Montenegro – known as the ‘Black Pearl’ of the Balkans and the second youngest country in the world (being just three years old) – has been introduced into HF Holidays’ 2010 walking programme for the first time so that its guests can experience the country before it becomes a major tourist destination.

Discover the country’s outstanding scenery – untouched landscapes, dramatic mountains and a beautiful coastline – and culture on this seven-night guided walking holiday which offers the option of easier or harder walks.

Highlights include the mighty Kotor fjord – the southernmost fjord in the world – the alpine meadows of the Lovcen National Park and the ancient trails around Lake Skadar as well as a boat trip on the lake.

Available with departures in April, May, September and October, the cost is from £529 per person, land-only or from £659 inclusive of return Gatwick flights and transfers.

These twin-share prices include seven nights’ half-board accommodation at the four-star Hotel Rivijera – situated just 30m from the beach in the seaside town of Petrovac – the full programme of guided walks and the services of a walking guide. For more information and reservations, visit hfholidays.co.uk.

Croatia & Montenegro really are the jewels of the Balkan states. With breath-taking mountainous landscapes, rich green forests and medieval cities, these two stunning countries are already fast becoming two of the trendiest holiday destinations for us Brits.

Summer 2010 sees Thomson introduce the first direct flights with a UK carrier to Tivat in Montenegro, making one of Thomson’s up and coming destinations more accessible than ever before.  With a flying time of less than 3 hours, Montenegro, the setting for the 2006 Bond film ‘Casino Royale’, is set to leave you shaken and stirred as it fast becomes one of the destinations of the decade.

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In travel sction of today’s Mirror, an article about skiing in Montenegro was published.

Under the title “Fill your ski-boots in Montenegro” , Sonja Newman introduces Montenegro as European skiing  destination. Here is an excerpt: ” With the ski season about to kick off – and holidaymakers still conscious of their spending – it’s an ideal time to check out the snowy slopes of Montenegro. The little country on the Adriatic has some of the best value ski holidays in Europe and also some of the most spectacular scenery…”

Beside introduction, there are also some great photos of winter resorts of Montenegro, including  Ski run at Zabljak, Bianca Resort in Kolasin, Hotel Lipka in Kolasin, Tara River Canyon..

Browse and book hotels on skiing slopes of Montenegro + see photos and read the whole article here

Here is an excerpt from the article: Michael Le Quesne, 16, was swimming off a popular beach in Montenegro with his parents and his ten-year-old sister Teodora when he spotted an odd looking ‘stone’ at a depth of around two metres. It turned out to be a large, submerged building which may have been the centrepiece of an important Greek or Roman trading post, swallowed up by the sea during a massive earthquake. A British team of experts led by Dr Lucy Blue, presenter of BBC Two show ‘Oceans’, is to investigate the significant find in this largely unexplored corner of south east Europe…

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The company announces its plans to develop an integrated destination covering a total area of 6.8 million square meters in Lustica, in the municipality of Tivat on the Mediterranean’s Traste Bay. The company will retain a majority stake of 90% in Lustica Development AD Podgorica while the Government of Montenegro will hold the balance.

The project is planned to offer 2,350 residential units, several hotels, a town centre, a marina on the Adriatic Sea, an 18 hole golf course, commercial facilities as well as basic infrastructure requirements. The first phase of the project includes a hotel, town centre, golf course, and the main mooring area. The first phase is expected to be operational within five years.

Montenegro’s most beautiful lake is dotted with islands, many with ruined monasteries, and is home to pelicans, herons and silver seagulls. There’s no beach at the comfortable Plavnica eco-resort, but hire a boat from local fishermen or take a cruise to Murici beach, on a little island, where you can swim, or rest beneath the 100-year-old trees. The island’s open-air restaurant serves superb roast carp.

Plavnica Eco Resort (plavnica.info, 00 382 81 443 700), doubles from €200. Fly to Dubrovnik (a 2½-hour drive) .
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The article, subtitled ‘The freshest hotels, the most stylish resorts, the smartest bars and the big new launches’ says about Montenegro:

‘Adrian Zecha is travels Mr Midas Touch. The world is his oyster. So where has he holidayed every year for the past decade? Montenegro. The chichi island of Sveti Stefan is the new Monaco, apparently or will be when Zecha’s Alist Amanresorts (www.amanresorts.com ) works its magic on the hotel tucked into Sveti’s 15th-century cobbled streets. The rumour is that there will be a hush-hush soft opening late this summer, so keep an eye on its website.’

Other style destinations include USA, Antigua, Prague and Madagaskar..

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The photo is accompanied with description of exciting rafting experince of Montenegro’s visitor Irena Kapeniece:

It was a five-week vacation: we spent two weeks in Montenegro where we explored the canyon and hiked the Durmitor mountain  and the rest of the time we were in Latvia. It was my first time white-water rafting, and I loved it. It was scary at first, but it got easier later. What I’ll remember most was the nature: the waterfalls, the snakes and the landscape of the mountains. I was impressed by the small insects with lights in the darkness, and the fog in the evenings on the river. And the water was so clean  you could see the bottom of the river, which was quite deep.

Frontier Financial Services (FFS ) was established in early 2007 to support the growing international property investment industry. The popularity of international investment in real estate by UK buyers has meant that more and more purchases were taking place in emerging markets not used to foreign buyers…

…As the only UK firm to offer mortgages in Croatia and Montenegro, FFS can facilitate loans of 70% LTV for both UK and Irish buyers on completion. That FFS is the only broker to offer overseas property finance in these countries is indicative of the exceptional relationships and strong trust it has forged with banks worldwide. It has also engineered 90% LTV mortgages in Poland and special terms for newly formed companies in Romania, as well as staggering 100% LTV mortgages in Turkey…

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