Best Montenegro Travel Guide 2022

Montenegro Travel Guide: When to Visit

Montenegro is a pleasant place to be at any time of the year but it can get uncomfortably congested during the high season of July and late August, when temperatures and crowds reach their peak. Aside from being the busiest, taxis cost more than in other months. Also, accommodation is at its most expensive during this period, with rates almost doubling in some places.

Montenegro Travel Guide: Getting Around

The bus service to most towns is comprehensive, safe and cheap. City buses usually go on a half-hourly schedule, while inter-city buses go several times per day. Bus drivers can let you out nearly anywhere along the route. Bus ticket prices are fairly low and costs up to 15 EUR. Renting a car is your best bet to get to various remote destinations with an average cost of 11EUR daily. It also saves you money when you go on tours. Taxis in Montenegro are readily available, but one of the more expensive ways to get around due to drivers’ habits of overcharging. In some cities such as Podgorica, taxi fares for 1km is 1EUR start and 0.45EUR for every kilometer. The Montenegrin rail network is limited(has about 250km of track), running from Bjelo Polje in the northeast through Mojkovac and Podgorica to Virpazar on Lake Skadar, ending at the coastal port city of Bar in the southwest. Train travel is useful if you’re heading to the mountains and is an extremely cheap option, but can be unreliable and uncomfortable.

Montenegro Travel Guide: Popular Destinations

Montenegro is a country with rich culture. Each city has its own story, so it can be quite challenging to decide where to go and what to see. However, here are popular must-see cities that will let you experience Montenegro in the right way!

Budva: This is the busiest tourist destination and as such a city that should be on your list. Some of the most popular beaches such as Mogren, Becici and other attractions such as Church Sv. Trojica, Podostrog monastery are part of the rich heritage of Budva

Perast: Perast is one of the most beautiful little places in Boka Bay, located just a few kilometres from Kotor. It is a city that looks like a piece of Venice that floated down the Adriatic. This tiny

City boasts 16 churches and famous landmarks located right in the middle of the waters

Sveti Stefan: With a history dating back to the 15th century, the islet of Sveti Stefan is not only one of Montenegro’s most stunning and iconic sights, but is also a destination soaked in culture. It is home to Aman Sveti Stefan, one of Montenegro’s 5-star luxury holiday resorts. It also has lots of beaches and monasteries to explore.

Kotor: Surrounded by dark mountains, the city is remarkably, stunningly beautiful and its Old Town is a Venetian maze of cobblestone streets. This city has lots of tourist attractions which include Cathedral of Saint Tryphon, Church of Saint Luke, the Prince’s Palace and the Napoleon’s Theatre

Ulcinj: Located at the southern tip of Montenegro near the Albanian border, Ulcinj is an ancient seaport once known as the pirate capital of the Adriatic Sea. Today, the city is most famous for its many beautiful beaches, of which the sandy stretch of Plazhe e Mahed, or Long Beach, is one of the most popular.

Podgorica: As the capital of Montenegro, this city is filled with ottoman architecture and many archaeological sites. Some of the city’s most visited attractions include the Natural History Museum of Montenegro, Center of Contemporary Art of Montenegro, Zlatica Monastery

Montenegro Travel Guide: Travel Tips

Do try to converse in the local language. Try to make an effort in speaking the local language, even just for a few words (Hvala, Molim, Prijatno, Dovidjenia) or a few sentences (jedan kafa sa mlijekom, pola kilo sir)

Do try one of Montenegro’s most famous dishes. Basically a mix of ground beef and pork shaped into skinless sausages, spiced and grilled to perfection, ćevapi is a dish you should try out. They’re often served with anything from fries to pita to grilled or raw veggies such as raw onion, tomato, and cucumber

Do visit the San Giovanni Fortress. Simply breathtaking, no visit is complete without a hike to the top of this 9th century fortress. The views from the top take in the Bay of Kotor, Mt Vrmac and Kotor old town.

Do take a boat tour to the Blue Cave. Hope on a boat and explore the depths of Blue cave and the iridescent blue light inside the cave.

Don’t forget to see some of Europe’s only flamingos. Montenegro hosts the adorable flamingo. During the springtime, about a 15 minute taxi outside of the town of Ulcinj, you will see Solana Ulcinj home to salt pans where hundreds of flamingos make their home.

Don’t miss the hiking. Montenegro has some excellent hiking spots with well marked trails and many a valley and mountain peak to climb. Durmitor National Park is one place to start with as it is the premier hiking spot in summer.

Montenegro Travel Guide: Typical Costs

Price Range for Hotels

Lodging is reasonable here, but during summer the coastal spots fill up with domestic travelers, Russians, and occasional Europeans bringing a whole family. The sweet spot for lodging in Montenegro is cheap guesthouse apartments where you get a private room with a bath and maybe a kitchenette. However, depending on the city, the cost of accommodation varies. Dorm rooms cost about 11-20EUR per night, guesthouses and hotels about 30-50EUR while luxurious hotels can cost 60-100 EUR per night.

Cost of Meals

The Eat and Drink scene in Montenegro is quite disappointing as traditional meals have largely been pushed out by pizza and pasta, and prices have risen beyond those of neighboring countries. Most cafes offer salads at a cost of 8EUR. A meal at a very luxurious Eat and Drink will begin at 40 EUR. A three-course meal with bottled wine starts from 65-95 EUR per person. However, if you decide to cook your meals, the cost of groceries per week is 25-30EUR. The groceries include cabbage, vegetables, peanuts, cheese, tomato sauce, chicken, and other basic foods.