The waters of the small Adriatic Sea are washed by the shores of several states at once: Slovenia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy, Croatia and Montenegro, but only on the territory of the latter is the largest and one of the most beautiful islands in the world - St. Nicholas, or Sveti Nicoli, or Hawaii. The Montenegrins love him, avid tourists tend to get here, photographers are delighted with the views. Perfectly transparent, turquoise hue of the sea, dense forests and beautiful beaches - all this explains the universal love of Sveti Nicoli.
A bit about island life
It has a natural origin, that is, it was formed in a natural way. St. Nicholas Island is located in the Gulf of Budva. Opposite him is the city of Budva. The island is connected with it by a path - a small mound. At low tide, the depth here is only 0.5 m. There is such a legend about the formation of this “path”: when Saint Sava gathered in Athos, a strong storm started, because of which he could not get to his ship and sail. Then he took some stones and threw them into the sea. There was a path along which Saint Sava was able to approach the ship. And it happened in 1234.
Located in the Republic of Montenegro, the island of St. Nicholas has an unusual shape. On the one hand, its coastline is elongated at an angle of 45 degrees and protrudes into the sea. The area of the island is 36 hectares, the length is about 2 km.
At the moment, people do not live here. The government will probably never allow this. The island is conditionally divided into 2 parts: one is open for tourists, and the second is a conservation area, and the entrance there is closed. Maybe this is good, because nature has been preserved there in its original form. The island is home to many different animals and birds. Here live hares, deer, pheasants and (do not believe it!) Mouflons - representatives of the genus rams.
Montenegro, island of St. Nicholas: attractions
Even on such a small part of the island that was “presented” to holidaymakers, you can find architectural monuments that are worth visiting. The main architectural attraction of the island is the church of St. Nicholas, the patron saint of sailors. The first mention of it dates back to the 16th century. It was this building that gave the name to the whole island.
However, legend has it that the crusaders built the temple at the end of the 11th century under the leadership of Raymond of Toulouse when they marched to Constantinople. In the Middle Ages, as you know, the plague mowed down a good half of Europe. A pandemic and crusaders could not be avoided - many of them died on the island of St. Nicholas, and the survivors created a cemetery and buried the knights. A nearby church was built, which was destroyed at the time of the 1979 earthquake. In its place, a new church of St. Nicholas was erected. There are also several buildings on the island, but they do not represent either historical or architectural value - these are relatively new buildings.
The beaches of the island of St. Nicholas
The pearl of such a republic as Montenegro, the island of St. Nicholas, has a coastline of about 800 m long. It is divided into 3 parts. The first, as already mentioned, is a conservation area, the second is strewn with pebbles, and the third is sand.
Many are interested in Hawaii-beach (Montenegro). Where did such an unusual name come from? But everything is simple here: this small part of the coastline was so called because the restaurant of the same name is located there.
The beaches of the island are not crowded, but some of them are often visited, while others are ideal for those who crave privacy. Often, residents of Budva come here to take a break from the crowds of tourists and cook their favorite rostil. Rocks, clear turquoise water, dark green fragrant vegetation and silence - what else is needed for happiness?
It is worth noting that the pebble beach here is “hard”. First the pebbles are small, then they become bigger and sharper. It is necessary to be as careful as possible so as not to get hurt or tuck your leg. You also need to buy comfortable shoes. This can be done on the Slavic beach of Budva, before buying a ticket for a boat that will take you to your destination.
Island Infrastructure
One of the republics well developed in terms of tourism is Montenegro. The island of St. Nicholas, of course, is also equipped, so vacationers here will find everything they need. Spending time in the fresh air, tourists enjoy their holidays. At the same time, a good appetite wakes up, you can satisfy your hunger in a restaurant. It is located near the beach.
You can also rent an umbrella and sunbed. A rental office is located on the beach. Such a kit will cost about 5 euros. But for the sake of economy, many people take a rug or a simple towel with them and sunbathe on it. And water products are also advised to buy somewhere in Budva, because the prices in the restaurant “bite”.
Island of St. Nicholas (Montenegro): how to get there?
No problems will arise with this. Regularly boats depart from the Slavyansk beach, which deliver vacationers to the island. They work from 8 am to 6 pm. Ticket price is approximately 3 euros. You may have to call a water taxi, which costs 5-7 times more. Therefore, it is advisable to bring more money with you.
You can get to the island all year long.
Reviews about Sveti Nicoli Island
Tourists who came to the island say that here you can get a lot of pleasant experiences. And even a pebble beach with sharp stones will not spoil the mood, on the contrary, these "boulders" complement the unreal beauty of the landscape, adding to it wildness and naturalness in the truest sense of the word. Others believe that it is not necessary to sail to the island. And why, if due to its small distance it is perfectly visible from Budva? But it’s one thing to see from afar, and another to be in the thick of things, so to speak. If you already go on vacation, it’s better not to save, so as not to regret later.
The city of Budva is also beautiful, but it is always crowded, tourists here rest all year round. And sometimes the pandemonium bothers, I want to be alone with nature and admire the beautiful landscape. It is with this mood that you need to go to the island of St. Nicholas!