Traveling by car in Montenegro. Road trip through Montenegro. Driving route around the Bay of Kotor
Report on traveling in a rented car in Montenegro in May-June 2017. Podgorica, Kalashin, Plav, Bosnian side, Zabljak, Pluzine, Niksic, Herceg Novi, Bay of Kotor, Budva, Cetinje, Petrovac, Bar, Ulcinj, Skadar Lake, Podgorica.
Preface
After our first trip abroad to “package” Turkey in 2015, we realized that it was wildly boring, so in 2017 we decided to arrange a trip according to our own rules. It was decided to go to Montenegro: consider, brotherly people, a visa is not needed, the prices are adequate. To save money, we took a tent with us, although we had previously spent the night in it several times on local outings. Well, I wonder what came of it?
Rent a car in Montenegro
No special preparation was required for this trip, because we already had foreign passports, our driving license was suitable for driving in Montenegro, and it was not difficult to buy tickets, but the rental issue raised questions, since we were renting a car for the first time.
After counting the money, we decided to fork out for a car and decided against the option public transport, because a car on vacation is freedom, especially when you have tents, sleeping bags and foam. We monitored international aggregators, but there was a huge deposit everywhere, and I didn’t want to pay it. And then we came across a local website: montenegro.rentacarfor.me, where rent was cheaper and without a deposit, and with Russian-language support.
For 14 days, renting a Toyota Yaris cost about 33 thousand rubles, and we were completely satisfied with this car. My husband was a little annoyed by the CVT and in the mountains it would have been more fun with a more powerful car (although not critical), but the consumption was a ridiculous 5-6 liters, and given the price of gasoline in euros and our mileage, this gave normal savings.
Podgorica
Having arrived at the airport, we picked up our car without any problems, listened to the instructions (in English) and immediately went to the first object - Niagara Falls. He was on his way to Podgorica itself.
The waterfall, although small, was very nice
Then we took a walk around the city, leaving the car at the hostel, which we rented for the first night. Bridges, parks, mosques... we walked around the whole city! On the same day we bought a local SIM card at Montenegro Mall, foam and a gas burner: ours did not fit the local “pierced” gas cylinder.
We walked along three bridges over Moraca
The roads are not busy, except in the center, but we still don’t understand the parking issue: in many places there are signs for paid parking, but it’s not clear how to pay. As a result, we always ended up in “spontaneous” parking lots. In principle, it was always possible to find them.
Kolasin
On the second day we went to Kolasin, since we had seen everything we could in Podgorica, and on the way we stopped to look at ancient city Duklja, the Medun fortress and the Moraca monastery, which is not for nothing considered the most famous in Montenegro. Along the way, we collected an unreal number of small tunnels: no lighting, no decoration... just a hole in the rock and that's it. It’s unusual, and even the turquoise Moraca flows at the bottom of the gorge - at least make a stop every kilometer and admire the views.
Kolasin seemed to us a very quiet and pleasant town: we remember the square paved with timber, the Bianka Hotel and Botanical Garden. Thanks to the caretaker: he suggested that we need to go to Plav through Komovi, and not as we had originally planned. As a result, the road Kolasin - Plav was one of the most picturesque.
There were very few people in Kolasin, very quiet and peaceful
Melt
After the first night in a tent near the river at the exit from the road, we went to Plav along the same road: when the view of the Black Mountain opened up, we stopped four times to take photographs.
Actually, the same Black Mountain
In Plav we had lunch on the lake and moved towards Bosnia. We stopped in Gusin, at the Brezoevitsa monastery, looked at the Church of the Holy Trinity, and then an incident happened that we will tell the children about.
Eh, I should have taken a boat and rode on Lake Pavskoye
I read somewhere about the beauty of Lake Hrid and dragged my husband there. But there was no road at all. But the car is not ours, why not take a risk. We drove the first part on terrible asphalt at a speed of 30 km/h (about 30 minutes), then for about an hour we crawled uphill on a rocky dirt road at a speed of 15-10 km/h.
Not only did they overheat slightly, but they also damaged something on the bottom with a bouncing stone. There started to be a frightening rattling sound from below, a suspicious smell coming from under the hood, and we decided that it was time to go down in neutral. The way I became hysterical when we turned around on a 2-meter wide path between a rock and a cliff is a different story. We never got to the lake, and I recommend that you only go there on foot (very long) or in a jeep.
That day, angry and puzzled by the breakdown, we spent the night in a tent near houses in some locality on the way to Berana. They decided to fix the problem in the morning.
Berane, Rozaje, Belo Pole
The car service center in Beran did not fix it for us: by that time we had already realized that we had bent the muffler. Apparently, since the car was rented, the service man did not dare to take extreme measures. But the boy in Rozaje made up his mind. For 5 euros he cut, bent and welded the pipe back. The husband at this moment became noticeably happier.
In the Bosnian side we wandered through mosques, towers, churches and went towards Durmitor, where the first stop was the Biogradska Gora park.
Biogradska Gora Park
Rozaje is not small at all, and in general the Bosnian side is much busier than the north and even the coast in the off-season.
It was raining heavily and we couldn't go for a walk, but we still paid 6 euros to enter the territory to look at the lake.
Put on your raincoats and go!
Next stop is Djordjevic Bridge. Fortunately, literally 5 minutes before approaching the bridge, the rain stopped, and we were able to enjoy the view of Tara. And now it's incredible picturesque places to Zabljak!
You can’t erase the view of the Tara River from Djordjevic Bridge from your memory, even if you want to.
It was damp and cool in the mountains, and we were already freezing on Biogradska Gora, so we decided to rent a house next to the Ivan Do camping. Two nights in a two-story house with a stove and a view of the mountains for 30 euros? It's a pity that you can't stay here for a week.
Zabljak
We spent the first day in Durmitor walking around the lakes: Zmeinoe, Barno and, of course, Chernoe. This really took all daylight, but it was very cool. Everywhere there is the smell of firewood - almost all of Montenegro is heated by stoves. True, there is nothing special to do in the evening: we go to a cafe, to a memorial (they have almost as many war memorials as we do), to the Church of the Transfiguration with a cemetery infested with huge snails, and sleep.
It took us more than one hour to get around the entire Black Lake.
We spent the second day in Durmitor on a hike to the Ice Cave. My husband, wearing sneakers, and I, wearing cheap sneakers, tried to tackle a not-so-easy hiking route. And they did it! We didn’t reach 300 meters because the entrance was blocked with snow, and climbing in the snow in sneakers was not an option. We returned back after lunch and decided that it was time to move to Pluzhin.
We didn't get to the Ice Cave, but it was one of the best hiking routes of my life
Ooh, this road. Gorgeous. Here we first truly felt the mountain serpentine. No, there were strong bends before, but here the road was without guardrails and narrower.
The road surface and the bends of the road are a little visible
But what a view awaited us at the entrance to Lake Piva! Homemade pancakes and coffee, a short walk, and a quick march to Niksic.
Friends said these were landscapes from Tolkien
Niksic
The day began in Durmitor and ended near Niksic, the road to which was suspiciously flat and straight. The city itself was not very impressive, so after looking at the fortress, brewery and local park, we rushed to Slansko Lake to spend the night with a tent.
Herceg Novi
From our overnight stay, we looked at Lake Krupachko and went to the Ostrog monastery in the rock, and then we were supposed to move towards Herceg Novi, but due to some work on the only highway we were allowed through only from 9 to 12 and from 14 to 16, and we arrived at about 10 o’clock. We had to turn around and finish our walk in Niksic. When they finally let us through, we drove all the way to Herceg Novi almost without stopping. We stopped only to climb the Upper Fortress, from which we finally saw the sea.
In Herceg Novi, we realized that the traffic had ended: the city was small and stretched far up the mountain. It’s scary to drive, the streets a little further from the shore are such that two cars can no longer pass, you have to back up into a sharp slope.
It is difficult to park near the shore. As a result, we ended up somewhere average height and went for a walk. Forte di Mare (2 euros for entry), the Bloody Tower (3 euros for entry) and the abandoned Spanish fort, which impressed the most. Of course, the clock tower, the square and a walk along the coast. It's just cold to swim.
The Spanish Fort has its own atmosphere
We've been walking around so much that it's time to put up a tent, but there are no flat areas. It’s too late to look for a hostel, so after wandering around for about an hour, we plucked up courage and approached to a local resident ask him to pitch a tent near his house on the lawn. He agreed and gave me some brandy to drink. Thank you, kind man!
Perast, Kotor
The next day the first swim happened. It was cool, only locals were at sea, there were practically no tourists, and the hotels were just getting ready for the season. After walking around the parks and embankment, we decided to move on. But first we will get to the border with Croatia. Just.
The next point is Perast. It was interesting to take a walk, but we were too lazy to go to the islands. By the way, you can’t go into the city by car, and they charged 3 euros for parking. If you drive through a city, which is tiny, and leave your car on the road, you can park for free.
The Bay of Kotor is not for swimming, as is hinted at by small concrete beaches and a bunch of boats, but the views there are amazing. Of course: a bay, which is hugged by mountains close to the water. True, in Kotor we were suddenly not happy about this fact. The city is probably 500 meters wide, and then the mountain. There was nowhere to pitch a tent at all, and hostels were a bit expensive. After walking around Kotor in the evening for a bit, we book a hostel in Dobrota for 20 euros and return there.
Well, I’m telling you, it’s wildly narrow!
Tivat, Lustica
The next day we climbed the Kotor Fortress, walked around the old town and went to Tivat, which turned out to be a fairly busy port. The mountains here are further from the sea, and parking was easier, but we didn’t stay there for long. On this day we had to go to the Island of Flowers, the Lustica Peninsula and get to Budva.
Even small area primers to the Island of Flowers are very decent
So, we will remember Lushtitsa for the fact that we ran into some men on an empty road, because the strip of asphalt was too narrow, and we were afraid to get off the dangerously low side of the road after the incident with the muffler. There wasn't much damage visible, and the men didn't make a fuss. And Lushtitsa is beautiful, with fishing villages and olive groves.
But that’s not all: having decided not to stay with a tent on Lustica, we flew with the hostel. We arrived in Budva, and there was no one in our hostel, neither guests nor owners. I had to sleep right next to this hostel in a tent. Oh, the downsides of online booking.
Budva
We spent two days in Budva, and it was the only city after Podgorica where there were a lot of cars and significant traffic. What's in season then? Both nights we stayed in a hostel, already a different one, 15 euros per night. Here we had a lot of shopping. We sailed to the island of St. Nicholas, wandered around the Citadella and the old town, and ate in cafes. For those looking for a cafe where the locals go, I recommend Verige. Everything is very simple, home-style, cheap and tasty, but far from the coast.
On the island of St. Nicholas there was very coarse imported gravel, at least wear coral
The next day we booked a full day excursion on the ship because I had a fixed idea: to visit blue cave, but I couldn’t find any locals who would take us there. It turned out to be beautiful, plus we did stop by the islands near Perast, but overall the day was sluggish. Still, organized excursions are not the same.
Cetinje
If we had not stopped in the old capital, I would have been upset, but I was even more upset because of the regular repair roads that we found ourselves on.
It seems that not only hotels, but also roads were prepared for the season in May
Because of them, we did not stop by the Kosmach fortress, which is a pity. We stayed in Cetinje for a short time, seeing the most important things, and from there we headed to Lovcen Park, for which, by the way, they also charge 2 euros for entry. Going up to the movzaleum, we learned that entrance there costs another 3 euros, but the view of the bay is very beautiful.
The road to Njeguša is like this in places, and if you also get into a cloud, it’s really fun
From the park we drove to the village of Njegusi, where they supposedly make the best prosciutto, but somehow the local merchants did not impress us, and after walking around a bit, we returned to the coast (after standing for another hour at yet another road works).
And again we wait until they let us through, and the most offensive thing is that it’s not even a collapse!
We approached St. Stephen, because mere mortals are not allowed to visit it, stopped in Petrovac with its shallow beach and strange red sand and rushed to Bar, where we spent the night in an unfinished building, which successfully protected from the rain that had begun.
Bar, Ulcinj
The new city didn’t impress us much, although we found somewhere to walk there, but the old Bar was something. After all the forts and fortresses of Montenegro, this was the cherry on the cake. They ask for only 2 euros for entry, considering that we spent 4 hours there.
A piece of the old bar
Now you need to get to Ulcinj, and here again is this striking contrast of the Bosnian side: a lot of people, narrow roads and busy traffic, just like in Beran or Rozaj. Due to the fact that the city is by the sea, there are even more people and noise, and there are fewer parking spaces. Old city turned into big cafe with barkers on every corner, but the sand on the beach is really fine, fine and dark.
In the evening we rent a room for the night on the same Booking.com for an unprecedented 10 euros, and the next day we will try to get to the nudist beach of Ada Boyana. It’s a pity, the weather is rainy, and there are no nudists, but they still paid 5 euros for entry - you need to see it.
Yes, yes, the color is like our earth, but it feels like the smallest soft sand
Skadar Lake
And here is the second one dangerous road: from Ulcinj to Skadar and along it. Before turning, we had to honk our horn (we spotted it from a local) so as not to inadvertently fly into someone, since visibility due to the rocks is zero. And this is at a speed of 50-60 km/h!
The road along Lake Skadar is not the widest, but what views
A few stops on the shore of the Lake itself, but without a boat excursion, and we are almost at Podgorica. There are many flat areas here, but everything is behind barbed wire. This time we ask you to pitch a tent on the lawn of an Albanian family, but no less hospitable than that Serbian.
Podgorica
The last day in Podgorica was lazy: it was raining, so we ate deliciously (in Montenegro there are very large portions of meat for a reasonable price), drank beer, and then slept in the car in a terrible thunderstorm. At 5 a.m. we had to return the car at the airport: the girl didn’t even check to see if anything had happened to it. Now you can breathe a sigh of relief and go home with a lot of impressions!
Every new tourist asks me the same question - What is the first thing you should see in Montenegro?
I always answer - Boka Kotor Bay. Causes:
1 - An incredibly beautiful combination of mountains and blue bay.
2 - Fresh seafood
3. Architecture from the Venetian era
4. Possibility of short hikes in the mountains, boat trips, yacht trips.Where to rent a car in Budva, Kotor, Tivat or Herceg Novi? I recommend using the service MyRentaCar or contact the guys from which - balkanets.com
I tried to briefly give recommendations on the route with links to old posts:
Tivat - Kotor - Prcanj - Stoliv - ferry Lepetane Kamenari - Herceg Novi - Risan - Perast
Route on the map. It may not be possible to see everything in 1 day. Then divide it into 2 days. 
TIVAT
I recommend starting the morning from the yacht marina Porto Montenegro. A leisurely stroll along the luxurious boats will give you the right energy for the whole day. If you want to know the history of the Tivat Bay, go to the Maritime Heritage Museum and the submarine "Hero" ()
Passing by a 5 star hotel Regent, you can take great photos for Instagram.
My obligatory ritual is a latte at a restaurant. Al Posto Giusto. Excellent European cuisine, there are light soups, salads, pizza and hot apple strudel with two scoops of vanilla ice cream! Also like the Lebanese restaurant nearby , It’s better to stop there for lunch, or order Lebanese coffee in cezve and cardamom, they will bring it with oriental sweets.
The Porto Montenegro promenade smoothly flows into the embankment Tivat - Pine. Here all year round the guy sells boiled corn and cotton candy, sometimes I turn on the child and buy it! And the other day the old sailing ship "Jadran" returned to Tivat, Tito himself sailed on it!
KOTOR
If you get to old Kotor at the same time as a couple of airliners, then you will want to hide like an ostrich away from the crowd of thousands.
And there is a wonderful path along the city; you can climb in three places near the bastions. The easiest and most understandable staircase is at the Cattaro Hotel and the Maximus disco ( on the map). The second entrance is at the Summer Theater at the River Gate -. The third staircase is located at the South Gate of Gurdich -. The trail is free, there are only a few people, the views are gorgeous!
You will look into the windows of the houses of ordinary residents, and not into restaurants... and take pictures of red roofs.
I have a couple of historical essays about Kotor - and.
PRČANJ
We parked the rented Skoda at the lighthouse to take a walk with our beloved Church of the Virgin Mary.
Oh, what a house and wisteria! All readers of my blog know that Prcanj is number 1 in the bay for me.
Read about the Church of the Virgin Mary and the town
Another 500 m ahead and we stop at a fish restaurant "Bokeshki gushti"
Surprisingly - a weekday in April, and two rows of tables are occupied
Behind you can see an abandoned sanatorium. This is why I love Prcanj - ancient architecture + silence
We order fried squid, beer and green salad
If you have a lot of time, just take a walk along the embankment, or climb to
Prcanj is followed by a town Stoliv. It seems nothing remarkable, but in the summer there is an excellent beach cafe and they bring in new pebbles, I recommend it! For easy hikes up the mountain, I recommend climbing into an abandoned village, views from Church of St. Elijah gorgeous, the climb up takes 20 minutes
People in Stoliv were already sunbathing in mid-April! In the bay, the beaches with equipment are all free; sunbeds are usually located opposite mini-hotels or near cafes.
VERIGE STRAIT- the narrowest part of the Bay of Kotor. From here two islands are visible - Our Lady of the Reef and St. George
View from there to the neighboring town of Igalo. There you can visit Tito’s Villa, tours are in Russian, 3 euros, all
In the center of the old city the Russian flag flies to this day!
The greenest and most flowery city by the sea is definitely Herceg Novi
What to see in the old town and surrounding area.
We parked the car just above the embankment and went down to Sea fortress and went for a walk along the sea
The photo shows a tunnel where in the 20th century a train ran towards Dubrovnik. And in the sea there are the remains of the Venetian Citadel, they have been there since the earthquake of 1979
Herceg Novi is a mixture of Yugoslav architecture, ancient fortresses and colorful houses, in contrast to the gray and formidable Kotor. If you have seen the city center on previous trips, then take a car to the border of two countries or to the village.
MORIN
This town is famous for the restaurant "Chatovicha Mlini". But I rarely go there, it’s very pretentious and expensive, although picturesque. I advise you to take a break in a cafe in the summer Tramontana, there is also an excellent beach with free sun loungers. In Morin, we slowed down for 5 minutes to sit on a bench overlooking the bay
RISAN
Tourists usually skip this city, but just look at the street paved with river pebbles! It is the oldest in Risan, they say it was built in the 12th century. It goes up from the market. Once upon a time they traded salt on it, which is why they called it Gabela (from Italian - excise duty on salt). On the sides of the street there are three dozen palaces, almost all abandoned. Unlike Kotor, Budva and Perast, this city fell under Ottoman rule for two centuries.
After walking 50 m along the Gabela, you will see an arch on the right, go to the abandoned Ivelich Palace- a family known in the Russian Empire, many were generals and captains. The most famous - Marko Ivelich came into the service of Count Orlov and became a senator of Russia.
The palace is abandoned, it seems that Polish archaeologists wanted to take it away and restore it, but fate has not yet... Nearby I noticed the doors to the neighboring house, the anchor speaks of the presence of a sailor
What else to see in Risan? In the center stands the Orthodox Church of St. Peter and Paul. It took almost 2 centuries to build, the last Italian architect died in the temple, part of the vault collapsed on him. The iconostasis was ordered in Russia, in the city of Kozlov, and the frames for the icons were made by Venetian craftsmen.
Walk for a couple more minutes and you will reach Roman mosaics from the 2nd century AD. Entrance is 3 euros, they give you a brochure in Russian about the attraction. Roman mosaics and ruins were discovered in 1930, this is the former villa of a noble citizen. There are currently 5 mosaics on display, and 2 more are being restored. I read in the news that soon it will be allowed to do weddings on Roman mosaics. You can get more information here - [email protected]
There is a beach in Risan, although it blooms in the second half of summer...
At the Church of St. Nicholas in the city center (1 euro) to see the roofs of the city
- Visit the city museum and find a picture of how Captain Marko Martinovich taught maritime science to the Russian boyars sent by Peter I. History says that out of 17 people, none of them began to work at sea, but this clearly prompted the Tsar Father to create his own Naval School, similar to Venetian or Dutch.
- Take a walk along the stairs across the city, you can climb to Orthodox Church, there beautiful views
The Perast Museum has several floors and rooms - sailors' clothing, weapons, medals and certificates, palace interior items.
Entrance - 2.5 euros. I liked the exhibition. But first, I advise you to read the book “The Second Blackamoor of Peter the Great” by Dmitry Chegodaev to get acquainted with historical characters and events
Here .
If you look closely at the manuscripts, they are made in Italian, 5 centuries under Venetian and Austrian rule in the Bay of Kotor official language was Italian. How they preserved Serbian today is a question... Either “thank you” to their parents, or because of the migration of people. I was told at the museum that all 12 noble families of Perast did not leave descendants in the 21st century; their palaces were either abandoned or sold to other people. Subsequently, Montenegrins and Herzegovinians descended from the mountains to the sea, introducing the Serbian language
You can see this life-size model of the bishop's palace, you can even get through the fence :)
The route along the Bay of Kotor can be easily divided into 2 days, and at peak summer season It’s better to leave after lunch so that there are no traffic jams near Kotor and leave cruise ships with tens of thousands of people
I’ll end the post with a colorful photo from Perast. It seems to me that the entire Bay of Kotor was created for Instagram and creative people. I wish you pleasant travels around the bay, it will be love at first sight!
Montenegro – small country by European standards, the population barely exceeds 600 thousand people and, with the help of a car, it is quite possible to travel around it in one day. Most tourists for these purposes rent a car upon arrival, or go on a trip to Montenegro in their own car. This is really very convenient, since your own transport gives you a lot of opportunities for self-guided tours, no time frame. But before you go on a trip, familiarize yourself with some of the nuances of traveling by car in this country.
If you are traveling by car
Traveling by car to Montenegro can be done along several routes. The shortest and most popular route lies through Hungary and Serbia, touching Ukraine and Romania along the way. But it is complicated, both administratively (police, visas, customs) and physically (narrow and winding roads). The second route runs through Finland and Germany, it is very long, so it is suitable only for residents of the northern part of Russia, but it is easier administratively. The best route is through the Czech Republic and Croatia. In addition, it can become an alternative for an independent motor rally in Europe.
To cross the border of Montenegro you will need to present an insurance policy (green card). If you do not have one, you can apply for it directly at the border checkpoint. Upon entry, you will also be charged an environmental fee of 10 euros. In addition, you must have your passport, driver's license and car documents with you. If you are a citizen of the Russian Federation, then you are allowed visa-free entry into the country for 30 days.
If you rent a car
If you went to Montenegro by plane, you can immediately rent a car upon arrival, right at the airport. There are only 2 airports in the country: in Podgorica and Tivat. The airport in Podgorica is considered the main one and better equipped than the airport in Tivat, but for some reason all charters fly to the second one. Therefore, more than 80% of clients rent a car in Tivat, where they then return it. You can rent a car in advance via the Internet, for example on the website auto-travel.me, or upon arrival at any big city. Both local firms and international rental companies operate here. To use this service you must be over 21 years old, have at least 2 years of driving experience and have a deposit of 150-300 euros. It is most profitable to rent a car for a period of at least 7 days. Gasoline is not included in the rental price; you must purchase it at your own expense.
Traffic situation
The vast majority of roads in Montenegro are not in ideal condition, although the surface on the mountain strips is good and there are clear markings. A prerequisite for a road trip will be to stock up on a navigator and maps, since sometimes there are no nameplates on the streets, as well as some road signs.
There are several expressways in Montenegro: highway E65/E80, passing through Adriatic coast and the central part of the country; highway E763, running through northern part countries; highway E76, stretching from southeast to northwest.
Speed limits are as follows: traffic in a populated area should not exceed 40 km/h, outside residential area– 80 km/h, on the highway -100 km/h (if there is a trailer – 80 km/h).
Almost no one breaks the speed limit in Montenegro, but you still have to be vigilant on the road, since a foreign country has its own traffic regulations. Here are the most important of them:
- No international driver's license required
In accordance with Article 176 of the Law of Montenegro “On Security traffic", which came into force in January 2013, citizens of the Russian Federation and CIS countries have the right to drive a car in Montenegro with only a valid national driver's license.
- The permitted alcohol content in the body is 0.3 ppm
The Montenegro police jealously enforce this rule and do not give drivers any concessions. For example, for 100 vodka you can be fined 2000 euros or imprisoned for 2 months.
- The low beam headlights must work continuously
For violation or any other malfunction of the light alarm, a fine of up to 80 euros.
- A car on a roundabout has priority over cars entering the circle.
Be especially careful before entering the roundabout, as even local drivers sometimes neglect this rule.
- Traffic lights with additional section
An additional section is a green traffic light with an arrow. If it lights up, it means it allows movement in the indicated direction.
- Features of traffic control at a pedestrian crossing
If the traffic light with an arrow turns green and you start moving in the direction, and in front of you is a zebra crossing with pedestrians walking along it, then let them pass, since they are also going green, and you are obliged to stop.
Law enforcement officers in Montenegro are respected and deservedly so. The police here are strict, there is no point in arguing or arguing with them. But you shouldn’t be afraid to meet one, since patrols are mainly located in those places where traffic violations most often occur, leading to accidents. Therefore, the police are most often located in populated areas, on dangerous road sections, on bridges, and much less often on highways, where they monitor speeding outside residential areas.
There are no regular police posts in the country; all control is carried out by mobile patrol forces.
How to find housing
It’s better to look for housing via the Internet, because just imagine: you have suitcases in your hands, a metered taxi is waiting for you, it’s hot outside, everyone is swimming, and you’re walking along unknown alleys and considering options. It’s another thing, sitting at home, in advance, finding and evaluating 50 options in one hour. In the same time, you will only have time to consider 3 offers.
This is, firstly, and secondly - all the best, most interesting, cheapest and not far from the sea accommodation options are booked in advance, as a rule, 3-5 months before the start of the summer season.
Therefore, if you come to Montenegro without pre-selected apartments, then you will have to be content with what more efficient tourists refused.
Therefore, look for accommodation in advance via the Internet. There are many sites with good offers, but there is a high risk of running into an intermediary. You can ask your friends who have already vacationed in Montenegro, perhaps they still have contacts of the owners of the villas. But no matter what measures you take, know that even if you find the phone numbers of the owners of the apartments, it is not a fact that they will offer you a price lower than the intermediaries. After all, there are different intermediaries: some buy in bulk and cheaper, some know how to find inexpensive and comfortable apartments, some have well-established contacts with home owners. Therefore, carry out your search in all directions - directly, through intermediaries, and through travel agencies. Compare prices, you might get lucky. You can take advantage of the largest database of private apartments in Montenegro through the portal www.chernogoriya-club.ru.
Resorts of Montenegro
Montenegro is rich in its attractions. Moreover, these are not only cultural and historical monuments, but also unique, pristine nature. Here is the main list of resorts, after reading which you will already have an idea of what to expect:
- Budva, Petrovac, Rafailovici, Becici - the center of tourism in Montenegro. The largest concentration of tourists, hotels, discos, shops, entertainment and other related services. Almost all Russian excursion programs originate from here. Extensive sand and pebble beaches.
- Bar, Tivat, Shushan, Sveti Stefan, Jaz, Dobra Vody, Canj, Sutomore — a lot of tourists (mostly Serbs) and little tourist infrastructure. At their core, these are villages on the coasts. The only exceptions are Bar and Tivat, which by local standards are major cities, the rest settlements just a place for have a relaxing holiday. Chan, in general, is a children's sea camp. The beaches here are narrow and small, pebble and stone, but very beautiful.
- Boka Kotor Bay (Perast, Kotor, Herceg Novi, Prcanj, etc.) - a corner of Europe. There are few tourists, the infrastructure is undeveloped. But there are many ancient buildings, ancient churches, stone streets, monuments and attractions. Ideal place For cultural recreation. There are no equipped beaches; people enter the water from stone embankments.
- Ulcinj, Velika Plaza - Albanian-Muslim region of Montenegro, where there are: alarm bells, minarets, turbans, an incomprehensible language and... a specific mentality. Ulcinj is a city, Velika Plaža is a huge beach next door, 13 km long. The beach is sandy and black. The bottom of the sea is flat, like the shore, the water is waist-deep at a distance of up to 50 meters from the coast. There are enough tourists, besides Russians, the infrastructure is developed. Kitesurfing is available.
By and large, this is the basic information that you should know before traveling to Montenegro. Have pleasant impressions of this country!
Ideally, use this route (it is based on one of the most popular excursions in Montenegro Maxi Montenegro tour (Cetina+Lovcen+Njegusi) :
If Google maps or the navigator refuses to lay out the route Lovcen - Kotor, then build the route in parts. There is a road Kotor - Lovcen good quality and very interesting. Above Kotor there is a serpentine road of 26 loops, the road is narrow, and sometimes it is difficult to pass oncoming cars. But nevertheless, this does not prevent big people from traveling there. excursion buses. Drive boldly, but take your time, drive carefully.
The route is very interesting, the road is not annoying. Very beautiful views of the Budva Riviera. In 2017, the road above Budva was repaired; the Budva-Cetinje section is in excellent condition. There are many viewing platforms along the road above Budva. And the views that open here over the entire Budva Riviera are some of the best in Montenegro.
Excellent viewing platform with gorgeous views of the entire Budva Riviera Cetinje- small cute town, cultural capital Montenegro, but there is nothing particularly interesting there. Several museums, temples. It's nice to stroll along its neat streets and plunge into its cozy atmosphere. It's quiet and peaceful here. You can sit in one of the cafes in the center, eat or order ice cream, drink coffee.
You can park your car in a large free parking lot in the central part of the city. Free parking in the center (42.38713, 18.92652)
Such cars can be found there in Montenegro 
Nice church in Cetinje 
Construction in Cetinje, one of the museums 
One of the houses in the center of Cetinje 
Central street of Cetinje 
Building in the center of Cetinje 
Very nice square in Cetinje
To Mount Lovcen(coordinates: 42.399902, 18.837514) , to the Njegos mausoleum from Cetinje there is a very pleasant, high-quality road through Lovcen park. There are very few oncoming cars, and actually passing cars. Open the windows, enjoy nature, and breathe in the beautiful fresh mountain air! This national park, local cars rarely drive here, mainly on weekends. The main road Kotor - Cetinje runs to the side. Not far from the mausoleum there is a fork where you can turn towards the city of KOTOR. That is, there are 2 roads leading to the mausoleum - from Cetinje and from Kotor. In front of the mausoleum there is free parking (coordinates: 42.398000, 18.840162). It is not big, but when there is no space, cars just line up along the road. Entrance to the mausoleum itself costs a few euros; behind the mausoleum there is Observation deck, which overlooks the Bay of Kotor. If the weather is clear, you will see the whole of Montenegro from the top point! We weren’t very lucky with clear weather, but overall we really liked the views, and it wasn’t hot, that’s also a plus! 
Next we headed towards Kotor. The view of Kotor from the top of the serpentine is simple, a b a l d e n y!!! It is something! Can't express it in words, photos or videos! Highly recommend (again better in clear weather)!
HERE . Coordinates: 42.40086, 18.7935. Admission is free - don't take pictures - I don't want to! When we were at this site, thunder was also roaring (a little audible in the video). For those who do not have much driving experience, the serpentine road will not be comfortable, and in some places, perhaps even scary (see the end of the video). The road is very narrow in places. But there are a lot of such roads in Montenegro - this is the road to the Ostrog monastery, and along Lake Skadar, and to the Crnojevica River.
I wrote about this viewpoint in the article .
In my opinion, this is one of the most interesting places in Montenegro!
Overall, I really liked the route. If you are by car, I highly recommend taking this route! You are guaranteed a lot of positive impressions! In my opinion, this is one of the main routes that are a must for exploring Montenegro!
You can also go in the opposite direction: Kotor - Lovcen - Cetinje - Budva. But it was the first option Budva - Cetinje - Lovcen - Kotor that I liked more.
Our video. How we climbed by car from Kotor to this viewpoint: