Montenegro

Montenegro has been a political entity since at least the 11th century. It was founded as a state under its present name in the 15th century, continuing the tradition of the Slavic state of Duklja. It was able to maintain its independence during the reign of the Ottoman Empire in the Balkans, as its independence was recognized at the Congress of Berlin in 1878. In World War I, it fought on the side of the Allied powers. It became part the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, which became the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1929. Montenegro was part of various incarnations of Yugoslavia, until it regained its independence from the federation of Serbia-Montenegro after the May 2006 referendum. Montenegro was the only republic of the former Yugoslavia that supported Serbia during the wars of the 1990s.

Montenegro is home to 620,000 people (2020), and is a multicultural and multiethnic country. All citizens of Montenegro can be called Montenegrin, but this term is also used for a specific ethnicity within the country. The majority of people (~75%) in the country are ethnic Montenegrins or Serbs, however the exact breakdown of these groups is difficult to determine due to their individual perspectives on how they see their identity. Most ethnic Montenegrins and Serbs are Serbian Orthodox Christians. In the northeast, there is a Bosniak majority, and an Albanian minority, most of whom are followers of Islam. In the town of Ulcinj, there is an Albanian majority, of varying religious persuasions. In the Kotor area, there is a Croat minority, many of whom are Roman Catholic. Regardless of their ethnicity, Montenegrin citizens are known for their kindness and hospitality.

Montenegro's lower areas along the coast enjoy a Mediterranean climate, having dry summers and mild, rainy winters. Central and northern regions have Continental climate, where temperature varies greatly with elevation. Podgorica, lying near sea level in the valley of the central region, is noted for having the warmest July temperatures in Montenegro, averaging 35-40°C (95-104°F).

Cetinje, in the Karst at an elevation of 670 m (2,200 ft), has a temperature 5°C (10°F) lower. January temperatures range from 8°C (46°F) from Bar on the southern coast to -3°C (27°F) in the northern region.

Montenegro's mountainous regions receive some of the highest amounts of rainfall in Europe. In the northern mountains, snow is present throughout the spring.

The terrain of Montenegro ranges from high mountains through a segment of the Karst of the western Balkan Peninsula, to a narrow coastal plain that is only one to four miles wide. The coastal plain disappears completely in the north, where Mount Lovćen and other ranges plunge abruptly into the inlet of the Gulf of Kotor.

Montenegro's section of the Karst lies generally at elevations of just below 1,000 m (3,300 ft) above sea level-although some areas rise to 1,800 m (5,900 ft). The lowest segment is in the valley of the Zeta River, which flows at an elevation of 460 m (1,510 ft).

The high mountains of Montenegro include some of the most rugged terrain in Europe. They average more than 2,100 m (6,900 ft) in elevation.

National Tourism Organisation of Montenegro

Holders of travel documents containing a valid Schengen visa, a valid visa of the United States of America or a permission to stay in these countries may enter and stay, i.e. pass through the territory of Montenegro up to seven days, and not longer than the expiry of the visa if the period of validity of the visa is less than seven days. However, border guards are not fully aware of this information, and they might tell you that you require a visa to enter Montenegro. Stay calm and politely ask them to recheck their information. They will fill out a form with your passport and car registration information, which can take up to 1 hour!

As of 2010, nationals of the following states may enter, pass through the territory of and stay in Montenegro up to 90 days with a valid travel document without a visa: Andorra, Argentina, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bermuda, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Guatemala, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Nicaragua, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia (until September 2026), El Salvador, San Marino, Seychelles, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, United Kingdom, Uruguay, United States, Vatican City, and Venezuela.

The exemption from the visa requirement also applies to the holders of valid travel documents issued by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China and the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China.

And, at least at the time of writing (mid-2026), there is also a kind of exit requirement: tourists have to register their address within the 24-hour window after arrival. This should be handled by the place where you stay; you may pay a fine upon exit if you are unable to prove that you registered.

Podgorica Airport (TGD IATA) – Montenegro's main international airport with many international and budget flight.

Tivat Airport (TIV IATA) – This airport has regular flights from Belgrade throughout the year, and has charter flights from major European destinations during the summer.

Dubrovnik Airport (DBV IATA) – Across the border half-hour drive from the coastal city of Herceg-Novi to Croatia. This airport is served by many major airlines, so it is a good option for tourists coming by plane.

Other nearby airports are in Sarajevo (SJJ IATA), Pristina (PRN IATA) and Tirana (TIA IATA).

There is one overnight train (two in summer) from Belgrade, and an additional daytime train from Subotica in the summer. Trains go through Bijelo Polje, Kolašin, Podgorica and ends in Bar, Montenegro's main seaport. The railway through the Dinaric Mountains is considered as one of the most scenic railways in Europe. Travel by train is the cheapest way to get to Montenegro, but the quality of service is not very good. Trip time is 10 hr from Belgrade to Podgorica (11 hr to Bar), but expect considerable delays.

The train Lovcen 433 will leave at 20:20 with the scheduled arrival to Bar, the last station, at 07:23.

In December 2022 they charge €21.00 for the six berth compartment, and €31.80 the four berth one. Payable in local currency or bank card at Belgrade Center Station

Montenegro is well connected with neighbouring countries and ticket prices are all under €25. During the summer, more seasonal lines are being introduced. A Flixbus from Dubrovnik to Herceg Novi costs €22 and takes about 1.5 to 2 hours depending on border crossing delays.

European routes E65, E80, E762, E763 and E851 pass through the country, connecting it to Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo and Albania.

There are no roads in Montenegro built to motorway standard, however a Bar-Belgrade motorway should be completed by 2032.

Driving with headlights is obligatory, even during the daytime; so is the use of seat belts.

There is a regular ferry line from Bar to Bari in Italy. The Bar-Bari line operates throughout the year, with service several times weekly during the summer. A trip to Bari takes around 8 hours. There is also ferry service from Bari, Italy, to Dubrovnik in Croatia. From there, bus service is available to Montenegro - the Dubrovnik bus station is adjacent to the port where the ferry docks.

This may be the quickest way to get around Montenegro. Buses are frequent (especially during the summer), safe and are more or less on schedule. Ticket prices within Montenegro are all under €15. Examples of prices: Podgorica-Ulcinj €6, Podgorica-Cetinje €3, Cetinje-Kotor €5. Local buses usually have no airconditioning. There are normal buses and minibuses, depending on the destination.

All bus stations demand a fee for using the bus station, which is included in you ticket when you buy it at the bus station. However, it apparently is not included in online tickets, and there often erupt discussions between the station conductor and tourists since they are not let onto the platform without paying this fee. You can always pay the fee at the station when having bought your ticket online, but do so sufficiently ahead of the departure or you might miss your bus. The conductor will stand his ground. To get around the station fee, just go to any of the nearby bus stops of the route—bus drivers will happily take any additional passengers. But be sure to know the fare. You can find the bus stops on OpenStreetMap, e.g. with mobile apps like OsmAnd or Mapy.cz.

Use Busticket4Me to find out the schedules and prices within Montenegro and even to destinations outside. You can buy tickets online, but they need to be printed.

Most bus stations have WiFi—sometimes you have to ask for the password.

Going by train is a great alternative to using the bus, but coverage of the country is not great.

From Podgorica there are regular train services to Bar, Bijelo Polje (and further to Belgrade) through Kolašin and Mojkovac, and Nikšić. It is the cheapest way to travel from north to south and vice versa, costing €2.80 at most within Montenegro. The quality of service is not on the high level, but decent.

Find timetables and prices, see Rail travel in Montenegro#Tickets.

Furthermore, Montenegro Railways has reactivated the train route to Nikšić, providing a scenic and pretty cheap journey, without being slower than the bus, and the chance to jump of at the Ostrog Monastery.

Most roads are two-lane only, with frequent addition of a third overtaking lane, and generally are not up to European standards. Most roads are curvy and mountainous, so speeds over 80 km/h (50 mph) are rarely legal or safe.

The speed limit is usually 80 km/h on the open road and 50 km/h (31 mph) in built-up areas.

The use of safety belts and headlights during the day is compulsory, and the use of cellphones while driving is prohibited. Signposts used in Montenegro are almost identical to those used in EU countries.

Local drivers tend to drive fast, and to get involved into dangerous manoeuvres. Traffic jams are common during the peak of the summer season. Pedestrians are notorious for jaywalking in every Montenegrin city.

Drivers tend to be extremely vocal, so don't take it personally if a driver yells at you.

You can rent a car in Montenegro from €11 in Tivat Airport, from €14 in Podgorica Airport, and travel around cities and across the country.

Roads from Podgorica to Bar and to Niksic are fairly good and easy to drive on.

The roads from Podgorica through Cetinje to Budva and to Petrovac are both in good condition, but are curvy mountainous roads which rarely permit speeds over 70 km/h.

The road from Podgorica north to Kolasin, and then on to Zabljak or Serbia, is considered dangerous during the winter, especially the part through the Moraca canyon. It is recommended that you take the bus to the north during the cold or rainy days, as bus drivers are experienced and know the road.

The old road from Cetinje to Kotor is mostly a narrow one-lane road offering stunning views of Kotor from above, but exercise extreme caution when passing on-coming traffic, over-taking and around corners.

Rent-a-car businesses are numerous and prices start from €20 per day for Toyota Yaris.

Hitchhiking works pretty well in Montenegro, although the general warnings apply. Even though locals also generally take people, it is more likely to get picked up by other tourists, especially along the coast and during high season. Also, see Hitchwiki for more details.

A unique opportunity to discover the wild beauty of Montenegro is also by helicopter. Transportation could be organised from Dubrovnik, Kotor, Budva, Podgorica. Well-established operators are specialized in scenic flights, charters and commercial transfers across the region.

Montenegro is a popular hiking destination with many picturesque trails and summits. Make sure to have good (offline) maps and GPS with you. For reliable maps, GPS navigation, comprehensive trails and map information, consult OpenStreetMap, which is also used by this travel guide and by many mobile Apps like OsmAnd or Mapy.cz. Or just download the according GPX or KML files for such trails on OpenStreetMap through Waymarked Trails. (Note, you just need to change the OpenStreetMap relation ID to download the GPX or KML files through the same link.)

The Bay of Kotor, is probably one of the prettiest bays in the world. On its deepest point lies the equally stunning town of Kotor, a beautifully preserved fortified, Medieval town with a vibrant history. Wandering through its labyrinth of narrow and cobblestoned streets, you'll come across lively piazzas, many ancient churches and lots of pleasant bars and restaurants. Don't miss the 12th-century St. Tryphon Cathedral, the Church of St. Luke and the Orthodox St Nicholas Church. Kotor is locked between the blue sea on one side, and a dramatically steep cliff on the other. It's a heavy walk uphill, but climbing the 1500 steps will allow you to see the old fortifications on the top and provide some amazing views over the bay.

Budva is the country's most popular tourist destination, and boasts some great beaches and a lovely, walled town centre. The old town centre is picturesquely located on a rather small peninsula, and its narrow, winding lanes hide a multitude of historic buildings, churches and small squares. Among the most interesting monuments here are the 7th-century St. John's Church, the 8th-century Santa Marija of Punta and the 12th-century Church of St. Sava. The medieval town fortress is referred to as Citadela and right next to it is the colourful Church of the Holy Trinity, built in 1804. Budva's Riviera is over 30 km long, and has been called "The Riviera of Sandy Beaches". It is dotted with lovely hamlets and a wealth of historic monuments. A strip of hotels and restaurants separates it from the impressive mountain massifs of Lovcen. From Budva, it's an easy bus ride to the unique Sveti Stefan resort.

The small but gorgeous town of Perast saw some of its best architecture arise in the 17th and 18th century, when it belonged to the Republic of Venice. That typically Venetian, baroque architecture has been wonderfully preserved, with highlights including the Bujovic, Zmajevic, Badovic and Smekja Palaces which were once owned by wealthy maritime captains. All the way in the south, Ulcinj is one of the Adriatic's oldest towns, with a delightful centre and lots of natural beauty around. It also makes a good base from where to explore the old centre of nearby Bar, Lake Skadar or even a cross border visit to Albania. Although less spectacular than nearby Kotor, Herceg Novi (roughly translated as New Castle) is another charming Montenegrin town with a beautiful old centre and a good number of interesting churches, squares and fortresses.

Although Montenegro's magnificent seaside scenery is best known among travellers, its mountainous inland has some grand panoramic views to offer, too. The country shares the large freshwater Lake Skadar with neighbouring Albania. It has National Park status and offers great opportunities for hiking, bird watching and wildlife spotting. Of the many friendly fishermen's towns around it, Virpazar is the most convenient one for travellers. A real must-see is the splendid Tara River Canyon, with its steep banks rising up to 1300 metres above the River Tara waters. It's the second longest canyon in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The canyon is in Durmitor National Park, which is a World Heritage Site of its own and boasts a rich flora and fauna as well as snow-covered high peaks, several canyons and many glacier lakes. The most visited one is Black Lake, at walking distance of the town of Žabljak, which serves as a traveller's hub for mountain and winter tourism.

Montenegro has a lot of local festivals that are worth going to and may range from typical music concerts to local festivities involving free food and drinks. Usually wine and seafood.

Bokeška Noć (3rd week of August) - Celebrations under masks by the iconic fortifications of Kotor where each year a hateful figure is burned, and celebrations out in the open continues till early morning.

Sea Dance Festival (end of July) - infamous Exit festival has found a new home for summer season and the biggest music happening in SE Europe is hosted on Jaz beach in Budva.

Days of Wine and Fish in Virpazar - worth experiencing. Gathering of wine and fish lovers in a scenic local village on the Skadar Lake. Very crowded, and smoky from fish frying.

Petrovačka noć (Petrovac) - celebrating the local traditions it is great time to visit the city and enjoy the crowd, food and music.

Spring Break - typical music festival with plenty of DJs on Kamenovo beach

Blueberry Days - in Plav in northern Montenegro, this festival is attributed to blueberries which are famous is important gathering of Montenegrin diaspora and its relatives as well as many tourists.

Pasticada Fest

Sunčane Skale

Dani Mimoze

Southern Soul Festival

Montenegro uses the euro, like several other European countries. One euro is divided into 100 cents. The official symbol for the euro is €, and its ISO code is EUR. There is no official symbol for the cent.

All banknotes and coins of this common currency are legal tender within all the countries, except that low-denomination coins (one and two cent) are phased out in some of them. The banknotes look the same across countries, while coins have a standard common design on the reverse, expressing the value, and a country-specific design on the obverse. The €2 obverse is also used for different designs of commemorative coins. The design of the obverse does not affect the coin's acceptability.

Hundreds of ATMs are available in major cities. The ATMs accept most international Visa and MasterCard credit and debit cards.

If you are from the Balkans, Central or Eastern Europe, look for an ATM of your bank. It is quite possible that the bank operates in Montenegro and that there will be no fees.

Generally, ATMs will add an extra fee to your withdrawal, which is invoiced as one amount together with the amount dispensed. At the following banks the fees as of July 2024 were:

Erste Bank: €5

NLB: €5

ckbbanka: €5

As of September 2025, Ziraat Bank was fee-free for cash withdrawals.

Although they are accepted in supermarkets, hotels, restaurants and many shops, always keep some cash with you for open-air markets, souvenir stalls, small bakeries, museums and public transport.

Not very common, since nearly all tourists bring euros with them. In case you happen to arrive in Montenegro without any euros in cash, use an ATM (recommended) or find a bank to change US dollars, Swiss francs or British pounds.

Regular businesses and governmental agencies work from 08:00-09:00 to 16:00-17:00, while convenience stores, pharmacies and shops usually work until 20:00-21:00. Bars, pubs and restaurants usually work until midnight or 01:00 while clubs may run until 03:00 or 04:00.

Cheese

Smoked ham

Traditional clothes

Souvenirs

City centre and Bulevar Džordža Vašingtona in Podgorica

Porto Montenegro

many shops in Old Towns of Kotor and Budva

Delta City in Podgorica

TQ Centre in Budva

Kamelija in Kotor

Voli markets, HD Laković, Maxi Markets and Roda are main retail supermarket chains and are found in almost all cities. There are also other convenience stores that stuff various goods. The prices of basic local food (baked goods, dairy products, fresh fruit and vegetables) are on the level of Bosnia and Serbia, i.e. generally cheaper than EU countries.

Montenegrin vineyards and the production of quality wine is part of the tradition of southern and coastal wine makers.

The best known Montenegrin wines are the premium whites: "Krstač", "Cabernet", "Chardonnay" and reds: "Vranac", "Pro Corde". All of them are produced by the famous company "Plantaže", but there's also some home-made wines of high quality, like Crmničko wine.

1L bottle of "Vranac" red wine will cost you from €8 to €15 in the bar or restaurant and it is well worth it! Also, you can buy a bottle of "Plantaze"'s wine for about €2-4 in supermarkets.

Also, Montenegro has boutique wineries as Knezevic from Golubovci and famous brand "Monte Grande" became signature wine of the country.

The continental region and north are more oriented towards the production of aromatic fruit flavoured brandy (plum brandy - šljivovica, apple brandy - jabukovača). Grape brandy "Montenegrin loza", "Prvijenac", "Kruna" or home made grape brandy (lozova rakija, lozovača) is a must-try, and a good choice to "warm up" before going out in the evening.

"Nikšićko" beer is the best known beer in Montenegro, and most common alcoholic beverage, which cost from €0.50 to €2.50. It is produced as a draught beer, or bottled, in both "Nik Gold" and lighter "Nik Cool" variant. The dark variant, "Nik tamno", is praised among beer lovers. There are now some Montenegrin craft brewers and their beers are available in a few bars in larger towns.

Other alcoholic drinks can cost anywhere between €1 and €10.

Wi-Fi points in bars and cafeterias are abundant, and most hotels and apartments offer Wi-Fi. Also, many banks have open Wi-Fi spots. Some central tourist areas are also covered by Wi-Fi.

Be conscious of security when using an unsecured Wi-Fi network.

You can buy mobile phone sim cards at the airport, bus station, or malls for €10-20 by showing your ID or a passport.

There are three major network operators on Montenegro: telenor / One, m:tel, and T-Mobile. They all have the same packages as of September 2023: €10 for 7 days with 500GB, €15 for 15 days with 500GB, or €20 for 30 days with 1TB. (That is not a typo. They really offer one terabyte of data.)

(Bonus tip for Podgorica: If you are running late but desperately need a sim card, go to the mall "Delta City" west of the city center. All three providers are present there and it is open until 22:00.)

Many mobile providers in the Balkans provide free roaming across Balkan countries. So, in case you are planning to cross the border, ask on how to use the local SIM card in other Balkan countries. For instance, a One.al SIM card from Albania works flawlessly in North Macedonia and Kosovo with a regular Albanian package.

Since 2025, the use of eSIMs has become increasingly popular in the Balkans. Some local providers now offer eSIM options, though activation may still require ID verification or an in-person visit. In parallel, several international eSIM providers have launched regional plans that cover all of Europe or the Balkans, with some of them including Montenegro among the supported countries.