Montenegro: What to Know Before You Go

Most first-time visitors treat the Montenegrin coast as one place. It's really two, separated by a ridge of mountains, and understanding that makes planning much easier.

Bay and Riviera

The Bay of Kotor (Boka Kotorska) is a long, winding inlet with Kotor at its far end and Perast, Risan and Dobrota along its shores. The water is calm, the mountains rise straight up behind the towns, and there are few proper beaches. Over the ridge to the south is the Budva Riviera: open sea, long beaches, Budva's walled old town, and further on Pržno, Sveti Stefan and Petrovac. Kotor to Budva is a short drive, either through the Vrmac tunnel via Tivat or over the Trojica pass, so you can base yourself on one side and visit the other.

How many days

Four is a comfortable first trip. That's what we had in late August 2024: one day for Kotor and a boat to Perast, one for Sveti Stefan, one inland at Lake Skadar, and a first day that began with the view over Sveti Stefan. Our 4-day itinerary is built on that route.

Money

Montenegro uses the euro even though it isn't an EU member. Cards are widely accepted in hotels and larger restaurants. Carry some cash for small cafés, boatmen, church entry and parking.

Registration and tourist tax

Every visitor has to be registered with the local tourist office within 24 hours of arriving. Hotels and licensed accommodation do this for you, and the small municipal tourist tax is usually added to your bill. In private accommodation, make sure you or your host has registered you, because you can be fined if nobody has, and keep any receipt until you leave.

Driving

The coast road (the Jadranska magistrala) is narrow in places and slow in July and August. Mountain roads like the serpentine above Kotor are spectacular and demanding. Parking in Kotor, Perast and Budva fills up early in summer, so arrive in the morning or come by bus.

Small practical things

Plugs are the European two-pin type. Beaches are mostly pebble or coarse sand, so water shoes help. Cruise ships dock right beside Kotor Old Town, which changes the feel of a day there completely; our Kotor guide explains how to work around them.