MONTENEGRO

Kotor is surrounded by dramatic mountains and set on the shores of a sparkling bay, Kotor is one of Montenegro’s most captivating destinations. Within its UNESCO-listed old town, cobbled alleys twist past medieval churches, lively squares, and rustic stone houses, all enclosed by towering city walls. The climb up to Kotor Fortress rewards you with sweeping views over the bay, an absolute must for any visitor. Beyond its own beauty, Kotor is also the ideal place to base yourself; perfectly located to explore Montenegro’s stunning coastline, serene lakes, and mountain landscapes, while always returning to the charm and atmosphere of the old town at the end of the day.

 

Why We Love It​ - Montenegro is a real hidden gem in the Balkans, it is rarely spoken about but when you do see and hear about it, you will be blown away. Because Montenegro is quite small, it is fairly easy to get around, especially if you have a hire car. We came to Montenegro from Albania in the hire car and it was so simple crossing the boarder - read our blog post on the boarder crossing here. We found the scenery to be some of the most breathtaking scenery we have seen in Europe and the prices were still lower than the UK - Montenegro is not CHEAP like Albania, but your money does go further here. 

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How To Get There - There are many flights into Montenegro from London, however, as this was part of our Balkan adventure we drove into Montenegro from Albania which was actually very straightforward. You just need to make sure you have hired a car through a company that allows cross country boarder crossing and you obtain a green card at the boarder. Have a read of our blog post "Navigating the Albanian-Montenegro Boarder Crossing with a Hire Car" which will give you a lot more information on how to do it and what you need. 

 

Where To Stay -​ Accommodation is abundant in Kotor which is where we based ourselves for the duration stay in Montenegro so there is a huge selection, all varying in sizes and locations around the bay. We found a beautiful Airbnb further around the bay (near Dobrota Beach) so we were a little out of Kotor Town, which was for us was fine as we had the car. We paid £259.99 for a 5 night stay in a 2 bed apartment with a beautiful view across the bay. The view is what sold us the apartment to be fair, rather than the location being slightly out of town. 

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How Long Do You Need - We had 5 days here and found it was plenty of time for us. If you would like longer, then you could easily stretch your 5 days to 7 and have plenty of down time in-between days away. 

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What To Do - There is so much to do in Montenegro it may even feel slightly overwhelming to decide what it is you actually want to which is why we decided on the things we really wanted to do and see with the time we had before we arrived in Montenegro. By doing this we spent less time making decisions whilst we were there. 

• Piva Lake - Set around 2.5 hours away from Kotor is the stunning turquoise waters of Lake Piva. Reaching Piva Lake is an adventure in itself. The road winds through dramatic mountain scenery, taking you through a series of narrow tunnels cut straight into the rock and along twisting bends that reveal glimpses of the turquoise water below. Crossing the bridge that spans the lake is a highlight, but the real reward comes when you follow the road higher and higher to a viewing area, where the full sweep of Piva’s sparkling waters and rugged cliffs stretches out beneath you, a view that feels like a secret only the mountains could share.

• Piva Lake Zip Line - As we were leaving Piva Lake we spotted a Zip Line which we had wanted to do since Albania so we stopped to see if Jax was able to do it. As he was we jumped at the chance. The company who runs it called Zip Line Eko Piva Pluzine. This is the longest zip line in Montenegro as it spans 1400 meters over 2 different lines which was fantastic. We got geared up, Jax zipped with me and one of the workers and off we went, it was fantastic, the view completely breathtaking and we would highly recommend doing this. We paid £77 for all 3 of us to Zip Line. 

• Ostrog Monastery -  Perched high on a sheer cliff face, Ostrog Monastery is one of the most awe-inspiring sights in Montenegro and visiting it was an unforgettable experience. We combined our trip there with a visit to Piva Lake, with the drive taking around two and a half hours through the mountains. The journey itself was part of the adventure, following winding roads that twist and climb higher with every turn, the views becoming more dramatic the closer we got. When we finally arrived, we were struck by the sight of pilgrims who had walked the entire way from the valley floor to the monastery, a journey of deep devotion. Inside, the atmosphere was serene and humbling. We stepped into the cool stone interior where a resident monk welcomed us in and guided us through the sacred space. Standing within the monastery, carved straight into the rock, you truly understand why Ostrog is considered one of the most important spiritual sites in the Balkans.

• Lipa Caves - If you're looking for something a little different, a little magical and a little (a lot) cooler than the usual tourist trail. Lipa Caves should certainly be on your list. Lipa caves are located near the village of Lipa, just a short drive from Cetinje. The site is well signposted and once you arrive, there is a large carpark with plenty of space. Once inside the world shifts completely. Giant chambers open up before you, filled with towering stalagmites, delicate stalactites, shimmering mineral walls, and even underground pools. The lighting is subtle, highlighting the natural beauty without feeling artificial or overdone. You will need to buy your tickets from the ticket office once you arrive. You can read a full blog post on the Lipa Caves Here

• Kotor Bay Old Town - popping into the old town is a must as you wander the cobbled streets, climb the steps to the Kotor Fortress and visit the Cat Museum - a must for a little 5-10 minute break from the busy streets below. You can sit along the bay and watch the huge towering cruise ships doc for the day. 

• Our Lady of the Rocks & Perast - Perched on a small, man-made islet in the Bay of Kotor, Our Lady of the Rocks is as fascinating as it is beautiful. According to legend, the islet was created over centuries by local seamen who, after finding an icon of the Virgin Mary on a rock in the bay, would lay stones in the water every time they returned from a successful voyage. Today, the church stands proudly, its blue-and-white façade reflecting in the calm waters, surrounded by the dramatic mountains of Kotor. For the best experience you should book a speedboat tour from Kotor to Our lady of the Rocks. You should book the earliest time to arrive there as you will be one of the first people there to observe the church because once everyone else arrives it becomes so busy that you can't really enjoy it. Once you have spent your time there the speedboat will take you to Perast where you can spend a hour or so walking the street along the water enjoy some breakfast on the water and an ice cream

• Rose - Tucked away in the quieter corner of the Bay of Kotor, Risan (often called Rose) is a charming little town brimming with history and character. Known for its serene waterfront and stunning views of the bay, it feels like stepping back in time. We fell in love with Rose the moment we walked down the hill from where we parked the car and set foot on the waterfront walkway. This is a gorgeous little place, full of so much charm. Everything was closed when we went so we can only imagine what it would be like there in the summer months. If we were to ever go back to Montenegro, we would certainly go here and stay for a few days. ​

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Montenegro With Kids​ - If you are coming to Montenegro with kids then you will not run out of things to do and see. They had just restored the cable car and alpine coaster as we arrived, it wasn't open until the next month after we had been so we didn't actually get to go on either but it would have been brilliant. I am almost certain other children will love it here as much as Jax did. ​

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Getting About​ - As we had the hire car still we found it very easy to get around as we had no boundaries. However, we were there over Easter the traffic was horrible and we also found that there was so much construction taking place that you had to add 2+ hours on to your journey to get where you were going - we obviously don't know what the traffic is like usually in the city (Kotor) but it is certainly something to be mindful of. We didn't get any public transport whilst in Montenegro (apart from getting a bus to Croatia) so we are unable to comment on this. 

 

Where To Eat - We can't actually any advice on this one as we didn't eat out. As we had an Airbnb with a fully equipped kitchen we went to the local super market and shopped for breakfast, lunch and dinner for the 5 days we were there. But I am sure there are plenty of lovely places to eat, we saw some really lovely looking places we wanted to try but we didn't to save on money.