Montenegro Holidays: From Idyll to Adventure
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Bečići Beach. Image: Deposit PhotosThere are Montenegro holidays to suit almost everyone.
Are you dreaming of lazy days on the beach, a luxurious hotel, strolls through ivy-covered old towns and long, wine-soaked dinners by the sea?
Or maybe your ideal holiday is an action-packed adventure that includes discovering off-the-beaten-track sights, lots of activities and rustic accommodation.
How about a stress-free holiday where you can disconnect from the world and spend time reconnecting with your family?
Or maybe you love something like hiking, horse-riding or yoga, and want to spend your whole holiday doing it.
Why not trade your usual seaside holiday for a family vacation full of fun activities and exciting adventures?
Whatever your dream, Montenegro's varied landscapes make the perfect backdrop for all kinds of holidays.
Top Tips For Perfect Montenegro Holidays
- Choose Your Destination/s - the regions of Montenegro, especially along the coast, are very different. Researching each will help you choose the perfect place, or places, for you
- Choose Your Season - July and August are the hottest and busiest months in Montenegro and there's a lot of traffic on the roads. May, June, September and October are also great months for holidaying in Montenegro and offer a more relaxed vibe
- Book Early - book your accommodation and tours early. Most people want nice accommodation within walking distance of restaurants and these start getting booked in January for the coming summer. Many tours and activities aren't available every day. Try to book as early as you can!
- Hire a Car - if you want to go sightseeing around Montenegro, hiring a car is the easiest way to do it
- Fly into Montenegro - if you're flying to Montenegro try to fly into either Tivat airport, on the coast, or Podgorica airport, in the capital. You can also fly into Dubrovnik airport in Croatia, but you might have long waits at the border crossing, especially in July and August. Click here to read more about the Montenegro - Croatia border
- Beware! - beware of automatically-generated itineraries. These itineraries are created by an algorithm, not a person who knows Montenegro, and they'll ruin your holiday. I've seen itineraries that recommend five days in Podgorica for families (great if you love hearing "I'm boooored"), tell you you can drive to the Blue Cave (not without an amphibious car) and send you to Kotor old town on three separate occasions to visit one attraction each time (what a waste of time!)
Below you'll find lots of Montenegro holidays to choose from. These are either crafted and run by local tour operators who live in Montenegro and responsible companies who are known for offering quality holidays.
The hardest part might be choosing one!
Quick Links
DIY Montenegro Holidays
Planning and booking every detail of your trip is a sure-fire way to get exactly what you want.
And it's pretty easy!
You research the different regions of Montenegro, decide where you want to stay, choose your flights, accommodation and rental car or transfers.
And voila!
Free Montenegro vacation guideIf you’re prepared to spend a little time, this could help you find your dream trip for a lot less that what you might think.
Searching and booking your own flights and accommodation will give you a lot more choice than you’d have with your local travel agent or package holiday company, and it’ll allow you to find cheaper and better options.
For example, there are three convenient airports you can use: Tivat, Podgorica and Dubrovnik in Croatia. One travel hack when looking for flights to Montenegro is to check the flights flying into one airport and out of another. For example, you might fly into Tivat airport and out of Podgorica. You can usually collect your rental car in one Montenegrin airport and drop it off at another. However, you can't pick up a car in Montenegro and drop it off in Croatia without paying a cross-border fee, so if you fly into Tivat and out of Dubrovnik, you'll need to book a transfer to take you to Dubrovnik.
Why not skip the hotels and stay in your own villa or apartment overlooking the sea? You'll have the convenience of a kitchen, which is especially good when you're travelling kids and don't want to eat in restaurants all the time. And you'll have communal spaces like lounges, terraces and barbecue areas where your whole family can relax together.
And if you want a rental car during your stay, you must see this page about rental cars and where to find the best and cheapest car hire in Montenegro.
If this sounds like you, the Montenegro Pulse vacation booking guide will help you book your own trip in a few easy steps.
Package Holidays
There are lots of advantages to booking package holidays:
- You can book your flights, hotel and transfers all with one company
- You can secure your booking with a small deposit and pay the balance two to three months from your departure
- Some companies let kids stay free
- You get ATOL protection, meaning you're covered if the company gets into financial trouble while you're away. The collapse of Thomas Cook is the most recent example of this and it was thanks to ATOL protection that all their customers got back home again
- The tour operator makes sure the hotels are good quality
- Some have onsite reps in case you need anything
- On group tours all the accommodation and activities are arranged for you
- As part of a group you might get to do tours or pricing that you wouldn't be able to get on your own
There are several companies that have a good range of Montenegro holidays from the UK:
- Jet2 Holidays - Jet2 Holidays offer holidays from around the UK and Ireland. They have a large range of three to five star hotels on offer, mostly beach resorts.
- Balkan Holidays - Balkan Holidays has been offering holidays in the Balkans from the UK since 1966. They have a wide range of accommodation to choose from and no one is more experienced with holidays here.
- Tui - Tui has a smaller range of accommodation, but it covers the main resorts and Ulcinj, which Jet2 and Balkan Holidays don't... yet.
Montenegro Beach Holidays
Hotel Forza Mare in the Bay of KotorWith just under 300km (183mi) of coastline and hot, sunny weather, Montenegro is a fantastic destination for a beach holiday.
The most popular beaches are on the Budva Riviera, but the Bay of Kotor's little pebble beaches and boutique seaside hotels also make it an idyllic destination for a beach holiday. On the south coast, Bar and Ulcinj offer a more authentic experience.
You'll find large resorts, boutique hotels and lots of self-catering apartments and villas, all with fabulous sea views.
Tours Around Montenegro
Want to see some of that stunning beauty that’s featured on all the photos and videos of Montenegro you’ve seen?
Just take a look at this video to see what I mean.
Inspired?
Then you’ll want to do a bit of tour around the country. With Montenegro being such a small country, you can easily get around it in a few days to a week, depending on how much you want to see.
Some of Montenegro’s most iconic photos are taken in the five national parks that are dotted around the country. Not only do these locations offer you spectacular natural scenery, they also offer a plethora of outdoor activities and an insight into local culture.
There are three ways to do a tour around the country:
- Private guided tour
- Group tour
- Self-drive tour
Private Guided Tour
Fun, local guide Mladen with his happy guestOn a guided tour, you’ll have a private guide who designs an itinerary for you and chauffeurs you throughout your holiday. Your guide will be with you as much as you want him or her to be, and will give you private tours of attractions like Kotor old town, Cetinje and Ostrog Monastery.
A guided tour is the best way to get an in-depth experience in Montenegro. Guides are extremely knowledgeable about the history and culture of the whole country, and they can explain the regional culture, traditions, history and food throughout your stay. They also know plenty of off-the-beaten-track gems and will happily take you to them.
Group Tours
On group tours you join other travellers and travel around the country in a coach with a guide. This is one of the most effortless and cost-effective ways to travel.
There are some pros and cons to booking group tours, and people tend to either love them or hate them.
Pros:
- You have a complete itinerary, so you don’t have to think about anything
- You travel with others, which means you’ll invariably meet new people and make new friends
- You get the benefits of travelling with a guide, but since you’re in a larger group it’s much cheaper than travelling with a private guide
- You get the benefit of group discounts on tours, attractions and meals
- You can do some fantastic excursions, like lunch on private beaches, which independent travellers don’t have access to
- You can combine Montenegro with nearby countries like Greece and Croatia
- Great for solo travellers
Cons:
- The itinerary is set and there’s no flexibility, so you might not get to see everything you hoped to
- You travel with others and there might be people you don’t like
- It can be hard to visit small attractions in big groups
If you’re interested in group tours, there are two places that have some really great Montenegro holidays on offer:
Tour Radar
Tour Radar has a large selection of diverse group tours that include Montenegro, Croatia and other Balkan countries like Serbia and Macedonia.
The tours are run by local tour operators and special interest tour operators who specialise in a particular activity or the Balkan region, which means you’re getting knowledgeable guides and excellent itineraries.
You can choose from sightseeing tours, cycling tours, walking tours, sailing tours, gastronomy tours and the list goes on. Because they’re group tours, they’re much cheaper than tours with a private guide.
Self-Drive Tour Around Montenegro
A self-drive tour also takes you around the country, but without the guide. You’ll do your own trip planning, hire a car and visit the different parts of Montenegro on your own. This means you have lots of flexibility to stop wherever you like and can stay in unique places like Etno Selo Izlazak or OK Koral Glamping.
You'll also get to see how incredibly beautiful and diverse Montenegro is.
Biogradska Gora National Park
Budva
Pavlova StranaImage: Deposit photos
If this sounds like your dream Montenegro trip, here's a done-for-you self-drive holiday itinerary that you can copy or customise if you wish. You can also download a copy to bring with you.
Adventure Holidays
Do you think of yourself as a thrill-seeker? Is your ideal holiday jam-packed with outdoor activities? Do you have kids?
Montenegro is an outdoor adventure lover’s paradise and there are so many ways to enjoy Montenegro’s fabulous climate and natural beauty.
While you'd be forgiven for thinking adventure holidays are just for extreme thrill-seekers, there are adventure holidays for just about everyone, including families. These combine fun activities like rafting, canyoning, hiking, boat trips and wild swimming with wine tasting, sedate biking and farm visits to give you the perfect combination of adventure, culture and rest.
Why not forgo the usual beach holiday this year and embark on adventure you'll never forget? Or better yet, do both!
Here's a list of adventure holidays with reliable, local tour operators. You'll find itineraries from two to seven days and most of them are customisable.
Let the adventure begin!
2 Day Activity Break
A three day, two night guided tour that takes you through some of north Montenegro's most dramatic scenery. The tour includes rafting in the Tara Canyon, hiking around Piva Lake and lake cruise. It also includes all your meals, accommodation, and transfers from the Bay of Kotor.
2 Day Adrenaline Break
A two day, one night tour for adrenaline junkies. You're thrown in the deep end on the first day with a canyoning tour through Nevidio Canyon. The second day takes you to the deepest canyon in Europe and whitewater rafting through the rapids before you return to the Bay of Kotor.
3 Day Active Break
This three day, two night casual tour that takes you to explore some of Montenegro's most beautiful scenery. You'll go rafting in the Tara Canyon, go on two guided hikes and a lake cruise. You'll also experience true Montenegrin culture when you stay in an ethno village and try Montenegrin specialty food and drinks.
3 Day Adrenaline Plus Break
3 Day Adventure Break
The three day, two night Adventure Break includes rafting in Tara Canyon, a hike and canyoning in Nevidio Canyon. You've got adventure and relaxation all in one trip! You'll also see this beautiful region of Montenegro that hasn't been discovered by the masses yet.
3 Day Hiking Break
Keen to do some hiking through Montenegro's wild mountains? This trip takes you to some of the most stunning scenery around Durmitor National Park. The tour includes three guided hikes and a lake cruise, as well as your meals, accommodation and return transfers from Kotor Bay.
Montenegro Adventure Holiday
This is a seven day tour for people who hate lying on the beach doing nothing. This action-packed tour includes hiking, rafting, a gastronomy tour, fishing, a boat cruise and cultural experiences. You'll really get to know Montenegro and see some of the most stunning scenery in north Montenegro.
Active Family Montenegro Holiday
This is a seven day holiday for families looking for something extraordinary. The holiday includes rafting, canyoning, hiking, swimming, a lake cruise, kayaking, a ropes course and ziplining!
This is a holiday your family will never forget!
Bespoke Activity Holidays
Get a bespoke, guided holiday with tonnes of fun activities included. A Montenegrin travel expert, who specialises in outdoor and adventure holidays can help you plan the perfect trip to Montenegro. This is perfect for couples, families and groups wanting to explore Montenegro's natural wonders.
Lake Skadar Active Villa Holiday
A seven day villa holiday that includes activities for the whole family like kayaking, hiking and wine tasting. These holidays are fully customisable.
Hiking Holidays
Lake Skadar Hiking Holiday
This is a seven day villa based on stunning Lake Skadar. The holiday includes villa accommodation and four guided hiking tours. The lake is the perfect place to get outdoors and you can add biking, kayaking, boat tours and wine-tasting to your trip.
Kayaking Holidays
Lake Skadar Kayaking Holiday
The Skadar Lake Kayaking Holiday is a seven day villa holiday with four guided kayaking tours included. You'll be able to spot rare wildlife at one of Europe's most important wildlife refuges, visit freshwater beaches and island monasteries.
Yoga Holidays in Montenegro
The only yoga retreat of its kind in Montenegro. This is a seven day villa holiday with daily yoga classes and a host of other fun activities like kayaking and wine tasting tours. It's held just once a year and places fill fast.
Bird Watching Holidays
Montenegro Bird Watching Holiday
Montenegro's Lake Skadar is home to over 280 bird species - one of the most diverse places in Europe. This holiday is for bird enthusiasts and it's led by Montenegro's leading ornithologist. As well as Lake Skadar, you'll head into the north of Montenegro to see more rare bird species.
Fitness Holidays
Fitcamp Montenegro
Explore Montenegro's rugged mountains in the north and gorgeous beaches in the south while incorporating workouts into a pre-planned daily itinerary. FitCamp Montenegro offers customisable fitness holidays around Montenegro.
As you can see, there are so many ways to find your perfect Montenegro holiday… go forth and explore.
I'll see you in Montenegro!
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