Montenegro – Ultimate Travel Guide for 2024

Prologue

It’s worth pointing out that this guide, written from my personal experience, contains quite a bit of criticism. Subjectively deserved. 

Having visited this Balkan country three times, I dare to assume that I found out the nature of such a wide range of emotions. 

So what is the main reason for polar impressions? It’s banal. Despite the impressive amount of tourists visiting Montenegro, in 2024 it’s still not so well known to the broad masses of tourists. Many are simply too lazy to dive deeper to find out where exactly they decided to go.

For many, it turns out that Montenegro is special only upon arrival. Here you may not see what you are used to in most European countries. And, on the contrary, get a lot of what you can’t find in more pop tourist destinations.

Traveling around Montenegro for me turned out to be, perhaps, one of the most unusual of all. In total, I spent about 2.5 months here as tourist. And lived even more. Can tell a lot of stories for a long time.

What awaits you in the maze of this guide to Montenegro?

This will be an enchanting long read. Facts, routes, helpful tips, and much more. If you decide to go to Montenegro, then, instead of a long preparation, you can simply add this page to your favorites and use it as a guide on the spot. Before the trip, just open and read it for several days instead of scrolling social media.

I know the intro was painfully long. I promise there will be less useless philosophy further. There will be more helpful travel content.

Where is Montenegro?

Here it is – Montenegro on the world map. 

Montenegro is located in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula, on the Adriatic Sea. The area of ​​Montenegro is 13,812 km². The territory of the country is conventionally square-like. One of the sides of the “square” is the sea coast, 294 km long.

In the west (or in the north with a slope to the west) Montenegro borders Croatia. In particular, the Croatian Dubrovnik (it is also the capital of the Seven Kingdoms) is only 40 km from the Montenegrin-Croatian border. In the northwest, the country borders Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the southeast – Kosovo. And Albania is located to the south of Montenegro.

On the opposite coast, 200 km away, Italy is visible (if you look closely at Google Maps at the correct scale).

The country is small. 5 times less than the relatively small Czech Republic. But do not be mistaken. You can travel around the country in the direction of various exciting locations for a very long time. Especially considering the terrain.

Climate

The geographical location of Montenegro is such that, despite its small size, there are three climatic zones.

Ecology

The primary industry in Montenegro is tourism. There are few industrial enterprises here. Dirty industries are even less. 8% of the country’s territory are protected areas. Moreover, Montenegro is an “ecological state” according to the Constitution.

But it should be noted that good ecology in Montenegro is not synonymous with the absence of garbage and its widespread proper disposal.

History

The history of Montenegro is rich and goes far into the mists of time. But since the limits on long narratives were reached in the prologue, here it is very short. Just for a better understanding of who lives here.

Most of the time on the territory of modern Montenegro, it was an independent state in various reincarnations. In a changing territory.

In certain historical periods, various regions of modern Montenegro were under the rule or influence of the Ottoman Empire, the Venetian Republic, the Austrians under different brands.

For this reason, many cities in Montenegro have their own flavor. For example, in the country’s capital, Podgorica, signs of the former presence of the Turks are pretty visible. 

In cities on the coast of the Bay of Kotor, such as Herceg Novi, Kotor and Perast, there is more Venetian and Austrian heritage. And they don’t all look alike.

Much of the foundation of modern society was laid between 1946 and 1992, when Montenegro was a part of Yugoslavia. A lot of current local’s behavior patterns come from this strange-socialist period. This distinguishes Montenegrins from most Europeans. Both for the bad and for the good. The people here are a bit different. About them a bit further.

Modern Montenegro has existed as an independent state since 2006. This year, it peacefully withdrew from the state called “Serbia and Montenegro”. In fact, it was the final act of the extremely painful breakdown of the former Yugoslavia into separate states.

Immediately after gaining independence, Montenegro headed for European integration. In 2010, it received the status of a candidate country for EU membership. Overall, Montenegro is successfully implementing the necessary reforms. The country has been a member of NATO since 2017. It was expected that Montenegro could become a member of the EU approximately in 2025. 

But in 2020, an extremely strange coalition of the “swan, crayfish and pike” format came to power, brought on the “bayonets” of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Belgrade and russia. With slight inclusions of EU-oriented parties. As a result, Montenegro’s European integration perspectives have become vague. After the absurd coalition stopped existing in early 2022, the fog began to clear a bit. But now only a bit. The EU is afraid of Trojans. They have enough of Hungary.

Population

People in Montenegro are incredibly relaxed, in every sense. To say the least. This also applies to tourism services. People are not aggressive. But many are pretty unceremonious.

Strangers are usually not smiling here, even if they are absolutely friendly (and this is almost always). The situation sometimes changes in the case of acute financial interest. Familiar?

Immigrants here are mainly from russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Turkey. There are representatives of some former Yugoslav republics. Also, a lot of Bosnians, Serbs, Macedonians come seasonally. There are neraly no guys from Africa, India or Pakistan here. As well as Chinese tourists. Although already in neighboring Dubrovnik in Croatia there are almost as many of them as in Venice. But it’s actual only for the time being. So hurry up.

What is the official currency of Montenegro?

The official currency of Montenegro is Euro. However, the country is not part of the Eurozone. Accordingly, it has no right to print euro currency.

Firstly, you can come with a card in Euro and not lose money on conversion. Of course, if your bank or payment system agrees with this. 

In addition, euro cash can be bought at home at a reasonable exchange rate. In some other countries, such as the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and others, this will not work.

Cards

Why take cash to Montenegro? Remember, I said at the beginning that Montenegro is noticeably different from many more developed European countries? So in terms of the availability of payment by credit card, it differs a lot. In many places, payments by card are simply not accepted here. And it’s not just about casual stuff street traders.

Firstly, in many cases you will not be able to pay for accommodation with a card. And this strikingly distinguishes Montenegro from the countries of the European Union. Of course, if you book a large chain hotel, you will most likely be able to avoid such a problem.

If you have chosen apartments in some cottage for 8-10 rooms, be ready. There is most likely no payment terminal there. Now, do you understand why most apartments in Montenegro can be booked on Booking.com without prepayment? :)

A similar story, for example, with boats, hairdressers and many other services. Why? There is an opinion that payment using a terminal is not widely spread here due to the terrain and related communication problems. They say it’s not reliable. Although we understand very well why entrepreneurs prefer to deal with cash :) 

The good news is that in more or less big network markets you can pay with a card. And in other places where convenience for the client comes first, you can also pay by card. When buying a ticket at the bus station – sometimes you can. Interestingly, this could be done in 2019 at the bus stations of Podgorica, Budva, Herceg Novi, and Kotor. And in 2021, it seems I didn’t succeed even once in almost 2 months. 

Funny thing. You can buy a ticket to the Kotor fortress with a card. Although the payment process takes place in an open booth measuring half a meter by half a meter. Much like a beach shower. But here is a table with a terminal, a chair, and a guard cashier. 

Why does the terminal work perfectly here, despite the peculiarities of the terrain? I’m guessing the obvious. Those who have to go back to Kotor for cash will think once more. Is it worth going up again in the heat because someone did not bother to put the terminal in the place where they simply collect €8 from tourists basically for nothing? 

ATM

If you run out of cash, you can use an ATM. There are not so many of them in Montenegro. Not at every turn. But where they logically should be, they are. There shouldn’t be much of a problem with this.

For the first time I fed a card in Euro to the Lovcen Bank (Lovcen Banka) ATM. Issued a warning that a fixed fee of €5 is charged for each withdrawal operation. At least  €5. Did not like this. Took the card back.

Went to try my luck at the Erste Bank ATM. There was a similar warning. I realized that you can’t get rid with a little blood. I decided to withdraw the amount of money that should have been enough for the rest of my stay in Montenegro. The actual commission is €5 with several cents. So advice from my personal experience:

Cryptocurrency

In Montenegro, cryptocurrencies are very popular in all possible manifestations. Like in neighboring Bosnia and Herzegovina, where you can safely withdraw crypto from an ATM. The exchange rate may not be perfect. But it’s a cryptocurrency.

In Montenegro itself, the situation is still far from settled. But there is a public demand for it. And it is quite possible that the opportunities for using cryptocurrency in Montenegro will widen by the time of your arrival.

Banks

I have already mentioned two banks. Erste Bank is one of the largest banks in Montenegro. Lovchen Bank does not seem to be one of those. But its ATMs are one of the most widely spread in tourist areas.

In addition to these two banks, it is necessary to mention CKB (Crnogorska Komercijalna Banka). There are also many ATMs of this brand. And you should pay attention to the logo and the inscription of the OTP Group on their website. Previously, this Hungarian bank, well-known in Eastern Europe, has already bought other Montenegrin banks. After CKB, I know three of them. 

But I must say right away that the Montenegrin CKB/OTP Bank will have nothing in common with the bank of the same name in your country, except for the name. Commissions for withdrawing money from an ATM will be the same as for a foreign bank. The same applies to other banks that are present in both countries. 

You are traveling mainly for the beach holiday, without school-age kids

For you, the best time of year to visit Montenegro is the second half of May and the first half of September. At this time, the water is already/still quite warm. Families with school-age children have either not yet arrived or have already left.

Simply put, the peak season has not yet started or has already passed. There are fewer tourists, freer beaches, lower prices. At the same time, the entire infrastructure works. If you wish, you can dilute your beach holiday with excursions. The weather will be as comfortable as possible (of course, no one will give out 100% rain insurance). 

Regarding excursions from these two periods, the second half of May is preferable. Excursions in Montenegro are mostly long, until the evening. And in May the sun sets earlier than in September. You will see more. But it is necessary to specify on what dates the tours begin.

You are traveling mainly for the beach holiday with school-age kids

In this case, Montenegro is no different from most other countries. If you do not want to overpay and be able to lay a mat on the beach, then the best time to travel to Montenegro is in June. Money is not a question, but you need the warmest water and maximum activities? Then welcome to the peak season – July and August. On some excursions, be prepared for traffic jams and queues.

You are traveling mainly for excursions, without your own transport

The best time for you is from mid-May to mid-June. And in the second half of September. At this time, Montenegro has comfortable weather, not a peak influx of tourists, and, in general, there are no significant problems with traffic jams.

Why not earlier than mid-May and not later than mid-September? At this time, some centralized tours are not yet held or are no longer held. For this reason, I did not have time to get on the two planned excursions around September 20th. But there is a way out of this situation – to book an individual tour. It will be more expensive, but much more comfortable. You can stay longer in places you like.

You are traveling mainly for excursions, with your own transport (or you are planning to rent a car)

Everything is simple here. You are your own boss. When you want, then go. I mean from May to September. I have already described the advantages of the low and high seasons above. It is more likely to face rain in early May and late September. And keep in mind that some mountain serpentines in Montenegro are designed for a driver with mountain driving experience. For example, this is very important when traveling to the observation deck on Mount Lovcen.

Well, it should be borne in mind that, for example, the high mountain pass Sedlo in the Durmitor National Park is usually closed from November till April. The reason is – it’s covered with snow. And this is one of the most popular places to visit in the north of Montenegro. 

You also need to consider that during the peak season it is more difficult to find a good car rental option.

You don’t care. You are just going on vacation.

For you, the best time to visit Montenegro is any.

My choice

The second half of May is also not bad. But September has two obvious advantages over May. 

First. In September, you are unlikely to arrive with dead white skin color. Accordingly, the risk of getting burned is much less than in May. So your vacation will be more comfortable.

Second. In May and early June, construction work is carried out almost everywhere. Somewhere I found them at the end of June. Even though, in theory, there are restrictions on construction work on the coast. Someone says that from June 1, someone – from June 15.

My experience: Montenegrins ignore all these restrictions. In 2021, out of the seven locations where I stayed (Tivat, Budva, Petrovac, Ulcinj, Bar, Podgorica, Zabljak), in four I woke up early in the morning to a perforator, jackhammer, and other «musical» instruments (Tivat, Petrovac, Bar, Podgorica ). In Ulcinj, the area as a whole was being built up, which I was aware of in advance. 

In Zabljak, problems with construction noise are less likely due to the specifics of the location. Budva, it seems, turned out to be the only location where restrictions on construction work really work. Just Budva, not the whole Budvanian Riviera.

The specifics of Montenegrin builders. They start early in the morning – until it starts to get hot. Around 8:00. Sometimes even earlier. During this period, the noise is maximum. Somewhere closer to 11:00 it gradually subsides. If you used to get up at 6:00 on vacation, have breakfast, and go to the beach, then this is not a problem for you. If you also have time to get a little tan in early May, then feel free to go to Montenegro by the end of May or the beginning of June.

I was in Montenegro in the second half of September twice. I can say for sure that it is difficult to name this time of the year – «autumn». It was hot most of the time. It was incredibly well remembered by the ascent to the Kotor fortress. The water temperature at this time is quite comfortable. But not in the morning. One of the possible inconveniences – it may already start to get rainy.

Flights

I used a plane to come to Montenegro twice. There is some helpful info to share.

Podgorica Airport (TGD)

Podgorica Airport also sometimes appears with the prefix “Golubovci”, after the name of the village next to it. The non-obvious airport code – TGD – is associated with the previous name of Podgorica. In 1952-92 it was Titovgrad, in honor of Josip Broz Tito – the long-time leader of Yugoslavia. The native name was returned to the city, but the airport code was not changed.

The primary air gates of Montenegro, like Podgorica city itself, are located in a valley surrounded by mountains and hills.

The location of the “Podgorica” (TGD) airport on the map – 42.35979, 19.24965.

The airport in Podgorica is relatively modern but very small. Like many other objects in Montenegro, the capital’s airport does not look like what you are used to seeing in major air hubs of European capitals. There are no jetways here. But due to the compactness of the airport itself, this is not a problem. Buses are simply not needed here. You just get out and go to the plane, or from the plane ladder to the terminal.

What airlines fly to Podgorica in 2024?

In 2024, the number of flights to Podgorica Airport has not significantly changed, nor has the flight map. Among the main changes:

• In 2024, the budget Turkish carrier Pegasus Airlines launched flights to Podgorica from three Turkish airports: Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir.
• The local airline Air Montenegro began flying from Frankfurt (Germany) and Copenhagen (Denmark) and replaced the Hungarian airline Wizz Air on the Rome-Podgorica route.
• In 2024, the Irish low-cost airline Ryanair ceased flights from Barcelona to Podgorica.

List of flights to Podgorica airport for the 2024 season:

Destination	Airline
London/UK	Ryanair
London/UK	Wizz Air
Manchester/UK	Ryanair
Berlin/Germany	Ryanair
Dortmund/Germany	Wizz Air
Memmingen/Germany	Wizz Air
Frankfurt/Germany	Air Montenegro
Vienna/Austria	Wizz Air
Vienna/Austria	Austrian Airlines
Rome/Italy	Air Montenegro
Milan/Italy	Wizz Air
Budapest/Hungary	Wizz Air
Warsaw/Poland	Wizz Air
Warsaw/Poland	LOT
Krakow/Poland	Ryanair
Wroclaw/Poland	Ryanair
Gdansk/Poland	Ryanair
Katowice/Poland	Wizz Air
Katowice/Poland	Enter Air
Paris/France	Transavia France
Paris/France	Air Montenegro
Nantes/France	Air Montenegro
Lille/France	Alpavia
Brussels/Belgium	Ryanair
Zagreb/Croatia	Ryanair
Zurich/Switzerland	Air Montenegro
Ljubljana/Slovenia	Air Montenegro
Copenhagen/Denmark	Air Montenegro
Istanbul/Turkey	Turkish Airlines
Istanbul/Turkey	Tailwind Airlines
Istanbul/Turkey	Air Montenegro
Istanbul/Turkey	Pegasus Airlines
Ankara/Turkey	Pegasus Airlines
Izmir/Turkey	Pegasus Airlines
Athens/Greece	Aegean Airlines
Bratislava/Slovakia	Air Montenegro
Almaty and Astana/Kazakhstan	Air Astana
Belgrade/Serbia	Air Montenegro
Belgrade/Serbia	Air Serbia

Podgorica airport arrivals & departures

Transfer from the airport

There is no shuttle bus from the airport to Podgorica. Individual tourists use a taxi. Further from the Podgorica bus station, you can go where you need to. The airport is close to the city. It is just 11 km from the airport to the bus station in Podgorica. 15 minutes drive time. Taxi costs from €15.

By the way, from the airport by taxi, you can get not only to Podgorica but also directly to the coast. In 2019, I was told that the price to Budva is €60. But it was not in the most favorable environment, and I already had accommodation booked in Podgorica. So I did not bargain because it was not interesting for me. But for some of you it may be quite relevant. For example, if 3-4 people are traveling, you can immediately take a taxi to the resort without much loss of money. Definitely today it will cost more.

Tivat Airport (TIV)

Tivat Airport is located on the coast. Literally – on the Bay of Kotor shore. Serves mainly charter and seasonal flights. There are also regular routes. For example, Tivat-Belgrade.

The location of the “Tivat” (TIV) airport on the map – 42.40388, 18.72439.

For tourists interested in beaches, Tivat airport has a much more advantageous location in comparison with Podgorica airport. The distance to Budva is only 21 km, to Herceg Novi – 23 km, to Kotor – 8 km. And you won’t believe it, but Tivat town is just around the corner.

The airport is small, even smaller than in Podgorica. And for this reason, some of the problems of the capital’s airport are even more acute. There are few seating places both in the hall and the departure zone. The end of the check-in line often ends on the street. Yes, you can see it yourself on Google Street View.

Google users rank Tivat Airport worse than Podgorica Airport, which is also rated low.

What airlines fly to Tivat?

List of flights to Podgorica airport for the 2024 season:

Destination	Airline
London/UK	easyJet
Manchester/UK	easyJet
Manchester/UK	JET2
Бирмингем/Великобритания	JET2
Бристоль/Великобритания	easyJet
Geneva/Switzerland	easyJet
Zurich/Switzerland	Swiss Air
Berlin/Germany	EasyJet Europe
Berlin/Germany	Eurowings
Munich/Germany	Lufthansa
Frankfurt/Germany	Lufthansa
Düsseldorf/Germany	Eurowings
Stuttgart/Germany	Eurowings
Rostock/Germany	Air Serbia
Paris/France	Transavia France
Rennes/France	Air Montenegro
Saint-Etienne/France	Air Montenegro
Metz/France	Air Montenegro
Oslo/Norway	Norwegian Air Shuttle
Oslo/Norway	SAS Scandinavian Airlines
Copenhagen/Denmark	SAS Scandinavian Airlines
Copenhagen/Denmark	Norwegian Air
Stockholm/Sweden	SAS Scandinavian Airlines
Helsinki/Finland	Norwegian
Vilnius/Lithuania	Avion Express
Vilnius/Lithuania	Heston Airlines
Riga/Latvia	Air Baltic
Riga/Latvia	Norwegian Air
Tallinn/Estonia	Heston Airlines
Warsaw/Poland	LOT
Rzeszow/Poland	SkyUp
Brussels/Belgium	TUI Fly Belgium
Vienna/Austria	Austrian Airlines
Luxembourg	Luxair
Prague/Czechia	Air Montenegro
Brno/Czechia	Air Montenegro
Ljubljana/Slovenia	Air Montenegro
Istanbul/Turkey	Air Montenegro
Istanbul/Turkey	Turkish Airlines
Izmir/Turkey	Air Montenegro
Belgrade/Serbia	Air Montenegro
Belgrade/Serbia	Air Serbia
Chisinau/Moldova	Fly One
Yerevan, Armenia	Fly One
Tel Aviv/Israel	EL-AL
Tel Aviv/Israel	ISRAIR
Tel Aviv/Israel	Arkia
Baku/Azerbaijan	Azerbaijan Airlines
Baku/Azerbaijan	Air Montenegro
Dubai/UAE	Fly Dubai
Kuwait City/Kuwait	Jazeera

Tivat Airport arrivals & departures

Dubrovnik Airport (DBV, Croatia)

Dubrovnik Airport in Croatia is located 18 km from the border with Montenegro, 29 km from Herceg Novi and 72 km from Budva. It also appears with the prefix “Chilipi”, after the name of the nearby village.

The location of the “Dubrovnik” (DBV) airport on the map – 42.56129, 18.26755.

During the summer season, you can fly to Dubrovnik from many European countries. The price range is quite broad. Very cheap tickets for Dubrovnik are not typical. You can find them, but mainly on the short routes.

Dubrovnik airport compares favorably with Montenegrin airports. Quite comfortable. The only inconvenience is that there is no direct bus connection with Montenegro. Passing buses do not stop at the airport. Although it is located basically on the highway. Therefore, you have to travel in transit through the Dubrovnik bus station. And it’s about an hour bus ride one way.

Croatia/Montenegro border control

Croatia is a member of the European Union. Montenegro is not. It doesn’t matter that countries were once part of one state. This is the regular external border of the EU, with full-fledged border control. In the middle and end of September, it took me about 40 minutes to pass both borders one way. In the high season it can be much longer.

Summary

If your main goal is Montenegro, then there is not a lot of sense in considering Dubrovnik as an alternative airport. But…

TIP

If you want to see both Dubrovnik and Montenegro, starting with arrival in Dubrovnik is a good idea

This option is good if you want to visit Dubrovnik not as part of a group excursion, but on your own, calmly and measuredly. Which I strongly advise you to do. Just stay there for at least three nights. Spend one full day in Dubrovnik’s old town. Dedicate another one to visit Lokrum Island. And then you can take a regular bus and go to Montenegro.

Dubrovnik airport arrivals & departures

Is it possible to get to Montenegro by train?

Yes, you can get to Montenegro by train. Although in Montenegro the train is an exotic type of transport. By train, you can get to Podgorica and Niksic. And on the coast – only to Bar. To one only – the city with this name. Not to any drinking establishment with a terrace that you might already notice on Foursquare, Google Maps, or in the Instagram story of some pretty girl.

To Montenegro by bus

The bus is a quite convenient option to get to Montenegro from neighboring or nearby countries. So, if you are traveling in Europe and Montenegro is your next stop, this type of transport makes sense to consider.

There are many international bus routes to Montenegro. In addition, one of the transnational highways is laid along the Adriatic coast, including Montenegrin. This route is called the Adriatic Highway (Jadranska magistrala). 

Deciding to get to Montenegro by the coastal highway from the North, you will get a huge bonus. This path is replete with beautiful sea and mountain landscapes.

To Montenegro by car

A trip to Montenegro by car is more than possible. In some cases, it makes a lot of sense. Since traveling around Montenegro itself by car has several advantages. In addition to the usual arguments in favor of your own vehicle in front of someone else’s bus, there are additional ones in Montenegro.

Public transport in the country does a pretty good job of moving people along the main highways. But, if you need to take a step aside, the shortcomings of the transport network appear. And on the sides there are many exciting things. This is not even to mention some of the famous beaches.

Often the only choice is a taxi. Although the prices for this type of transport in Montenegro are quite sparing compared to the EU countries, this is still a relatively expensive option. And not as flexible as an own car.

You will need a white carton

Anyone who has never been to Montenegro may wonder why. But it is needed. Without this, they may fine you around €300 when leaving the country. Or you may not be allowed to enter Montenegro in the future.

As you may have guessed, we are not talking about the heavy white paper. In Montenegro, there is a rather strange relic of the past. When you check-in, the hotel or apartment owner must register you in the police or tourist office. And pay the fee for the number of nights you are staying. This fee is approximately €1 per night. It is different in different communities. If you don’t pay, you may suffer.

You must register within 24 hours of entry. If the day of arrival is a weekend or holiday, then on the next working day.

How is a white carton obtained? From a tourist’s point of view, it’s rather strange. The apartments charge you tax inclusive if you haven’t paid everything in advance. Take your passport and go to the tourist office or the police. They register you, add your info to the database, and return your passport.

They don’t always give you a physical paper. Often they don’t give anything at all. Just say that they registered you as expected, and that’s it. Usually, there is no trick here. That’s exactly how it all works. But when leaving the country, border guards may ask you for a receipt for payment of the fee. In theory. In practice, this has not happened recently. The database is electronic, and they can check everything themselves. Unless, of course, you really registered as expected.

But if you wish, you can go for registration together with the owner of the apartment. Check the use of your passport and make sure that you are registered. Also, you can register yourself and pay the fee.

Usually, the owners returned quickly from registration. But why this is necessary today is a mystery. This is probably because few places accept non-cash cards to pay for accommodation. Therefore, to increase control, they have to register each guest. Tito would like this. I won’t.

I did not specify how the process of obtaining white cartons works in hotels. In theory, in a hotel with 300 rooms there is no sense in running to the tourist or police every time. But you never know.

In general, do not forget – you need white cardboard. For 100% certainty, it is better to have a receipt for payment of the fee in physical form. Although in practice, few people bother with this. 

But there is a case when you should bother with paper versions. You will definitely need them if, for some reason, you stayed in Montenegro for more than a month. And after a month, you need to register in a community where you have not stayed yet. In this situation, the tourist office will try to send you to the police each time for violating registration rules. Although, it’s not really required. It’s just one more «don’t give a damn» attitude by Montenegrin authorities.

Hotels

In Montenegro, the space around hotels is mostly small or absent. Although there are exceptions, such as Hotel Slovenska Plaza in Budva or Iberostar Bellevue – All Inclusive in Becici. The All Inclusive system is not widely spread. There are no completely private hotel beaches as you may know them, for example, in Egypt. In mass locations, something like this can only be seen on the beach in Sveti Stefan and neighboring beaches, with sunbeds for €100 per day.

Apartments, Flats

Hotels (in the usual sense of the word) mainly belong to the “package” tourists. For self-guided tourists, booking an apartment or flat in terms of quality and price is preferable.

Villas, houses

You can also rent a villa. Or a house. Consider that in Montenegro a house = a villa. This is not Bali, where you can rent a one-story bungalow for $400 a month. Here, the cost of land in the resort area is too high. There is little sense for owners to build tiny one-story houses. Therefore, consider that renting a completely separate house on the coast of Montenegro means renting a villa, at the price of a villa.

Hostels

What is the best way to book apartments in Montenegro?

As of 2024, to search for hotels, apartments, flats and hostels in Montenegro, I recommend using Booking.com. Airbnb is also available in Montenegro. There are many offers. But so far, there are much more of them on Booking.com. This means more choice, more options at an attractive price.

However, everyone’s needs are different. Perhaps what you are looking for (for example, a room) can be found on Airbnb. 

Prepare cash

As mentioned above, payment by card in Montenegro is not held in high esteem. You can do it in big hotels. But in small apartment complexes, get ready to pay with cash. Otherwise, you will have to search for an ATM and withdraw money with a not very pleasant commission.

Beach holidays

Beach holidays in Montenegro are neither “Turkish” nor “Egyptian”. There are almost no private beaches exclusively for hotel guests. Most beaches are pebble, sand and pebble or platforms. The entrance to the water is usually pebbly. Free places are not easy to find in the high season, even on paid sun loungers.

Excursion tourism

This type of tourism in Montenegro is also actively developed. Albeit a bit specific. Most of the attractions here are natural. There are just a lot of unrealistically beautiful places. There are also historical and architectural sites. But the artificial excursion programs are definitely less impressive than natural ones.

What do I mean when I say that excursion tourism in Montenegro is specific? 

The main routes are a small set of standard excursions at the same prices. A distinctive feature is that they are very long. Usually, they start very early in the morning. Due to the country’s small size, the program of many excursions includes almost half of all the most popular attractions. This is not suitable for everyone.

Winter tourism

Yes, there are alpine skiing resorts in Montenegro. And not only alpine skiing. Although not a lot of foreigners know about them. First of all, these are Kolasin and Zabljak. These resorts are pretty good. Kolasin is more modern.

Snow stays from December to March. A bit of the season can be caught even in early April. Winter resorts focus on alpine and cross-country skiing, snowboarding and a bit of freestyle. Cycling and ecotourism flourish in the “winter” resorts in summer.

Podgorica

Budva

The city of Budva is the main resort of Montenegro. The most famous and most popular. And this is for a reason. Budva is located in a very picturesque place, at the foot of the mountains, in a bay on the Adriatic Sea. The views begin to fascinate as soon as you cross the pass on the way from Podgorica and start descending towards Budva and Becici along the scenic mountain serpentine.

The location of Budva is exceptionally convenient. The city is closest to Podgorica with its airport compared to all other resorts – in 65 km. The second international airport of Montenegro – Tivat – is just 20 km away. In addition, Budva is located “in the middle” of the resort area. It is approximately equidistant from the most distant Montenegrin cities on the sea coast. To Herceg Novi, near the border with Croatia – 44 km. And to Ulcinj, near the border with Albania – 64 km.

Next, we start moving south along the Budva Riviera. 

Becici

The village of Becici is Budva’s closest neighbor. The population of Becici is about 1000 people. But the number of rooms here is imposing. One large hotel can accommodate more vacationers than residents who permanently live in the village.

The length of the beach in Becici is about the same as the Slovenska Plaza in Budva. At the same time, the beach in Becici is much wider. The pebbles here are smaller and mainly near the water. Further from the seaside – mostly sand. The sea is much cleaner than on the Slovenska Plaza.

Becici beach is also considered to be one of the most beautiful in Montenegro. Frankly, I find it difficult to answer why.

In Becici, part of the beach may not be accessible to everyone. This applies to the beaches near the Zavala peninsula separating Becici and Budva. Nearby hotels Iberostar Bellevue – All Inclusive 4* and Hotel Montenegro 4 * rent these beaches. So you may be politely asked to leave them if you are not staying in one of these hotels. Although, in theory, they are public. But in any case, this is only a small part of the entire beach in Becici.

In general, Becici has a much calmer atmosphere than Budva. It is more suitable for families. On the territory of Mediteran Hotel & Resort 4 *, there is a relatively big water park.

New hotels are being actively built on the second line and further, including high ones.

Rafailovici

Rafailovici village is nestled compactly on the edge of the bay, next to Becici. Visually resembles a heap of hotels and apartment complexes. It is also a place of concentration of cafes, bars and shops.

In Rafailovici, the beach is much narrower than in Becici. Rafailovici ends around the corner with an entourage tunnel to Kamenevo beach. Lighting in the tunnel is provided. But it was turned off when I passed there several times during the day. You are basically walking in total darkness. Especially when the sunlight at the entrance to the tunnel has already disappeared, and from the exit has not appeared yet.

I would include Kamenevo in the top three of the best beaches in Montenegro I have visited. The water here is one of the cleanest I have ever seen. Apparently, mainly because there are few pollutants (boats) parked here.

Przno/Milocer

Kamenevo beach is followed by Przno village with 300 inhabitants and several small beaches. One of them is Pržno beach itself. Another one is Milocer Beach (aka Royal Beach or King’s Beach). The latter is small-pebble.

Until 2021, it was paid and very expensive. However, it does not provide any exceptional service. Just deck сhairs with umbrellas are located at a decent distance from each other. Perfect for fans of privacy for big money – about €100. And for the guests of the title hotel – Villa Milocer.

Another similar beach is the Kraljicina Plaza (or Queen’s beach). Until 2021, it was also secluded, paid and expensive. And all this is surrounded by the magnificent Milocer Park.

At the end of May 2021, walking along the coast south of Budva, I was surprised to find both beaches open to everyone. As it turned out, the management company ruling the adjacent territories retired from the Montenegrin market. And the beaches were opened. 

But in July 2023, the company returned. The price for two sun loungers and an umbrella at Milocer Beach has grown to €200. And Queen’s Beach is now exclusively accessible only to guests of the Villa Milocer hotel.

In general, the history of the owners of these coastal lands is covered with a thick layer of uncertainty. One tour guide, for example, claimed that these places are the private property of a local family of “Rockefellerovici” (the name has been changed for artistic purposes). So the beaches can be closed at any time. Water resources are the property of the people, free access to the sea. Yeah, sure :) 

And literally behind the cape from Milocer beach there is another similar beach, much more famous.

Sveti Stefan

Petrovac

Moving further to the south. The next popular tourist city in Montenegro is Petrovac. Located 17 km from Budva, on the bay shore. Petrovac is surrounded by olive and coniferous groves along with many other trees typical of the local latitudes. The air here is clean and considered curative.

In the area of ​​Petrovac along the coast, in the midst of lush vegetation, the so-called Health Trails are laid. This is an excellent alternative to lying on the beach. Benches are provided for tired travelers. One of the trails goes towards the village of Rezevici, passing the Perazica Do beach.

The other is from Lucice beach to Buljarica beach.

Herceg Novi

The town of Herceg Novi is located in a very picturesque place, on the shores of the Bay of Kotor (or Boka Kotorska). This is the northernmost of the major cities on the Montenegrin coast. Located near the border with Croatia. The major part of Herceg Novi is located on a slope. For this reason, there are many steep climbs, stairs, terraces and beautiful landscapes.

Kotor

The city of Kotor is considered a must-see place in Montenegro. It is located in a fantastic place on the shore of the Bay of Kotor, at the foot of Mount Lovcen. 

Dobrota

The city of Dobrota is Kotor’s closest neighbor. In fact, one city smoothly flows into another. Dobrota is stretched along the coast of the Bay of Kotor. Very stretched out. 

Dobrota also has a rich history, although as rich as its neighbor’s. The architecture is mainly from the Venetian era. There are no really significant objects here. But the town itself is pretty nice, with beautiful views from the waterfront.

Donji Orahovac

Donji Orahovac is a small village on the shore of the Bay of Kotor. A little north of Dobrota. A place for a very relaxing holiday. The beaches here are good, and the water is one of the cleanest in the entire Bay of Kotor. There are no attractions.

Prcanj

From the lower and upper parts of Kotor, you will have beautiful views of the opposite peninsula and the villages on the coast. Those that are further away, on several capes, are the town of Prcanj. Located just opposite Dobrota. Like many other neighbors in the Bay of Kotor, it has a rich history. And also reached its heyday in the times of the Venetian Republic.

Perast

Perast is a small old town on the shore of the Bay of Kotor. Very well preserved. Located in one of the most picturesque places in Montenegro. On the slope, at the foot of the mountain. On the cape separating the Kotor and Risan bays. And right in front of the Verige Strait.

Opposite Perast, there are two islands – St. George and Gospa od Shkrpjela (Mother of God on the Reef), very close to each other. The first is of natural origin, and the second is artificial.

Risan

The town of Risan is another ancient town on the coast of Boka Kotorska. The closest neighbor is Perast. Situated in a relatively flat area. The population is about 2000 people.

Risan is considered the oldest settlement in the area of ​​the Bay of Kotor. And it was known long before Kotor or Perast. For this reason, traces of both Venetians and Romans remained here. In particular – ancient Roman mosaics. They are perhaps the main attraction of Risan. There are not a lot of historical buildings here.

Compared to Perast, tourists rarely come to Risan. Although from one town to another you can just walk. But Risan has clean air, clean water and a relaxed atmosphere. And there are a lot of apartments for rent.

Tivat

The city of Tivat is located on the shore of the Bay of Kotor, on the Vrmac peninsula. It is a highly convenient transportation hub. Firstly, the only airport on the Montenegrin coast is located here. Secondly, there is a brand new harbor of Porto Montenegro for yachts, including large ones.

At the same time, Tivat is located precisely between Budva and Herceg Novi. And Kotor is just around the corner. A few steps away is the Lepetane-Kamenari ferry across the Verige strait of the Bay of Kotor. All this makes Tivat one of the very convenient places to stay in Montenegro for those who plan to see the whole country.

In order not to be unfounded, I will give data on the distance between Tivat and other significant cities in Montenegro.

Kumbor and Djenovici

Recently, the name of the town of Kumbor, with a population of about 1000 people, has been mentioned much more often than before. This happened after the commissioning of the brand new Portonovi marina and related infrastructure on the coast. All this is directly adjacent to Kumbor on the one hand and the village of Djenovici on the other.

Previously, Kumbor and Djenovici were quiet tourist villages. With beautiful nature and good uncrowded beaches with clear water. Their role will be likely to change in the coming years.

We have finished with the cities of the Bay of Kotor. Let’s return back to the south.

Sutomore

Sutomore is a small town in the southern part of the Montenegrin Adriatic coast. First of all, this is a pretty good budget resort, with a relatively long beach. Sutomore is one of the places in Montenegro that is well suited for a classic beach holiday.

Bar

Bar is a city in the southern part of the Adriatic coast of Montenegro. The largest port in the country and the largest city on the coast. One of the few places in Montenegro where a fairly vast plain is located between the mountains and the sea.

It does not have a huge tourist value due to the lack of good beaches with clean water. But there are some places to see in Bar. First of all, the Old Town, with a superb panorama and old Roman aqueduct. If you need a good beach nearby, you can get to Canj beach by bus.

Utjeha

Utjeha is a small town in the southern part of the Montenegrin coast. Located between Bar and Ulcinj. It has no significant historical value. More interesting for its natural wealth.

In the Utjeha area, the water is immaculately clean and has a beautiful turquoise hue. The coast is indented. As a result, there are several small wild beaches. The beaches here are platforms or pebbles (pebbles are mostly large). The main beach of Uteha is Uvala Maslina (platform + pebbles).

Utjeha is an exciting place for divers. In addition to clean and transparent water, there are many caves and grottoes.

Ulcinj

Ulcinj is the southernmost city in Montenegro. Located on the shores of the Adriatic Sea. The majority of the population are ethnic Albanians. Approximately 80% of the city’s residents are Muslims. For this reason, some are even afraid to go on vacation to Ulcinj. 

I spent a week in the city. And I can tell you responsibly that there is nothing to fear. Ulcinj is just an unusual city for Montenegro. It is different. They speak more Albanian than Montenegrin. And may even not understand the official local language. There you can sometimes meet women in Muslim clothes (not often) and gypsies (even more often). But in terms of security, there is no big difference with other areas of the Montenegrin coast.

Ulcinj is quite a popular tourist destination. But overall underrated. The southern outskirts of the city are where the longest beach on the Adriatic coast – Velika Plaza (aka Big Beach or Long Beach) – starts. Its length is 12 km. The beach is entirely sandy. And not only long but also wide. On the part of the beach, a coniferous forest adjoins the sandy strip. Which is perfect for hot weather. And this is not a frequent story for Montenegro.

As it turned out on the spot, there were exciting places to see and to walk.

Ada Bojana Island

Velika Plaza ends at the Bojana River (or Buna – in Albanian), behind which Ada Bojana Island is located. Behind it is the border with Albania. Along the riverbed, you can find apartments, bars and restaurants serving freshly caught freshwater and saltwater fish.

The origin of the island of Ada Bojana is absolutely non-trivial. It was intended by nature that there would be two small islands at the mouth of the Boyana River. But the notorious human factor treacherously intervened. In 1858, the sailing ship Merito sank between the islands. Nature cursed for a long time, and eventually decided to fill the entire space between the islands with sand, forming a triune island.

Over time, the entire space was overgrown with green spaces, in which by 1973 nudists began to actively pull themselves up. So the resort was formed here. Then – exclusively for foreign nudists. As you know, communist values, even Yugoslav ones, did not encourage bathing adults without panties in public places. But Tito has been gone for a long time, and there is a nudist resort for pensioners with a large sandy beach on Ada Bojana.

Cetinje

The city of Cetinje is the “second” capital of Montenegro. In the past it was the only one. Here is the presidential residence and the Ministry of Culture. Cetinje is considered the cultural and spiritual capital of Montenegro.

The city is located in a valley at the foot of the Lovcen mountain range. Cetinje is situated on the way from Podgorica to Budva, precisely in the middle between them. Distance to the coast – 32 km, to Podgorica – 36 km. 

Cetinje is the most convenient location from which you can get to the top of Mount Lovcen. Individual tourists often take a taxi in Cetinje for these purposes, go to Lovcen, spend a couple of hours there and return in the same car. The distance from the center of Cetinje to the top of Lovcen is 25 km.

Kolasin

Kolasin is a town in the north of Montenegro. Next to it, at an altitude of about 1500 m, there is a ski resort of the same name. In fact, there are two of them – Kolasin 1450 and Kolasin 1600. The city is located 72 km north of Podgorica. It is considered the most modern ski resort in Montenegro. 

Zabljak

Zabljak is a city in the north of Montenegro and the ski resort of the same name. Located in the Durmitor National Park, which is included in the UNESCO World Natural Heritage List. Zabljak is its administrative center.

The town is located 120 km north of Podgorica. And 180 km from Budva, with which the winter resort has an active passenger flow in the summer season. 

It was the main ski resort in Montenegro during Yugoslav times. Now the leadership is held by a more modern Kolasin. 

But with the transition of the ski leadership, nature itself did not go anywhere. The surroundings of Zabljak are still beautiful. 

Cities and resorts of Montenegro are losing their original view and atmosphere

In those days, when tourism in independent Montenegro was just beginning to rise, small towns on the Montenegrin coast looked very different. Beautiful nature, low-rise authentic buildings, free beaches. 

Then the money won…

Mass construction works started. The rapid growth of the tourist flow. At the same time, more or less suitable areas for expanding settlements on the coast were as limited as possible. As was the beach area.

Result number one – the beaches have become extremely cramped during the season. With all the consequences.

Result number two – popular cities and resorts are losing their original attractive view. Budva has already lost it completely and irretrievably. Many others fly to this at cruising speed.

Construction is progressing rapidly, even though the free space ended a long time ago. But they keep finding where to shove in subjectively ugly high boxes. Yes, maximally close to the coast. Often obscuring the view of the sea from many small houses located at different distances from the beach. 

For example, Petrovac. Compare what a mainly untouched part of one of the most beautiful towns in Montenegro looks like:

And how it looks touched:

And here is Przhno. Look how organically the new building is integrated into the existing landscape:

Do you understand the priority of local authorities?

Bus excursions

Perhaps the most popular in Montenegro are bus tours. Usually, it’s group excursions. But there are also individual offers.

Sea excursions

In Montenegro, tourists are offered a huge variety of different sea excursions. From long to very short. On ships of completely different caliber and comfort. 

A sea excursion, which is almost mandatory in Montenegro, is along the Bay of Kotor. A wide variety of variations are possible.

Another popular water excursion is on Skadar lake. In 2024 morning 8h tour costs €55 for adults and €30 for children, evening 5h tour – €45 for adults and €25 for kids.

Boat excursions from local freelancers are also possible. But it is better to use options with at least some testimonials. Better positive. 

Individual excursions

Individual excursions in Montenegro are noticeably more expensive. Which is predictable. But they are more comfortable. First of all, because you are not rigidly tied to the route and time. Want to stay longer somewhere – just stay. Want to slightly deviate – you are welcome.

Whoever does not offer individual excursions in Montenegro. An obvious risk follows from this – problems with predictability. 

If you didn’t find anybody online or offline, there is a lifehack. Ask the first taxi driver you meet. They also provide excursion services. Prices are about the same. The taxi driver can either propose his own services or advise somebody else.

Another option is to ask the apartment owner where you are staying. Or at the hotel reception.

It is best to find out all the available options from different sources. And make a decision based on the results. And what you want to visit depends on how responsibly you study my blog :)

Self-guided tours

You can also explore Montenegro by public transport. In Montenegro this option may well be considered when moving along the coast. But you should consider the peculiarity – intercity buses do not run until late.

A taxi can be an addition or alternative to a self-guided tour by bus. This type of transport in Montenegro is quite affordable. But only in case you’ll be doing everything right.

Excursions in Montenegro by car (own or rented) are perhaps the best option. If, of course, it is available to you. But keep in mind that there are many mountain roads in Montenegro. Having no experience of driving in mountainous areas, you can only move along the coast without any problems. In other cases, it is better to think twice.

About Beaches in Montenegro

There are many beaches in Montenegro. Dry statistics claim that there are 117 of them, with a total length of 73 km. Wet reality says that most beaches are pebble or sand and pebble. There are not so many exceptionally sandy ones.

The sea in Montenegro is Adriatic. The water is quite salty in terms of comfortable lying on it. The water is clear and transparent except for the most crowded and sandy beaches. Ports and marinas with parking for boats and yachts, as usual, are not the best places in terms of water purity.

Entry into the water is often slightly hampered by pretty large pebbles. It is recommended to take aqua shoes with you to Montenegro. Also, take a mask. Many beaches have something to see underwater.

Quite a comfortable swimming season in Montenegro lasts from mid-May to mid-September.

Almost all beaches in Montenegro are municipal, with free entry. There is a scheme with renting beaches. Tenants get the right to put paid sun loungers, bars, restaurants, etc. In the package with the rights comes the obligation to keep the beach in proper condition. As a result, the beaches in Montenegro are characterized by two things:

1. They are mostly well-maintained.

2. On popular beaches, the area free from sun loungers is small.

Not all beaches have a complete set of infrastructure: changing cabins, showers, toilets, and lifeguards.

Probably due to problems with English and the need to somehow indicate changing cabins, they start to apply ingenuity*.

Here the faceless part of the description of Montenegrin beaches ends. Now it’s time to list the most significant beaches by name.

List of popular beaches in Montenegro

Beaches are grouped by geographical location.

Slovenska Plaza

Slovenska Plaza – sand and pebble. More pebble. The main beach of the main resort of Montenegro – Budva. One of the rare places in Montenegro where the transparency and purity of water leaves much to be desired.

Mogren Beach

Mogren beach is sand and pebble (mostly sand) and rocky in some places. The water is clean. This lovely beach near the Old Town of Budva is located in a very attractive place. Consists of two parts – Mogren-1 and Mogren-2, formally separated by a rock. 

Recently at Mogren-1, they installed lockers where you can leave your valuables:

In the summer of 2023, those wishing to relax on Mogren-2 beach could enjoy… a construction site. Some intelligent people decided this small sandy beach was missing this damn nonsense: 

By the way, along with the appearance of the construction, the small bridge in the rock that previously connected Mogren-1 and Mogren-2 has disappeared. Perhaps someone wanted to say: “Don’t come here. We’re working. People are aware”? In July, they finally returned it.

But what Mogren-2 beach has always needed are certain infrastructure elements – changing cabins, toilets, showers. Do you think all of this will appear in this conglomeration of concrete on the shoreline? And will it flood during the first significant storm?

Old city beach of Budva (Ricardova Glava)

Ricardova Glava is a small beach located directly at the city walls. Sand and pebble. Mostly pebbles. The entrance to the sea is a little difficult – pretty large pebbles, slabs, stones. In the high season it is very crowded, and there is almost no space free of sun loungers. Free in September.

Pizana Beach

Pizana is a little-known small beach near the city walls. The beach coverage is varied – small pebbles, stones, sand.

Hawaii Beach on the St. Nicholas (Sveti Nikola) Island

In my subjective opinion, the best beaches in Montenegro are located on St. Nicholas Island (local name – Sveti Nikola), opposite Budva. Purest water of turquoise shades. Amazing landscapes. Relatively quiet. Great place for snorkeling. The entrance to the water, however, is slightly tricky – pretty large pebbles.

🏝️🏖️ St. NICHOLAS ISLAND & Hawaii Beach with Panorama of Budva, Montenegro

You need to get to the island by boat. Usually, in the carriers’ announcements and on the boards, the destination is mentioned as the Hawaii beach and not the Sveti Nikola Island.

Jaz Beach

Jaz is considered one of the best beaches in Montenegro. Located 4 km north of Budva. Mostly sandy. There are some small pebbles. Jaz beach is used to hell parties, concerts and festivals. There is a bus from Budva to the beach, but not too often.

Becici Beach

Becici is a large, wide, sand and pebble beach next to Budva. In some parts of the beach, there is more sand, in others – pebbles. The pebble is small. One of the best beaches on the Budvan Riviera for families with children. You can walk from Budva to Becici beach.

Rafailovici Beach

Rafailovici beach is adjacent to Becici beach. Located on the edge of their joint bay. Small, sand and pebble. Smoothly turns into completely pebbly as you move away from Becici. Place of concentration of shops, cafes and bars.

Kamenevo

Kamenevo is one of the leaders in my personal ranking of the best beaches in Montenegro. Located around the corner from Rafailovici beach. The path lies through a pedestrian tunnel. Kamenevo beach is sand and pebbles. Located in a very picturesque place. The water is purest.

Przno Beach

Przno is a small sand and pebble beach (mostly sand) 5 km south of Budva. Suitable for a relaxing holiday.

Queens Beach (Kraljicina plaza)

Queen’s Beach is mostly sandy. Adjacent to Milocer park. In 2023, it was again closed for public access by the leasing company. Only guests of the elite Villa Milocer hotel can use it. 

But in 2021, I found it accessible to everyone. So the impressions, photos, and videos have been preserved in the archive. Queen’s Beach is truly excellent. It’s located in a beautiful place. I liked it much more than the neighboring ‘elite’ beaches – Milocer (King’s Beach) and Sveti Stefan. 

But now, unfortunately, enjoying the splendor of Kraljicina Plaza is impossible. Because money doesn’t smell.

By the way, it’s not the only Queens beach in Montenegro. Another one is located on the Bar Riviera. So don’t get confused. This one got its name in honor of Queen Maria Karadjordjevic.

Milocer Beach (King’s Beach)

Milocer Beach is also known as King’s Beach. Located 6 km south of Budva, next to the Queen’s beach, in a neighboring bay. The beach is small-pebble. Surrounded by the vegetation of Milocer park.  

The whole story with the royal beaches on this part of the coast is pretty simple. This was the royal residence. On the Milocer Beach, which is larger, the king and his retinue bathed. On the Queen’s beach, which is smaller – the queen herself with her retinue. Hence the names. 

Starting from 2023, Milocer Beach has become paid and expensive again. In July, a pair of sun loungers with an umbrella costs €200. 

As a result, the large beach remains empty of people, as only guests of the elite Villa Milocer hotel can use it for free. Let’s give a standing ovation to the local authorities for this wise decision. 

But a couple of years ago, it was different. At the end of May 2021, I discovered Milocer Beach open to everyone. As it turned out, the management company responsible for the adjacent areas had withdrawn from the Montenegrin market. And the beaches were opened. But now, it has returned. Enjoy it, for €200. 

By the way, Milocer Beach is not really special. Its value lies in the beautiful and well-maintained surrounding park with lush vegetation.

Sveti Stefan Beach

Sveti Stefan is one of the most famous beaches in Montenegro abroad. Located on the Sveti Stefan peninsula, around the corner from Milocer beach. The peninsula of Sveti Stefan with the adjacent beaches is one of the postcard views of Montenegro.

Sveti Stefan beach consists of two parts. Both parts of the beach are predominantly sandy, with a small amount of small reddish pebbles. In the area of ​​Sveti Stefan, the lush vegetation of Milocer Park is also present.

The left side of the beach is accessible to everyone for free. Starting from 2023, the right side again is free only for guests staying in the apartments on the Sveti Stefan peninsula. For others, for example, in July, the entrance fee equals the cost of a pair of sun loungers with an umbrella – €180. By the way, even on the “free” part of the beach, the sun loungers are not cheap either – ranging from €30 for the back rows to €50 for the front row. 

In May 2021, I captured the paid section of the beach open and free for everyone. I even had a chance to swim and sunbathe there in the evening. The beach is decent. However, for €180, you can definitely find a better option to spend money.

Petrovac Beach

City beach located in a bay. Narrow. Mostly sandy. Plus some small pebbles. Very crowded.

Lucice Beach

Lucice is a small beach near Petrovac. Located in a beautiful place. Mostly sandy. Pure water. The entrance to the sea is a pebble.

Buljarica Beach

Buljarica is a large sand and pebble beach 2 km south of Petrovac. Part of the beach has the usual beach infrastructure, part is intended for camping. The farthest part of the beach is almost uninhabited.

Perazica Do Beach

Perazica Do is a very unusual beach 2.5 km north of Petrovac. Absolutely not pop. Many people don’t even know about it. On the coastline there are small pebbles, large pebbles and large stones.

Another “attraction” is the long-frozen reconstruction of the once luxury hotel AS, carefully “built into” the rock.

Notable is the pedestrian path laid from Petrovac along the Health Trail. Those wishing to get to the beach will have to overcome beautiful forest and sea landscapes, as well as 3 tunnels.

Canj Beach

We got to the Bar Riviera. Canj beach is considered one of the best in Montenegro. This beach is also known as Pearl Coast or Biserna Obala. It’s located in a beautiful bay with clear water. Sand and pebbles, with a predominance of small pebbles. Very crowded.

🏖️ CANJ BEACH/Pearl Coast Beach on Bar Riviera in MONTENEGRO - One Shot

Sutomore Beach

Quite long sand and pebble beach on the outskirts of Sutomore town. There is a little more sand here than pebbles. The beach is quite crowded and cramped. Prices are lower than in popular resorts.

Velika Plaza (Big Beach, Long Beach)

Velika Plaza, without exaggeration, is a giant sandy beach. The longest on the Adriatic coast – 13 km. Wide. And at the same time completely sandy, from the land surface to the water entrance. An extremely rare case in Montenegro.

Long Beach or Big Beach (as it’s known in the English-speaking world) is located in the very south of the Montenegrin coast. It starts on the outskirts of Ulcinj and extends almost to the border with Albania.

Due to the size of the beach, you can always find a free place here. True, often for this you will have to move away or drive away from Ulcinj.

It starts to get deep far from the shore. Convenient for children.

There are also a couple of other essential features. 

On Velika Plaza the wind blows almost constantly. Thanks to this, it’s a popular place for kitesurfing and a bit less for windsurfing. 

Do not expect to sunbathe here lying on a beach towel right on the sand. The sand is very fine. Its texture is like flour. With the constant wind, your towel, your hair, and everything else will very quickly be covered with fine sand, which is quite difficult to get rid of. So (I don’t believe that I am writing this myself) in the case of Velika Plaza, I definitely recommend taking sun loungers.  

Zanjice

Let’s move to the northern part of the Montenegrin coast.

Zanjice is perhaps the best beach in the vicinity of Herceg Novi. Pebble. Clear water, beautiful views, forest. The opposite is the famous Mamula Island, with the remains of fortifications. From the beach, it is convenient to go for a boat trip to the Blue Cave – one of the favorite natural attractions of these places.

Sail from Herceg Novi to Zanjice by boat for about 1 hour. You can also sail from Budva. Getting by land is irrational.

Plavi Horizonti (Blue Horizons) Beach

Plavi Horizonti is another completely sandy beach, rare for Montenegro. Nice, but small and too popular for not getting cramped. Located in the bay, surrounded by thickets of olive and pine trees. Scenic paths are laid along the perimeter.

Depth starts far from the shore. Because of this, the water near the shore warms up faster and better. All this makes Plavi Horizonti a great place for a beach holiday with children.

The beach is most convenient for those who stay in the village of Radovici. Plavi Horizonti is also a pretty convenient option for those who have chosen to stay at Tivat or Kotor.

It’s most comfortable on Plavi Horizonti at the end of May or the very beginning of June. Later it will be too crowded.

Wild beaches

There are many wild beaches in Montenegro. But not on the Budvanian Riviera. There are too many tourists in this area. So everything that is at least minimally usable in the form of a beach is rented.

At the same time, small beaches in hard-to-reach bays, with not the most convenient surface, still remain undeveloped. For example, there are many such places in the vicinity of Sutomore.

Many wild beaches are very picturesque. But when visiting them, one should not forget about precautions on land and water. Surrounded by high cliffs, it is worth remembering the possibility of falling stones. There may be sharp rocks and sea urchins on the seabed. And boats can float on the water surface. At the same time, there are no bathing areas fenced with buoys on wild beaches.

Nudist beaches

Foreign tourists occasionally practice nudism on public beaches. But there are also specialized ones, where a long stay in shorts is absolutely unacceptable.

10 best beaches in Montenegro

I did not have the opportunity to visit all 117 beaches in Montenegro. Yes, I agree that it is unforgivable for a travel blogger. Nevertheless, I will still issue my version of the Top 10 beaches in Montenegro.

1. Hawaii Beach on the St. Nicholas (Sveti Nikola) Island – 2 beaches in a far bay
2. Queen’s Beach (on the Budva Riviera)
3. Kamenevo
4. Mogren
5. Lucice
6. Perazica Do
7. Plavi Horizonti (Blue Horizons)
8. Sveti Stefan
9. Zanjice
10. Becici

Prices for sun loungers and umbrellas

In the high season, the average cost of a pair of sun loungers + umbrella on the beaches of Montenegro – €15-30. But you can find more expensive. On status beaches like Sveti Stefan and Milocer, even €200 is quite a regular price.

And need to notice that on one large beach, like Slovenska Plaza in Budva, there can easily be more than a dozen different tenants. With their own prices and comfort level.

For example, in one of the less comfortable areas of Slovenska Plaza, you can rent a pair of sun loungers with an umbrella for €12:

And in a more comfortable area, you can lounge on mattresses for €30:

In September, prices may be slightly lower:

And at the very beginning of the season at the end of May, prices can be as follows:

Temporarily leaving the beach, leave a towel on the sun lounger. Or some other non-flying object. Or warn the lord of the beach that you will be back. Otherwise, he will gladly sell your place to someone else.

Safety on the beaches

The beaches of Montenegro are pretty safe. There’s no serious cause for worry.

Of the dangerous marine inhabitants, only sea urchins deserve to be noted. And this is rather in sparsely populated places and on wild beaches.

Of the potentially dangerous animals, only pugnacious homo sapiens from the standard list of countries can be noted. But in Montenegro, you should not expect any special problems even from them. For some unknown reason, even the easily recognizable audience here rarely behaves aggressively. Obviously, according to tradition, Turkey and Egypt, with their All-Inclusive, take the main blow.

On many beaches, aqua shoes come in handy to protect your feet from slippery and sharp rocks.

Rescuers, in theory, can be present somewhere. But it’s better not to rely on them. If there are some independent boats near the beach, in case of emergency, they can help. Despite not being obliged to. But when there are no lifeguards or boats in sight, and there are few or no people, reasonable precautions must be observed. Even if you feel confident on the water. It’s still the sea, not a pool in your backyard.

All major beaches tend to have swimming areas surrounded by buoys. Within their borders, the probability of getting hit by a jet ski is low. Behind the buoys, the situation changes dramatically. And remember that anyone can rent a jet ski.

There are no significant problems with theft on the beaches in Montenegro. The situation is much better than in many European countries. The Montenegrins themselves do not do this. It is only worth worrying about visitors and local gypsies. And not too much. But it is still better not to take valuables to the beach or leave them unattended.

Is Uber or Bolt available in Montenegro?

No. Unfortunately not. And I wouldn’t expect them to enter the Montenegrin market. Locals don’t like international services interfering in their traditional businesses :)

What to Eat?

Montenegro is a reasonably flexible tourist destination in terms of choice of food options on vacation. A big part of the housing for rent is self-catering apartments. Thus, one more option is added to the traditional food in a hotel or cafe, bars and restaurants – self-cooking.

Where to buy food

In Montenegro, it is more profitable to buy food in supermarkets. They are not so big in the resort area. But there are also of quite decent sizes by local standards.

In markets in resort areas, products are usually noticeably more expensive. For tourists. Because they are tourists. The quality is generally good both here and there. Had no cases of expired food in supermarkets.

It is best to buy pastries in bakeries (local name – Pekara). It is usually tasty in Montenegro. And bakery prices are low. If you need meat, it is better to buy it in butcher shops (local name – Mesara).

You can buy fruits and vegetables in the outdoor markets or right on the street stalls. But better avoid most crowded places. In supermarkets, fruits and vegetables are different. Sometimes you can find pretty natural. But overall, “industrial rubber” prevails.

Food prices

There is an opinion that the country, in general, is inexpensive. Therefore the cost of food in Montenegro is low. This is not entirely true.

I compared receipts from supermarkets in Montenegro, Barcelona and Madrid (Mercadona), Venice/Mestre (iN’s). Mercadona is noticeably cheaper on average. And the prices in Montenegrin stores are closer to Italian ones.

Why is that? Do you remember that Montenegro is an eco-friendly tourist country? Yes, there is little production here. As a result, most products are imported. Much is imported from more expensive countries. Hence the price of products. They are not incomprehensible, but not low either.

Cafes, bars, restaurants

My standard travel format does not involve frequent contact with bars and cafes. And even more so with restaurants. It all takes extra time, which is never enough.

But I will still give out some generic info.

Portions in Montenegro are usually big. Often one meal can be easily divided into two and eat enough.

As in other countries, closer to busy tourist spots – higher prices and worse service. When choosing where to eat in Montenegro, the following principle works well. A good rating and many good reviews on Google Maps is a sign of a good catering establishment. As a rule, the details in the reviews were confirmed by the real state of affairs.

Every place I’ve been to has been delicious. Service varies a lot. Usually, it’s ok. In Zabljak in Konoba Luna – rather funny. 

National Cuisine

The national cuisine of Montenegro is rich in various meat dishes, fermented milk products (primarily cheese), potatoes and vegetables. There are not so many traditional fish dishes, although they have a sea, lakes and rivers. And seafood dishes are usually quite expensive.

Supermarkets

6 main supermarket chains in Montenegro:

• Idea
• Voli
• Franca
• Aroma
• Megapromet/Mega Market
• HDL

HDL is the largest by average size. But there are not so many of them. Voli usually is relatively big. The rest is mostly the format of a store “near home”. But chain.

They often say that Idea and Voli are cheaper than Mega Promet and Aroma. I would say it differently. Prices for different products may vary. I wasn’t able to measure a precise average «temperature in the hospital», for example, for Mega Promet and Idea. Hence the advice:

In the resort area, supermarkets are open on weekends. At least during the summer season. But they may not work on holidays. There are no 24/7 supermarkets. At least, I haven’t seen open ones in the resort area after 23:00.

Shopping

Shopping in Montenegro is maximally dull. Relatively poor selection of just about everything. Therefore, many locals and ex-pats periodically go abroad for significant purchases or rare goods. Mostly to Serbia or Croatia.

In the resort area of ​​Montenegro, the choice of everything except the food is pretty limited. There is a more or less decent choice in Podgorica, where several large malls have recently opened. Like Big Fashion (formerly Delta City Mall), Mall of Montenegro, Bazar, and Palada. But even there, you should not expect much abundance. 

Big Fashion consists mainly of boutiques of famous brands. The Mall of Montenegro is just a bazaar under the roof. There you can find a lot of things, and they are mostly cheap. For example, in the Mall of Montenegro, I bought beautiful non-killing Ray-Ban sunglasses for €5.

A lot of different things can be purchased in the surroundings of HDL Novi Mall on the outskirts of Herceg Novi, in Igalo. Many manufactured goods you can buy in the city of Niksic.

The TQ Plaza shopping center can be mentioned for shopping lovers in Budva. Located at the address: Mediteranska, 53. It’s close to the port and the Old Town.

The central shopping thoroughfare of Bar is Vladimir Rolovic Street, which starts from the city marina. Here you can find many clothing, footwear and accessories brand stores.

It also makes sense to consider the area of ​​newly built marinas in the Bay of Kotor – Porto Montenegro in Tivat and Portonovi in ​​Kumbor. Not only piers and embankments were built there, but also fashionable hotels, restaurants and boutiques.

Mobile communications

Wi-Fi in public places

Don’t expect a lot of free outdoor Wi-Fi. Yes, there are quite technological solutions in some places in Montenegro. Like, for example, solar-powered benches near the Old Town of Budva. There you can connect to Wi-Fi by simply scanning the QR code. But the quality of communication there is so-so. And the connection can break shortly.

Cafes, bars and restaurants usually have Wi-Fi with a password. Speed ​​can vary greatly. Up to the tortoise.

LAN Internet and Wi-Fi in apartments

Overall, cable Internet is available in Montenegro with good speeds. The price/quality ratio is not great. But it is noticeably better than in some EU countries with which I can compare, based on my experience. Hi, Vienna!

In apartments, the Internet can be different. Since the cost of cable Internet is still significant, apartment owners do not always connect the fastest package. Plus they distribute it to several rooms. 

There is also another problem. Let’s call it “one old router for 10 rooms”.

The speed of cable Internet connection to the cottage can be high. But if the distribution inside the building is poorly organized, then the Internet can be bad for all guests. Or maybe only those who are too far from the only one router. For web surfing, this is usually not a problem. But if you are used to uploading 4K videos to the cloud, you may face problems.

Or it may not be a router but an old grandmother’s disk phone with a mobile internet package. And they distribute from it. Then even web surfing can be problematic.

And finally, just one interesting case from my experience. Petrovac, Montenegro. I enter apartments. Trying to connect Wi-Fi while the host is still in the room. It does not work. All day the host calls someone, trying to solve the problem – the superhost (maybe he did not pay for the monthly package), mobile operator, someone else. Comes into the room, does some manipulations with the cables. Leaves. In vain.

By the evening, I find out that the router is in the next apartment. And it’s just a neighbor living there. He has his own apartment. And I’m in the tourist apartments. Well, they divide the payment for the Internet into two. The router is in the apartment of someone who has his own. And he doesn’t pick up the phone. According to the owner’s assumption: “Maybe he is sleeping.” 

The owner does not give up. Starts running around the neighborhood. Somewhere turns some antennas. Shouts to me from someone else’s balcony – «well, try it».

As a result, I connected from the Wi-Fi of some neighbors from above and to the side. A next-door neighbor with a shared router, apparently, did not wake up for 5 days. Such is the mysterious Montenegro.   

Emergency phone numbers in Montenegro

• 112 – Emergency
• 122 – Police
• 123 – Fire Service
• 124 – Ambulance
• 134 – Traffic Info (info about how many prepaid megabytes of traffic are available situation on the roads and other helpful information)
• 19807 – Roadside assistance (technical assistance on the road, around the clock)

It’s very easy to hurt the feelings of a service worker 

An interesting incident occurred in Montenegro in August 2021. One waiter in the city of Herceg Novi posted a photo of a coffee bill with a slide of little coins on Instagram. And accompanied it with a comment: “Nikad gori turisti.” Try to translate it into Google and guess the meaning :)

In short, the waiter was angry that the tourist paid in small coins. To the credit of local readers, in the comments, for the most part, the author himself was ashamed. They did not forget to mention the “good” Montenegrin tradition – the periodically occurring lack of change.  

Not quite about the service. Just a story from personal experience.

End of May 2021. They just lifted the Сovid restrictions in Montenegro. Still almost empty Budva. I walk through Rafailovici towards Kamenevo, and stop near an advertisement with a list of excursions.

The sales manager sitting next to it on the parapet asks (no, originally not in English):

– Where are you from?

– From Ukraine.

– Kyiv?

– No, a little further to the south.

– Where do you need to go?

– Nowhere yet. I’m looking for proposals.

– OK. Give him 1 euro. He is deaf (points to a guy sitting next to him).

Curtain. If you don’t want to buy a tour, make a donation. 

Of course, there are few people in Montenegro who roughly understand what service is about. Actually, I have faced quite high-quality services several times. But even such people are influenced by the dominating paradigm described above. Which ultimately pulls the entire level of service down.

What does all this mean in practice?    

1. You should not expect the usual European service at every step. It would rather be a pleasant surprise. And, to be fair, in the EU, you can face low-quality service very often nowadays.
2. The service is often organized so that it is as comfortable as possible for those who provide travel services. And not for those to whom these services are provided.
3. Accept that you are not a customer who must leave happy, but simply a source of income. This is more often than not the case here. Do you face this not only in Montenegro? Here you go.
4. A Montenegrin can fix issues that are inconvenient for a tourist. With a smile. Yes, sure. But only as long as it does not cost him anything and does not bother him. 
5. A Montenegrin can only be asked politely. With a smile on your face. Limited to the list of works mentioned in the previous paragraph. As soon as you start to demand something, the previously good-natured Montenegrin will be offended and will begin to communicate in a completely different manner. After that, you won’t achieve anything from them. Even if “they should”, “you have the right”, “you paid for this”, “you paid not for this”. All this won’t matter anymore. 
6. Montenegrins do not have to speak English. Yes, he can deign to learn it, at least basically. But they are at home. You have come as a guest. It is your obligation to understand Montenegrin. Almost the only field where the vast majority speaks English, at least on a basic level, is accommodation services. In Podgorica, the situation is noticeably better than on average in Montenegro.

Is this attitude to service typical in other Balkan countries? No. In North Macedonia, overall, the service is much better. In Croatia, it is even better (but also more expensive), with rare exceptions. In Albania, the situation is similar to Montenegro – in some aspects worse, in some – better. 

Why did I write this “anger section”? :) For you not to wear rose-colored glasses before traveling to Montenegro. This country is not about service. Without high expectations, you quickly stop paying attention to the negative. And there will be more time left to enjoy the positive. 

Theft

You shouldn’t expect theft from the locals in Montenegro. In this regard, the country also qualitatively differs from the countries of the European Union. On Montenegrin beaches, you can even go swimming quite calmly, leaving things unattended. Repeatedly left a camera in a backpack (although yes –  in this case you can’t fully relax swimming far from the coastline). But in any case, I can only say «Hello» to you, dear Barceloneta. 

And if even easy prey remains untouched, then it is clear that there are no significant problems with pickpockets in the resort area either.

However, you should not be completely careless. And it is better not to show expensive devices to the right and left. Remember that many guests arrive in Montenegro from neighboring countries during the season. Their attitude towards theft can be very different from the local one. And don’t forget where most tourists to the most popular Montenegrin resorts come from. Or came until recently.

It is also worth noting that the chance of being stolen starts to grow slightly as you move south, from Bar and further. There are more gypsies in the population. The risk is not growing exponentially, but growing. Physical security risks don’t change significantly.

Luggage storage

I will share a short story from personal experience to understand the situation with luggage storage at the bus stations in Montenegro.

Before departure from Montenegro, a meeting was scheduled with colleagues who were also at Podgorica at that time. We decided to take a walk in the city. Had to leave my suitcase somewhere.

I asked a girl who lives in Montenegro if there is a luggage storage at the bus station. She said she didn’t know. Like it wasn’t there before. But she said that I could leave a suitcase.

The wording “leave” did not cause much enthusiasm. After all, in the suitcase, there was lingonberry tea bought recently in Budva. In addition, the prospect of staying for the next 3 weeks of traveling around Europe with only a camera, a laptop, shorts and a T-shirt was not very pleasing.

I decided to clarify what does it mean – “leave”? And got a devastating response: “Well, this is Montenegro.”

As it turned out, there is a luggage storage at the bus station in Podgorica. Semi-automatic. Located next to the ticket office.

Security tips

While Montenegro is generally safe, there are ways to minimize risks. I have some helpful tips for you on how to do this.

Insurance is required

Even in the case of visa-free entry to Montenegro, a tourist needs to take out medical insurance. Yes, in practice, when crossing the border, it is not checked. Or, to be more precise, they were not checked in the pre-coronavirus era. But if they decide to check, and you don’t have it, you may not be permitted to enter Montenegro. And starting in 2020, the likelihood that they decide to check has increased.

Risks for health in Montenegro

There are no specific health risks in Montenegro. Everything is standard. Sea urchins, jellyfish (I did not face them, but did not come during the jellyfish season), snakes and falling stones. All of this is unlikely, but not impossible.

What insurance coverage is required?

For a trip to Montenegro, the minimal required medical insurance coverage is €30,000. COVID-19 treatment maust be included.

Where you can’t fly a drone in Montenegro?

You can’t fly a drone everywhere in Montenegro. During the paperwork process, you will be given a link to the material with all the rules for using a drone in Montenegro. The most basic thing is that you can’t fly in crowded places (in cities, on beaches, etc.) It goes without saying that you can’t fly near airports and beaches for €100 per entrance.

Advantages of Montenegro for remote work:

1. Fairly comfortable climate. All year round you can find places where it will be neither hot nor cold; 
2. Relatively inexpensive rental housing (not to be confused with cheap);
3. It is safe, the population is calm;
4. There is cable internet, although with nuances (for someone – critical);
5. Sufficient quality food;
6. Montenegro today is perhaps the most accessible country in Europe in terms of obtaining a residence permit. Remember that it’s not an EU member. Relevant in case you like it here and decide to stay.

Disadvantages of Montenegro for remote work:

1. There is no community of remote workers. Even though there are many freelancers and remote workers here. As well as just people who want to invent and create something. This aspiration in Montenegro is absent. Here is a different philosophy – how to get more money and work less to sit more in a cafe with the same familiars every day.
2. Low upload speed across the country. Even for a high price. Part of the problem can be solved through the mobile internet, where upload can be even faster. Don’t ask why.
3. The choice of goods and services is very poor. Especially outside Podgorica.
4. The level of service is generally low. Responsibility and obligation are not held in high esteem. 
5. Public transport is not very developed. In Montenegro, almost everyone has a car. In Podgorica, in recent years, the situation with public transport has significantly improved – comfortable buses of blue color are now covering all the major directions in the capital city.
6. Compared to developed countries, government and administrative services, in general, are still at the stone age level. Especially for foreigners. Because among civil servants, knowledge of English is predominantly characteristic of the younger generation, and mainly in Podgorica. The desire to analyze and cancel absurd procedures is absent in nature. As well as the concept of showing initiative in the public sector to make life easier for someone. 

Best place in Montenegro for a remote work

Regarding Internet speed, I did not see a big difference between Podgorica, the coast and the country’s north. Overall. Of course, not everything was identical. More about the Internet in Montenegro has already been discussed above in a separate section. Therefore, when choosing a location, you should be guided by other criteria.

If you need communication with people for whom there is a life outside the cafe, then your place is Podgorica. I know more than one example of when people immigrated to Montenegro and settled on the coast. Then they had enough of the small town on the coast, and went in search of the city in the usual sense of the word. In Montenegro the only such city is Podgorica.

If you need more nature and a more pleasant climate, your place is the coast. Optimal – Budva or Herceg Novi. Bar is a little more noble option. Ulcinj is a little less Montenegrin. The rest of the settlements on the Montenegrin coast are a more secluded option for a remote work location.

In the north of Montenegro, due to the height, it is comfortable in summer, when the rest of the country is sweltering. Plus mountains, forests, and beautiful nature. Fewer consumer tourists and more admirers.

No need for immigration. You can move between Montenegro and neighbors

The 90/180 rule also applies to countries neighboring Montenegro, which are also well suited for remote work. I mean Croatia and Macedonia. Accordingly, you can spend 3 months in Montenegro, go to its neighbors, and return after 3 months. Of course, it is not necessary to think in strictly 3-month periods. 

By the way, on January 1, 2023, Croatia has joined the Schengen area. Concerning the alternation of Montenegro with its neighbors, this does not change much. Unless the days in Schengen itself begin to be “eaten up» when staying in Croatia. 

Albania is also nearby, with the same 90/180 rules. And overall, I would not say that it should not be considered for remote work. At least according to my summer experience. You can try. The only thing to consider is to learn information about power outages in the winter.