Stari Bar, or Old Bar, is a town in Montenegro with a history going back 2,500 years. Today, you can visit the abandoned town and walk through the ruins of the old town. Unfortunately, most of the buildings were severely damaged during an earthquake in 1979, so much of the ruins you see today have been restored since the earthquake.
When you arrive near in Stari Bar there will be a small parking lot at the bottom of the old town (leading up to the ruins). If this lot is full (there are only a few spots) you can continue up the road to the main parking lot. From the parking lot you can follow the road to the entrance of the old town ruins. Since we were visiting in winter, there were not very many people around and we were able to park in the small lot. Parking here allowed us to walk up the cobbled stone pathway, lined with shops and cafes, on our way to the ruin entrance. It was a nice lead up to the ruins.
Some of the buildings you will see include the Clock Tower, the Palace, the Mosque, as well as several churches. You can wonder around the site and explore the ruins. There are several buildings that you can walk into or climb stairs to see the views from above.
In one of the buildings, you will find a display of ceramics and carvings that were located on the buildings throughout the old town.
It is a very lush area as many of the buildings are covered in ivy. It was a cold, rainy day while we were there so we didn’t linger around too much. Had it been a nice day we would have enjoyed the buildings, greenery, and views over the nearby town a lot more.
After visiting the old town ruins, we made our way back to the cobbled streets and found a cozy cafe for lunch. The cafe was perfect for a cold, rainy winter’s day. We sat next to a lovely wood burning fire and enjoyed an amazing meal.