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Trip Prologue On June 1, 2025, our Starlight group chose a route rarely featured on the covers of guidebooks: Gornja Lastva, a tiny mountain village on the sunny slopes of Mount Vrmac, high above Tivat. Here, the sound of the sea dissolves into the rustling olive trees and stone steps, and instead of a bustling promenade, there's a square with a bench and a memorial to those who died in World War II. The atmosphere is exactly what people seek out at the coast in the off-season: silence, long shadows, the scent of sage and limestone. Important: Administratively, Gornja Lastva belongs to the municipality of Tivat, not Kotor, although the village overlooks the Bay of Kotor and is connected to Kotor by a network of trails along the Vrmac ridge. Where is it: Landscape and Approaches Gornja Lastva lies at an altitude of approximately 300 meters above sea level, deep in the Vrmac slope, surrounded by olive groves. Old rural roads and marked trails lead to it: you can ascend from the coastal Donja Lastva/Tivat in about 45 minutes, or walk along the famous Vrmac Ridge, offering panoramic views of both sides of the bay, from Kotor to Tivat. At the forks in the road, you'll find yellow signs leading to Vrmac Fortress, Donja Lastva, and the village itself. The view from the top is a neat textbook on Boka's geography: closer is Tivat's inner bay, and further away are the fjord-like bays and saddles of Vrmac, cut into the mountains. It is this dual panorama that makes little Lastva a favorite among hikers. Historical Layers Gornja Lastva is one of the rare examples of preserved rural architecture in Boka. Lastva has been mentioned in written sources since the Middle Ages (14th–16th centuries); the village was formed by stone houses with cisterns, courtyards, and grape-covered pergolas. The center of life was the square and the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary (often simply called "St. Mary"), whose roots date back to the 15th century. The 1979 earthquake damaged some buildings, but many houses—including ancient manors—were restored to their traditional appearance. In 1919, the Croatian tambourine society "Napredak" was founded in the village—a local cultural "engine" that continues to host educational and festival programs. About the name • "Gornja Lastva" = "Upper Lastva." The Slavic adjective gornja/gornji means "upper, located higher (on a slope/above sea level)" and is usually contrasted with donja, meaning "lower." In toponyms, this is precisely the "upper/lower" part of a single settlement (cf. Gornji/Donji, etc.) • What is "Lastva?" Tivat linguists explain that "Lastva" is derived from the common Slavic noun laz ("clearing; small cultivated area in inaccessible terrain; plateau/bald spot on a hill; narrow mountain pass") with the suffix -tva → the original form Laztva, which phonetically became Lastva. Thus, this is a toponym for an "inhabited clearing/plateau" on a slope • Final meaning. The name can be understood as "Upper (village on) a clearing/plateau" — in contrast to the coastal Donja Lastva ("Lower Lastva") by the sea Events and Living Tradition In summer, Gornja Lastva hosts the Lastovska Fešta, one of the longest-running folk festivals in Boka. In 2024, the festival celebrated its 50th anniversary—a symbolic milestone for this small town. The program ranges from performances by the Bokeljska Mornarica and local ensembles to evening concerts and fairs in front of the church and the Ilija Marković Community Center. And in neighboring Donja Lastva, in winter, on Saturdays in February, the Lastovska Carnival is traditionally held, with a costumed procession and a "trial" of the Karneval on the pier near the Church of St. Roch—a characteristic rite of Boka culture. Although this is on the coast, historically, it is one Lastva—lower and upper What we saw and how the Starlight day went We left early in the morning by car from Kotor. The climb from Gornja Lastva is a series of stone serpentines among olive trees, thyme, and old dry masonry. By midday, there's a square with a bench and a memorial obelisk to the villagers who died in the war; a few cars, and silence broken only by the ringing of a bell. Because of the altitude and the exposed slope, the light here is especially crisp: the stone literally glows We stopped by the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary (St. Mary)—a modest façade, a whitewashed bell tower, surrounded by low fences, rosemary, and wild grape vines. Further on, the trail leads to Vrmac Fortress and the viewpoint at Sveti Vid: from here, you can see the entire Tivat Bay, Verige—the narrowest "neck" of the Boka—and the distant islands Aftertaste Gornja Lastva offers a rare glimpse of the pristine Boka. It lacks the "postcard" drama of Kotor, but it offers intimacy and authenticity: rock, olives, a bell, and a view that explains why people settled here. For us, this spot was the perfect starting point for the 2025 summer season #GornjaLastva #montenegro #hiking #starlightgroup
A Village-Museum by the Sea: Gornja Lastva, Montenegro | Starlight Group #hiking #trekking
Virpazar, Godinje, Skadar Lake, and Pješačac Beach: From the Origin of Their Names to Their Modern Meaning Where is it and why is it important? Virpazar and Godinje are neighboring settlements in the historic wine region of Crmnica on the northwestern shore of Lake Skadar in the municipality of Bar, Montenegro. Virpazar is the de facto "gateway" to Skadar Lake National Park and an access point for lake walks. It has a station on the Belgrade-Bar line and a convenient exit from the Bar-Podgorica highway, making it a prime starting point for lake excursions. Origin of the Names Virpazar. The name is composed of "vir" (whirlwind/pool; locally used for a place with a turbulent current and a confluence of streams) and "pazar" (market) (borrowed from Ottoman-Balkan trade vocabulary). The settlement stood at the confluence of the Crmnica and Orahovštica rivers and had long served as a trading post for the surrounding villages—hence the name "Vir Pazar." Godinje. The toponym has been known in written sources since the 14th–15th centuries; local traditions derive it either from the verb goditi ("to please," "to please"—"a place where one feels good"), or link it to early ancestral settlements and ancient "čardaki" (little chards) and passages between houses. There is no unified scholarly etymology, but early written records and oral tradition confirm the name's antiquity. Crmnica. The regional name is traditionally associated with the reddish soils (variants on old maps include Cermenica and Črmnica), a fact that has also become entrenched in local historiography. Lake Skadar. The lake, known by many names—Skadar/Scutari/Shkodër/Shkodra—is named after the Albanian city of Shkodër on its southeastern shore; it is of karst-tectonic origin and the largest in the Balkans. Pješačac Beach. A laconically shaped sand and pebble beach on the lake, located "below" Godinje, within the national park. The etymology of the local name is not directly explored in sources; in tourist parlance, it has become established simply as the name of a cove/pavilion. Historical Overview Middle Ages and Ottoman Period. Vir was first mentioned in 1242; in 1478, after the fall of Donja Zeta, the Ottomans built the Besac Fortress over the village—one of the early strongholds on the lake. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the fortress passed to the Montenegrins; today it is a restored structure with an observation deck. In 1843, the Ottomans built another fortress on the islet of Grmožur near Godinje, later converted into a prison—the "Montenegrin Alcatraz." Traditions of Crmnica and Godinje. Godinje is the ancestral home of the Leković and Nikaći brotherhoods; the stone houses are connected by passages and tunnels, which are believed to have served defensive purposes. Crmnica has been known for its winemaking (vranac, krstač) since at least the early modern period; family wineries still operate today. Modernization and the 20th Century. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Virpazar received a post office, a highway to Bar, and, in 1908, a railway connection. During World War II, resistance was active in the area; a monument stands near the old bridge in Virpazar. The wreck of the steamship "Skenderbeg" (sunk in 1942) lies at the bottom of the lake near Karuč. Nature Protection. The Montenegrin part of the lake was declared a national park in 1983; it was included on the List of Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) in 1995 (Montenegrin section). The Albanian side received Ramsar status in 2006. Flora and Fauna Hydrobotany and Landscapes. Skadar is a shallow (average depth ~5–6 m), seasonally "breathing" lake with floods: in summer, its area is approximately 370 km², and in winter, up to ~540 km². The shores are interspersed with reed and rush belts, willow thickets, and estuarine marshes; karst springs (oka) are characteristic. Winemaking and Gastronomy. Crmnica remains the "heart" of Montenegrin wine (vranac), and Godinje is known for its family. The region's rich wine cellars and table culture are an important part of its identity and its "slow" appeal to travelers. Pješačac Beach A small, secluded lagoon at the foot of Godinje within the national park. Several guidebooks list the beach as one of the best "freshwater swimming spots" on the lake; the infrastructure is deliberately minimalist so as not to disturb the natural environment. Conclusion The Virpazar-Godinje-Skadar Lake-Pješačac link is a rare example of a place where nature and tradition form a coherent cultural landscape: from fishing and winemaking villages above the water to pelican colonies in the reeds and clifftop fortresses. For Montenegro, it is simultaneously an environmental priority, a key tourist attraction, and a custodian of local memory. We hiked along this wonderful route, past vineyards, orchards, and picturesque houses, along Lake Skadar, on September 21, 2025. This time, the Starlight group consisted of women, which added a special touch to our journey.
Lake Skadar: Virpazar, Godinje wine trails, and secluded Pješačac #Starlightgroup #hiking
Trip Prologue On June 1, 2025, our Starlight group chose a route rarely featured on the covers of guidebooks: Gornja Lastva, a tiny mountain village on the sunny slopes of Mount Vrmac, high above Tivat. Here, the sound of the sea dissolves into the rustling olive trees and stone steps, and instead of a bustling promenade, there's a square with a bench and a memorial to those who died in World War II. The atmosphere is exactly what people seek out at the coast in the off-season: silence, long shadows, the scent of sage and limestone. Important: Administratively, Gornja Lastva belongs to the municipality of Tivat, not Kotor, although the village overlooks the Bay of Kotor and is connected to Kotor by a network of trails along the Vrmac ridge. Where is it: Landscape and Approaches Gornja Lastva lies at an altitude of approximately 300 meters above sea level, deep in the Vrmac slope, surrounded by olive groves. Old rural roads and marked trails lead to it: you can ascend from the coastal Donja Lastva/Tivat in about 45 minutes, or walk along the famous Vrmac Ridge, offering panoramic views of both sides of the bay, from Kotor to Tivat. At the forks in the road, you'll find yellow signs leading to Vrmac Fortress, Donja Lastva, and the village itself. The view from the top is a neat textbook on Boka's geography: closer is Tivat's inner bay, and further away are the fjord-like bays and saddles of Vrmac, cut into the mountains. It is this dual panorama that makes little Lastva a favorite among hikers. Historical Layers Gornja Lastva is one of the rare examples of preserved rural architecture in Boka. Lastva has been mentioned in written sources since the Middle Ages (14th–16th centuries); the village was formed by stone houses with cisterns, courtyards, and grape-covered pergolas. The center of life was the square and the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary (often simply called "St. Mary"), whose roots date back to the 15th century. The 1979 earthquake damaged some buildings, but many houses—including ancient manors—were restored to their traditional appearance. In 1919, the Croatian tambourine society "Napredak" was founded in the village—a local cultural "engine" that continues to host educational and festival programs. About the name • "Gornja Lastva" = "Upper Lastva." The Slavic adjective gornja/gornji means "upper, located higher (on a slope/above sea level)" and is usually contrasted with donja, meaning "lower." In toponyms, this is precisely the "upper/lower" part of a single settlement (cf. Gornji/Donji, etc.) • What is "Lastva?" Tivat linguists explain that "Lastva" is derived from the common Slavic noun laz ("clearing; small cultivated area in inaccessible terrain; plateau/bald spot on a hill; narrow mountain pass") with the suffix -tva → the original form Laztva, which phonetically became Lastva. Thus, this is a toponym for an "inhabited clearing/plateau" on a slope • Final meaning. The name can be understood as "Upper (village on) a clearing/plateau" — in contrast to the coastal Donja Lastva ("Lower Lastva") by the sea Events and Living Tradition In summer, Gornja Lastva hosts the Lastovska Fešta, one of the longest-running folk festivals in Boka. In 2024, the festival celebrated its 50th anniversary—a symbolic milestone for this small town. The program ranges from performances by the Bokeljska Mornarica and local ensembles to evening concerts and fairs in front of the church and the Ilija Marković Community Center. And in neighboring Donja Lastva, in winter, on Saturdays in February, the Lastovska Carnival is traditionally held, with a costumed procession and a "trial" of the Karneval on the pier near the Church of St. Roch—a characteristic rite of Boka culture. Although this is on the coast, historically, it is one Lastva—lower and upper What we saw and how the Starlight day went We left early in the morning by car from Kotor. The climb from Gornja Lastva is a series of stone serpentines among olive trees, thyme, and old dry masonry. By midday, there's a square with a bench and a memorial obelisk to the villagers who died in the war; a few cars, and silence broken only by the ringing of a bell. Because of the altitude and the exposed slope, the light here is especially crisp: the stone literally glows We stopped by the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary (St. Mary)—a modest façade, a whitewashed bell tower, surrounded by low fences, rosemary, and wild grape vines. Further on, the trail leads to Vrmac Fortress and the viewpoint at Sveti Vid: from here, you can see the entire Tivat Bay, Verige—the narrowest "neck" of the Boka—and the distant islands Aftertaste Gornja Lastva offers a rare glimpse of the pristine Boka. It lacks the "postcard" drama of Kotor, but it offers intimacy and authenticity: rock, olives, a bell, and a view that explains why people settled here. For us, this spot was the perfect starting point for the 2025 summer season #GornjaLastva #montenegro #hiking #starlightgroup
Legends and Facts of Gornja Lastva, Montenegro | Starlight Group #GornjaLastva #hiking
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