When traveling the Balkans you often find yourself in places you didn't expect at all. Let me introduce you to 5 impressive places to visit in Montenegro that will surprise you and make you want to go immediately.
First off: if you like to get to know Montenegro I highly recommend renting a car. Even though the bus connections are great you won't have the possibility to stop in between when discovering a great spot along the way. To plan your trip through the Balkans you should use my Balkans Travel Guide.
1) Bay of Kotor & Perast
The Bay of Kotor is one of it's kind and can be counted into the top places to visit in Montenegro for a reason. By boat it must be a very special experience to travel through this bay. We decided to drive the curvy streets and enjoyed beautiful views along the way.
Altogether this bay is more likely a Fjord which stretches from the entrance close to Herceg Novi over Tivat and Perast to Kotor with many little bays in between. From those especially the historical Perast is worth a visit with it's churches and small islands St. George and St. Mary.
2) Kotor
Since 1979 the old town of Kotor is a UNESCO world heritage site as one of the best preserved medieval towns in the Adriatic resulting in a large number of visitors during summer.
My recommendation is to climb up to the castle of Saint Giovanni which is pretty exhausting but worth all the efforts as the view is extraordinary – you not only see the old town from above but the whole bay in all its beauty (pic at number 1 of this list)!
3) Budva
Budva is located only 30 minutes by car from Kotor to the south. It's old town is similar to Kotor and is one of the oldest of the Adriatic. Originally the old town has been located on an island, over the years a sandbank connected it to the main land.
Go up to the city wall to enjoy the best views over the city with it's narrow streets and to the small bays. The water is cristal clear and calls for some decent beach time at one of the many small beach spots – there is even one directly next to the city wall of the old town.
Accommodation in Budva
We stayed in a private at the Freedom Hostel in Budva which is perfectly located directly in the old town. Beside the nice staff and free Wifi we liked the big common area. Plus it's only 5 minutes to the beach from the hostel!
4) Sveti Stefan
One of the most popular places to visit in Montenegro is the small, picturesque Island Sveti Stefan. Quite a few VIPs have been to this former fishing village with houses dating back to the 15th century.
Today it isn't a fishing village anymore as it got turned into a hotel resort retaining the old world charm of its exterior view – also open for visitors (5€ fee). Nevertheless I guess the best picture can be taken from the main land 😉
5) Petrovac & Ulcinj
If you are searching for sand beaches and more tranquility these 2 spots are perfect for you. Especially Petrovac is known as the calm counterpart of Budva while Ulcinj is a bit more crowded due to the fact that it is home to the longest sand beach at the eastern part of the Adriatic.
Related Travel Guides
If you want to come well prepared the following are great resources for your time in Montenegro:
Lonely Planet Montenegro is your passport to all the most relevant and up-to-date advice on what to see, what to skip, and what hidden discoveries await you. Highlights and itineraries show you the simplest way to tailor your trip to your own personal needs and interests. Available as Kindle eBook!
buy it on Amazon >>
The guide book from Lonely Planet is the resource not only for travelers on a budget as they always come with great recommendations and detailed destination maps. Highlights and itineraries show you the simplest way to tailor your trip to your own personal needs and interests. Available as Kindle eBook!
buy it on Amazon >>
Where to go next?
In Montenegro: On several times per day there are great and fast connections between all mentioned spots.
To Albania: The connection between Montenegro and Albania is anything but good, but there is one bus connecting Ulcinj and Shkodër. From Shkodër you can take one of the many mini busses to travel onward to Tirana.
To Croatia: From Budva and also from Kotor there is a daily connection to Dubrovnik in Croatia – it takes around 2h and the ticket is about 18€.
All bus connections can be found on Omio, you can buy the tickets directly via the App.
5) My Video from Montenegro
As part of our video series we also filmed an episode in Budva & Kotor showing you some of the places featured in this travel guide. Make sure to check out also the other videos from the Balkans and subscribe to my YouTube channel if you want to support me.
Do you know more Places to Visit in Montenegro?
Which is your favorite place to see in Montenegro? Tell us your favorite spots in the comments below and feel free to share this article with your friends!
Disclaimer: This post contains Affiliate Links for services and products I’m using on my travels – therefore I can highly recommend using them. By using this links you won’t pay any additional fees!
