TOP-5 resorts in Montenegro: pros and cons of each of them

Budva

The most sought-after resort in Montenegro, which affects both the amount of entertainment and, of course, the price level.

Pros:

• a large number of restaurants, cafes, bars, clubs - you will definitely not get bored here;
• local travel agencies offer excursions to any corner of the country, as well as in neighboring Croatia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina. If sightseeing tours are not for you, you can go on a trip solo - bus service between Budva and other cities of Montenegro is well developed;
• a wide range of accommodation of any price category.

Minuses:

• if you're looking for a quiet vacation, it might be worth looking at other resorts. Budva is noisy and fun - what you need for party people;
• prices are higher than in other cities.

Budva beaches

There are 5 public beaches within the city limits - Slavyanski, Richard's Head, Mogren-1 and Mogren-2 (free), Dukley beach club (paid).

The main beach of the town (and the busiest in the season) is Slavianski. Fans of quiet rest will hardly like it here - loud music, crowded and dirty in some places. But there are a lot of cafes and restaurants around, there are playgrounds and water attractions. The cleanest water - in the area of beaches Mogren (they are located next to each other, separated by a rock), from the city center here you can walk for 15-20 minutes. These beaches, by the way, are best suited for vacationing with children - the entrance to the water is gentle, and the area is small, which allows you to keep the child in sight. Sun loungers can be rented on all beaches (from €10 to €25 per day).

Budva sights and surroundings

1. Old Town. It is very compact, a walk around the area will take about half an hour. Here you can climb the fortress wall - from there you can get the best view of Budva. Inside there is a citadel with an observation deck and a museum, 4 temples and traditional houses with colorful roofs.
2. Podostrog Monastery. Former residence of the rulers of Montenegro. Two churches built in XII and XVIII centuries have been preserved. Entrance is free of charge.
3. St. Nicholas Island (locals call it "Hawaii" in honor of the restaurant located here). You can buy a ticket for a boat trip at the resort with a visit to the island (from €9) or come by boat. This place is ideal for beach relaxation in cozy bays and snorkeling. There is a restaurant on the island, but the prices there are quite high, so water and food are better to take with you and have a picnic. Entrance to the island is free, renting two sun loungers and an umbrella for the whole day will cost €10-15.

How to get to Budva

Traveling from Tivat airport to Budva is a case when you can choose one thing: either cheap or fast and comfortable. If you choose the first option, you will have to walk to the nearest bus stop and take a passing bus (about €4). If you decide to save time, book a transfer (from €20 for a passenger car). Cab drivers are on duty at the airport, but their services may cost twice as much (make sure that the driver turns on the meter).

Herceg Novi

This green town, located in the Bay of Kotor, is called "the botanical garden of Montenegro". Sailors used to bring plants from different parts of the world to the resort, and most of them successfully took root in the new place. Walking along the streets of the resort, you will see giant cacti, palm trees, exotic fruits and flowers.

Pros of the resort:

• beautiful Old Town;
• green area;
• accommodation is cheaper than in other resort towns (e.g. Budva).

Minuses of the resort:

• lots of stairs, which can be inconvenient for the elderly or for vacationers with small children (in case you take a stroller).
• beaches are mostly concrete;
• far from the country's main attractions.

Herceg Novi beaches

Concrete beaches prevail within the city limits, but there are many cozy places in the vicinity, which can be reached by boat. The best of them is considered to be Žanica, a beach that used to belong to Joseph Brod Tito, the president of Yugoslavia.

Pros: the water is so clear that it is home to sea urchins, the famous detectors of sea purity (in the center of the beach the probability of meeting them is minimal); from here boats leave for the island-fortress Mamula, where you can also sunbathe and swim.

Minuses: pebbly surface (you can rent a sun lounger here); water temperature is lower than at the coast of other resorts.

Herceg Novi sights and surroundings

1. Old Town. Here is the "visiting card" of the resort - the Sahat Kula clock tower, built by the Turks in 1667, inside which the icon of the Black Madonna is kept. It is also recommended to visit the Orthodox Church of Archangel Michael and drink water from the nearby Turkish fountain Karaca, to see the fortresses Forte Mare (XIV century) and Canli Kula (XV century).
2. Regional Museum. It is located in a building built in the XVII century in the Baroque style. In addition to an interesting botanical collection (more than 100 species of flowers and other plants) there are archaeological finds (amphorae, tools, household items) and a collection of icons by Kotor masters.
3. Mount Orjen. On its top (1895 meters) snow lies until the end of May, so if you want to combine seemingly incompatible types of recreation, you have a unique opportunity to swim in the warm Adriatic Sea, and after a couple of hours to ski or snowboard. In clear weather from here you can see all of Montenegro, part of the territory of neighboring Herzegovina, Croatian Dubrovnik and several southern islands of Dalmatia.

How to get to Herceg Novi

To get to the resort quickly and comfortably, book a shuttle to the resort in advance (about €45 for a passenger car). If you take a cab at the airport, insist that the driver turns on the meter, because in season it is not uncommon to cheat tourists. Well, if you don't want to spend money, take a bus. The trip will cost €4, but will take more time: you will have to walk to the bus stop and wait for a hitchhiker.

Ulcinj

The resort is located on the border with Albania. Famous for its sandy beaches (a rarity for Montenegro), kitesurfing spots and the official nudist beach on the island of Ada Bojana.

Pros of the resort:

• it's usually warmer here than in other regions of Montenegro;
• the bottom is sandy, so the water also warms up faster;
• fewer vacationers than in popular resort towns;
• prices for food, souvenirs, sun beds are lower than in Budva.

Minuses of the resort:

• due to the fact that the bottom is sandy, the water here is quite murky.

Ulcinj beaches

The most popular beach is Velika Plazha, 12 kilometers long, located 5 kilometers from the Old Town. The nudist beach is 17 kilometers away. If you don't want to sunbathe on the small city beaches, which are crowded in season, you will have to rent a car or take a cab.

Ulcinj sights

1. Citadel. While imprisoned here, Cervantes invented the image of Dulcinea, the girl Don Quixote was in love with.
2. Skadar Lake. Its surroundings are home to many rare birds, which ornithologists and amateurs from different countries come to observe. A boat trip on the lake costs about €10.
3. Cetinje. Ancient capital of Montenegro. The most interesting sights: the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin on Cipura, Cetinje Monastery, the palace of King Nikola I, the royal theater "Zetski Dom" (the oldest in the country), the Blue Palace, which now houses the residence of the President of Montenegro.

How to get to Ulcinj

A transfer from Tivat airport will cost from €60 for a passenger car. A budget option is to walk to the nearest bus stop and take a passing bus in the desired direction. The problem is that there is only one such bus and it runs in the morning. The ticket costs about €10. You can go to Budva and there you can take a bus to Ulcinj.

Sveti Stefan Resort

Ideal for families with children and those who do not like partying and crowds of tourists around, this is the best resort in Montenegro for family vacations.

Pros:

• it's quiet, clean and uncrowded.
• It is convenient to get to Budva. There, if you want to have fun, you can get there in just 15-20 minutes by bus or cab.

Minuses:

• The resort is located on the mountainside, so you'll have to walk a lot of steps. You can bypass the road, but in this case the way to the beach will lengthen by about a kilometer, so keep in mind if you do not like to walk a lot;
• the beach is covered with large pebbles;
• housing prices are a bit higher than in neighboring Budva.

Beaches of Sveti Stefan

The coastline of the resort is divided into two parts by an isthmus leading to the private island of Sveti Stefan. On the right side of the isthmus is a closed beach for the guests of the Aman Sveti Stefan Hotel, while on the left side is the municipal beach, which is free of charge for everyone.

Sightseeing in Sveti Stefan and its surroundings

1. Sveti Stefan Island. One of the most recognizable sights of Montenegro, where the former residence of the king - Villa Milocer (now part of the hotel complex) is located. Only guests of the five-star hotel Aman Sveti Stefan or guests of a very inexpensive restaurant who booked a table in advance can get into the territory. The rest of the guests are left to admire the views and take photos from the public beach.
2. Durmitor National Park. It is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Its territory includes the Durmitor mountain range, the Tara River Canyon (the deepest canyon in Europe and the second largest in the world), the Sušica and Draga Rivers, the Djurdjevic Tara Bridge (the highest automobile arch bridge in Europe), and the popular ski resort of Zabljak. It is most convenient to get here by car, as public transportation rarely runs. If you have a chance, stay here for a few days to have time to see all the most interesting things.
3. Bar. We recommend to start your walk from the Old Town, where modern cottages neighbor the ruins of the Cathedral of St. George, the churches of St. Katharina and St. Veneranda. Other places of interest include the palace of King Nikola, which now houses a historical museum, the church of St. Nikola, which for many years was the residence of the Catholic Archbishop, and Mount Valuica, from the top of which the Italian Guglielmo Marconi transmitted the first radio signal from Bar to Bari.

How to get to the resort in Sveti Stefan

The most convenient way is to pre-book a transfer from the airport (from €35 for a passenger car) or take a cab. You can also use public transportation - after leaving the airport, go to the nearest bus stop and wait for the bus heading towards Budva. In Budva you will need to change buses to Sveti Stefan resort. It will take you a total of one and a half hours to get there.

Kotor

At different times in its history it was under the rule of the Roman Empire, the Venetian Republic, Austria-Hungary, Italy... As a result of this mix of cultures, a unique city was formed, where you should definitely visit if you are in Montenegro.

Pros of the resort:

• beautiful Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site;
• most of the restaurants and cafes are located in old buildings;
• even in season the town is very clean, despite the abundance of tourists.

Minuses of the resort:

• the city is a port city, cruise boats and yachts are parked at the pier, so the water is quite dirty;

Kotor sights and surroundings

1. St. John's Fortress, built by the Venetians. We warn you right away: climbing the fortress will replace your workout - you will have to climb 1400 steps. But trust us, the view from the top is definitely worth the effort!
2. Old Town. A labyrinth of narrow streets lined with houses of XII-XIV centuries. On one of the squares stands the Cathedral of St. Tryphon, one of the most recognizable symbols of the city. Around the corners are hidden real treasures: the Church of St. Luke (XIII century), the Church of St. Anne (XII century), the Church of St. Mary (XIII century), the Church of Our Lady of Healing (XV century), Napoleon Theater (XIX century).
3. Perast. According to official data only 300 people live here, the city has long ago turned into a kind of open-air museum. On a relatively small territory there are 17 palaces and 16 churches (you can enter only 3 of them). There are numerous oyster farms in the vicinity, so it is cheaper to try seafood here than in Budva.

How to get to Kotor

There are buses from Budva to Kotor. The journey takes about half an hour and the ticket costs from €3.5 one way. By car you can get there a little faster - about 20 minutes.

Where to vacation in Montenegro?

If you are planning a family vacation with children or parents and want to find a quiet and secluded place, choose Sveti Stefan or Herceg Novi. Those who can't imagine a vacation without nightlife will love Budva. If you want to combine a beach vacation with a tour of Montenegro's natural beauty, come to Ulcinj. And the ancient town of Kotor is waiting for those who want to interrupt swimming and sunbathing for a day and immerse themselves in the history of the country.

Useful information

• Currency: Euro. Dollars can be exchanged, but the exchange rate is usually unfavorable. Cards are accepted in most restaurants, stores and bars in resort towns.
• Ukrainian citizens do not need avisa, you can stay in the country up to 90 days.
• Beach season lasts from the end of April to the end of October, during this period the temperature of sea water varies from +18 to +25°C, air - from +20 to +25°C.
• There are twointernational airports: in the capital Podgorica and in Tivat. The second is convenient for those heading to the coast (located just 20 kilometers from Budva and 10 kilometers from Kotor).