Some 3kms from the center of Bar, on the Londsa hill at the foot of Mount Rumija, are the ruins of old city of Stari Bar. What previously was a Roman settlement back in the VI century became a Slavonic, Venetian and eventually Ottoman property until it finally was destroyed in 1878 during the war between Russia and Turkey. To add more damage to the site Stari Bar was heavely hit by the earthquake that took place in 1979. Since then the remains of the city are reconstructed.

Visiting Stari Bar

The area of Stari Bar is surprisingly big. You can walk around ruins of old stone houses, you can see the fortress, churches, a Turkish bath, town gates and the clock tower. There’s also the aquaduct just outside the walls with people houses stick to it. All of that is surrounded by magnificent mountains, deep gorge and old olive trees (the oldest olive tree in the world is located there as well).

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My visit to Stari Bar

I was lucky enough to have the area mostly to myself and at times it was spooky to walk around, thinking that just few centuries ago it was a lively place filled with people. But also it made me appreciate Stari Bar even more. I could look into every hidden corner of the site and I truly enjoyed it. It’s a perfect off the beaten path location in Montenegro – interesting, beautiful, full of history and with hardly any people around…

Have you been to Montenegro? Would you like to visit Stari Bar?

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Are you looking for a place to stay in Bar? Look no further! Book your accommodation in Bar here!

Further reading

I published many articles about Montenegro that you might find useful when planning your trip there. Here are some of them:

• 22 Amazing Places to Visit in Montenegro
• Montenegro Itinerary – Plan Your Perfect One Week in Montenegro
• 19 Amazing Things to Do in Montenegro
• 15 Wonderful Things to Do in Kotor, Montenegro
• 15 Cool Things to Do in Podgorica, Montenegro
• Perast, Montenegro – the Gem on the Adriatic Coast
• Visit Cetinje – the Former Capital of Montenegro
• and more!

If you are looking for articles about a specific destination – check out the map with all the articles I’ve published (and their locations). You can also join my Facebook group about traveling in the Balkans and ask your questions there.