For a trip to Mala Gorana, the rural cultural landscape is an important starting point. Agriculture, landforms and historical connections offer different ways to plan your stay. If you are looking for an apartment, you can first consider whether the rural character and historical setting match your travel interests.
Landscape and Agriculture
Mala and Velika Gorana are described as a preserved cultural landscape with traditionally farmed agricultural land; its rural character is intended to be maintained. Mala Gorana is part of the Mrkovsko polje–Gorana subarea, whose terrain is predominantly low and relatively flat. The wider rural area of Gorana, which includes Mala Gorana, encompasses the approximately 500- to 700-metre-wide Goransko polje and the wooded hills above it. The wider landscape therefore brings together open agricultural land and wooded heights.
Intensive agriculture is planned for the subarea, including olive groves, citrus fruits, early-ripening continental fruit varieties and Mediterranean vegetables. The Bar Olive Growers’ Association offers a regional experience for those interested in olives: it organizes guided walks through olive groves and tastings of oil made from the Žutica variety. Check current availability before making plans.
Practical Information
Water supply is also a useful consideration when planning a stay in a rural setting. A municipal plan from 2018 states that Mala Gorana has no natural springs and describes the supply from the Frašanj well via a pumping station as capacity-limited. Check the local water situation before relying on it during a stay or for rural activities.
Bridges and Historical Connections
The old bridge at the junction of the roads towards Mala Gorana and Kunje is locally known as the Turkish Bridge and was built in the Ottoman style. Its reconstruction was reported in 2020. The old road near the bridge has been linked to a possible ancient Roman route between Narona, Olcinium and Skadar. This is a possible historical interpretation, not a fully excavated route.
Klezna lies on the road from Ulcinj to Vladimir, between Mala and Velika Gorana. A bridge in Klezna was described in 2024 as being more than three centuries old. In his travel notes from 21 to 23 August 1881, Mitar Petrović Plamenac names Mala Gorana among the villages of Mrkojevići. Historical accounts also connect the place with the former observance of Petkovdan, a former Christian feast day.
The Gorana Mosque is also part of the cultural context of the Mrkojevići area: it was one of three mosques made accessible through a virtual tour project. Check in advance whether the virtual tour is currently available.
Culture in the Wider Ulcinj Destination
In the wider destination of Ulcinj, the Old Town offers a distinct cultural and historical focus. It was protected as a cultural asset of national importance in 1961. Its upper area, dominated by the citadel, has a military character; below it lies a civilian settlement surrounded by fortification walls. The Church of St. Mary in the Old Town was built in 1510 and converted into a mosque in 1571.
When choosing a destination, it helps to distinguish between Mala Gorana’s rural cultural landscape and the history of the Old Town in the wider Ulcinj area.
Discover more destinations: Utjeha-Bušat, Bratica, Doni Štoj, Kunje, Ulcinj, Sveti Nikola.
Go to the wider travel overview: Ulcinj.
