Just back from my favourite place in Europe.

Montenegro 🇲🇪

Tivat and the bay of Kotor are thriving. It’s construction work everywhere. From luxury apartment buildings, to villas, marinas and general infrastructure.

It seems tourists from all over the world are finally discovering this gem.

In the streets you hear a vast array of languages, from the local Montenegrin, to Serbian, Russian, German, American and British English, French, Spanish. No Italian though!

Although there are no Italians in sight, everything is being built as a little Italy. The narrow streets, terrazzas, gelato places.

Luxury developments, shops and restaurants have mostly Italian names: “Porto”, “Brezza”, “Marea”, “Il Posto Giusto”, “Navale” etc.

Italian language is a brand in itself.

Tivat was a small local village until 15 years ago. Now it’s home to one of the most popular and luxurious marinas in the Mediterranean.

There’s a lot of optimism in the air.

Investments are flowing in.

Feeling such optimism in Europe gives me a sense of relief and hope during these strange times.

No surprise Montenegro is the next candidate to join the EU. The national airline planes already proudly show the “28 by 28” livery.

28th EU country by 2028.

I root for them. It will bring a new gem to our beautiful Europe.

The photo is taken from a terrazza in Herceg Novi, probably my favourite spot in the whole bay.