Montenegro travel tips

Montenegro, the pearl of the Adriatic, has truly enchanted us. Apart from Budva and Kotor there is really not much going on.

Short Facts

Currency

Euro (EUR)

Language

Montenegrin, Serbian, Bosnian, Albanian and Croatian

Inhabitants

623.000

Price level

$-$$$

ARRIVAL, VISA AND DEPARTURE - MONTENEGRO TRAVEL TIPS

You can travel to Montenegro from Germany by plane or car. Of course, many cruise ships also make a stop in Kotor, but we leave this option out.

If you arrive by plane, you will either land in the Montenegrin capital Podgorica or in Tivat, which is much closer to the touristy places of Budva and Kotor.

Of course you can also travel to Croatia by car.

The first of our Montenegro travel tips is an arrival combination of flight and car. We flew from Munich to Dubrovnik for little money and after a few days sightseeing in Dubrovnik we drove the two hours to Montenegro with the rental car.

Alternatively, it is also possible by boat or bus.

Every time you travel to Montenegro, remember that you are leaving the EU.

Entry into Montenegro is possible for German citizens up to 90 days without a visa. The conditions can always change, so please always inform yourself when planning your trip about the current entry requirements.

Montenegro Reisetipps

ON THE GO - MONTENEGRO TRAVEL TIPS

If you want to explore the country and not just hang out in the area around your accommodation, then we recommend you take a rental car.Bus connections and other public transport in Montenegro are rather poorly developed, so you need a car to experience the fascination of the Balkan state in all its glory. Our highlights like the Lovcen National Park, the Njego Mausoleum or the Skadar Lake are difficult to reach without a car. You also have to be mobile for the beautiful beaches of the Montenegrin Adriatic Sea with its clear water. Not to mention the highlights inland, which we unfortunately couldn't see anymore due to lack of time.

The streets are fine, but not always in perfect shape. In some places it is a little tight. Overall, driving in Montenegro was very relaxed. If you - like us - arrive from Croatia, remember that there are often clauses in rental car contracts that prohibit an exit from the country of origin of the booking. Just get in touch with your car provider if you are not sure. At the border, traffic jams like to form, as you know it from before. You stood at every border. Cheers to the EU and Schengen.

Montenegro Reisetipps

MONEY AND TIPS

Geld in Europa

In Montenegro you conveniently pay with the euro. Montenegro introduced the German mark as the official currency after the devaluation of the Yugoslav dinar in the 1990s. As a result, they switched to the euro with us at the beginning of the millennium. This is particularly unusual because Montenegro is not part of the European Monetary Union but simply uses the euro for practical reasons.

You can easily find ATMs in larger towns and tourist hotspots. In the country, of course - as everywhere - it is different. The price level is significantly cheaper than in Germany or in neighboring Croatia. In Kotor or Budva the price level is roughly the same as in Germany. With the tips you can handle it like in Germany.

SIM CARD - MONTENEGRO TRAVEL TIPS

Attention, Montenegro is not part of the EU and you pay roaming fees if you use your German mobile phone contract in Montenegro.

Second Montenegro travel tip: either book a travel option from your provider or get a Montenegrin SIM card.

PEOPLE AND CULTURE - MONTENEGRO TRAVEL TIPS

We were in contact with several locals and are thrilled by the hospitality of the Montenegrins. Every morning we had breakfast together with our landlord. In the evening he was already waiting for us and invited us for a beer or a wine. He always wanted to know what we were doing during the day and gave us tips for the next day. The providers of day tours and the waiters in the restaurant were always very friendly and wanted to know where we came from and what we were doing here. The further you get from the tourist centers, the more heartfelt people become. But this is the case wherever mass tourism arrives. More and more cruise ships are mooring in Kotor and there is a kind of Balkan Ballermann in Budva.

Kotor is really beautiful and far from being as crowded as Dubrovnik or Venice. Hopefully it will stay that way for a long time. Here you can find our travel report about the entire trip..

Budva, on the other hand, was so scary when we passed the waterfront that we didn't even get out of the car. Maybe we should have given Budva a chance.

Highly recommended is the Lustica peninsula with the beach of Mirišta, where there is also a nice restaurant.

We got along well with English everywhere.

Montenegro Reisetipps
Montenegro Reisetipps

Food

Food in Montenegro is very typical of the Balkan-Adriatic region. People attach great importance to freshness and good quality. Delicious mussels, octopus, calamari and fresh fish are on the menu everywhere. There are also side dishes such as potatoes, risotto or chard. But you can also look forward to delicious steaks and typical Balkan dishes such as Cevapcici and Rasnici. In many places homemade cheese, honey from our own beekeeping or Montenegrin wine is offered. The local people know how to enjoy yourself.
Montenegro Reisetipps
Montenegro Reisetipps
Montenegro Reisetipps

Climate

At sea level, there is a Mediterranean climate with hot summers and moderate winters. In the afternoon at Lake Skadar we had well over forty degrees. It was pleasant at night to sit outside for a long time. Our sleep was not negatively affected by the temperature.

At times, the treacherous fall wind from the mountains can also bring unpleasant weather in summer. There is a continental climate in the east of the country. The best travel months are probably the summer months, although you can also spend very nice and quiet days in the land of the black mountains in May or October.

Montenegro Reisetipps

OUR COSTS - MONTENEGRO AND CROATIA TRAVEL IN JULY 2017

The trip became more expensive than expected. However, one has to say that we assumed lower restaurant prices in Montenegro. Dubrovnik is also a very expensive place, which is probably due to mass tourism.

But what can you say. The memory does not remember what we spent, but what we experienced.

CONCLUSION - MONTENEGRO TRAVEL TIPS

Montenegro is really a country full of surprises and we only scratched the surface. The country has much more to offer. The wild east is particularly appealing to us.

We really liked what we've seen so far. Good food, clean sea and nice people. This is how we imagine a successful journey.

As an insider tip off the beaten track of our round trip Montenegro we would like to give you the river loop near the small town Rijeka Crnojevića. If that makes you curious, then read our entire Travel report watch the videos.

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