Climate and nature
The contrast relief makes the climate of Montenegro unique and varied, which can be said about everything in Montenegro. The three pronounced climatic types include continental, Mediterranean and sub-Alpine ones; so, everybody can find an Eden of their own and enjoy an appropriate kind of comfort.Mountains protect the continental part of the country from sea winds. A long and warm summer and a short and mild winter - the Mediterranean climate has obviously been created to provide quiet rest from winter frosts. The bathing season lasts for 180 days from the middle of May to the end of October. The average sea temperature in summer is + 25°C.
The sea water transparency is 30 - 55 metres.
However, the plain of Montenegro, where the continental climate dominates, is not characterised by low temperatures. The absolute temperature maximum is +40°C, the average winter temperatures being usually above +5°C.
Rocky plateaus literally hang over the seaside. Though precipitation is the most abundant in Europe, the rocks dry up so quickly that the region is short of drinking water.
Those who like cold snow winters and mountain tops will not be indifferent to the sub-Alpine climate of the highlands: whereas snow is extremely rare at the coast, the northern districts are covered with it for several months. The highlands are a genuine mountain-skiing paradise. The mountain chains are rich in pastures, woods and lakes. They also contain the Tara River canyon reputed as the largest in Europe.
The nature of Montenegro has been carefully protected from the eighteenth century as its main asset. It has already been for more than a hundred years that the country manages to preserve the status of the most ecologically safe state of Europe. In addition to the four national parks, there are nature reserves, protected water areas, natural monuments and reactionary zones here. It is in Montenegro that the world second and Europe largest canyon channels the meandering Tara River. The well-known ice cave, Biogradska Gora, and Lake Skadar amaze by their natural landscapes.
The unique geographical position and the climatic features have made tourism the main source of income of the country, offering opportunities for practically all kinds of rest: diving, mountain skiing, rafting, and yachting along the coast of Montenegro, beaches, excursions to historical and cultural monuments or bustling festivals and carnivals. Thanks to the picturesque nature, Montenegro is popular with film directors as an open-air film studio.