Montenegro Travel Guide: A Road Trip Itinerary!
Montenegro is a fantastic country to travel and especially for road trips! Therefore, in the last few years it became more and more interesting for travelers from all over the world. With an outstanding coast, picturesque old towns, stunning canyons, huge lakes and beautiful mountains, there are so many things to do in Montenegro and incredible beautiful places to explore. The prices are still moderate and the country is very safe. It’s the best to visit Montenegro by a road trip: Especially driving in Montenegro is safe, the streets are good and you are independent when you are traveling around by car.
At the end of this Montenegro itinerary, you will find some helpful insider tips! So let’s explore Montenegro by car! Here is our itinerary for a perfect road trip to the best attractions and beaches in Montenegro:
Montenegro Road Trip Itinerary – Coastal Region
Herceg Novi
Herceg Novi was our first stop of our Montenegro road trip. It’s a lovely and picturesque little coastal town located near Dubrovnik. After a long drive through Croatia, we spent a few hours there to relax and get some first impressions of Montenegro. We had a delicious coffee in the old main square, and after we took some time to explore the old town with its stunning old city walls.
Tip: Check out Things to do in Herceg Novi for more information about visiting this lovely town!
Perast
For the night, we went further to Perast. Perast is a cute old coastal town – with a lot of charm, some nice seaside restaurants and the wonderful view of the two famous islets, the Gospa od Škrpjela – Our Lady of the Rock and the island St. Georges. The picturesque island Gospa od Škrpjela is accessible by taxi boat from Perast, and definitely worth a visit! If you are looking for a wonderful place to stay, you should definitely check out the Monte Bay Retreat Hotel. It is situated in the hills above Perast and offers absolutely incredible views of Perast!
Peninsula Lustica
Our next stop was the beautiful peninsula Lustica. Lustica has some nice sandy beaches, and it is furthermore a fantastic starting point for excursions. From there we went to Kotor, Tivat, Cetinje and the Lovcen National Park. At Lustica you will find some great apartments for rent – we decided on a typical stone house for the next days.
Kotor & Kotor Bay
Kotor in Montenegro is a must-see. There are plenty of hidden gems to discover. You can wander around for hours and soak in the remarkable atmosphere. Kotor is a UNESCO World Heritage Site – and a very popular place in Montenegro – there a lots of tourists around in summertime. Best you explore the city in the early morning or in the evening, when the cruise ship tourists are back to their boats! The best viewpoint on Kotor Bay we found while driving by car on the road to Cetinje (road P1) – the scenery was just breathtaking. Actually, staying in Kotor for one or two nights is a great idea to get to know this lovely town.
Cetinje & Lovcen National Park
Cetinje is the old royal capital – it’s perfect to escape the tourist crowds and to get a more authentic Montenegro impression. The monastery is definitely lovely! We also highly recommend the Lovcen National Park with the stunning Njegos Mausoleum – which gives a fantastic photo spot!
“The most beautiful contact between the earth and sea took place at the Montenegrin littoral” (Lord Byron)
Tivat
Near Kotor there is another top place you shouldn’t miss – Tivat with its Porto Montenegro. It’s a new and modern marina for luxury yachts – and now one of the hottest tourist spots in Montenegro. Cool place for a quick stop over!
Sveti Stefan
After some exciting days, we left Lustica and drove in the direction Buljarica Beach, there we stayed for the next week to do some sunbathing and explore the surrounded area. Buljarica is not far from Budva, Sveti Stefan, Bar and Skadar Lake – so a great option to stay. For the evening, you should go to Petrovac, there you will find plenty of restaurants, ice cream shops and bars.
Sveti Stefan, which is also located next to the coastal road, probably gives one of the most famous photo motifs of Montenegro. Today, the island is home to a luxury resort – but there is a possibility to visit the beach. You have to know that the beach on the left side is for free – the beach on the right side is private, and you pay 50 Euros per person. One of the best views of Sveti Stefan offers the Hotel Adrovic!
Queens Beach and Sveti Stefan beach: This outstanding places definitely belong to the most beautiful beaches in Montenegro.
Budva
Budva is absolutely a hot spot for Russian Tourists – there are lots of luxury locations! The old town is more than charming and lots of beautiful beaches are in walking distance. If you take the coastal road you will get an incredible view down to the city. Here, is more about the best things to do in Budva!
Stari Bar
If you have some time left, you should definitely visit Stari Bar – a picturesque ruin city. Take some time to walk around, the location is wonderful calm and beautiful. Cheap and convenient parking is available if you come by car.
Montenegro Road Trip – Northern Mountainous Region
Lake Skadar
On the last day in Buljarica we decided to visit Lake Skadar. It’s the largest lake in Southern Europe and if you are lucky, you can even see pelicans there. The most beautiful postcard view you will get at the Pavlova Strana viewpoint – a mind blowing place! You have to go to this beautiful place by car or by boat from Virpazar to Rijeka Crnojevica – from there it is 3.5 km to the viewpoint.
Driving by car is definitely the best possibility to explore this wonderful part of the lake. Then you will have the chance to stop at all the outstanding viewpoints and nature places. Visiting Lake Skadar and enjoying the incredible, beautiful landscapes is definitely one of the top highlights when you are on a road trip through Montenegro.
Moraca River Canyon
After two exciting weeks of exploring the coast, we headed off to the north, to Biogradska Gora and to the Durmitor National Park. The road is just amazingly beautiful. On the way, we passed the breathtaking Moraca Canyon and had a short stop visiting the Moraca Monastery. After 2.5 hours of driving by car, we arrived in Kolasin, where we stayed one night in a really comfortable and lovely apartment.
Biogradska Gora National Park – Kolasin
The next day we did a fantastic hiking tour inside the Biogradska Gora National Park. There is a wonderful hiking trail – 3 hours, starting at the Biogradska Lake (Biogradsko Jezero). On the top you will have a fantastic view to the black lake and the strudl at the mountain hut was just amazing. The Biogradska Gora National Park is one of the oldest virgin forests in Europe – and home to a huge diversity of fauna and flora.
The best place to stay for the night is Kolasin.
Tara River Canyon
The next day we went to Zabljak and next to the road you are going to find one of the world deepest canyons – the Tara Canyon – sure you can’t miss it. Rafting tours along the Tara River is one of the country’s most popular tourist activities. There are lots of nice places along the picturesque turquoise Tara River to take some break and to do great pics. Also beautiful is The Monastery of the Holy Trinity of Pljevlja – which is about 37 km from the Tara Canyon Bridge.
Durmitor National Park – Zabljak
Durmitor National Park has fantastic mountains for hiking and in the winter, it’s a popular ski area! It’s a real paradise for mountain-lovers and the nature has an incredible diversity. We loved the incredible Crno Jezero (Black Lake), it’s the largest and most visited part of the Durmitor National Park. We wished we had more time to explore this area – Durmitor National Park is a highlight of any road trip in Montenegro! If you would love staying longer in this area just check out the Hotel Soa, which is located very central.
Ostrog Monastery
Visiting the monastery was our last stop on our Montenegro road trip . The Ostrog Monastery is the most popular pilgrim site of Montenegro. It’s built into rocky mountain cliffs, which gives an unforgettable impression. This place is really worth a visit and for sure one of the best things to see in Montenegro!
Driving in Montenegro
If you are planning a holiday in Montenegro and you would like to do lots of sightseeing, we recommend exploring the country by car. However, if you go by your own car or if you hire one in any case you will be much more flexible. The streets are well maintained, and the traffic isn’t that busy. At least one week or better more should be planned for visiting all the wonderful places and sights. Our tip: Rent your car in advanced and compare the prices! To be on the safe side, don’t forget to book a car insurance! Check out “Montenegro driving tips” for more information, and don’t miss reading this inspiring travel quotes for your next trip!
Read more about Montenegro:
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Top 7 Beaches in Montenegro
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Lake Skadar – Visiting Monenegro`s nature juwel
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Bay of Kotor – a holiday travel guide
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12 Best Things to Do in Montenegro
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Sveti Stefan, Montenegro: Attractions & Beaches
Road trip itinerary Montenegro – Insider Tips
- Driving in Montenegro: If you are planning a journey, you should hire a car, you will be much more flexible. The streets are well maintained and the traffic isn`t that bussy.
- Where to stay: Montenegro has a wide range of apartments for rent – so that’s a fantastic budget option. Also you will find lots of luxury hotels!
- Skadar Lake: If you are looking for the famous instagram motif of Skadar Lake – don`t do the boat trip at Hotel Pelikan (Virpazar) – you have to go there by car. Arriving in Virpazar you have to turn left, take the road to Rijeka Crnojevića – boat trips are also offered there and it’s much more beautiful. (24 km – 50 min). The road is really impressive and there are lots of fantastic viewpoints.
- What to wear: Note that in the North it’s much colder than in the South, even in June we found some snow on the mountains. So don`t forget to take some warm clothes with you.
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