How to Make the Most of Montenegro
In the earlier days of learning to navigate travel through a global pandemic, I was searching for a new country to explore. Montenegro wasn’t a place I had in mind, but back in September 2020, Montenegro was on a shortlist of countries letting in US travelers without a quarantine that also had decently low risk. It wasn’t our first choice, but needless to say, we were blown away once we arrived. We loved this small, beautiful country. Read on for my recommendations and tips with special guest comments by my brother, Christian, and his best friend, Keith, who joined me on the trip – thought it might be nice to get another take on things.
To Stay
Due to the fact this was a somewhat last-minute quick trip during COVID, we didn’t have much time to plan. We decided to stay in the probably-less-popular capital of Montenegro, Podgorica. Do I regret it? Absolutely not. Would I stay along the coast next time? Probably. But staying in the capital city gave us a real insight into how the locals live, and we love that.
We stayed at the Hotel Boscovich. This small boutique hotel is conveniently located just walking distance from many shops and restaurants. It’s clean, modern, and has a pretty popular restaurant/bar on the bottom level with breakfast included in our stay. The staff was extremely warm and welcoming. The owner actually offered to be our tour guide for the next 3 days. We simply told him what we wanted to see and asked what he suggested, and he planned it for us.
Christian-
The Hotel Boscovich is also located within walking distance of many local bars. If you’re expecting crazy nightlife, Podgorica is not where you’re going to find it (at least not as a tourist), but it does have cool small taprooms to try local beer and hang out.
The Aman resort on Sveti Stefan will definitely be our spot the next time we visit. It is absolutely stunning. Another beautiful hotel is The One&Only in Portonovi. And don’t skip on the boutique hotels offered all along the coast. You can get luxury and charm at a better price.
Our first evening, we had dinner at Restoran Jezero, owned by the Plantaze Winery. We loved this place. The restaurant sits on the edge of a beautiful lake and offers an extensive menu of seafood, pasta, and of course, wine. It was a perfect first night enjoying local wines and the beautiful Montenegrin September weather.
Keith –
The restaurant had a beautiful large deck with an overhead cover on the lake overlooking incredible scenery. We had great fish along with some cheese and sautéed veggies. We decided to pair that meal with an excellent local red wine. Almost everywhere in the country had really awesome cheeses served with most, if not every, meal.
Day 1 - Budva
No matter where you’re staying in Montenegro, you must see Budva. This old city is beautiful and historic. It sits right on the water, and you’ll have a chance to enjoy the beach and some seafront restaurants and cafes. Wander the seemingly endless walkways of the old city to discover beautiful views, hidden rooms, and unique landmarks. You can spend several hours or an entire day.
After Budva, we went about 20 minutes south down the coast to Sveti Stefan for lunch. I mentioned it earlier, but Sveti Stefan is a tiny island just off the coast. By “just off,” I mean a short bridge connects it. The island used to be an old fishing village and is now home to an Aman resort. Aman kept the old buildings, so the charm is incomparable. It has luxury and history all in one. We had a delicious long lunch at their terrace restaurant overlooking the Baltic sea.
After lunch, we walked down to the public beach. Here you can pay a small fee for beach chairs and relax and swim in the emerald ocean. It’s a nice time to people watch too. The people of Montenegro are kind and free. And you’ll see this everywhere you go.
After several hours of salt and sun, we rinsed off in the outdoor showers and changed for dinner. Dinner was right next door at Olive, just above the private beach. This restaurant has beautiful views of Sveti Stefan and is a perfect place for a sunset.
Keith –
This was arguably my favorite day of the trip. Both Budva and Sveti Stefan are extremely breathtaking. There’s a beautiful view from the beach of the Aman resort that creates a bit of a cove made for relaxing. Behind you is a scenic mountain range with homes with unique architecture built into the mountains. This landscape is so jaw-dropping it’s been my phone background for a year. The lunch we had at Aman was nothing short of top-notch as you ate in an almost terrace-like area with breathtaking 360 views of the ocean and coastal city around you. Budva had a remarkable historical old city that was nothing short of picturesque.
Day 2 – Monastery of Ostrog
On day two, we took a few hour drive to the Monastery of Ostrog. This beautiful and intricate monastery is built into the side of a cliff. If you want a break from the coast, I definitely recommend checking it out. It’s not too far. In fact, nowhere in Montenegro is far. You can get almost anywhere in the country within 2 hours. This was one of the best parts of visiting during our short stay. We truly felt like we saw everything, and we didn’t have to travel long and far to do it. Well, if you don’t count the actual journey to Montenegro.
Montenegro is a big meat-eating country. Navigating the food scene here wasn’t always the easiest for a pescatarian who honestly doesn’t eat fish very often. Nonetheless, I was with a couple of meat-eaters, so I felt it necessary to have them try some traditional Balkin dishes. We did this at Pod Volat back In Podgorica - all-you-can-eat meat - not my scene, but the boys loved it. I enjoyed my plate of zucchini.
Keith –
The Monastery of Ostrag is a nice hike up into the mountains. Absolutely beautiful and has a great view of the scenery around you. There are also lots of great trinket shops in the mountains to get some souvenirs.
Day 3 - Kotor
We went back to the coast on our third and final full day. Our end goal was the Bay of Kotor. An incredibly long bay just north. On our way there, we stopped in Cetinje, where we toured the castle and museum and stopped for a big cup of coffee ( and beer) to escape the rain. Each of the villages and towns in Montenegro is incredibly sweet and unique. Even in the rain, Cetinje felt welcoming and warm.
We also stopped in Tivat, another coastal town known for its value. You’ll see beautiful yachts, designer stores, and top-notch eateries. We even found our favorite ice cream shop from Santiago (they have a few worldwide). Tivat is beautiful and filled with elegance and charm.
Christian –
Tivat was one of my favorite places, and definitely somewhere I could spend more than a day. The shopping was incredible, and its location makes it a great spot to stay, in my opinion. If you’re looking for luxury, Tivat is definitely the place to be.
Finally, we made it through the Bay of Kotor to explore the old city of Kotor. This is an absolute must in Montenegro. You can get lost in the small, winding pathways, but each will lead you to a quaint café, restaurant, or shop. You’ll come across seemingly hidden lookout points and crumbling statues. Even in the rain… actually, especially in the rain, this old city was incredible to explore. We had a dinner reservation at Verige 65, apparently a hot spot with stunning sunset views. However, due to the rain, we gave up seeing a sunset and went to a restaurant in the old city that was just as delicious.
By the way, the Bay of Kotor is bigger than you would think and also a BAY, so you have to drive the long way round to get anywhere. Consider this when booking restaurants or time for exploring.
Keith –
Perast is insanely clean and beautiful, being practically built of white marble. This bay contains some of the largest superyachts in the world. At the same time, their owners come ashore for some retail therapy and coastal designer shops. The Bay of Kotor is a beautiful historical town with lots of shops and sailboats. I got more souvenirs here, including a nice white fedora.
Day 4 – Plantaze Winery
We had quite a late flight out to Istanbul, so we decided to take advantage of the day. We started with a tour and tasting at the Plantaze Winery. The winery is built inside a massive cave, making for a really unique experience. You’ll not only try some incredible wine but also some tasty olive oil. You bet we brought both home with us.
On our way back to the hotel, we stopped for lunch at Café Niagra along the Cijvena River (apparently the Niagra Falls of Montenegro). Unfortunately, the river was dry this time of year, but it allowed us to walk along the bottom.
Keith –
Plantaze winery was nothing short of impeccable. We had a lovely private wine tasting where they showed us their facility with all of their barrels. This winery is built into an old air force plane hanger which, as Alex mentioned, is also a large cave. This winery produces some of the best wine in the country and even some of the best in Europe as some of their bottles in the past years have won a few awards. All of which are at an affordable price, done purposely for the sake of their citizens so they too can enjoy a nice glass of wine. In addition to all of this, they produce world-class olive oil, which is meant for the consumption of pure taste.
Other Things To Do:
Visit the Blue Grotto Cave
See the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ
Hike Mount Orien
Take a walk through the Milocer Forest when visiting Sveti Stefan
Visit Sveti Nikola when in Budva
Eat at Hedone Restaurant in Budva
Visit Astoria
Definitely add Montenegro to your list – it’s an easy flight from most of Europe and even an easy day trip from Croatia. While you don’t need much time to explore all ends of the country, it’s for sure worth a few days. You will not be disappointed.
