I went to Montenegro expecting a cheaper, quieter version of Croatia. What I found was somewhere that didn’t need the comparison.
The Bay of Kotor looks like a fjord and functions like one – dramatic mountains dropping straight into flat, still water, with a medieval town wedged into the one flat piece of shoreline available. Add beaches that aren’t yet overrun, proper mountain hiking twenty minutes from the coast, and prices that still feel fair. It’s easy to see why more people are starting to pay attention.
Getting There
The nearest airport is Tivat, right on the bay itself – a handful of direct seasonal flights run from the UK in summer, though routes change year to year, so check what’s currently direct before booking. If there’s nothing direct when you’re looking, Dubrovnik in Croatia is the more reliable fallback – well-connected year-round, with the border crossing into Montenegro roughly 1.5–2 hours by car, depending on queues.
When to Go
June and September are the sweet spots – warm enough to swim, without the peak-August crowds or prices. July and August are hottest and busiest, especially around Kotor’s cruise-ship arrivals; if you’re set on summer, plan the Old Town for early morning before the ships dock. Spring (April–May) suits the hiking and inland scenery better than the coast, if beaches aren’t the priority.
Where to Stay
- Kotor Old Town – for walkability and atmosphere; you’re inside the UNESCO core, a short walk from the fortress hike. Trade-off: can feel busy midday with day-trippers.
- Perast – quieter, more romantic, better base if you want the bay views without the crowds. You’ll need a car or taxi to reach Kotor itself (15–20 minutes).
- Budva – best if beach time and nightlife matter more than history. Livelier, more resort-like.
For a first trip, I’d split time rather than pick one – a few nights around Kotor/Perast, then move to Budva for the beach half.
Before deciding on where to stay, grab my free pre-booking checklist first – it gives you the questions I ask before recommending any hotel, and it’s built from years working inside hotel and destination PR.
Getting Around
A rental car is genuinely worth it here – public transport exists but is limited, and the best parts of Montenegro (Durmitor, the smaller coastal towns) are hard to reach without one. Roads through the mountains are narrow and can be slow going, so budget more driving time than distances suggest. If you’d rather not drive, private transfers between towns are easy to arrange and not expensive by UK standards.
The Bay of Kotor
This is the one place I’d tell you not to skip. The bay itself is the draw – mountains straight down into calm water – and the medieval town of Kotor sits right at its centre.
- The UNESCO-listed Old Town
- St Tryphon Cathedral
- The fortress hike above the town (steep, but the view earns it)
- Waterfront cafés — I’d pick one away from the main square for better value
- A boat trip out to the smaller bay islands
Do the fortress climb early, before the heat and the cruise-ship crowds arrive. Tickets are cash only, bought at a small booth right at the start of the climb – expect to pay around €8-15 depending on season. Worth knowing: the booth isn’t always staffed first thing in the morning, so a genuinely early start can occasionally mean climbing before anyone’s there to take your money.
Explore the Glamour of Budva
Sandy beaches, a livelier atmosphere, and an old town of its own alongside it.
- Mogren Beach
- Budva Old Town
- Waterfront dining
- Boat excursions
- Sunset walks along the coast
If Kotor is the cultural stop, Budva is where you actually relax.
Perast: Montenegro’s Most Photogenic Town
Smaller than Kotor, quieter than Budva, and the prettiest waterfront in the country. Worth half a day – walk it, then take the short boat ride out to Our Lady of the Rocks.
Beaches worth knowing about
- Jaz Beach
- Sveti Stefan
- Lučice Beach
- Petrovac
- Velika Plaža
The Adriatic waters are wonderfully clear and ideal for swimming throughout the summer months.
Adventure Beyond the Coast: Durmitor
The mountainous interior is what most people don’t plan for, and it’s worth changing that. Durmitor National Park has glacial lakes and dramatic peaks that make the detour worth it if you have the time – hiking, white-water rafting, and mountain biking all centre here.
Food
Montenegrin food leans heavily Mediterranean with Balkan influence – fresh seafood on the coast, hearty grilled meat and cheese inland. Ćevapi (grilled minced meat) and fresh fish in Kotor or Perast are both worth seeking out specifically, rather than defaulting to the first waterfront menu you see.
What it actually costs
Montenegro is still meaningfully cheaper than Western Europe, though prices have risen as it’s got more popular. A realistic daily budget for a comfortable (not luxury) trip – decent hotel, restaurant meals, a few activities — sits well below what the same trip would cost in Croatia or Italy. That value gap is closing, which is part of the case for going sooner rather than later.
The case for going now
Montenegro rewards exactly the kind of trip most people don’t plan for it – not just a Kotor day trip, but a few days split between the bay, a beach, and the mountains behind it. That’s where it earns comparisons to places ten times more expensive.
Keep Planning Your Trip
- The Ultimate 7-Day Montenegro Road Trip Itinerary
- Driving in Montenegro: Everything You Need to Know
- The Ultimate Bay of Kotor Travel Guide
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