Montenegro is one of the most picturesque countries I have visited in Southern Europe. Everywhere I looked made a great photo! From high rocky mountains to medieval towns to sandy beaches, there is something for everyone. If you are planning a trip to the country, the greatest advice I can give you is to hire a car while you are there. I feel it is the best way to see the country and all the hidden gems it has to offer.
At the time I visited Montenegro, the country was not part of the EU. Despite not being part of the EU, the country did still use the Euro currency. They also did have an agreement with the UK for free health care if you were unfortunate to fall poorly on holiday. The cost of food and drink in Montenegro compared to the UK, I found it slightly cheaper.
Airports
To travel to Montenegro by plane you have a choice of two airports: Tivat and Podgorica. Podgorica is the capital of Montenegro and is located on the East side of Montenegro. Tivat is a smaller airport located on the coast nearer the beach resorts. My partner and I flew into Tivat as it was cheaper than flying into the other airport, Podgorica. It was also closer to our hotel. We only had a 30-minute drive to our hotel in Budva from the airport.
Car Hire
We hired a white Fiat 500L car from Avis Car Rental for the week. The car boot was larger enough to fit large one large and one medium case in. If hiring a car, it is always worth taking out excess insurance. We had annual excess insurance as we had more than one holiday booked with car hire, within a year. This is also something that you may want to consider.
Hotels
My partner and I stayed in two different hotels. The main bulk of our stay was at a lovely spa hotel called Avala Resort and Villas, located in Budva, south of Montenegro. We then spent one night in Hotel Soa, located in a small town called Zabljak, high up in the mountains at 1400m above sea level, in the north of Montenegro.
Avala Resort and Villas
Avala Resort and Villas is a 4-star hotel located in Old Town Budva. The hotel was everything we expected and more! The staff was friendly and welcoming. They made my partner, Alex a birthday cake which we found waiting for us in our room after we got back from the waterpark. The room was very spacious: a living area, bedroom area, dining area, office area, walk-in wardrobe, a large balcony, and one large bathroom which contained 2 sinks, a large bath, and a walk-in shower. The pool area was lovely with a great view of Budva from the infinity pool. The hotel’s private beach was lovely too. The beach offered us great views of Budva while we sat and chilled on a sunbed and paddled in the crystal clear sea.
We stayed half-board at the hotel. Half-board meant that our breakfast and tea were included. The food they had to offer was excellent. They offered a huge variety to suit everybody’s taste. We even enjoyed our breakfast sat outside watching the sunrise above Budva each morning.
Without a doubt, I would stay at this hotel again. The only criticism I have about the hotel, we got kept awake some nights by the live music playing on the streets of Budva. Budva is known to be a lively, party town that we knew about before going. However, after mentioning this in my review on Trip Advisor, the hotel manager got back with some advice. You can request a room on the other side of the hotel where it is quieter. This is something worth noting if you are somebody who likes a lot of sleep, like me!
For more information on this hotel, please visit: Avala Resort and Villas
Hotel Soa
Hotel Soa is a lovely, welcoming 4-star hotel located in a small, mountainous town called Zabljak. The town Zabljak, 1400 metres above sea level. It is located just outside Durmitor National Park, and just a 10-minute walk to Black Lake. This is one of the most popular tourist attractions that Montenegro has to offer!
We spent just one night here. However, if we were to go back, I would like to spend a lot more time in this area!
The room we had for the night was a mini apartment. It had a kitchen area, a living area, and a bedroom area. Breakfast was included on our night stay.
The hotel has a lovely Lounge Bar Restaurant with views across the countryside. We decided to eat there for tea, as it was recommended on Trip Advisor. The food was very delicious, traditionally cooked and we even sampled some of the local wine!
For more information on this hotel, please visit: Hotel Soa
Must See’s
Montenegro has so much to offer! It has beautiful coastal towns, breathtaking canyons, and so many picturesque National Parks. A country you could literally spend weeks exploring!
The country currently has no motorways. Therefore, the roads are very slow going. Getting from one place to the next can take a lot longer than you think. So always allow extra time for your journeys.
Here are the top places to visit in Montenegro:
Please click on the links underneath each place for more information.
South of Montenegro:
- Old Town Budva
- Kotor
- Perast
- Tivat/Porto Montenegro
- Stari Bar
- Lovcen National Park
- Lake Skadar National Park
North of Montenegro:
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Further Reading
My book, How I Tamed the Wolf, Living with Lupus is available on Amazon via this link:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09M73X2JQ/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_MWAF58981F0VVMNRV1WN
Enjoyed this blog and want to know what else there is to do in Montenegro? Head over to: Montenegro
