If you are planning to visit Montenegro, you’re in for a treat!
General info
Located in the west-central Balkans between Croatia, Albania, Kosovo, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, this former part of Yugoslavia is overly underrated.
Montenegro offers everything a traveler needs: beautiful sceneries, panoramic roads, blue seas, mountains, and national parks, all in such a small country. Fun fact: from Kotor (which is a must-visit town on the coast) to Bijelo Polje (a city near the Serbian border) there are only about 200km/124 miles which is about a 3.5 hour drive so you can definitely explore the whole country in a short amount of time and for me, 10 days was the perfect amount to do so with this itinerary.
From the more touristic places such as Budva and Kotor to the nature wonders of Durmitor National Park, this itinerary will take you through all the must-see places.
This article will actually provide you with 2 itineraries: a 10-day one and a shorter option for 7 days. For the backstory, I travelled in the summer of 2022 and if you travelled at that time as well, you might remember that there were a lot of issues with flights such as last-minute delays and cancellations. So while I planned a 10-day trip (which my friends did), I could only join them 3 days later which means I was there for 7 days. But my trip was still really enjoyable and beautiful so I thought I would share it as well so that if you can’t take 10 days off work or if you don’t want to be away for 10 days, the one week option is great as well 🙂
On the other hand, if you wish to extend your trip a little bit, you can add Dubrovnik (Croatia) to your journey.
Summary of the trip
- Day 1 (Podgorica)
- Day 2-3 (Cetinje, Lipa Cave, Skadar National Park)
- Day 4-5 (Sveti Stefan, Budva, Kotor)
- Day 6 (Mount Lovcen, Risan)
- Day 7 (Perast, Herceg Novi)
- Day 8 (Ostrog Monastery, Zabljak)
- Day 9-10 (Durmitor National Park)
First things first: this is a road trip so obviously I recommend you rent a car for it. It will be much more convenient and to be honest, Montenegro is not the best when it comes to public transport so having a car of your own and having the freedom to do what you want when you want is essential. I always personally use Rentalcar, Booking or Kayak when looking at renting cars abroad. And I always try to use providers I know and trust, in this case, it was Avis but there are other good ones of course. Also check out my Ultimate Checklist when Renting a Car Abroad for extra tips.
So without further ado, let’s jump right into the main part of this article and don’t forget to check out @thattravellinggirl on Insta to find more pictures and videos of the places mentioned below (you will also find all the accommodations saved in a highlight).
Day 1 (arriving in Podgorica)
I suggest flying to Podgorica, the capital, because obviously it’s the main city, it’s easier and you will probably find more flights going there. It also has a fairly central location on the map which means that from there you can go up to Durmitor or down to the coast. I would say the city is a great starting point for your road trip but there is not much to see there so if you want to fly to another city, that’s fine as well.
The airport is really small but you can pick up your car there (be mindful that there is an extra fee for late pick-up) and drive to your accommodation. Depending on your arrival time, you can explore the city for a bit, wander around, get familiar with the country and the language but if you don’t have that time, don’t worry. I always suggest to start the actual trip on the second day after you land so that you don’t have to rush around and you can get a good night sleep before starting your adventure, especially after a long-haul flight.
You can book the 7 Hills Suite in the city centre which offers free parking but bear in mind, it is a street parking not a private one. Also to note, this is small hotel and the reception does not run 24/7 so make sure to let them know your arrival time in advance (there is also a fee for late check-out).
Day 2 (Cetinje, Lipa Cave and Skadar Lake National Park)
Now that you are well rested after your first night in Montenegro, you can drive to Cetinje which is the former capital of Montenegro. There is not much to see there, but it’s nice just to walk around and to get a bit of history. The drive is approximately 40 minutes/37km so you can leave your hotel in the morning, arrive in Cetinje, have a walk around and maybe grab a bite before you leave for your next stop.
After lunch, drive for 10 minutes and head to Lipa Cave for a little adventure. Entry fee is €12.90 and that includes pick-up from the free parking lot to the cave entrance. The tour lasts 60 minutes but check out their website for more information and timetables.
After your underground exploration, it’s time to go to Skadar National Park (and more specifically the town of Virpazar which is where I recommend staying to visit the park, approx. 1h-drive). There is nothing to do in the town, but it’s the best location to visit the lake. For accommodation, book the Skadar Lake Apartments Pajovic, the room has a great view on the lake and the hosts offer a whole lot of activities on the lake such as sunset/sunrise cruises, panoramic cruise and you can also taste their homemade wine!
Day 3 (Skadar National Park)
You have the whole day to enjoy the park and its wonders! The lake, partly in Montenegro and partly in Albania, is a natural reserve for birds and is protected by the national park since 1983. Be aware that you can’t really walk around the lake, there are no paths and really the best way to see it is from the lake itself so try out one of the numerous cruises offered.
There is only one beach in the park and it’s pretty small so don’t expect to lounge there all day. There are also a lot of monasteries and fortresses you can visit around the park but really, this stop is just about enjoying nature and taking it slow.
Day 4 (Sveti Stefan, Budva and Kotor)/Start of the 7-day trip
If you plan to do the shorter version of the trip, this is where you start. You can fly to Tivat, which is the other airport in Montenegro and close to the coast area. By choosing this option, you would only miss the Skadar Lake National Park but the rest of the trip is as lovely! Pick up your car straight from Tivat airport and head to Sveti Stefan (approx. 50m).
For the 10-day itinerary, leave Virpazar in the morning and head to Sveti Stefan (approx. 40m).
Sveti Stefan is a fortified island along the Adriatic shoreline which you can not visit. It was nationalised in the 1950’s and today only guests of the luxurious resort can enter. Because of that, you don’t need to spend a lot of time there, unless you want to have a dip in the sea and a sunbath on the beach for a couple of hours. Obviously, the best way to enjoy the view is from above and there are a few viewpoints along the road to stop.
Once you’ve taken it all in, head to Budva (approx. 20m). I recommend a few hours here, you can have lunch in one of the many seaside restaurants, walk around the Old Town and visit the citadel/fortress. The citadel in itself is not impressive but it gives you an amazing view on Budva and the Old Town. Entrance is €3.
Once you’re ready to go, drive to Kotor and the bay for the next stop of your Montenegro road trip (approx. 30m). To visit the bay of Kotor, I suggest staying in Kotor because it’s the main town of the bay and you will have more choice of accommodation and find everything you need. You can stay at Los Olivos Apartments which I 100% recommend! The view of the bay is amazing, there is free parking, the hosts are just lovely and full of tips and it’s ideally located.
Have a nice night in, open a bottle of wine, get some food, sit on the terrace, enjoy the view and relax for the night.
Day 5 (Bay of Kotor)
Start your day by a 3-hour speedboat tour to the Blue Cave. I booked it with Montenegro Submarine Speedboat tour but there are a few providers by the beach and the hosts at the accommodation can organise it for you as well. The tour stops at Our Lady of the Rocks where you can get off the boat and explore the tiny artificial island. You can enter the church if you want for a small fee (but be aware that you can not do so in swimwear). The guide will give you a time to get back on the boat so you can resume your tour, go pass the old submarine hideout, the Mamula island, an old concentration camp during WWII which they are now turning into a luxury hotel and reach the Blue Cave where you’ll get 30 minutes to enjoy the blue and refreshing water. I went in July and the water there was still very cold so don’t expect to be jumping into a bath.
Once back on land, grab some lunch before visiting the old town of Kotor where you will find plenty of cute little boutiques, souvenir shops, restaurants and bars.
After the wandering, enjoy some time on the beach (note: all beaches in Montenegro are pebble beaches so don’t forget to pack your water shoes, trust me, the rocks are painful!). Bear in mind that the sun sets behind the mountains which means that even in the summer, you won’t get any sun past 6.00PM.
Once you’re tired of the beach and the sun (if that ever happens), get ready and head to the Bastion restaurant in the Old Town by the church to enjoy a nice meal (I recommend the mussel risotto ;)) (pictures).
Day 6 (Kotor, Mount Lovcen, Risan)
Start your day early by climbing the Kotor fortress, it’s best to do it in the early morning, especially in the summer since it can get very hot during the day. You can take the ‘official’ way through the stairs. The entrance is in the Old Town and you will have to pay €2 halfway to get to the top.
If you want to avoid to pay (even though it’s a very small fee), keep on reading for the free route (and check out the picture below).
The free path starts on the side of the Old Town, go along the river and you will reach the serpentine path. Go up the path until you reach a little house, go across and keep going until the old church. From there, turn right to get to the window through the walls. The ladder looks scary and outdated but it’s safely attached to the wall and does not move when you climb it. On the other side of the window, you will get back to the normal path and the stairs that will lead you to the fortress and a fabulous view of the bay. You can just take the stairs all the way down once you’ve taken all your pictures and enjoyed the views!
After check-out, the afternoon is the perfect time to go visit the Mount Lovcen and the Njegos Mausoleum (approx. 45min).
Now there is one thing you need to know before you decide to go up there. Basically there is only one road to reach Mount Lovcen, the Kotor Serpentines. It’s a very narrow, steep and winding road, sometimes there’s barely room for two cars but tourist coaches drive up and down all day long. The drive can get very scary, especially if you’re not used to your car (for example, when you’re renting one and ideally don’t want to damage it) or if you’re not an accomplished driver. I’ll be honest, we thought we were not going to make it and at some point, we had to step out and let the coach driver move our car because we were stuck and he couldn’t get past. And the worst part was that after making it to the top, all we were thinking about was that we had to go down again.
You have to pay a small entrance fee to the National Park (€2) and then again pay to enter the mausoleum (5€) and get to the viewing platform. The view from Mount Lovcen is really nice, and apparently on clear-sky days, you can see as far as Croatia and Albania! We decided not to pay the extra fee to visit the mausoleum which in hindsight, was probably not our best idea because it means we had driven all that without even seeing the best part. So if you do decide to drive up to Mount Lovcen, I’d suggest you visit the mausoleum as well and not just enjoy the view.
After that heart-stopping adventure, head to your next accommodation in Risan, on the other side of the bay (approx. 1h15min). Be aware that if you follow this itinerary and go to Risan after Mount Lovcen, you will have to take a ferry with your car. The price is €5 per vehicle and pedestrians go for free. The ferries run very frequently (we barely had to wait 10 minutes to get on one) and it’s very well organised.
In Risan, stay at the Apartments Stella del Mare, they offer free parking and even better, a private beach.
Day 7 (Risan, Perast, Herceg Novi)
There is nothing to do in Risan per say but it is a good spot to visit the other side of the bay since from Kotor, the drive would be longer. From here, you can visit Perast (10min). The village is very small and an hour is definitely enough if you’re just wandering around. Perast is ideally located opposite the entrance to the bay because it used to be the place from where they would watch out for invaders coming in. You can rent a boat to Our Lady of the Rocks from there if you haven’t done so before.
Then take the car and drive to Herceg Novi (approx. 45min) to get some lunch, wander around, enjoy the beach and admire the view.
To me, Herceg Novi is a little Ibiza, there is a DJ on the beach, and it has more of a party vibe so if that’s what you’re interested in, you can also stay in Herceg Novi instead of Risan.
Take the rest of the day to enjoy your private beach, the beautiful view from the balcony and to relax before the last stretch of your trip.
Day 8 (Ostrog Monastery, Zabjlak)
When you’re ready to leave in the morning, head to Zabjlak but take a little detour to visit the Ostrog Monastery (approx. 1h45m). You can either visit it before Durmitor or on the way back to Podgorica depending on your preferences.
The drive to the monastery consists of winding and narrow roads as well but it’s not as bad as the Kotor serpentines. I suggest parking your car at the Lower Monastery and climb to the Upper one. Please note that these are holy sanctuaries and they are very important sites for Orthodox Christians so you need to be dressed appropriately to visit them (shoulders and knee covered). I was wearing shorts and the only thing I had to cover my legs was a towel draped around my waist which works perfectly fine. We did see people going in in shorts and crop tops so I think it’s doable but I just think that it’s something you have to respect.
The Lower Monastery is really beautiful and at the back, you will find a spring where you can fill your water bottle with fresh, sweet and allegedly holy water.
Climb the 2km path upward to reach the main Monastery. Make sure you have appropriate shoes because the stairs/rocks are very slippery, especially on the way down so be careful.
The entrance to both monasteries is free but you might have to stand in line for a bit since it is a very touristic place.
Once you’re done admiring the monastery, get back down to your car and drive to Zabjlak to check in your Airbnb (approx. 1h45m).
Zabjlak is the perfect stop if you want to visit Durmitor National park. The town is a 30 minutes walk to the entrance of the park and you will find everything you need, including supermarkets, restaurants, and tourist agency cabins where you can book your adventures for the following days. We stayed in Stana’s place which was well located and had a great view.
Day 9 (Durmitor National Park)
You have the whole day to enjoy the park so pick a hike and walk it out!
You can start by stopping at the visitor centre situated before the entrance. The employees don’t really speak English but you’ll be able to get a map (for €3) with all the walks/hikes you can do in the park if you haven’t done your research beforehand.
Entrance fee to the park is €3 per person and make sure you keep your ticket and have it readily available because it will get checked by rangers patrolling the park.
If you don’t want to do anything to strenuous but still see beautiful sceneries, I recommend this 3-hour walk with 3 main stops: the Barno lake, the Snake Lake and the Black Lakes. The first one was not breath-taking, but the Snake Lake was really nice and a great spot to stop and eat your packed lunch. You can also walk around the Black Lakes. Again you need some good walking shoes as the path can get difficult in some areas. It does not take long to walk around the two lakes but to be honest, you don’t get a great view of the lake because of all the trees, especially in the summer.
On another note, you can swim in the lake so definitely bring your swimsuits because after all that walking in the heat, trust me, you will need it 🙂
There is also a panoramic road, the Durmitor Ring, that you can take if you don’t want to walk. The route starts in the centre of Zabjlak and goes all the way around the park. The panoramic road is fully paved and leads to winding and narrow roads so again, drive carefully.
Day 10 (Tara River, Tara Canyon, Podgorica)
For your last full day in Montenegro, book an activity in the park or in the surroundings area.
There are plenty of activities to choose from such as rafting, canyoning, mountain biking, kayaking, jeep rides, hiking, zip lining or free climbing.
We did some rafting on the Tara River and a zipline along the Tara Bridge. The rafting was €50/person with transfer from Zabjlak, lunch and rafting included and we paid an extra €15 for the zipline.
Honestly, the rafting was pretty smooth, it wasn’t anything crazy but the view from the river is fabulous.
There are plenty of tourist agencies where you can book your adventures but not all of them accept card payments so it may be worth it to do some research and check out a few different ones before you book anything.
After that adventure-filled part of the day, get back to your car and start heading back to Podgorica, your trip is slowly coming to an end…
This last bit of the trip largely depends on when your departure flight is. If you have to stay the night, you can book the Hotel Keto.
You can drop off your car at the airport the day before your departure if you’re staying in Podgorica, that way you will avoid paying for an extra day. The taxi back to the city centre is €12 and the prices are displayed at the taxi range. If the driver asks more, kindly decline, it probably means that they are not official taxis and it’s best to avoid them.
Podgorica is really cheap so you can go out for your last night if you feel like it or have an early night if your flight is early in the morning. If you want to grab dinner, check out the Sicilija (32 Square of the Republic).
Add-on: Dubrovnik
The best way to add Dubrovnik to your road trip would be a day trip from Kotor or Risan or anywhere on the bay actually (approx. 2h). Wake up early to make sure you don’t arrive there too late so you can enjoy the day as much as possible.
Note that if you plan to do so, you need to let your car provider know that you’re going to cross a border as they need to provide a green card for it. As Croatia is part of the European Union, there is a physical border to cross which means you will also need to show your passports/IDs so take that extra time into account. You can also take a bus if you don’t want to drive yourself. You can find more information here.
So there you have it, the ultimate 10-day itinerary to travel through Montenegro. I hope you enjoyed reading this and hopefully you can use this for your next trip. Let me know in the comments if you plan to do it and you can also tag me on Instagram @thattravellinggirl so I can see you visiting those places and creating those memories!
Love,
Marine
xx
Disclaimer: all prices were researched at the time this article was written, please check online for any potential changes.