In recent years, Bar has become a very popular place; many foreigners have decided to live here permanently or temporarily. For what reason? Although it does not have the characteristic beauty of a coastal town, the city offers many advantages. First of all, Bar is a safe city that is ’alive’ all year round. It offers the sea, nice beaches, a Mediterranean climate and favorable traffic connections. It is clean, nicely decorated, and let’s not forget: Bar is one of the sunniest places in Southern Europe with an average of 270 sunny days/year. It is therefore no wonder that you can hear so many different languages at the promenade and in the streets. According to the 2023 census, as many as 7,500 inhabitants of Bar are foreigners.
The promenade is a favorite destination of tourists and locals alike. From the Žukotrlica beach in Šušanj, a beautifully landscaped promenade leads to the beaches of Bar, the port and the city center. A perfect opportunity for a walk, especially as there is a large parking lot behind the Žukotrlica beach (next to the highway), where you can leave your vehicle.
The pebble beach of Žukotrlica is 2 kilometers long. The preserved pine forest along the beach is a true refreshment in the warm summer months, as it provides natural shade. The Mediterranean climate, the sea air and the pine forests are suitable for the treatment of rheumatic and respiratory diseases. The beach is clean, tidy and very nicely organized. There are also cafes, bars and restaurants, where you can enjoy your favorite drink or meal. Recently, young Aleppo pines were planted here, which will surely add to the beauty of the beach.
How did the beach get this strange name? The name comes from a combination of the words ‘žukva’ and ‘trlica’. By the way, ’žukva’ (jujube) is a bushy Mediterranean plant that was once immersed in the water on this beach to soften it, that is, to ’rub’ it (in translation: protrljati) and thus prepare it for weaving.
So, start your walk along the promenade from the Žukotrlica beach. The promenade is wide and lined with palm trees, oleanders and other Mediterranean plants.
This walk is especially popular off-season when there are fewer tourists, and the sun already allows you to drink a cup of coffee and eat a snack at a terrace by the sea.
The promenade leads past the popular Hotel ‘Princess’ and then past the Castle of King Nikola, which is now being reconstructed. By the way, this building also houses the Native Museum.
This palace complex was actually built by Prince Petar Karađorđević, son-in-law of King Nikola, who was married to Nikola’s daughter Zorka. He named it ‘Villa Topolica’, after the town of Topola in Serbia, where Petar was born. The Montenegrin ruler bought it from him, and later on the castle belonged to Prince Danilo, Nikola’s son. This is also the reason why the mansion was called the ’Castle of Crown Prince Danilo’ in many printed documents and books.
The castle was built in 1885 on the seashore and consists of a large castle, a small castle, a chapel, guardhouses and a winter garden. The architect was Josip Slade. Next to the castle was a dock for ships and yachts, where the king welcomed friends who visited him, and in a certain period the king himself had ten yachts of his own. One of them named ‘Sybil’ was bought from the novelist Jules Verne.
In the Mediterranean park around the castle there is a winter garden, a gift from the Italian King Vittorio Emanuele, son-in-law of King Nicholas. It consists of a glazed metal structure with decorative details, and today it is a well-known restaurant called ‘Knjaževa Bašta’.
There is also a monument to academic painter Uroš Tošković, which was recently revealed, at the Bar promenade. This bronze sculpture, two meters high, is the work of sculptor Zlatko Glamočak and represents a true image of this eccentric artist who has lived in Paris for a long time.
Not far from the promenade, on the other side of the highway, is the Cathedral of St. Jovan Vladimir with its gilded domes. Since 1979, there has been a concrete cross at the current location, where evening prayers were held. It was only in 2006 that work on the construction of the cathedral began, and after 10 years it was finally completed and consecrated. The interior is especially beautiful: it is painted in fresco technique, where blue shades are dominant.
When you reach the end of the promenade, you will see the marina and soon you will reach the city center. The department store, which was built in the eighties of the last century, is a prominent structure. The facility consists of three pavilions and was designed by architect Batrić Mijović. Although the buildings are quite neglected, they still show the typical architecture of the Yugoslav era.
Bar is considered the city in Montenegro with the best urban plan. Just look at the wide boulevards decorated with palm trees, oleanders and other Mediterranean plants … I think that you can imagine that life is very pleasant in this city.
Return to the parking lot and enjoy the fresh air, Mediterranean vegetation and blue sea. I’m sure you enjoyed this nice walk!