Montenegro is my favorite from all of the Balkan countries. I enjoyed my time there a lot. I have many opinions about it tho.
Basic information
Capital: Podgorica
Language: Montenegrin, (they recognise Serbian, Bosnian and Croatian, Albanian)
Alphabets: Cyrillic, Latin
Currency: €
Not in the European Union nor Schengen zone.
Budva
This city stole my heart. There are plenty of things to do and see. The surroundings are beautiful. It’s a place where the mountains meet the sea. Driving there was definitely the nicest part of my road trip. The atmosphere in Budva is amazing and you can make many cat friends. It is a tourist destination so it is focused on tourism.
Things to do
Visit the old town
The old town of Budva has so much to offer. There are many old historical buildings, souvenirs, restaurants and artists. The streets are so cute, full of restaurants and cafes. There are also so many souvenir shops. It is not big but there’s enough to do. There are churches, a castle and walls where you can walk. You can enjoy a beautiful view of the sea from each side. There are also many artists and cats.
Make cat friends
The cats are everywhere. Mostly they are friendly and used to people. The locals are taking good care of them, giving them love and food. You can meet them in the old town, on the streets and also on the beach. They often just nap around. Sometimes they look for attention and some snacks. Be careful tho, some of them don’t want attention, don’t risk a scratch.
Go to the beach
The sea in Montenegro is beautiful and clean. There are many beaches everywhere, even some hidden ones or private ones. Some of the beaches are sandy but mostly they are stoney or mixed. Near the beach there are plenty of restaurants and activities.
Explore the surrounding
There is so much to see. I was staying in Budva but there are other cities you can visit and have a day trip. There are buses going to other cities or villages. If you don’t want to take a bus, you can also walk. The surroundings are very interesting. You can enjoy a long walk next to the beach and end up in a different city. You can explore small paths and find hidden beaches. There are several lagoons and cliffs. You can climb on a hill or a rock or have a walk in a forest and explore the fortress.
Visit the fortress
Fort Mogren is quite hidden and it takes a bit of a hike to get there. When you get there it is very much worth it. There’s a nice view and places to sit and have a picnic. There are two routes to get there. You can go through the forest or by the road. Walking on the path next to the road is easier as you don’t have to climb through rocks or bushes. Walking there you might meet some animals as well so don’t get scared. I had my way crossed by a big snake, but it was minding its business.
Enjoy the art
By this I mean the handmade masterpieces that are sold in the old town. There are many artists working there in front of your eyes. When I was there, there was a lady making handmade bracelets, there were several musicians and a very kind painter with whom I had a nice chat about his paintings. There are also several souvenir shops where you can buy handmade pieces. The prices are a little bit higher, but if you are looking for a souvenir with a bit more meaning and worth, I recommend checking it out.
Visit Sveti Stefan
Sveti Stefan is a village on an island. It is connected to the land with a path. It is one of the landmarks of Montenegro. Sadly it is not accessible. You can only visit this island if you are a guest staying there in a hotel. It’s interesting to see it tho. There are nice beaches near and some restaurants. It is around 10 km from Budva and you can take a minibus to get there. For me it was quite boring. I had nothing to do there and because I didn’t want to wait for a bus back I decided to walk. It was a nice walk back, next to some amazing beaches with the best view. If you don’t mind a longer walk, I recommend this experience.
Notes:
- Souvenirs and restaurants are quite expensive. Buying groceries in Montenegro is cheap but eating in a restaurant might surprise you. Buying souvenirs certainly surprised me. It was more expensive than some big tourist destinations.
- Not everyone speaks English. Neither in souvenir shops nor in the hotel. When I arrived at the hotel the receptionist didn’t speak English at all. Luckily he saw that I am Slovak and because our languages are similar he explained everything to me in a way I understood.
- The vibe there was the best but the people were quite rude. In souvenir shops they were quite grumpy, or that’s what I’ve got out of it. Might me that they were annoyed by the tourists but they were also not very helpful.
- Station fees again. Montenegro is another one of the countries where you have to pay a fee to get to the bus station besides paying the ticket.
Story: When we were leaving Montenegro we got a problem with a bus. The ticket we bought was on a bus that was cancelled and didn’t drive anymore. We tried to fix it at the station but there was a very low effort from the people working there. Luckily we got on a different bus. Besides that I had a not very friendly encounter with a cleaning lady at the station.
After all, Montenegro stole my heart anyways. The amazing atmosphere and the views were just breathtaking. I was staying in Budva but I would love to come back and visit more places.
I’ll give this trip ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
How would you rate this trip?