In a nutshell
- Montenegro packs in an incredible amount of variety — a stunning coastline, charming old towns, mountain landscapes, and monasteries. A Montenegro road trip is the best way to see it all without missing any of the highlights.
- There are three ways to travel through Montenegro: from two home bases with day trips, as a classic road trip with multiple stops, or as a combined Montenegro and Albania itinerary.
- We recommend the two home base approach: Budva on the coast and Žabljak in Durmitor National Park. It gives you maximum flexibility without constantly repacking your bags.
- Plan for 10–14 days to do it justice.
How Much Time to Plan for Your Montenegro Road Trip?
Montenegro is a relatively small country, and all the distances are very manageable. From one end to the other, you’re looking at a maximum of five hours of driving.
10–14 days are ideal for a Montenegro road trip. In that time you can explore everything along the coast and visit Durmitor National Park inland.
Seven days works too. In that case, though, you’re better off focusing only on the coast. You can book a day trip to Durmitor National Park on GetYourGuide.
You also have the option of flying into Dubrovnik in Croatia instead of Tivat in Montenegro. There are often more direct flights to Dubrovnik, and they tend to be cheaper. Just plan for 1–2 extra days so you can take your time exploring Dubrovnik before driving about an hour onward into Montenegro.
Getting Around on Your Montenegro Road Trip
We recommend renting a car. It gives you the most flexibility — perfect for exploring an off-the-beaten-path destination like Montenegro.
The roads are easy to drive. Things can get a little narrow, crowded, and chaotic at times, but a self-drive road trip through Montenegro is totally doable.
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Alternatively, you can also do your Montenegro road trip by bus. You can buy tickets on the spot at the bus station or directly on the bus — just make sure to have cash on you for the latter. Taking the bus is considerably cheaper, but also more complicated than driving.
Our Tip: A Road Trip with Two Home Bases and Day Trips
For Montenegro, we have a slightly unconventional suggestion — not a classic road trip: you stay overnight in Montenegro at only two places and take day trips from there.
Montenegro is just perfect for this approach, since the distances are short. From Budva, for example, you can reach all the spots along the coast in no more than 1.5 hours in decent traffic. And you can mix up the order of the day trips however works best for you.
Our itinerary for a Montenegro road trip at a glance
- Days 1–6: Budva
- Days 7–10: Durmitor National Park
Day 1: Arrival in Budva
On your first day, you’ll arrive at Tivat Airport. The very first thing to do — after collecting your luggage, of course — is pick up your rental car.
From there, drive straight to Budva and check into your hotel. Settle in at a relaxed pace and — if you have time — head to the beach or the pool.
Our hotel pick: Hotel Villa Gracia
Day 2: Budva & the Beach
On your first full day in Montenegro, you’ll visit Sveti Stefan and the historic center of Budva.
Sveti Stefan is only a 15-minute drive from Budva. You can photograph the pretty peninsula from the road, or head to one of our favorite lesser-known spots in Montenegro: the Church of St. Sava.
After that, head into Budva’s old town. It sits on a small peninsula and is the most beautiful highlight in Budva. No cars are allowed in the charming alleyways. Stroll through at your own pace, grab lunch (the Royal Garden Restaurant is a solid choice), and check out a few small sights.
Spend the afternoon at Mogren Beach. It’s practically right next to the old town and is split into two sections by a rock with a passageway through it. Mogren Beach is seriously the most beautiful beach near Budva — but also the most crowded.
To get there, you walk along a cool path right along the coastline. Along the way, you’ll also pass the Budva Ballerina — and get another great view of the old town.
Here you'll find even more tips for Budva:
Day 3: Lovćen National Park
Today you’re heading to Lovćen National Park. Set in the mountainous hinterland above Kotor, it offers stunning mountain panoramas and sweeping views over the Bay of Kotor — one of Montenegro’s most beautiful national parks. Don’t skip it on your self-drive Montenegro itinerary.
Set off by 9 AM to avoid traffic on the switchback road.
Start with the mausoleum and its 360-degree view. Then hike a loop trail with great vantage points, and afterward drive to the mountain station of the Kotor–Lovćen cable car. Here you can ride the alpine coaster and try a few other of Montenegro’s coolest activities.
To wrap up the day, head back to Budva via the former capital Cetinje and its Orthodox monastery.
Here you can continue reading:
Day 4: Bay of Kotor
Yesterday you saw the Bay of Kotor from above — today you’ll experience it up close.
First, drive to the bay’s most famous must-see: Kotor itself. The city has a beautiful old town and some great attractions like the Kotor Fortress and a cat park.
Then continue on to Perast. Perast reminds us a little of Venice, just with fewer canals and bridges. The town is built right on the water, small boats bob in the harbor, and wandering through the alleyways you’ll pass old Venetian buildings.
From Perast, take a boat tour to Our Lady of the Rocks. This is a small artificial island in the Bay of Kotor with a tiny church on it. From the water, the church looks like it’s floating. It makes for a really cool photo and is one of the most memorable experiences in Montenegro!
Day 5: Stari Bar & Lake Skadar
On Day 5, you’ll venture south for the first time.
Your first stop is Stari Bar. The ruined city is a seriously cool highlight in Montenegro. Explore the ruins, then swing by the new town of Bar as well — there are a few more points of interest there.
Around midday, head slightly inland to Lake Skadar — the largest lake in the Balkans. Out on the water, you’ll take a guided boat tour, drifting through water lilies and green channels in complete tranquility.
After the boat tour, head back to Budva via Rijeka Crnojevića. You’ll pass a scenic overlook with a view of a river meander — one of the best under-the-radar stops on your Montenegro road trip.
Day 6: Bay of Kotor
On your last day on the coast, you’re heading back to the Bay of Kotor. Today you’ll visit Herceg Novi and Porto Montenegro — which means you’ll also cross part of the bay by ferry.
Herceg Novi is a charming town right on the border with Croatia. The quiet old town alleyways are lovely to wander through. Stroll at your leisure, then check out the Forte Mare fortress and the waterfront promenade.
After that, it’s on to Porto Montenegro. Here you’ll find yourself in a completely different world. Porto Montenegro is Montenegro’s superyacht marina — around 400 luxury yachts moored up, upscale hotels, and a luxury boutique at every turn. It’s quite the experience, and a total contrast to the rest of Montenegro.
Day 7: Drive to Durmitor National Park
Today your Montenegro road trip continues to the next major stop: Durmitor National Park. Budget about three hours for the drive.
After you arrive, you’ll still have plenty of time to check into your place to stay in Žabljak and take a first look at the Black Lake.
The Black Lake is a truly beautiful spot in the national park. You can go swimming, kayaking, or walk a loop around the lake — the circuit takes about one to 1.5 hours.
Our hotel pick: Forma Lux Žabljak
Day 8: Durmitor Ring
On Day 8, you’ll tackle the Durmitor Ring. This panoramic road takes you all the way around Durmitor National Park, passing plenty of great viewpoints and standout sights along the way.
You’ll get sweeping views over the Tara Canyon and the Sušica Canyon from above, for example, and drive along the Sedlo Pass, which offers incredible vistas over the rugged mountains of the national park.
You can start the Durmitor Ring right from Žabljak and drive the 80 kilometers at a leisurely pace — or plan it as a bike ride if you’re feeling adventurous.
Day 9: Rafting in the Tara Canyon
One last adventure awaits. Today you’re going rafting in the Tara Canyon. It gets a lot more intense than our photo suggests — especially if you go in early summer, between May and June.
You’ll shoot through sections flanked by cliff walls over 1,000 meters high. In the rapids, you’ll race down the river while icy-cold water splashes in your face. Pretty awesome, right? There are also calmer stretches in between where you can catch your breath.
Day 10: Return Journey
On your last day, you’ll drive back to Tivat Airport. Plan for about 3–3.5 hours for the drive.
Our Suggested Route for a Classic Montenegro Road Trip
You can also plan the itinerary as a classic road trip. If you add stops in the Bay of Kotor and Ulcinj, you’ll have a proper loop through Montenegro — one spot on the northern coast, one in the south.
The advantage of the classic road trip is that you’re staying closer to the highlights. From Kotor to Perast, for example, it’s only 30 minutes. On the other hand, you’ll naturally have to change accommodations more often and you’ll have less flexibility with your day trips — you can’t always adjust them based on the weather.
On the classic Montenegro road trip, you arrive in Tivat and drive to your hotel in the Bay of Kotor. Over the next two days, you explore the bay and visit Kotor, Perast, Herceg Novi, and Porto Montenegro.
On Day 4, you tackle Lovćen National Park and then continue on to Budva for your next stay. The following day you explore Budva’s old quarter, drive to Sveti Stefan, and then hit the beach.
After that, it’s on to Ulcinj. Here you can spend the rest of your arrival day on the sandy beach, and the next day take a trip to Stari Bar and Lake Skadar.
On Day 8, you continue as before to Durmitor National Park.
Our suggested route for a classic Montenegro road trip at a glance:
- Days 1–3: Kotor – Our hotel pick: Hotel Galathea
- Days 4–5: Budva – Our hotel pick: Hotel Villa Gracia
- Days 6–7: Ulcinj – Our hotel pick: Hotel Halibas
- Days 8–11: Durmitor National Park – Our hotel pick: Forma Lux Žabljak
Our Suggested Route for a Road Trip Through Montenegro and Albania
Flights to Tirana, Albania are often easier and cheaper to find than flights to Tivat. That makes it a great idea to combine your Montenegro road trip with a trip to Albania — just tack on an extra week.
Spend your first day in Tirana. Pick up your rental car, explore the city, and get settled in. The next day, head to Ulcinj. From there, travel up the coast in the reverse order of the classic road trip, then continue to Durmitor National Park.
After the national park, head back into Albania. Your first stop is Shkodra. From here, take a day trip to Komani Lake — the reservoir is strikingly reminiscent of the fjords in Scandinavia.
The next day, visit Berat. The city has two historic neighborhoods, both featuring beautiful Ottoman architecture. Then drive on to Ksamil for two days of Caribbean-style beach time.
On your way back to Tirana, stop in Vlora. For us, it’s the most beautiful spot on the Albanian coast — stroll through the old town with its lovely buildings or just relax on the beach.
Our suggested route for a Montenegro & Albania road trip at a glance
- Day 1: Tirana – Our hotel pick: Hotel Boutique Restaurant Gloria
- Days 2–3: Ulcinj – Our hotel pick: Hotel Halibas
- Days 4–7: Budva – Our hotel pick: Hotel Villa Gracia
- Days 8–11: Durmitor National Park – Our hotel pick: Forma Lux Žabljak
- Days 12–13: Shkodra – Our hotel pick: Çoçja Boutique Hotel
- Day 14: Berat – Our hotel pick: GrandView Hotel
- Days 15–16: Ksamil – Our hotel pick: Amar Seaside
- Day 17: Vlora – Our hotel pick: Ulcas Guest Huse
- Day 18: Return journey
