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Montenegro is one of the most underrated countries in Europe, and it absolutely took my breath away. Tucked away in the Balkans, this stunning country blends cobblestoned coastal towns rich in history with crystal-clear waters, majestic mountains, and dreamy scenic drives. It felt like a refreshing escape from the usual crowded European hotspots.
The contrast between coast and mountains is what makes Montenegro so unique—you can swim in the sea or a lake and hike in the mountains all in the same day. Its untouched, raw and authentic, with some of the warmest people I’ve met and beautiful stays for every budget. What surprised me most? The abundance of luxurious ocean-view properties with exceptional service—something rare to find in most of Europe.
The country is known for its dramatic mountains, medieval towns, crystal-clear beaches, and the iconic Bay of Kotor, often referred to as the southernmost fjord in Europe. It's truly a hidden gem and I was glad we spent our summer in this breathtakingly beautiful country!
Some parts of Montenegro seemed like a less crowded version of the Italian Adriatic coast. I've put together this Montenegro travelling guide just for you, after traveling through the country last summer for over 8 days. This includes places to visit, recommended hotels and towns for overnight stays, do you need a visa to Montenegro and guide to finding vegan food in Montenegro.
How to spend the best 7-Days in Montenegro
We planned a 7-day trip to this quaint country in the Balkans bordering Croatia, Albania, Serbia and Bosnia but honestly, I went there without much expectation. However, I was in for a surprise. I've traveled to almost 40 countries and I have to say - Montenegro is truly one of the most beautiful places I have visited. It is the perfect blend of nature, history and raw beauty.
Make Montenegro your next travel destination – here’s a 7-day itinerary of Montenegro that will help you enjoy this gorgeous country and its charming medieval towns, pristine beaches, stunning landscapes, views of crystal-clear Adriatic Sea and breathtaking mountains & lakes.
Our itinerary included a few days in Albania, and our round-trip flight was to and from Tirana, its capital. However, you can skip Albania if you only have a week.
Places to visit and stay in Montenegro
- Tivat
- Perast
- Sveti Stevan
- Budva
- Kotor
- Herceg-Novi
- Skadar Lake
- Ulcinj
- Podgarico
🧳 Here's a breakdown of your ultimate 7-days trip in Montenegro:
- Tivat (3-nights)
- Perast (2 Nights): You can stay in the beautiful town of Perast (2-nights) or stay at Herceg Novi, 40min from Perast
- Ulcinaj (1-night)
- Podgorico (1 night)
Total Route: Loop-style road trip for efficiency and beauty.
🗓️ Day 1-3: Base in Tivat (3 Nights)
Where to stay in Tivat? We stayed at the Nikki Beach Hotel in Tivat, a stunning property overlooking the ocean and the famed black mountains. However, we heard the hotel is permanently closed. But you can explore Regent Porto Montenegro (its a bustling area with a port, with lots of luxury designer stores and dining options) or Hotel La Roche (both luxury properties)-
Day 1: Arrive in Tivat. Explore the chic Porto Montenegro, its like you're in Monaco. You can find luxury designer boutiques here for shopping, or just relax by the bay, and later head to the hotel and settle in. Enjoy a meal at vegan-friendly Al Posto Giusto in Porto Montenegro (they even serve plant-based cheese on request).
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Day 2: Day trip to Budva – 30 min drive. Budva has a vegan restaurant Paradise Food (it's not vegan but plant-based actually as they use honey in most of their desserts, and it is not really Jain-friendly).
Photo tip: The best pictures of Sveti Stefan come from the main road - before driving down towards the island.
Once you've had lunch, you can wander the old town, and then take the car and visit Sveti Stefan for sunset views, and relax on Mogren Beach. Its a stunning island, where you can stay a night or two if you have extra days. We only did a day trip here and it was worth it. -
Day 3: Day trip to Kotor – 20 min drive. Climb the Kotor Fortress, stroll the cobbled streets, and enjoy bay views. Make sure to also take the Kotor-Lovćen Cable Car (🚠 11 minutes to 1,348m altitude!) and enjoy stunning views over the Bay of Kotor. At the top: explore Lovćen National Park or have lunch with a view.
🗓️ Day 4-5: Move to Perast (2 Nights)
Perast is a scenic 25-min coastal drive from Tivat. While we stayed at Herceg Novi, a nearby town but we fell in love with Perast and would love to stay here on our next visit. You can stay in Conte Hotel in Perast - its a vegan-friendly hotel where they even label all their vegan foods clearly.
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Explore Perast: Visit "Our Lady of the Rocks" island through a boat, enjoy baroque architecture, and soak in the peaceful vibes. Make sure to spend time walking around this beautiful town, go uphill and explore the beautiful spots by foot. Perast reminded me of "Hallstatt" in Austria which is known as one of the most beautiful villages in the world.
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Day Trip: Drive to Herceg-Novi (40 min), known for its vibrant promenade, historic Kanli Kula Fortress, and chilled beach cafés. They have a vegetarian cafe Peter's Pie & Coffee Bar, with a few vegan options by the sea on a nice boulevard.
You can also stay in Herceg-Novi for 2 nights and visit Perast from here. That's what we did because I wanted to stay at Lazure Hotel & Marina - located in a stunning 18th-century Venetian stone building overlooking the Lazure sailing marina. It was actually a military hospital dating back to the 1730s that was turned into a luxury hotel. We stayed in the new wing and absolutely loved this gorgeous hotel, and their service was impeccable. The rooms were not very fancy though - but the common areas of the hotel were stunning, plus it had a beautiful beach.
🗓️ Day 6: Head to Ulcinj (1 Night)
Ulcinj is a seaside town tucked away on the southernmost part of Montenegro, near the Albanian border. Besides the fact that it is a beautiful coastal town with a stunning 13km stretch known as the "Long Beach", it is very popular for its healing waters and therapeutic sand. The area is famed for its highly mineralized sea mud and slightly radioactive sand, believed to help with skin and bone conditions, arthritis, and overall wellness. It also has a "ladies only" nudist beach where locals and visitors come to soak in the sea and let nature do its quiet healing. While we were in our bikinis, we loved the experience and it made for a peaceful retreat at almost the end of our Montenegrin road trip.-
Long drive (approx. 3.5 hrs) but scenic through Skadar Lake region. Stop at Skadar Lake en route and take a boat ride to watch the lotus. Make sure to do it early in the day or sunset time to avoid harsh sun.
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Arrive in Ulcinj: Explore the Old Town, Long Beach, and enjoy a coastal dinner.
🗓️ Day 7: Podgorica (1 Night)
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Head to the ladies only beach of Ulcinaj before embarking for Podgorica. You can spend 2-3 hours here, dip in the water, soak in the sun and let the healing water work its magic on you!
Around noon drive to Podgorica (1.5 hrs).
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Explore Montenegro’s capital – visit Millennium Bridge, Ribnica Fortress, and chill in the city cafés.
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Fly out of Podgorica the next day.
🛣️ Travel Tips
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The best way to explore Montenegro is through a car. Renting a car is easy and you can find any kind of car to suit your budget. Roads are mostly good and distances are short.
You need to drive through narrow alleys on the mountains. So take it slow and enjoy the scenic drive! In rush time, you need to be slightly skilled to navigate through the narrow roads with traffic coming on the other side. It may look impossible, but you'll always manage to find your way.
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Fuel stations are frequent, and coastal roads offer epic views.
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Use Tivat Airport to start and Podgorica Airport to end (or vice versa).
Do you need a visa for Montenegro: For Indians?
Vegan Food in Montenegro
- as Indian I always carry my ready-to-eat poha which needs just hot water to get ready in 5 min. This hot meal is filling and delicious!
- I always carry theplas with me and khakhras for easy meal on the road
- Sattu is a great option. 2 tablespoons of sattu mixed in water with lemon and salt is not just a great protein drink but it is also hydrating, cooling and filling. We even paired sattu powder mised with water or olive oil to eat with theplas and it was yum. 👉 I mix roasted cumin seed powder and salt with the sattu powder when I travel, you then just need to add water and its ready!
- Pack a knife to cut the fruits and prep your salad (but make sure to put it in the check-in luggage)
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