In the picturesque village of Lubnice, near Berane, you’ll find the Kljajić household. Ever since it was built, for over a century, it has been known to all for its beauty. Everything inside this household has remained just as it was when Milan Kljajić’s grandfather built it 105 years ago. Very little has changed, and the family tradition has been preserved.
As part of the project funded by the European Union, this household has been recognised as a custodian of heritage for preserving the traditional home.
“I am pleased that someone recognises and wishes to improve on what someone is willing to preserve,” emphasises our host Milan Kljajić. “I want this to be the Kljajić family home, and that’s what me and my wife and children are doing. It’s a rural household where tourists can come to see what we do and eat what we eat as much as they can,” Milan further explains.
At the Kljajić residence, tourists don’t feel like guests but rather like family members. With a smile on her face, the hostess Maja Kljajić offers numerous delicacies she has prepared. Homemade cheese, kaymak, prosciutto, peppers, raspberry juice, and so much more. These are just some of the things you’ll find in their house if you happen to visit.
“To me, all of our guests are like my own family. Given that there are six of us in our family, it’s not that difficult for me. I put on a big pot, because this is not just a hospitality industry for me, it is home,” Maja told us.
The architectural characteristic of this region is the fact that people used to build houses using only the materials available to them.
“So, I asked my husband once why the doors were so small, which results in people having to bend down to enter. He said, first and foremost, it was to preserve the forest and to keep it warmer in winter. This makes it cosy,” explains Maja. “People didn’t spend 24 hours in the house; they practically entered only to sleep,” she adds.
When you peek into the Kljajić house, you feel the spirit of times gone by. Inside, it’s like time has stood still. Upon entering through the front door, you step into the central room that has always been the heart of every house. Authentic furniture and scents transport you like a time machine, 100 years back, to a time when our ancestors shared stories by the hearth with a Montenegrin fiddle and some homemade meal.
The Kljajić family are also beekeepers, so Milan came up with an interesting invention.
“We came up with the barrel design since our village is known for producing barrels for cheese. Beneath this barrel there are two beehives. While you sleep, you inhale the vapours from the beehives. It’s good for the respiratory system and you will sleep very pleasantly,” Milan explained.
These pioneers restored and created this marvel step by step. As our host emphasises, they have been returning to their ancestral home for twenty years, but it’s been a long journey. On that path, the support of the Regional Development Agency for Bjelasica, Komovi, and Prokletije meant a lot to them.
“We held meetings with locals, promoted calls through organisations, assisted people in making applications, thus managing to unite various forms of support through different mechanisms and ensure that the funds reached the right hands and the right households,” said Jelena Krivčević.
The Regional Development Agency gave them wind in their sails because the agency believes that this is the key to regional and rural development.
Our common goal is to support the development of rural tourism.
With much effort, love, and sacrifice, the Kljajić family managed to preserve their family hearth. Today, the Kljajić household is a treasury of old customs and preserves the spirit of bygone times. When you take a peek inside, you feel an unbreakable connection with your roots and tradition, as you should. It is your home, too.