Top Places To See During Your Montenegro Vacation

Day 1: Kotor

This small town in Montenegro is packed with splendid views, fascinating history, and endless tiny streets and alleys for you to lose yourself entirely in the beauty of it. Climb up to San Giovanni Fortress and soak in the truly fabulous views of both the Bay of Kotor as well as the city. The fortress itself is a fun pack! Do pack lunch, lots of water and sunscreen for your day up there as you’ll be spending the entire day over there. Depending on your speed and the number of photos you choose to click, one can usually complete the hike in about an hour. Therefore, it wouldn’t take up the entire day, however there are good chances that you’ll want to spend a lot of time over there admiring the stunning views at the top. 

In case you do the hike during the summer, then keep in mind that the incline is really steep and it can get quite hot, so get ready to sweat a lot. 

The Old Town of Kotor is a pleasant place to stroll endlessly. Considering its tiny size, getting extremely lost here is usually impossible, however getting lost in its beauty is quite easy! Each and every turn around a corner uncovers something fascinating and beautiful, and even after a week of exploring the streets, you would never stop to discover something unique each day. 

Kotor was ruled by Byzantines, Venetians, Illyrians, and Austro-Hungarians. The city has acquired many left behind treasures of these conquerors, like baroque towers, renaissance palaces, and also the Cathedral of St. Tripun. Due to the abundance of artistic and cultural monuments, Kotor has been set on the list of UNESCO protected cultural heritage. 

Day 2: Durmitor National Park

One of the most magnificent mountain ranges in the country, Durmitor National Park has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since the year 1980. And so, the main activity here is hiking, quite naturally. One can go for plenty of shorter as well as longer hikes in the region. A one day hike to the highest peak of Durmitor, Bobotov Kuk, is certainly quite challenging, however the views are absolutely worth all the efforts. 

Crvena Greda mountain is yet another famous day hike. En route, you’ll pass by many lakes and will have a splendid view of them from the top as well. Other than trekking and hiking, one can enjoy other adventure sports as well in Durmitor National Park. A deep canyon is created in the mountain range by the Tara River flowing through it. This one is the second deepest canyon in the world. You can go for whitewater rafting on the Tara River or opt for zip line above the river near the Durdevica Tara Bridge. 

The town of Zabljak is a perfect base for a vacation in Durmitor National Park. You can get all types of accommodations here ranging from campsites to hotels. 

Day 3: Budva

Today a metropolis of Montenegro tourism and one of the most happening and dazzling town in the country, Budva was once a tiny and quaint coastal town. It is packed with restaurants, lavish yachts, nightclubs, and new buildings and possess its own Hawaii - an island situated just opposite the main city having gorgeous beaches, seafood specialties and ice cold refreshments. 

Get stunned at the loud music emerging from the cafes and the screams and laughter of children from the nearby amusement parks in the evening, while strolling along the beach on the promenade. Immerse yourself in the aroma of the sea combined with the scent of delectable barbeque, and beams of light coming out from the disco and reaching the sky. Budva is truly a huge light show!

It appears like Budva is leading a double life - one in the modern part of the city, while the other in the old one. Adorned with predominantly Venetian architecture, the Old Town boasts cultural and historical attractions such as antique pylons, Roman necropolis, pre-Christian basilica and plenty of churches. Enjoy the concerts and literature evenings at the Poet’s Square as well as the exhibitions held in the city gallery every summer at the ‘Theater City’. Just outside this old town, the new and modern city is inflating and inhabitants are rising in number. 

There are pebbly, stone and sandy beaches on the Budva Riviera which once were owned by the royal family. There are some of the beaches that contain vibrant, reddish or gray pebbles. Some of these are protected by the tiny bays, some have trampled into the sea, some are sheltered by the shades of thick pine-trees, and some are exposed to open sun. Behind each one of these, there’s at least one fishing village hiding, and ready to offer private accommodation. 

A city awake until dawn, no one really sleeps for too long in Budva. Beaches with many activities, a fervid nightlife, luxury hotels at the seaside and huge water parks in the hills make Budva such an interesting place to visit. 

Day 4: Stari Bar

The old town of Stari Bar is situated 4km interior from the modern city of Bar. Considered as the Pompeii of Montenegro, Stari Bar had a malefic history. In order to reclaim control over the town, the main aqueduct of the town, which was besieged by the Serbians, the Venetians, the Ottoman Empire and the Hungarians, was shattered by local forces in an explosion in the year 1877. 

Today, the town is home to a fortress built in the 11th century amid mountains. Explore the site by giving it enough time, visit the remains of St Nicholas’ Church and make your way to the small museum set just inside the ruins’ entrance explaining the site and its history. During off-seasons, you can even enter for free. However during the peak months, you’ll have to pay a small charge. Make sure to leave before the closing time as you can even get locked in and trapped inside the walls of the fortress!