Montenegro – a Fairytale-Beautiful Country on the Adriatic Coast

Montenegro is a stunningly beautiful country on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It shares borders with Croatia, Bosnia, Albania, and Serbia. Montenegro is a very small country with a population of about 600,000 people. However, despite its tiny size, Montenegro has over 2,000 natural and historical landmarks. Of course, it’s impossible to describe them all in one article, but I will name the most well-known ones. Montenegro is a country of great diversity — each city is unique in its own way, and the climate also varies from region to region.

Climate in Montenegro

There are three climate zones in Montenegro, and if you want, you can visit all of them in one day. The Montenegrin coast is warm all year round — for example, here are some photos of Montenegro in winter.

The air temperature on the Montenegrin coast in winter ranges from +3 to +20 degrees Celsius. Summer cafés in Montenegro are open all year round.

And this is what Montenegro looks like in spring.

Thanks to the small size of the country, traveling around Montenegro is very easy — you won’t face long and exhausting journeys like in Egypt or Turkey. But I will talk more about that below.

Cities of Montenegro

You can find detailed descriptions of Montenegrin cities in our article catalog, where we’ve written about every city we’ve visited. Here, I will give only brief information.

Budva

Budva is the most famous resort in Montenegro. The city is truly pleasant. It’s worth noting that Budva is also the most expensive resort in the country and offers the widest variety of entertainment.

In addition to relaxing on the beach, tourists will enjoy walking along the promenade and through the old part of the city.

Herceg Novi

Herceg Novi is the second most popular resort in Montenegro, and it’s where our office is located. Prices for accommodation and services in Herceg Novi are lower than in Budva. I recommend tourists take a walk along the promenade, visit several historic fortresses, explore the town center, and of course, visit the Savina Monastery — one of the most famous Orthodox monasteries in Montenegro.

There are many good beaches in Herceg Novi. It’s important to note that not every resort town in Montenegro has good beaches. In Herceg Novi, there are excellent beaches, though not all of them are equally great. You can find pebble, sandy, and concrete beaches. Personally, I prefer pebble beaches, though that’s a matter of taste. I’ll talk more about the beaches of Herceg Novi below.

Sveti Stefan

I recommend visiting this place — the surrounding area is incredibly beautiful, and as they say, you won’t waste your time.

Petrovac

There’s no real reason to take a tour to Petrovac if you’re not staying there, as the town doesn’t have any historical landmarks. However, as a vacation spot, Petrovac has been gaining popularity recently. Still, it’s important to note that there are very few entertainment options in the town, and no significant historical sights either. This resort is only suitable for those who value a very calm and quiet holiday. For active people, Petrovac will feel boring.

Perast

If you’re coming to Montenegro for vacation, do not book accommodation in Perast — it will be terribly boring. There is absolutely nothing to do in the town except for swimming in the sea. The town is tiny and, in my opinion, not very suitable for a tourist stay.

But! You must visit Perast on a day trip. Despite its tiny size, there are interesting things to see. I highly recommend visiting the city museum — it has an excellent collection. You should also visit the nearby island; during the season, there are regular boat trips between Perast and the island. From the central tower, you can enjoy beautiful views of the town and the sea.

A trip to Perast will take about one to one and a half hours (again, the town is very small, so you can see it quickly). So you can easily plan to visit other cities in Montenegro on the same day.

Kotor

A very famous and historic city in Montenegro. It’s a beautiful place.
Kotor is a must-visit.

Bar

Personally, I really don’t like Bar, although maybe it’s a matter of taste. The city is dirtier than Herceg Novi, and there are many other downsides. The old part of Bar didn’t inspire me at all.

Cetinje

Living or vacationing in Cetinje is hardly practical, but it’s definitely worth a visit as a day trip. I wouldn’t say the city is full of attractions, but overall, there are some interesting things to see.

Žabljak

Žabljak is Montenegro’s ski resort, but it also attracts many tourists in the summer. It is located in a national park, so there are many natural attractions in the area. Tourists come here in winter for skiing, and in summer for excursions in the national park, bike rides, and mountain climbing. The climate in this region is noticeably cooler than on the Montenegrin coast.

Risan

A tiny town. There aren’t many attractions in Risan — you can only see the Roman mosaic. It’s a pleasant place for a walk: quiet and peaceful. I like to visit this town once a year. I recommend booking accommodation in Risan only for tourists who especially value a calm and peaceful vacation, as there are not many entertainment options in this Montenegrin town.

Tivat

I’m not sure if Tivat is a good choice for a summer vacation, as the beaches in this town aren’t great. Also, there are no historical attractions in the city. But apart from that, I really like Tivat. I wouldn’t book accommodation here for a summer holiday, but for permanent living, Tivat is quite a suitable option.

Montenegro and Holidays

Montenegro is a country of celebrations — holidays are held regularly throughout the year. I won’t describe all the holidays in Montenegro (there really are a lot!), but I’ll mention just a few.

Let me start with the most famous Montenegrin holiday — the Mimosa Festival. This celebration takes place in Herceg Novi during the winter and lasts for about a month. The event program is diverse, with a “menu” that includes various parades, a wine fair, exhibitions, and much more.

The children’s carnival in Herceg Novi is also interesting.

The carnival in Kotor is also very interesting. This carnival is not as long as the Mimosa Festival, but the event is still very exciting — I recommend visiting it.

And here is another photo from Kotor.

A few words about how May 1st is celebrated in Herceg Novi:
On this day, the people of the city go to the mountains, shoot bows, light a big bonfire, and eat not the healthiest food.

Montenegro Beaches

I will talk only about the beaches in Herceg Novi, because I visit the beaches of this city most often. By the way, the beaches in Herceg Novi are better than in many other cities of Montenegro, although not all of them are good. If you come to Montenegro for vacation, we will definitely show you which of the good beaches are closest to your rented apartment.

As I wrote above, there are concrete, pebble, and sandy beaches in Herceg Novi.

I like pebble beaches the most, so let’s talk about them. I usually swim at three pebble beaches, although the city has more. These beaches are perfectly clean and are cleaned every day. For example, the Rafaelo beach is cleaned daily. The beach is open to tourists every day until 8 p.m. After tourists leave, the cleaning begins. Umbrellas, sunbeds, and tables are placed neatly so that everything looks good in the morning. Trash bins are emptied, and any litter left by tourists (yes, some people still leave trash near the place where they were lying) is collected. The pebbles are also leveled with rakes.

The pebble beaches where I swim have changing cabins, showers, toilets, and cafés. There are also tables, sunbeds, and umbrellas. In short, the beaches in Montenegro have everything needed for a comfortable beach vacation.

Summer Vacation in Montenegro

I want to answer some of the most common questions tourists have about a summer vacation in Montenegro.

Excursions in Montenegro
Montenegro is a small country, and that’s actually a big advantage—it makes traveling much easier. Think about your excursions to the pyramids in Egypt or Pamukkale in Turkey. What do you remember most? Probably the long and tiring trip to get there. That’s not the case in Montenegro.

For example:

From Herceg Novi to the Croatian border – 10 minutes
To the Bosnian border – just a bit more
To Tivat – about 1 hour
To Budva – about 1.5 hours
To Kotor or Perast – around 1 hour
To Skadar Lake – about 2 hours
To Podgorica or Bar – about 2.5 hours

Besides Herceg Novi, I recommend visiting:

Budva
Tivat
Perast
Cetinje
Kotor
Skadar Lake
Risan
Durmitor
Lovćen

That list is enough to start with. I described many of these cities earlier. Now, here is an extra photo of Skadar Lake.
To be honest, it didn’t inspire me too much. The Adriatic coast has more beautiful views. But in general, Skadar Lake is still worth a visit.

Traveling in Montenegro

You can explore Montenegro in several ways:

By renting a car or using your own.
With an organized group tour.
By booking a private guided tour.
Using public buses.

Accommodation in Montenegro

In Montenegro, you can stay in apartments or hotels. Most Russian tourists choose apartments because they are more affordable.

How to Get to Montenegro

You can reach Montenegro by car, train, or plane. Since traveling by car or train takes a long time, most Russian tourists fly.
There are two international airports: Tivat and Podgorica.
Tivat is closer to the coastal resorts, so it’s more convenient.

From the airport, you can reach your destination by transfer, taxi, or bus.

When to Book Flights and Accommodation

It’s best to book several months in advance.

Flights: The cheapest tickets sell out quickly.
Accommodation: Good apartments (especially near the sea) are limited and go fast.

Montenegro is a small country, and the number of nice apartments in the first and second lines is limited. The earlier you plan, the better your vacation will be.

Montenegro with Children

In Herceg Novi, children will enjoy:

The beach
Walking along the promenade
The town center
Amusement parks
Water parks
Playgrounds
Indoor play areas

For active families, it’s possible to combine beach holidays with sports activities.

Trips from Montenegro to Neighboring Countries

Serbia – no visa required for Russian citizens
Albania – open for visa-free travel in high season
Bosnia and Herzegovina – requires a voucher, usually €20–30 per person (sometimes cheaper)

Tourist Season in Montenegro

The season lasts from May to late September.
You can swim throughout the season, but the best water temperatures are from June to mid-September.

Vacation Costs in Montenegro

Prices depend on:

Travel dates (cheapest in May and September, most expensive in July and August)
Accommodation choice
Flight costs

We won’t go into detailed prices here, since you can find full cost breakdowns in other articles on our website.

Winter Holidays in Montenegro

There are two major ski resorts:

Žabljak
Kolašin

I personally go to Žabljak every winter, but both are good—it depends on your taste.

It’s fun to see the change in climate. In January, we leave Herceg Novi where it’s +15°C and roses are blooming, and arrive in Žabljak, where it’s snowing.

Temperatures in Žabljak can go as low as –20°C, though I’ve usually seen between +2°C and –10°C.
Kolašin is usually a bit warmer.

If you want to go to Žabljak, fly to Tivat.
For Kolašin, fly to Podgorica.

Immigration to Montenegro

Montenegro is attractive for immigrants because, unlike many Western countries, it still accepts not only wealthy businessmen but also middle-class people.

The main types of immigrants are: