Montenegro
The small republic of Montenegro is located on the south-eastern Adriatic coast. With an area of 13812 km2, the country is one of the smaller states in Europe. Montenegro offers a wide range of opportunities for travelers looking for a combination of nature, culture and history.
The prince-bishopric of Montenegro was ruled from the small town of Cetinje from the end of the 15th century. Until the middle of the 19th century, the Vladika were the spiritual and temporal leaders of the country. The Principality of Montenegro (later the Kingdom of Montenegro) was internationally recognized. King Nikola ruled the country until the First World War. From 1916 to 1918, the country was under Austro-Hungarian occupation. After the fall of the king, the country was incorporated into the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. After the Second World War, Montenegro became one of the six constituent republics of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
In 1992, after Croatia and Slovenia left the union of Yugoslavia, the population decided in a referendum to remain part of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. After the Yugoslav wars, the first tendencies towards separation from Serbia emerged. Under pressure from the EU, a loose association of two independent states called Serbia and Montenegro was agreed in 2002. In a referendum in 2006, the population decided in favor of independence by a narrow majority. Since then, the state has been seeking admission to the European Union.
The country has an impressive coastline along the Adriatic Sea with picturesque beaches and historic towns.
Inland, the country presents a varied landscape with mountains, lakes and national parks. The Durmitor National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, offers excellent opportunities for hiking, skiing and rafting. Lake Skadar, the largest lake on the Balkan Peninsula, is a paradise for nature lovers and birdwatchers.
Montenegrin cuisine combines Turkish influences with regional traditions and is characterized by simple recipes and fresh ingredients. Due to its location on the Adriatic coast, fish and seafood are central components of the cuisine.
Destinations in Montenegro:
One of the highlights of our time in Montenegro was the hike in Lovćen National Park to the top of Jezerski Vrh, where the Njegoš Mausoleum is located.
We wanted to spend one week of our stay in Montenegro in the middle of the mighty mountains of the Durmitor National Park. When looking for suitable accommodation, we chose the small town of Žabljak in the centre of the national park.
On our second Montenegro holiday, we stayed for a week in a small house in Cetinje. On the way to go shopping, we decided to make a short detour to Orlov krš.
Kotor is one of the tourist areas in Montenegro. Numerous cruise ships dock here and if you talk to other Montenegro holidaymakers, most of them are drawn to Kotor and Budva.
Only a few minutes' drive from Cetinje is Lipa Cave, a large karst cave that has been opened to visitors. We went there quite spontaneously to take part in a guided tour.
One of the most beautiful places I have seen so far is Lake Skadar in Montenegro. I fell in love with this beautiful spot at first sight.
Welcome to Podgorica, or so it sounds from the loudspeaker on the plane when we land in the capital of Montenegro. The airport is small and manageable and after passport control we get our backpacks quite quickly.
We didn't have much planned for our time in Montenegro, but we definitely wanted to go to Budva.
In our holiday resort Dodoši there is a shop that is "open when it's open". When that is, who knows. Our food supplies were already very limited when we arrived. We honestly hadn't thought about it at all - as a city dweller you always get something to eat somewhere. So we drove to Cetinje…
We are city kids and so far we have spent most of our vacations in cities. In Montenegro this should be different…
Travel information
Arrival
by train
The railroad traffic in Montenegro is still very expandable. One line runs from Belgrade (Serbia) to Bar on the Adriatic coast, another line connects Tirana (Albania) with Podogrica.
by plane
There are two airports in Montenegro: Podgorica and Tivat. We landed in Podgorica. Important to know – there is no public transport to the airport here. Taxis go to different cities in the country with advertised fixed prices.
by ship
There is a seaport in Bar. From here a ferry sails several times a week to Bari and Ancona in Italy.
By car
There are no highways in Montenegro so far. The most important connections are provided with well-developed roads. Smaller places are often reached only by narrow and adventurous road connections.
Entry and visa requirements for Montenegro
Montenegro has specific entry and visa requirements that vary for EU and non-EU citizens. Here is a breakdown of the requirements:
EU citizens
Visa-free entry: Citizens of EU member states can enter Montenegro without a visa. They are allowed to stay for up to 90 days within a 180-day period for tourism or business purposes. This makes traveling to Montenegro very convenient for EU citizens.
Non-EU citizens
Visa requirements: Non-EU citizens may need a visa to enter Montenegro, depending on their nationality. However, many countries are exempt from visa requirements. For example, citizens from countries such as the USA, Canada, Australia and several others can enter Montenegro without a visa for short stays of up to 90 days. Visa application: For those who require a visa, the application process usually involves the submission of a valid passport, a recent photograph and other supporting documents. The passport must be valid for at least three months beyond the intended stay.
Foreigners in Montenegro must register with the police within 24 hours at the place of stay. Hotels take care of this registration, in vacation apartments you often have to take care of it yourself. Violations are rarely punished, but there may be problems when re-entering the country at a later date.
On the way in...
In Montenegro, people rely on the car. Many smaller places and also some of the sights are accessible only by very small and adventurous roads. If you are not traveling with your own car, you should rent one. There is a bus service between some places, but even the locals make little use of it.
Best time to travel
Although the country is quite small, there are major climatic differences within the region. The Dinaric Mountains are a natural climatic divide.
On the Adriatic coast, the climate is typically Mediterranean. The summer months are dry, sunny and often hot. It rains more frequently in late fall and spring. The water in the Adriatic is often quite warm from as early as May, often reaching 20 degrees, and even in October it is still possible to go swimming.
In the area east of the coast, around the capital Podgorica, the climate is more continental.
Snowfall can occur in the mountains in winter.
Spring (March to May)
Temperature: Average temperatures range from 10°C in March to around 20°C in May.
Rainfall: Spring sees moderate rainfall, averaging around 80-100 mm per month, with a peak in April.
Summer (June to August)
Temperature: Summer is warm, with average temperatures between 25°C and 30°C, especially in July and August, which are the hottest months.
Rainfall: Rainfall is lowest in summer, averaging around 30-50 mm per month, with July being the driest month.
Fall (September to November)
Temperature: Early fall remains warm, with an average of around 24°C in September, but temperatures drop to around 10°C by November.
Rainy days: Rainfall begins to increase, especially in October and November, with averages of around 100-150 mm per month.
Winter (December to February)
Temperature: Winter temperatures can be quite chilly, with an average of around 5°C in January, the coldest month.
Rainy days: This time of year experiences the highest rainfall, with values often exceeding 150 mm per month, especially in January and February.
Language
According to the Constitution, there are the following official languages in the Balkan state:
- Montenegrin
- Serbian
- Bosnian
- Albanian
- Croatian
This already shows how many different groups the population is made up of. We got on very well everywhere with English. The writing is mainly in Cyrillic, but in the tourist a
Money
In Montenegro you pay with the Euro!
Tip
In cafes in Montenegro, it is rather uncommon to round up smaller amounts of money. In restaurants, however, it is common for tourists to add 10-15% of the amount to the bill.
Telephone / Internet
Montenegro is not an EU country. Therefore, depending on the phone provider, additional rooming costs will be charged.
We got a phone card from a local provider on the very first day. There are cheap tourist cards that offer lots of GB.
In most restaurants you can get free internet access. Also in our very lonely accommodation in the middle of a protected landscape area and in the middle of the mountains the internet reception was really good.
Power Plug
In Montenegro, German vacationers do not need a travel adapter. Type C and F plugs are used in the country. These sockets can also be found in Germany.