over Stari Bar and the sea, the Romanesque Church of St Mark and the Gothic Church of St Catherine, and the Ottoman aqueduct with its 17 stone arches – one of the best-preserved on the entire Balkan peninsula. The aqueduct once carried drinking water from the mountains to the whole city and remarkably survived the 1979 earthquake.
The village at the gate – shopping the old way
Just outside the entrance to Stari Bar is a small settlement of traditional stone houses, some converted into little shops and restaurants. This is a great place to buy local olive oil, honey and dried figs directly from producers – authentic and affordable. Every Friday a farmers’ market is held here too.
Who should visit Stari Bar?
Photographers
Culture enthusiasts
Families
Adventurers
Stara Maslina – Europe’s Oldest Olive Tree
Age: Over 2,000 years – already ancient during the Roman Empire
Location: Hamlet of Mirovica, approx. 15–20 min walk from Stari Bar
Status: Protected natural monument of Montenegro
Remarkable: Still bears fruit today – the olive harvest is celebrated every year
Just next to Stari Bar, in the tiny hamlet of Mirovica, stands one of the most remarkable trees in Europe: the Stara Maslina, the oldest olive tree on the Balkan peninsula and one of the oldest living trees in the world. Its age is estimated at over 2,200 years – it was already old when the Roman Empire was young.
What makes this tree truly extraordinary: it still produces olives. Every November, Stari Bar celebrates the “Maslinada” – an olive harvest festival with music, traditional costumes, olive oil tastings and the full works. The gnarled trunk measures over ten metres in circumference, and its silvery-green leaves look exactly as they have for millennia.
Local tradition holds that disputes were once settled beneath its branches – a peace tree in every sense of the word.
Novi Bar – the Modern Harbour City on the Coast
Novi Bar is what most visitors see first – and what many don’t quite know what to make of. Large harbour, fuel tanks, cargo ships. No postcard material. But look a little closer and you’ll find a relaxed, green coastal city with real Montenegrin everyday life – far less touristy than Budva, and all the more authentic and affordable for it.
King Nikola Palace – history right on the waterfront
Along the seafront promenade stands the elegant King Nikola Palace, a 19th-century residence now serving as a museum and cultural centre. The building is a reminder of Bar’s importance as a royal city of Montenegro – a quiet and little-visited counterpoint to the busy harbour.
Church of St Jovan Vladimir – Montenegro’s largest Orthodox church
The modern Cathedral of St Jovan Vladimir is the largest Orthodox church in Montenegro – celebrated for its stunning Byzantine-style frescoes and mosaics. Even for non-churchgoers, the interior is well worth a visit.
Beaches around Bar
The town beach of Šušanj is just a few minutes from the centre and perfectly fine for a swim. Quieter and more attractive beaches can be found in the neighbouring villages of Sutomore and Canj – though these can get busy at weekends in summer. Our tip: visit on weekdays or outside peak season.
Arriving in Style – Train from Belgrade & Ferry from Italy
The Belgrade–Bar Railway – one of Europe’s most spectacular train journeys
Route length: approx. 476 km, journey time approx. 11–12 hours
Construction: 24 years, opened in 1974
Engineering feat: 435 bridges and 254 tunnels through the Montenegrin mountains
Bar is the terminus of the legendary Belgrade–Bar Railway – one of the most impressive train routes in all of Europe. 24 years to build, 435 bridges, 254 tunnels. The line winds its way through the heart of the Montenegrin mountain world and offers views that no road can match. If you want to discover Montenegro in a completely different way, this train journey is an experience in itself.
Ferry to Italy – Bar as gateway to the Adriatic
Ferries run from Bar directly to Bari and Ancona in Italy – a convenient option for anyone wishing to reach or leave Montenegro by sea. The overnight ferry to Bari is particularly practical: board in the evening, wake up in Italy – with a car or motorbike if you need one.
Visiting Bar – Getting There, Tips & Best Time to Go
Getting to Bar
From Budva: approx. 1 hour by car
From Ulcinj: approx. 30 min by car
From Podgorica: approx. 50 min (Podgorica airport as alternative to Tivat)
By train: Daily connections from Podgorica and Belgrade
Best time to visit Bar
Bar is considerably quieter than Budva – even in peak summer. May, June and September are ideal: pleasant temperatures around 24–27°C, little crowding at Stari Bar, lower prices. Those visiting in November may catch the Maslinada olive harvest festival in Stari Bar.
The perfect half-day in Bar – our suggested plan
Morning: explore Stari Bar (1.5 hrs), then walk or drive to the Stara Maslina (30 min on foot through olive groves), lunch at the village just outside Stari Bar, afternoon back in Novi Bar for a coffee on the promenade and a look at the King Nikola Palace. That is a perfect, complete half-day.
Conclusion: Bar is Underrated – and That’s its Greatest Strength
Bar is no glamour destination. No Sveti Stefan, no Kotor. But that is precisely what makes it valuable: a real Montenegrin city with real history, one of the oldest trees in Europe, a ruined city that has not been turned into a tourist trap, and a harbour that actually works. Bar shows Montenegro as it truly is.
Our advice: Allow at least half a day. Stari Bar and the Stara Maslina together – that is something you won’t forget.
Your base for the region
From our apartment “Glücks-Griff” in Becici near Budva, Bar is about 1 hour away – perfect as a day trip, easily combined with a visit to Lake Skadar. Back in the evening to your sea-view pool terrace.
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