A capital in transition

Podgorica has spent a long time being the city people just drive through to get to the beach. It was once famous for being quite grey and full of blocky buildings from the socialist era. Things are changing now and the skyline is starting to look like it belongs in the twenty first century. When the sun goes down the city finally puts on a bit of a show. It is no longer just a place to wait for your next bus.

The shiny world of Capital Plaza

The area around the Capital Plaza hotel is the star of this modern transformation. This district looks brand new because it basically is. It is full of glass and steel and straight lines that make the rest of the city look very old fashioned. This is where the money lives and works. It is the business heart of Montenegro and it is very desperate to show everyone how successful it has become.

Evening lights and expensive coffee

At night the Capital Plaza area glows with a lot of artificial light. The buildings are lit up in a way that suggests very important things are happening inside them. You will see a lot of people sitting in trendy cafes looking at their phones or each other. It is a very clean and polished environment. It feels a bit like a film set for a corporate thriller where everyone wears expensive suits and drinks overpriced espresso.

A different side of Montenegro

Walking through this district feels nothing like walking through the old parts of town or the mountains. There are no crumbling walls or stray cats here. Instead you get wide pavements and very bright signs. It provides a massive contrast to the traditional image of the country. It is a bit artificial but it is also quite impressive if you like looking at expensive architecture while the sky turns dark.