Montenegro is one of Europe’s most exciting destinations for travellers looking for beautiful scenery, excellent hotels and somewhere that still feels a little different.
Its dramatic mountains seem to rise directly from the Adriatic, with historic waterfront towns, beautiful bays, marinas and winding coastal roads creating some extraordinary scenery.
And while Montenegro has become increasingly well known for its luxury hotels, it hasn’t lost the character that makes it so appealing.
We particularly like the idea of staying around Tivat and the Bay of Kotor, where you can enjoy beautiful waterfront accommodation while having plenty to explore nearby.
It’s a destination that works brilliantly on its own, but also combines naturally with neighbouring Croatia.
When planning a Montenegro holiday, we would begin with the setting you want around your hotel. A marina base with restaurants nearby offers a different rhythm from a resort where you expect to spend much of the day enjoying the facilities.
Our starting point would be the balance between relaxing and exploring. You might want a boat outing and a few historical visits, or prefer a more active stay with time outdoors. There is no need to fit every possibility into one trip.
We would also look carefully at the journeys between places. A compact country can still involve winding roads and busy coastal stretches, so a comfortable base and a manageable programme make a difference.
For a holiday that includes Croatia, the transfer deserves its own place in the plans. Giving the border crossing enough time helps the change from one destination to the next feel relaxed, with space to enjoy the places you have chosen.
What makes Montenegro interesting is how much variety it offers within a relatively compact area.
You can spend the morning exploring a historic town, enjoy lunch overlooking the water, take a boat across the bay and return to a beautiful hotel for the evening.
There are mountains, villages, beaches, marinas and historic settlements, all within reach of one another.
And the luxury hotel scene has developed enormously.
Properties such as One&Only Portonovi and SIRO Boka Place offer two quite different approaches to a Montenegro holiday.
One is about refined waterfront luxury and relaxation.
The other combines contemporary design, wellbeing and a more active lifestyle.
Both make excellent bases for exploring.
Because it offers a wonderful combination of natural beauty, excellent hotels and places to explore.
You can enjoy waterfront luxury at One&Only Portonovi, the contemporary wellbeing atmosphere of SIRO Boka Place, beautiful marina restaurants in Tivat and historic towns around the Bay of Kotor.
Add spectacular mountain scenery, boat trips and the possibility of combining it with Dubrovnik, and Montenegro becomes much more than simply another European beach destination.
It’s somewhere we’d encourage you to discover before everyone else does.
For us, the most appealing balance is a comfortable place to stay and enough freedom to enjoy what lies around it. A few worthwhile outings can give the holiday variety, while leaving room for quieter days beside the bay.
Kotor is a rewarding place to step away from the waterfront and explore on foot. Its narrow streets, historical buildings and squares offer plenty to notice when you leave enough time to wander.
We would choose a manageable visit rather than hurry through on the way to several other stops. A guide can provide context if the history interests you, while an unplanned break gives you space to enjoy the atmosphere.
Consider the timing of the outing alongside the journey from your hotel. A relaxed start and room for lunch can make the visit feel like a holiday in its own right, with time to enjoy the town between its best known sights.
A boat outing can help you appreciate the Bay of Kotor from a different perspective. The relationship between the water, mountains and settlements becomes part of the experience, rather than simply a backdrop to a road journey.
We would choose the route and style of boat around your interests, allowing enough time to enjoy the scenery without trying to reach every corner of the bay. A stop for a walk or lunch may be a worthwhile part of the day.
Check the arrangements and conditions before setting out, then leave the rest of the programme relaxed. Time on the water works well when there is no pressure to rush straight into another activity.
Porto Montenegro offers a straightforward way to enjoy a change of scene from your hotel. Spend some time beside the marina, explore the waterfront and choose somewhere appealing for a drink or dinner.
We would leave the evening flexible rather than fill it with arrangements. A leisurely meal and a walk can be enough, especially after a day exploring further around the bay.
The location of your accommodation makes a difference to how easily this fits into the stay. If heading out regularly is important, we would consider the journey as carefully as the hotel facilities. Having an enjoyable evening within comfortable reach can become one of the simple pleasures of the holiday.
For travellers who enjoy being active, Montenegro offers the chance to keep some movement in the day while still enjoying a comfortable hotel stay. Choose activities you look forward to rather than feeling that every morning needs a demanding programme.
We would consider your accommodation and the facilities available alongside any outdoor outings. A fitness session may be followed by time at the waterfront, with a quieter day whenever you prefer.
If a spa experience appeals, check the options and arrangements before you travel. The balance should reflect what helps you enjoy the holiday, with enough flexibility to explore, relax or change your plans once you have settled into your chosen hotel.
An inland outing can bring a different perspective to a holiday based beside the bay. The mountain landscapes offer a contrast to the marinas and historical waterfront towns, particularly if you enjoy spending time outdoors.
We would choose a route around how much travelling and activity you want. A short scenic outing and a longer walking day require different arrangements, and the conditions should help determine what is suitable.
Give the journey enough time rather than measure the day only by distance. A manageable programme leaves room to stop and enjoy the surroundings, then return to the hotel without feeling that the whole outing has been spent moving between places.
Perast makes an appealing setting for a slower outing, with time to appreciate its waterfront and the views across the bay. A leisurely lunch can become the centre of the visit rather than a stop fitted between other plans.
We would allow room for a walk and a few pauses along the way. There is no need to make the programme elaborate when the setting itself is part of the attraction.
Think about how you want to arrive and return, whether by road or as part of a boat excursion. Keeping those arrangements comfortable leaves you free to enjoy the afternoon and gives a quieter moment its own worthwhile place in the holiday.