In a nutshell
- For such a small country, Montenegro packs in a serious amount to see. Get ready for charming historic towns, brilliant blue bays, dramatic mountain scenery, and a stunning Adriatic coastline.
- We’ll tell you which Montenegro attractions are truly worth your time — and share our honest tips for Montenegro straight from personal experience.
- You can explore all the coastal highlights from a single base. We recommend staying at a hotel in Budva. Our top pick: Hotel Villa Gracia. For the interior, your best bet is to find accommodation near Durmitor National Park. Our recommendation: View of Durmitor.
The Most Beautiful Sights in Montenegro on a Map
To help you keep track of our Montenegro travel guide, we’ve put together a map with all the top things to do in Montenegro. It’ll also come in handy when you’re figuring out your hotel search in Montenegro.
Most of the highlights are located along the coast. Head inland and you’ll find some seriously rewarding mountain hikes. A great example is the Peaks of the Balkans long-distance hiking trail through Montenegro, Albania, and Kosovo.
Bay of Kotor
What you need to know: The Bay of Kotor is probably the most famous attraction in Montenegro. The bay is dotted with charming little towns, Baroque churches, and small islands. But the best part? It’s completely ringed by mountains — which gives it a feel that’s almost like the fjords of Norway.
Is it worth it? Definitely. Especially when you look down at the bay from the mountains — the panorama is stunning. There are also loads of great things to see in the Bay of Kotor.
Our tip: Drive along the coast at least once. West of Kotor, a narrow road hugs the water through sleepy, picture-perfect villages — it’s seriously lovely.
The Most Beautiful Old Towns in Montenegro
Montenegro has some wonderfully well-preserved historic centers with plenty to explore. Most are enclosed by old city walls. Inside, you can wander through narrow alleyways and soak up the atmosphere of centuries-old buildings.
Here’s which old towns are worth adding to your road trip through Montenegro.
Kotor
What you need to know: Kotor is famous for a reason — and its old town lives up to the hype. You’ll find ancient churches, a cat park, and charming restaurants tucked into the lanes. From the old town you can also hike up to the San Giovanni Fortress, perched about 300 meters above.
Is it worth it? Absolutely. That said, we actually liked the old quarter of Budva just a tiny bit more — fewer crowds makes a real difference.
Our tip: Try to arrive before 10 AM. That’s when the cruise ship tours kick off, and the town gets twice as busy almost instantly.
Lies auch:
Budva
What you need to know: Budva is one of Montenegro’s most popular tourist spots, and most visitors come for the beaches. But the old town is absolutely worth your time too. The maze of little alleyways is perfect for aimless wandering — you’ll keep stumbling onto great photo opportunities. Travel photos come out much better here than in Kotor, since there are fewer people in the frame.
Is it worth it? Absolutely! Even if there aren’t many standout individual sights, the neighborhood itself is simply lovely.
Our tip: There are some great restaurants in Budva’s old town. We ate at the Royal Garden Restaurant and loved it — you sit in a charming courtyard, sip fresh juices, and dig into pasta or sandwiches.
Budva is also the ideal starting point for your Montenegro trip:
Bar
What you need to know: Bar’s old town is a little different from the others in Montenegro. It sits up in the mountains above the city and is split into two parts. The first feels like a typical old town — small restaurants and souvenir shops. The second section has a €5 entry fee and consists of atmospheric ruins and a few preserved buildings. An app (look for the QR code on-site) lets you see what the original structures looked like.
Is it worth it? Yes, especially because it makes a refreshing change from the other historic centers.
Our tip: While you’re in Bar, take a short detour down to the waterfront promenade. It’s nicely laid out and a great spot to spend a relaxed hour or two by the sea.
Here you'll find even more tips for Stari Bar:
Perast
What you need to know: Perast is a tiny coastal town north of Kotor. The whole town is essentially one big historic district — with its old stone houses right on the water and small boats bobbing around, it’s vaguely reminiscent of Venice. You also get a great view of the two islands in the Bay of Kotor right from town.
Is it worth it? Definitely. And you don’t need to set aside a ton of time — an hour is plenty for the town itself.
Our tip: Most boat tours to Our Lady of the Rocks depart from Perast. This is one of the two islands in the bay, home to a small church. Photographed from the water, it almost looks like it’s floating — really magical.
Book tickets for the boat tour to Our Lady of the Rocks online
The Best National Parks in Montenegro
There are five national parks in Montenegro spread across the country. Here are our three favorites.
Lovćen National Park
What you need to know: Lovćen National Park sits right next to Kotor on Montenegro’s coast. From Kotor, you either drive up a switchback road or take a gondola into the mountains — and just like that, you’re in the park. Inside, you can hike, visit the highest-altitude mausoleum in Europe, and ride an alpine coaster with views over the Bay of Kotor. Entry costs €3.
Is it worth it? Yes — we think the park is absolutely beautiful. The roads inside are in great shape and the views are seriously stunning.
Our tip: Drive the switchback road from Kotor up to Lovćen. It’s fairly narrow, but you’re rewarded with jaw-dropping views of the bay the whole way up. Go as early as possible — meeting a tour bus head-on in the afternoon is no fun at all.
More tips for Lovćen National Park can be found here:
Durmitor National Park
What you need to know: Durmitor National Park is a little paradise of rugged mountains, turquoise glacial lakes, and deep gorges. It’s in the interior of Montenegro and still very unspoiled. You can hike, drive scenic roads, go rafting, do canyoning, or jump into one of the lakes — though fair warning, they’re absolutely freezing! Entry costs €5.
Is it worth it? Definitely — especially if you’re a nature lover.
Our tip: Rent a bike or e-bike and ride through the park. You’ll enjoy it even more than from a car. The best place to rent bikes is in the small mountain town of Žabljak.
Here you'll find more tips about Durmitor National Park:
Lake Skadar
What you need to know: Lake Skadar sits on the border with Albania — it’s both a highlight of Albania and one of the best things to do in Montenegro. It’s one of the lesser-known corners of the country, with pristine nature and sweeping lake landscapes. The best-known town on the lake is Virpazar, and most boat tours on Lake Skadar depart from there.
Is it worth it? It depends. We really loved the quiet here. The lake is beautiful for a few photos, but there isn’t a whole lot beyond that. If you enjoy boat tours or birdwatching, though, this is the perfect spot — there are even pelicans.
Our tip: We absolutely loved Panorama Route 3 in the mountains along the lake. The views are spectacular, you’ll pass some amazing lesser-known spots in Montenegro — including a breathtaking overlook of a river bend — and you’ll practically have the road to yourself.
More Things to See in Montenegro
That’s not all. Here are a few more Montenegro attractions that are absolutely worth your time.
Sveti Stefan
What you need to know: Sveti Stefan is a peninsula packed with charming historic houses. It used to be a small fishing village before the entire island was converted into a hotel. Unfortunately, it’s been closed to the public since 2020 — but that’s not really a problem. You can still get a spectacular view of it from above.
Is it worth it? Absolutely as a photo stop along the road. This parking lot gives you the best vantage point (open in Google Maps).
Our tip: Drive up to St. Sava Church. From up here you can take in the view of the island in peace, away from the road noise below. The road to the church is a bit exposed but totally manageable, and it’s usually nice and quiet up there.
Tara Canyon
What you need to know: The Tara Canyon is the deepest canyon in Europe and partly falls within Durmitor National Park. Over the centuries, the Tara River has carved deeper and deeper into the rock, creating a postcard-perfect scene with its turquoise water and surrounding forests. The canyon is also home to the famous Đurđevića Tara Bridge, which stands 170 meters high.
Is it worth it? The canyon is an absolute must for nature lovers and one of the most spectacular places to visit in Montenegro.
Our tip: If you’re into adventure, you have to try rafting in the Tara Canyon. It’s a ton of fun and honestly one of the coolest activities in Montenegro. You can do a full-day tour or just a half-day.
Book a rafting tour on the Tara River online
Blue Grotto
What you need to know: The Blue Grotto is one of Montenegro’s most beautiful sea caves. When sunlight hits the water at just the right angle, the entire grotto lights up in brilliant shades of blue and turquoise. Depending on the time of year, this happens between 10 AM and 1 PM. The cave can only be reached by boat.
Is it worth it? We didn’t take the boat trip ourselves — we get seasick pretty easily. But feel free to let us know in the comments if you’ve been! By all accounts it’s really worth it, though it can get quite crowded.
Book a boat tour to the Blue Grotto and two other spots online
Porto Montenegro
What you need to know: Porto Montenegro is completely different from the other attractions in Montenegro. It’s the country’s yacht marina — and it feels like it. One enormous luxury yacht lines up after the next along the waterfront promenade, with high-end hotels and boutiques stretching behind them.
Is it worth it? We found the contrast to the rest of Montenegro really cool. That said, there isn’t much more to do than stroll the promenade or browse the shops.
Our tip: We parked at this small free parking lot (open in Google Maps). It’s about a five-minute walk to the marina from there. We visited in July — one of the busiest times to travel to Montenegro — and still had no trouble finding a spot.
Ostrog Monastery
What you need to know: Montenegro has several monasteries, but Ostrog is the most impressive. It was built roughly 900 meters above the valley, carved directly into a vertical cliff face. You can explore a few rooms inside, and there are parking lots right at the monastery.
Is it worth it? Yes — even if religion isn’t your thing. The monastery just looks incredibly cool.
Our tip: The road to the monastery is steep, narrow, and winding. If that puts you off, you can book a day tour that combines Ostrog with other must-sees in Montenegro like Durmitor National Park and the Tara Canyon.
Book a day tour to Ostrog Monastery and other sights online
The Most Beautiful Beaches in Montenegro
Montenegro has almost 300 kilometers of coastline. No wonder some of its beaches rank among the country’s top draws.
Many of the beaches in Montenegro get seriously packed in summer. Here are two where you won’t run into huge crowds.
Crvena Stijena
What you need to know: Crvena Stijena beach sits right next to Sveti Stefan, separated from the peninsula by a rocky outcrop — which happens to have a small natural opening through which you can see Sveti Stefan. The beach is pretty small, but it’s also not too busy. Two sun loungers with an umbrella cost €30.
Is it worth it? Yes. We really enjoyed it here. The water is crystal clear and the view of Sveti Stefan is stunning. The only downside is that the free public area is very small.
Our tip: Arrive fairly early. There is a parking lot, but it’s small and fills up fast on hot days.
Gioia Beach
What you need to know: Gioia Beach is a newly developed beach in Montenegro. When we visited, it had only been open for a few weeks and was refreshingly uncrowded. The beach has sand, though it gets rocky once you wade in. There’s a beach bar on-site, and on the way from the parking lot you’ll pass a few other restaurants and bars.
Is it worth it? We thought it was really nice. The weather wasn’t great in the morning when we visited, so the beach bar was closed — that meant no loungers, but we could sit in the sand. Whether that’s also possible when the beach bar is open, we’re not sure. Either way, two loungers with an umbrella are only €20.
