The beginner’s guide to Montenegro

A land of wild beauty, Montenegro combines a glorious 183-mile stretch of glistening blue Adriatic coast, with an interior of soaring limestone mountains, dramatic canyons, glacial lakes and forests. Indeed, the country is named after its mountains – Montenegrins themselves call it Crna Gora, which means “Black Mountain” from the old Venetian Monte Negro. 

Today, Montenegro is one of the world’s fastest growing destinations, with tourism accounting for 25 per cent of its GDP. Most visitors head for Kotor Bay, where opulent new resorts combine yachting marinas and swanky hotels in landscaped grounds. Despite burgeoning overtourism, the rich and famous continue to flock here, with return visitors including football manager Pep Guardiola, and actors John Malkovich and Angelina Jolie. The next big thing is the autumn 2024 opening of the five-star Siro Boka Place (sirohotels.com), which will specialise in fitness and recovery at Porto Montenegro in Kotor Bay. 

But beyond its major highlights, Montenegro’s offbeat delights remain relatively little-known and even less understood. Read on for a crash course on the Adriatic’s rising star, learn how to go beyond the obvious, and make this the year you start planning your adventure.

Kotor Bay

Most international flights arrive at Tivat airport, on the eastern shore of Kotor Bay. This spectacular 17-mile-long meandering inlet, rimmed by soaring limestone peaks and centuries-old waterside villages, is often referred to as Europe’s southernmost fjord, but is in fact a submerged river valley. For millennia, passing ships have taken shelter here from storms and pirates, and in the 18th century local sea captains became wealthy through merchant shipping. The main cultural attractions are the Unesco-listed Kotor town (kotor.travel), with its 12th-century Romanesque cathedral and sturdy Venetian-era fortifications, hidden deep inside the bay, and nearby Perast, graced by Baroque waterside villas overlooking twin islets, each capped by a church. 

Over the past two decades, several luxurious marina resorts have opened in the bay, but alongside them has come unregulated construction of concrete apartment blocks, and tiny strips of shore crammed with sunbeds. On top of this, enormous cruise ships now drop anchor here, dwarfing tiny Kotor town and swelling visitor numbers. To avoid congestion, the best way to explore the bay is by private boat or kayak.

Behind Kotor rises Mount Lovćen. Contained within Lovćen National Park, the peak is crowned by the monumental Njegoš Mausoleum, built to honour Montenegro’s national hero, the 19th-century prince-bishop Petar II Petrović-Njegoš. On a clear day, it affords magnificent views over the entire country in one swoop.

Mamula Island Hotel (mamulaisland.com; double rooms from €500/£423 per night) is a renovated 19th-century fortress on a tiny islet at the mouth of Kotor Bay; One&Only Portonovi (oneandonlyresorts.com; double rooms from €425/£357 per night) is a lavish option in a marina resort near Herceg Novi; while Regent Porto Montenegro (ihg.com; double rooms from €175/£147 per night) is a sumptuous five-star within the Porto Montenegro superyacht marina in Tivat; and Hyatt Regency Kotor Bay (hyatt.com; double rooms from €140/£117 per night) has a beachfront, spa and health retreat.

Montenegrin Coast

The most popular coastal destination is Budva (see budva.travel), where the medieval-walled old town is a delight, despite the high-rise sprawl growing up around it. From here, the Adriatic highway runs down the coast, through Sutomore, Bar and Ulcinj, all the way to the Albanian border. The prettiest stretch is the 22-mile Budva Riviera, with a string of former fishing villages, including Sveti Stefan and Petrovac, and sand-and-pebble beaches overlooked by modern resorts, such as Bečići. There’s a wide choice of hotels, and beaches with pedal boats, kayaks and jet-skis for hire, plus scuba-diving clubs. 

Further down the coast lies the commercial port of Bar, followed by Ulcinj, with its seven-and-a-half-mile long sandy Velika Plaža (Big Beach) giving onto warm shallow sea. Patchy and less developed, it is ideal for windsurfing and kitesurfing, thanks to good thermal winds, and several providers offer instruction and rental equipment. 

Note that it is still uncertain whether Aman Sveti Stefan will be open this summer. Alternatively, Villa Geba Boutique Hotel (villageba.com; doubles from €296/£248 per night) is a seven-suite property and a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, roughly five minutes’ walk from the beach in Sveti Stefan; Hotel Splendid (montenegrostars.com; doubles from €116/£97 per night) is a big modern five-star conference and spa resort, looking onto the long sandy beach in Bečići; and Hotel Riva (ayconhotels.com/hotel-riva; doubles from €100/£84 per night) is a four-star hotel with a waterside terrace restaurant overlooking the beach, in the former fishing village of Petrovac. 

Lake Skadar, the Zeta Plain and Podgorica

From the coast, near Sutomore, a fast highway passes through the two-and-a-half-mile-long Sozina Tunnel, beneath the Paštrovska Gora mountains, over a causeway across Lake Skadar, past Virpazar, then onwards over the Zeta Plain to the capital, Podgorica.

The small lakeside town of Virpazar sits on the edge of Lake Skadar National Park, a vast expanse of freshwater, graced by lilies, reeds and willows, and a nesting ground to rare Dalmatian pelicans and pygmy cormorants, as well as storks, herons, egrets and ibises. You can take an excursion boat across the lake or hire a kayak and paddle, then feast on the local speciality, carp, served baked, fried, or smoked and marinated in oil. It pairs particularly well with locally-made vranac red wine – some of Montenegro’s best wines come from this region, and in villages near the lake several small family-run wineries offer tastings. 

Proceeding northeast, the wide Zeta Plain is home to the vast vineyards of state-owned Plantaže (plantaze.com), which produces much of the country’s wine. Plantaže’s Šipčanik cellars occupy the tunnels of a former aircraft hangar, and are open for tours and tasting (reservations required).

Nearby lies Podgorica airport, serving the capital. In many ways Podgorica sums up Montenegro’s disposition for extremes and contradictions, with its shiny new high-rise buildings and neglected public infrastructure. It’s not a place you’d stay long, but you might sleep overnight if you have a late arrival or an early-morning flight. 

Eco Resort & Winery Cermeniza (cermeniza.com; stone cottage for two from €120/£100 per night) is a family-run winery with nine rustic cottages set in gardens with a pool, plus bikes for guests’ use, just outside Virpazar; Hilton Podgorica (hilton.com; doubles from €145/£121 per night) is a 180-room hotel with a spa – the rooftop Sky Bar affords superb views over the capital.

Bjelasica and Durmitor Mountains

For a rural escape, head into the craggy mountainous interior, where many peaks top 2,000 metres, and you can hike or cycle hundreds of miles of well-marked trails from spring through autumn, or ski in winter. Quirky accommodation options include katuni, wooden huts used by shepherds who bring their sheep up to graze the highland pastures in summer. Here you might spot wild chamois (goat-antelopes) on the higher slopes, and golden eagles and griffon vultures soaring overhead. 

North of Podgorica (37 miles; a one-hour drive), the town of Kolašin (kolasin.me) is the gateway to Biogradska Gora National Park. The park encompasses the Bjelasica mountain range, with snow-capped peaks, Alpine meadows and lush forests, and is named after Lake Biograd. It’s an easy two-mile stroll around its shores, rimmed by beech, sycamore and ash, and there’s a waterside restaurant, plus bikes and kayaks to hire. 

Alternatively, high up in the north-west of the country, tiny Žabljak (tozabljak.com) can also be reached from Podgorica (77 miles; a two-hour drive). Žabljak is the main entrance to Unesco-listed Durmitor National Park, home to Bobotov Kuk, Montenegro’s highest peak at 2,523m (recommended for experienced hikers only). An easy 40-minute walk from Žabljak lies the Black Lake, overlooked by a restaurant, and beyond you’ll find forests of European black pine, which can reach heights of over 160ft. But for many visitors the highlight is rafting down the rapids of the turquoise River Tara, which runs through the dramatic Tara Canyon.

Chalet Kolašin (chalet-kolasin.com; double rooms from €150/£126 per night) offers cosy suites with wooden interiors and kitchenettes, plus a small spa, in Kolašin; the four-star Hotel SOA (hotelsoa.com; double rooms from €90/£75 per night) in Žabljak has 16 rooms and suites, plus a wellness centre, and arranges hiking, cycling and rafting tours. 

The Montenegrin coast is served by Tivat airport, which receives arrivals from the UK from April to October. EasyJet (easyjet.com) flies in from Manchester, London Gatwick and London Luton, and Jet2 (jet2.com ) from Stansted and Manchester. Alternatively, fly to the inland capital, Podgorica, with Ryanair (ryanair.com) from London Stansted or Manchester. Bear in mind that Montenegro is small, and it’s just a 90-minute drive between Podgorica and Tivat. Your third option is flying to Dubrovnik – a 30-minute drive from the Montenegrin border in neighbouring Croatia – which is served by British Airways (ba.com), as well as easyJet, Jet2 and Ryanair from various cities in the UK.

Costs vary enormously, depending on where you stay. Montenegro certainly has its share of expensive luxury accommodations – for example, at Mamula Island Hotel in peak season (Jul-Aug), room prices range from €1,100 to €1,300 per night (£924 to £1092), while a suite can set you back anything from €1,500 to €3,200 (£1260 to £2690). At the other end of the scale, easyJet Holidays can find you a hotel room for two, B&B, in Budva – a 20-minute walk from the beach – flight included, from around €820 (£690) per week.

The Montenegrin coast enjoys a Mediterranean climate, with hot dry summers and mild winters, while the mountainous hinterland has a continental climate, with warm summers and cold snowy winters.

For a beach holiday, June and September are the best bets, as the weather is sunny, the sea warm enough to swim, and the beaches not too busy. In peak season, July and August, you can expect an average maximum temperature of 31C along the coast, with the sea reaching 25C. But beware – as with much of southern Europe’s coasts, at this time of year seaside resorts are crowded and accommodation prices shoot up. On the plus side, however, there’s lively open-air nightlife, along with concerts and cultural events. 

For adventure sports in the mountainous interior, summer is ideal. At higher altitudes, it rarely gets too hot for hiking – in Kolašin, for example, temperatures range between 14C and 25C in July and August, and nights can be chilly. In winter, temperatures can drop as low as -20C, with abundant snowfall.

Rafting down the River Tara is possible from spring to early autumn. The water volume is at its highest in April and May (creating class IV rapids), while summer is calmer (class III rapids).

If you’re planning on a holiday in July-August, you’d do well to book rooms and flights well in advance. Outside peak season, you can generally arrange everything a fortnight or so before departure.

Luxuriate in Kotor Bay

Scott Dunn (020 3808 0416; scottdunn.com) offers a seven-night stay at the Regent Porto Montenegro in Kotor Bay from £1,975 per person (based on two sharing) in a Premium Sea View room. Includes breakfast and return flights from London Gatwick or London Heathrow and private transfers. While there you can also enjoy extras such as tailor-made private excursions and sailing trips from the marina.

Balkan Holidays (020 7543 5555; balkanholidays.co.uk) has a one-week Montenegro Beach Holiday, staying in a four-star beachfront hotel in Bečići on the Budva Riviera from £726 per person. Includes breakfast, the use of outdoor and indoor pools, and return flights from various UK airports

Delve into nature

Saga (0808 189 8947; holiday.saga.co.uk) has a one-week Breathtaking Montenegro guided tour from £1,535 per person (including hotel accommodation on a half-board basis, coach transport, and return flights from London Gatwick to Tivat). From a base in Budva, you’ll visit Kotor Bay and Lake Skadar National Park, then from inland Kolašin you’ll explore the mountains of Biogradska Gora National Park and Durmitor National Park.

Responsible Travel (01273 823700; responsibletravel.com) arranges a one-week Montenegro Activity Holiday based in Lake Skadar National Park, combining kayaking, hiking, cycling, and wine tasting, from £745 per person (excluding flights). You’ll be staying in a stone villa set in gardens with a small pool, just outside Virpazar.

Exodus Adventure Travels (020 3131 4944; exodus.co.uk) has a seven-night Highlights of Southern Montenegro Walk. This self-guided hiking holiday begins in Kotor and ends in Virpazar, taking in Kotor Bay, Lovćen National Park and Lake Skadar National Park along the way, with five to nine miles of walking per day. Prices start from £1,369 per person (including B&B accommodation in three-star hotels, luggage transfers, and flights).

The essentials

Montenegro uses the Euro (€) as de facto domestic currency, having officially and unilaterally adopted it in 2002. This surprises many visitors, as Montenegro is still not a member of the EU, though it is in the process of joining and hopes to gain accession by 2028. 

Bring sun cream, sunglasses and swimwear, comfortable walking shoes (the old towns of Kotor and Budva have cobbled streets and stone steps) and proper hiking boots if you are going to the mountains. Buy a refillable drinking flask to top up with tap water (of good quality throughout the country) so you don’t leave behind a trail of plastic bottles.