The stormy multi-millennium history imbued with a dose of wondrous mysticism and the irresistible charm of recognizable authenticity brought guests back to the Old Town in Ulcinj, thus promoting it as a pre-season hit of the tourist offer of the southernmost municipality. This is confirmed by the smiles on the faces of numerous tourists, as well as the satisfaction of the restaurateurs, some of whom are already tired even in the early hours of the morning.
"Sorry, but I really don't have time now. I have guests on the terrace as you can see, it's cloudy, not beach time which means there will probably be more people in the Old Town. I'm working on my own right now and I have to prepare," answered one of them when asked to comment on the preseason in the Old Town.
The owner of a restaurant, Shazi Nimanbegu, does not hide his satisfaction.
"There are guests. I am satisfied, especially since they are mostly Germans", he told "Vijesti" Nimanbeg.
At the entrance to the fortress from the north gate, the museum complex awaits tourists immediately to the left - a magnificent historical treasure of the Old Town. Everyone would like to "take a peek" but only those in the know know that Cervantes was allegedly enslaved there, who gave his heroine from Don Quixote the name Dulsine, since the time of his enslavement coincides with the time when Ulcinj was Dulsinio, that the unique building is a church - a mosque arose because when the Turks occupied Ulcinj in 1571, they did not want to demolish the existing church, but only added a minaret and made it a mosque, that the exiled reformer of the Talmud, Sabataj Cevi, lived in the Balšić Tower for the rest of his life as Mehmed Efendi and the captain of the fortress where he led a double life, as evidenced by the carved stars of David on the top floor of the building. Even today, one can only guess where Cevi is buried and whether Cervantes was really a slave in Ulcinj...
A hundred meters below, in the courtyard of the Palata Venezia hotel, monuments to both stand proudly. There is also a small museum dedicated to the pirates of Ulcinj, who are an indispensable part of the history of the Old Town. Hotel owner Gani Resulbegović said that the Old Town must play a leading role in the development of tourism.
"In fact, to be a generator of the overall development of the city. This pre-season gives hope that it will be like that", said Resulbegović to "Vijesta". He stated that the Old Town must continue to improve its offer.
"We have to constantly point out flaws and shortcomings. Here, for example, the Old Town is not completely covered with new cobblestones. We have to fight for it, because it is in the interest of the whole city", Resulbegović said. He said that he is thinking of stationing an electric vehicle on a small roundabout with olive trees during the summer that would transport tourists to the museum for free.
"After that, let them walk and go wherever they want. I invite others to get involved and support that project," he said.
The offer of the Old Town is complemented by a couple of souvenir shops, a pastry shop... Unfortunately, in a few locations there are still ruins that bear witness to the catastrophic earthquake of 1979.
According to data from the local TO, on Friday May 27, almost eight thousand tourists entered Montenegro at the border crossing in Sukobin alone. Most of them will spend the weekend in Ulcinj, but not a small number of those who chose Bar, Petrovac, Budva, Tivat, Kotor, Herceg Novi... untemporary rer
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