Fun facts about Montenegro

Over 60% of Montenegro is over 1,000 metres high

Most of Montenegro’s landscape consists of rugged mountains, steep valleys, glacial lakes, wetlands and densely wooded forests.

Its lofty geography is where Montenegro gets its name from, as it means black mountains. Bobotov Kuk Mountain is the highest in the country at 2,523 metres but there are several other mountains in national parks that loom over Montenegro. Mount Lovcen is 1,749 metres high and Mount Rumija in the Lake Skadar National Park is around 1,600 metres above sea level, both of which giving views out over the Adriatic Sea.

Montenegrins prefer old wedding dresses

It’s traditional for elaborate wedding dresses to be passed down in families over the generations, making it common for Montenegrin brides to wear beautifully embroidered vintage dresses with layers of fine lace, which are over a century old. Another Montenegro tradition is for newlyweds to plant an olive tree on their wedding day as a symbol of their enduring love.

Brad Pitt had his first leading film role in Montenegro

Way back in 1988 when Brad Pitt was starting out, he won a role in a film shot entirely in Montenegro. He played Rick, a man searching for a cure for his light-sensitive skin in the movie Dark Side of the Sun. He was paid just USD$1,523 for seven weeks of filming but presumably this role helped prepare him for his portrayal of a vampire in the 1994 film Interview with the Vampire.

Montenegro has the deepest canyon in Europe