Bar

What to see and do

• Stari Bar, the walled medieval town on a rock 4 km from the sea, with the ruins of over 260 buildings: a 17th-century Ottoman aqueduct of 17 arches that carried water from a spring about 3 km away, the Clock Tower rebuilt in 1753, the Omerbašić mosque (1662), baths and churches. Tickets €3, children up to 12 €1; open 08:00-21:00 in season and 08:00-17:00 out of season. On Montenegro's UNESCO tentative list since 2010.
• The Old Olive Tree (Stara maslina) at Mirovica, at the 5th km of the Bar-Ulcinj road: a protected natural monument since 1963, with a crown 10 m across and an age given as more than 2,240 years. Entry €1, children €0.50. It is a separate site, not at the gate of the old town.
• The Zavičajni muzej Bar in King Nikola's palace at Topolica, built in 1885 and associated with the court architect Josip Slade, with a ballroom added in 1910. It reopened in the summer of 2026 after a two-year, €2.31 million reconstruction; tickets cost €4 from age 14 and €1 for ages 6-14.
• The Haj-Nehaj Fortress, a Venetian fortified town first mentioned in 1542, on a rocky hill at about 225 m above Sutomore, about 10 km north-west of Bar. The walk up is about 1 km one way, about 40 minutes with 170 m of ascent on a stony path from the junction of the main road with the road to Maljevik beach; the ruin is open, with no fee and free parking below.
• Ratac, the headland between Bar and Sutomore: ruins of a Benedictine abbey whose oldest surviving church is 11th-century and which a royal charter mentions in 1319; the Venetians fortified it and the Ottomans sacked it in the 16th century.
• The port, the largest in Montenegro, and Marina Bar with 1,150 berths; coastal cruises along the 46 km of shore and taxi boats to beaches reachable only by sea leave from the marina.
• Diving: the reef at Kraljičina plaža for beginners, Mikovića cave, the Bigovica underwater site (a winter harbour from the 3rd century BC to the 16th century), King Nikola's yacht "Rumija" at 18 m by the main breakwater and a wartime Junkers Ju 88 at 54 m near Čanj.
• Canyoning near Stari Bar in summer: Rikavac (1 km, six verticals) and Međureč (about 2 km, 12 verticals up to 32 m).
• Virpazar on Lake Skadar, 26 km away, with the 13 July memorial, the national park's visitor centre and the boat piers.

Beaches

Bar held four Blue Flag bathing areas in 2026: Vela Beach at Čanj, Centar at Sutomore, Best Sunset at Veliki pijesak and Paradiso in Utjeha bay. The flag goes to a concession, not to a whole beach. The swimming season runs from mid-May to mid-October. On every public bathing area half of the length must stay free of loungers and umbrellas, so there is always room for your own towel.

• In town: Topolica, the town beach from the marina to the Željeznica river beside the promenade, 750 m of small pebbles and sand, free entry and parking, with a pet-friendly area near the Željeznica bridge; Žukotrlica, 1,000 m of pebble on the Šušanj shore.
• North towards Petrovac: Crvena plaža (Red Beach), a 50 m strip of red sand in a cove between Bar and Sutomore; Sutomore, 1,200 m of sand 12 km from Bar with its own railway station and restaurants and cafés along its whole length; Maljevik, 330 m of pebble in a cove north of Sutomore; Čanj (Biserna obala, the Pearl Coast), 1,100-1,200 m of small pebbles and sand with free parking; Kraljičina plaža (Queen's Beach) in Pećin bay, Queen Milena's favourite, sand enclosed by rock and reached only by boat.
• South towards Ulcinj: Veliki pijesak at Dobra Voda, about 10 km from Bar, 380 m on the open sea with frequent waves; Crvena stijena (Red Rock) behind Volujica hill, small and shaded, best reached by boat.
• On Lake Skadar: Pješačac, a sandy lake beach below Godinje with a view of Grmožur island, on foot from the road.

History in brief

Stari Bar has layers from Illyrian to Ottoman times and is often compared to Pompeii. The Ottoman centuries left the aqueduct, the baths, the mosques and the clock tower beside the older churches. Life moved out of the walls and down to the coast, and the old town has stood empty since the end of the 19th century; after the earthquake of 1979 its upper part was explored, conserved and opened to visitors. The settlement of Stari Bar had 1,652 residents in 2023, Sutomore 1,875. The modern town grew around King Nikola's palace of 1885 and the port.

Getting there and around

Driving times are road times without traffic, from the town centre.

• Railway: Bar is the end of the Bar-Belgrade line, with a second station at Sutomore and trains also to Podgorica and Nikšić. The timetable changes once a year in mid-December and tickets are sold online; the railway guide has the timetable, fares and the scenic section.
• Ferries to Italy: Jadrolinija (Bar-Bari) and Adria Ferries (Bar-Ancona) have sailed from Bar, but not every season, so check that a ferry runs before planning a crossing (how to reach Montenegro).
• Bus station in town; the Adriatic Highway (E65) runs south to Ulcinj and north to Budva, whose nearest railway station is Bar, about 40 km.

When to visit

• Barski ljetopis (Bar Chronicle) festival, July-August, with a winter programme January-April.
• Grape Festival in Virpazar, September.
• Maslinijada (Olive Festival) in Stari Bar, November; Day of Bar, 24 November.
• Days of Wine and Bleak in Virpazar, December.

Bar records about 2,555 hours of sunshine a year, roughly seven hours a day.

Nearby

• Ulcinj, 31.5 km south along the coast, with the 13 km Velika plaža.
• Budva, 43 km north.
• Podgorica, 56 km through the Sozina tunnel.
• Lake Skadar and Skadar Lake National Park: the municipality covers part of the shore, with the Virpazar visitor centre, boat departures, the Godinje and Murići viewpoints and a 4.5 km trail from Zabes to Godinje. Entry €5 a day.
• Rumija, 1,594 m, separating the lake basin from the sea; marked trails Gornja Briska-Rumija (5.1 km, medium) and Dobri do-Rumija (4 km, difficult). Other Bar peaks: Lisinj 1,353 m, Sutorman 1,185 m.

Questions

Is Stari Bar open, and what does it cost?

€3 for adults and €1 for children up to 12; 08:00-21:00 in season and 08:00-17:00 the rest of the year. The Old Olive Tree is a separate site at Mirovica.

How do you get to Kraljičina plaža?

Only by sea: the bay is closed by hills and rock, and tourist boats use its pier. Taxi boats run from Marina Bar.

Which beaches have a Blue Flag?

In 2026, one bathing area each at Čanj, Sutomore, Veliki pijesak and Utjeha bay. The flag belongs to a concession, not to the whole beach.

Is there a ferry from Bar to Italy?

There have been lines to Bari and Ancona, but not every season, so confirm a sailing with the operator before you plan around it.