For independent travel and tours, you can choose Montenegro. Resorts and sights of the country have managed to combine traditional Balkan hospitality, quality service and unique national cuisine. All resorts in Montenegro, a description of their features, can take several pages, so let’s focus on the most good and popular ones.
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Analysis of holidays in Montenegro
Before buying tours or independent travel, it is recommended to familiarize yourself with the features. In all resorts of Montenegro, in the description, they often indicate the friendly disposition of local residents to tourists, good ecology and prices for holidays. In practice, these indicators directly depend on the chosen resort and the time of year when the vacation is spent.
Positive aspects of rest:
- The ability to choose a resort – Budva , Herceg Novi, Kotor , other places for a relaxing pastime on the Riviera.
- Affordable prices for food and accommodation. The hotel base is small, there are villas and apartments. The main thing is to get acquainted with how all the resorts of Montenegro differ from each other according to the description. Not all rooms have air conditioning and Wi-Fi .
- Recovery. To do this, it is not necessary to buy vouchers to a sanatorium – you can agree and order medical and rehabilitation procedures. The two most famous and popular treatment centers are located in Herceg Novi.
- Choice of excursions. Their detailed description and location on the map of Montenegro can be found on our website.
To the disadvantages, judging by the reviews of tourists, in all the resorts of Montenegro, according to the description, there are few offers All Inclusive in hotels. This is compensated by the well-developed infrastructure of the resorts, the almost complete absence of crime.
In the climatic description of Montenegro, it is often indicated that the optimal time for rest is the middle of summer. In practice, you can plan a trip or purchase a tour from late spring to mid-autumn.
Location and climate
The country is located on the Balkan Peninsula, the official capital is the city of Podgorica . The total area of the territories is more than 13,500 km². Borders with Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Kosovo. The shores of Montenegro are washed by the Adriatic Sea, Skadar Lake can be distinguished from the largest freshwater water resources . All resorts in Montenegro, in the description, are located on the coast.
The following facts about this European resort will be useful for tourists:
- The average flight time from Moscow is 3 hours.
- The population is Montenegrins, Serbs, Croats, Albanians.
- The language is Montenegrin, rarely Serbian. In resort towns, most residents communicate in Russian and English.
- Religion – Orthodox Christianity. The majority of the population, up to 70%, are believers.
- The time zone is UTC+1.
Another feature is the variety of climatic zones. The Mediterranean climate prevails on the coast, in many respects similar to the Greek one. So, all the resorts of Montenegro in the description for most of the year are not affected by negative temperatures. A peculiar coastal Mediterranean zone begins from Herceg Novi to Bojana . Rocky mountains along the entire coast protect from the influence of the continental climate.
Based on the classical description, the European climate prevails in the continental part – pronounced changes in the seasons, frequent cloudiness and rainfall. Exceptions are mountainous areas. In practice, even on summer days, fogs and high humidity are frequent in the morning and evening. This is due to the relatively high position relative to sea level.
Due to the steepness of the rocks, the flora and fauna are not numerous. Plants on slopes dry out quickly. Popular river excursions are to the Tara and Piva rivers. The water temperature in them rarely rises above +10°C, but because of the cleanliness and amazingly beautiful views, they attract many tourists.
Currency and economy
The official currency is Euro. The exchange is recommended to be carried out in bank branches or special points. The service for servicing credit cards and traveler’s checks is not developed, which is not indicated in the description of all resorts in Montenegro. They can only be used in the resort towns of Montenegro – Budva , Kotor , Herceg Novi, Tivat.
Airports are located in the cities of Podgorica and Tivat . Customs control under a simplified scheme, you can import without a declaration up to 2000 Euros. An entry visa is not required.
Food and service prices:
- The cost of lunch is from 6 Euro per person. A cup of coffee – from 0.5 to 1 Eur .
- The price of living in a villa depends on the resort in Montenegro. In Budva , the cost of renting a villa for two people is on average from 20 to 40 Eur per day.
- The beaches are free, but for umbrellas and sunbeds you will have to pay from 10 Euros.
- Travel by public transport – from 1 to 6 €. Taxi services are expensive – transfer from the airport starts from 50 €.
- The price for group excursion programs is from 15 €. A detailed description is on the site of tour agencies.
- Car rental – from 25 € per day. You will have to spend about 30 € per day on gasoline, depending on the distance of travel.
Prices on the coast are much higher than in non-resort areas of the country. Exceptions are tourist villages on the rivers Tara and Piva, Lake Skadar . Currency exchange can be done at any branch of the bank. The difference in the rate is insignificant, and does not depend on the address of the exchange office. They accept rubles, euros, dollars, hryvnias.
Budva
Despite the small area, there are several large and many small resort areas on the territory. They have pronounced positive aspects, have a number of disadvantages. Before planning an urgent trip, it is recommended to study the features of each city.
Analyzing all the resorts of Montenegro, description, we can conclude that Budva is the most popular city among tourists. Advantages – the choice of beaches, many accommodation options. The disadvantage is the highest prices. But the latter is offset by developed infrastructure and services.
Features of Budva :
- There are several beaches on the coast – Slavyansky, Mogren , Richard ‘s Head. The nice beach of Becici is located 4 km from the city center.
- There are numerous restaurants and cafes on the territory of the bastion. Shows and entertainment programs are often arranged here.
- Convenient transportation.
- There are travel and excursion agencies on the coast of Budva and in the central part.
During the high season there is a large tourist flow. It is recommended to choose a villa closer to the coast, on the first or second line. For all resorts in Montenegro, in the description, prices rise closer to the beach area.
You can buy souvenirs in the shops of the Old Town. However, most of them are standard Chinese products. You can find national products only in the continental part.
Kotor
A small town with a pronounced Italian architecture. Features – a large number of churches, a unique “flea” market. It is located on the slope of Mount Lovcen . The main attraction is St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Both calm and extreme recreation are developed.
Advantages of Kotor :
- convenient location relative to attractions;
- the fjord of Kotor is one of the most beautiful in the world;
- many buildings and structures are included in the UNESCO list.
Prices for tours to Kotor are 5-10% less compared to other places to stay. However, insufficiently developed infrastructure and a small number of offers with accommodation in villas and apartments do not make Kotor a popular holiday destination.
In the Bay of Kotor , the beaches are concrete, which is inconvenient for many tourists. Trade infrastructure is also not developed. The restaurants offer delicious Italian cuisine.
Herceg Novi
Not the most popular resort in the description of classical Montenegro, located on a mountainside. But compared to Budva , the prices for many services and food are much lower in it. Its main drawback is its remoteness from the classic tourist routes. Unlike all resorts in Montenegro, there are no descriptions, hotels on its territory, only villas can be accommodated.
Features of Herceg Novi:
- many exotic plants – palm trees, large cacti, flowers;
- beautiful Italian architecture of the central part of the city;
- the beaches are concrete, not all resorts in Montenegro in the description have pebble or sandy coastlines;
- Lots of stairs due to height difference.
The water temperature is lower than in other areas of the Adriatic coast. Therefore, buying a ticket for mid-autumn or early spring is not recommended. Exception – no beach holiday is planned.
The commercial infrastructure is developed – you can find clothes and shoes from well-known European brands. On its territory and in the close suburbs there are several recreational facilities.
Ulcinj
Located on the border with Albania, a feature – a lot of sandy beaches. Due to the unpopularity among Russian tourists, in the description, all the resorts of Montenegro take the last place. Most of the tourists are Europeans or Albanians. The cost of living and food is lower, the infrastructure is poorly developed.
Ulcinj has the following features:
- many sandy beaches;
- the water in the sea is warm, but a little muddy because of the sand;
- a small number of vacationers;
- Russian is not widely spoken, but the local population knows English.
All descriptions of holidays in Ulcinj are positive, there are many good reviews. But it is difficult to buy vouchers from tour operators. The alternative is to plan your own trip.
Excursion programs
An important part in the description of Montenegro is excursions and entertainment programs. In large resort areas there are representative offices of agencies and companies providing these services to tourists. It is also possible to book an excursion at the stage of buying a tour.
Popular excursion programs in Montenegro:
- Canyons. Journey through the deepest canyons of Europe;
- Monastery tour. Inspection of religious sights – monasteries, churches, shrines.
- Rafting. This is a popular activity for many vacationers. Usually they raft on kayaks and rafts along the Tara and Pivo rivers.
- Skadar lake. The largest reservoir with a number of historical sights.
In practice, you can sign up for a group tour or order an individual one. Another option is to rent a car and visit the most interesting places on your own. Before that, you need to carefully read the description of Montenegro, its road map and traffic rules.