Landmark
Stari Bar
Bar · Southern Coast & Ulcinj
QUICK INFORMATION
- CATEGORY
- Landmark
- COUNTRY
- Montenegro
- REGION
- Bar · Southern Coast & Ulcinj
- DURATION
- 2 days
ABOUT THIS ATTRACTION
Stari Bar — Old Bar — is the historic fortified settlement above the modern port of Bar, a walled complex of stone houses, churches, mosques and an aqueduct sitting on a shelf of rock at the foot of Mount Rumija, looking out over the coast and one of the oldest olive groves in the Mediterranean. It was the town of Bar for centuries, through medieval Serbian, Venetian and Ottoman rule, until the destructive Montenegrin siege of 1877–1878 damaged much of the fortified town and Bar was transferred to Montenegro following the Congress of Berlin. Over the following decades the population shifted down to the coastal plain, where the modern city and port of Bar grew up. The historic core on the hill is now a partly conserved archaeological and heritage complex rather than an abandoned ruin — a living settlement remains around and below it — and it is the most historic sight on the southern coast outside Ulcinj.
HISTORY & BACKGROUND
The story behind it
Stari Bar was the principal town of the region through the medieval and Ottoman periods, a walled hilltop settlement that passed from Serbian to Venetian and then, from 1571, to Ottoman rule. Under the Ottomans it became a mixed town of churches, mosques, hammams and an aqueduct, trading in olive oil and goods from the interior. During the Montenegrin siege of 1877–1878 much of the fortified town was damaged, and Bar was transferred to Montenegro following the Congress of Berlin. Over the following decades the population shifted down to the coastal plain, where the modern city and port of Bar grew up around the harbour and the rail and ferry connections. The historic core on the hill was partly neglected, and only in recent decades has it been conserved as a heritage site — a working archaeological complex rather than a rebuilt one, with its walls, towers, churches and mosque foundations still legible. The 1979 Montenegro earthquake damaged the old town and destroyed its aqueduct before restoration work continued.
WHAT TO SEE
What to see here
The fortress walls and gates — the stone curtain that enclosed the hilltown, with its towers and the main gate.
The aqueduct — the Ottoman-era water system that fed the old town, its arches still standing at the edge of the site.
The churches and mosque foundations — the remains of the town’s mixed Christian and Muslim places of worship, side by side in the ruins.
The view over the coast and the olive groves — the old town sits above the plain of Bar and its ancient olive groves, with the sea beyond.
The restored streets and houses — a few buildings have been rebuilt and now hold small shops, a café and exhibition spaces within the ruins.
WHY IT MATTERS
Why it matters
Stari Bar is the historic heart of the Bar region, and the place that tells its layered story — medieval Serbian, Venetian and Ottoman — in a single walled site. For a visitor it offers something the modern port town does not: an atmospheric, walkable ruin on a hilltop above the coast, with the old olive groves below and the mountains behind, and far fewer crowds than the walled towns of the central coast.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Before you go
THROUGH THE LENS
From the road
MAP & LOCATION
Stari Bar
Stari Bar, Bar, Southern Coast & Ulcinj, Montenegro
42.1056, 19.1389
MORE ATTRACTIONS
More to see in Bar
FOOD & DRINK
Where to eat nearby
Konoba Stari Mlin — traditional Montenegrin dishes on the road up to Stari Bar, a natural stop between the modern town and the old town
Bar waterfront and port restaurants — grilled fish, seafood and Montenegrin home cooking along the promenade and around the marina in modern Bar
Stari Bar cafés and konobas — small family-run places among the restored stone houses of the old town, serving grilled meat, local cheese and wine from the Rumija foothills
Olive-oil producers of Stara Maslina area — tastings and local products (oil, honey, wine) sold directly by growers around Mirovica and the old olive groves
HOTELS & STAYS
Where to stay nearby
Hotel Princess — a four-star resort base on the Bar seafront, with pools and direct promenade access
Stari Bar guesthouses — small stone-house rooms and apartments in and around the old town, quiet and several degrees cooler than the coast in summer
Modern Bar apartments and marina stays — self-catering apartments near the waterfront, port and rail station, practical for arriving by bus or train
Sutomore and Čanj coast — beach resorts and apartment camps a short ride north, a cheaper base within easy reach of Bar by the coastal road or rail line
ITINERARIES
Day-by-day routes
NEARBY DESTINATIONS
Continue the journey
PART OF
Keep exploring
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