Lustica Bay - Future perfect getaway

But a handful of years ago, it seemed disaster had befallen the seabound jet set; the Med's marinas, it emerged, were full. No Riviera retreat for the Riva. No beautiful birth for that beautiful boat. No super spot for a super-yacht. Quite simply, no room at the aquatic inn. So what's a boat to do? Let down its sails one last time, hightail it to the scrapyard and watch its captain wander forlornly into the wilderness? Not quite. As any true seafarer will tell you, a sailboat is nothing if not tenacious, and so Europe's fleet weathered the storm, sought pastures and ports new and lo! The clouds parted, the sun shone, and with it shone a new shore: 295 kilometres of coastline boasting bays, beaches and births aplenty, easy access to the Adriatic's open waters and enchanting islands, favourable yacht and tax laws, and fairer weather still - Montenegro. It's no secret that Montenegro has become the smart sailor's top pick, providing the perfect portside pit stop and greater reason still to stay. But what hasn't yet hit the headlines is another side to its shore - one that offers adventure and activity akin to the old days of the Adriatic recalls a time of legend and tradition and conserves its natural environment so carefully that the 21st century seems barely to have touched it. This is the side you'll see if you sail to Lustica Bay, a picture-perfect development poised to be the home of healthy, active living on the Adriatic coast and a haven for desolate vessels. Like the traditional fishing villages of yesteryear, this new development starts at sea, growing organically from the bustling marina village that will mark its first phase. With 120 berths for boats up to 60 metres long, seamen come to shore will find a four-kilometre pedestrianised sea wall and portside promenade brimming with bars, boutiques, cafés and restaurants. From here you and your yacht can explore legendary local spots such as a man-made island, Our Lady of the Rock, and UNESCO world heritage site the Bay of Kotor, or set sail for the Dalmatian islands and beyond. But you may just find yourself landlocked. Because, frankly, there's too much to do. Water may be the life force of Lustica Bay, but the sea is certainly not the only force at work. Beyond a coastal community, the minds behind this colossal (1,700 acres colossal, that is) project charged themselves with keeping at its heart the rich heritage and unparalleled natural beauty it enjoys, and the hearty lifestyle its location invites. Those who make it off the boat and past the bar will find inland activity in abundance. Taking one of the hiking or nature trails that crisscross the compound, they may discover that two legs are better than sails, finding old friends in the form of olive groves, cypress trees and wild rosemary, honeysuckle and lavender (really, has sea salt ever smelt so sweet?). Of course, those that long for liquid can carouse back down to the beach for a spot of swimming or kayaking, but it's Lustica hilltop village that really encourages activity.

Set in the heart of the site, and equipped with those oh-so-exhilarating views out into the Adriatic, tennis courts, an activity lawn, hotels and houses will sit around Montenegro's first signature 18-hole golf course - a beauty of a course, created by champion golfer turned equally triumphant course designer, Gary Player. A world-class setting for the sport, maintaining the natural undulating hills so suited to it and a sea view from every hole, it's enough to send even the most sturdy of sea legs running for the hills. Beyond being the tip of Lustica’s very healthy iceberg, the golf course exemplifies its ideals. Player's belief in the course existing in harmony with nature, and therefore in minimal environmental impact, is perfectly attuned to the values of Lustica Bay: that the stunning scenery that surrounds it must be protected. This means green construction methods and a teeny-tiny carbon footprint. It means intelligent architecture that will slash regional energy consumption by a third. Means leaving a whopping 94% of its total 1,700 acres left untouched (so lots more opportunity for new land lovers to become reacquainted with the green stuff). It is creating protected marine spaces, encouraging us to look after as well as out to the sea. And for Lustica Bay, this means achieving Europe's first LEED Silver certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for a residential project. Essentially, it means very good things indeed. And if we haven't lost our sailors to tree-hugging, they'll also come across the perfect place to lay their hat. Seven hotels are planned in total, extending from the bijou and boutique to the bold and the beautiful and equipped with spas and wellness centres to continue Lustica's crusade for complete wellbeing. It's the homes; however, that'll have them trading their cabins in for something a little steadier. Inspired by the region's rich culture, over 1,500 residences, ranging from seaside apartments to bespoke hillside villas, are to be built with local stone, with the look of local architecture. As much as the town will grow authentically from the waters edge up, the buildings that will spring with it will create an authentic Montenegrin atmosphere and a very real sea view. Of course, with a national events calendar that reads like a colourful history lesson and an endless festival line-up combined, nothing is more authentically Montenegrin than a party. Accordingly, this healthy, sustainable and culturally sensitive community promises to be equally sociable - a far cry from the overfilled, overdeveloped destinations in much of the Med, but as equipped for entertainment as it is for activity. So, by all means, bring your boat to Lustica Bay. Let it loose on the marina town or offer it a change of scene at their secondary marina area. Allow it to rub rudders with the Adriatic's other crafty crafts, forgetting that there ever was a time when it considered sailing off to that scrapyard in the sky. But with oceans of options for seafarers and landlubbers alike, don't expect to stay on board for long.