Montenegro is a beautiful and relatively cheap place to take a vacation along the stunning shores of the Adriatic Sea. This Baltic state combines the old world charm of crumbling stone buildings with their terra-cotta roofs with crystal clear turquoise waters. It’s just enough off the beaten path to maintain that charm without feeling touristy in the least.
Getting to Montenegro
If you are flying in, you can either fly into Podgorica Airport or do as most people do and fly into Dubrovnik. Dubrovnik is a major airport with a lot more flights than Podgorica and is slightly closer to Montenegro’s main attraction, Kotor. From Dubrovnik Airport to Kotor it is just a short hour and a half drive.
While driving to or from Kotor from Croatia, make sure to stop at Konoba Ćatovića Mlini. This lovely restaurant is one of the best restaurants in the area and is located at a perfect distance between the Airport and Kotor. It’s set in an old mill around a couple of glamorous streams and lakes.
The border between Croatia and Montenegro is easy enough to navigate. You’ll just have to stop and show your passport. Just beware if you have a tight schedule to keep that it occasionally gets backed up and can add considerable time to your journey if it does.
Where to stay
Most of the action in Kotor is in Kotor’s Old Town. This is both a blessing and a curse. It’s incredibly nice to wake up and have an authentically charming old town at your disposal with all it’s cafes, sho[s and restaurants. But, depending on where you are staying, beware that you might end up next to one of their many clubs and discotheques that party with loud music deep into the night. If that isn’t your scene, but you still want to satay in Kotor’s Old Town, make sure you find a place that is a bit quieter.
Two places that we’d recommend, one inside of Kotor’s Old Town and one outside are:
This incredibly gorgeous, Old Town, hotel features a stunningly decorated interior surrounded by the charming, idyllic setting of a 13th-century guest house. It’s perfectly located within the walls of the Old Town.
If you’re looking for more of a resort experience, outside of the Old Town, Blue Kotor is a perfect place to stay. The hotel is on the other side of the bay from the Old Town, so it’s a bit of a pain to get to the town as you have to take a cab. But, it’s a short (10 min) and inexpensive ($5-10) drive. The resort has a great beach, a nice restaurant and an excellent spa to go along with very comfortable rooms.
Things to do in Kotor
Old Town Kotor
Built by the Venetians, the Old Town is so impressive and historically important that it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. Getting lost here is a great way to transport yourself back in time.
Climb to San Giovanni Fortress
1,300 steep steps to the top, but well worth the hike for the incredible, unmatched views of Kotor that you get from the top. The hike takes approximately 35 minutes. However, an alternative route exists called, the Ladder of Kotor or Via Ferrata Kotor. To find the starting point you can use this helpful google maps pin. This route takes you to the top via a goat trail and is much quieter, more scenic, with small stone churches along the way and slightly easier than the more commonly used hiking route up the stairs.
Oyster Farm
For one of the most genuine and authentic experiences you’ll ever have, make sure to stop at Luka’s organic mussel and oyster farm where you’ll snorkel among the oysters and mussels, pick out fresh oysters and mussels to eat and then enjoy some of Luka’s amazing house wines and fantastic home cooking. These will undoubtedly be the freshest oysters and mussels you’ll ever eat.
Boat Excursion With a Trip to Our Lady of the Rocks
An absolute can’t miss experience while in Kotor is to spend an afternoon out on the water on a boat. We took the four and a half hour, private Blue Cave tour complete with a beach stop as well as stops in the WWII submarine caves, a trip to Our Lady of the Rocks and a short stop over in Perast.
White Water Rafting in the Tara River Canyon
Check out these three excellent White Water Rafting Excursions:
Lovćen National Park
Lovćen is a mountain and national park in southwestern Montenegro where you can enjoy stunning vistas and excellent hiking opportunities. Culture Trip has an excellent write up on how best to experience the Park.
