Montenegro is a small country in Southeastern Europe in the Balkans. The country name is translated into English as “Black mountain” which is not strange as the majority of the country is occupied by mountains with a small flat part along the Adriatic sea.
You can arrive from Europe to 2 international airports in Montenegro - Podgorica (it’s capital) and Tivat. There is nothing to do in Podgorica so you can start your Montenegro vacation from the mountain part and move north to Jablyak - a small city located next to the Durmitor mountain range at an altitude of 1456 m.
Durmitor
Usually, Montenegro holiday packages include the following destinations near Jablyak:
Durmitor National Park with Crno Lake;
Rafting at Tara river;
Tara Zip - zip line over Tara river canyon;
Djurdjevic arc Bridge over Tara canyon;
River Piva + Pivsko Lake;
Piva National Park.
Niksic
When you decided to visit Montenegro pay special attention to routes near the city of Niksic:
There are 2 lakes near Niksic - Krupac lake and Slansko lake;
Nevidio Canyon and Waterfall Crnjak Bijela - 1 hour north-east from Niksic;
Bukovica Waterfalls - 1:30 north-east from Niksic;
Ostrog Monastery - 40 minutes south from Niksic.
Kotor Bay
You can't imagine Montenegro trips without the Kotor Bay area (Boka Kotorska). Sometimes it is called the southernmost fjord in Europe and it is a Part of the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List.
So best places to visit in Montenegro Kotor Bay area should be:
Kotor Old Town. Kotor has one of the best preserved medieval old towns in the Adriatic;
Perast;
Herceg Novi. Due to the hilly terrain, Herceg Novi has many steep paths and stairs, which is why it is called the "city of a thousand steps";
Tivat. It is famous for the most luxurious yacht marina on the Adriatic for super-yachts called "Porto Montenegro” and the area around the marina looks really amazing. There are no good beaches in Tivat but just 20 minutes drive and you reach Plavi Horizonti beach which is perfect for kids with a very gentle entry into the water.
Besides, there are lots of options for a 1 day sea tour, several hours evening tour or fishing trip from Tivat.
Budva
You can continue your holidays to one of the most popular Montenegro resorts - Budva.
It has a pretty Old Town, lots of restaurants and nightclubs. You can choose to stay in an all inclusive hotel in Budva and make short trips to Sveti Stefan (15 minutes drive), Kotor or Tivat (30 minutes drive).
The beach in Budva isn’t very good but only 10 minutes drive west and you get to one of the best beaches in Montenegro near Budva - Jaz Beach.
One of the deepest travel emotions you will experience at Skadar lake - the biggest lake in the Balkans. Take a boat tour to Rijeka Crnojevica, visit Virpazar or even go fishing.
Another remote area is the Plav region in the eastern part of the country on the border with Albania and Kosovo. Only few tourists come to this region so if you’re looking for refuge Plav is the right answer.
FAQ
What’s the best way to travel in Montenegro?
Rent a car and drive. The majority of Montenegro's beauties are located in remote places, away from popular tourist routes. And the only way to get there is by car. Besides, it gives you complete freedom to choose the best places to stay for the night. The price for car rental is around 25 EUR/day.
When is the best time to come to Montenegro sea resorts?
June or September. In July and August, it is fully booked and really overcrowded. In 2021 there were an enormous amount of tourists from Serbia and you could easily remain without a place to spend a night.
Where to stay in Montenegro?
If you are traveling with kids, Budva is not an option for you. Choose Tivat, Petrovac, Bar, Sutomore. Budva is for young people who are looking for clubs, bars and discos.