Montenegro tips. Holidays in Montenegro: useful tips. Where to stay and how to choose accommodation
10 things to do in Montenegro
Each country is unique and inimitable. Each one has something special, peculiar only to it. Something that cannot be seen or done in any other corner of the planet except this one. So what needs to be done in Montenegro in order to saturate yourself with impressions as much as possible and put together a complete picture of this wonderful country?
Let's agree that in this list, presents non-obvious things that can only be done in Montenegro. After all, you probably guessed it without us to try prosciutto, rakia or visit Lovcen.
So what will you remember about Montenegro?
1. Meat from under the net 
Eat “meat under the coals” in one of the Montenegrin restaurants. You are unlikely to find such delicious melt-in-your-mouth veal anywhere else.
Get to know the cuisine of Montenegro:
2. Becici Beach 
Visit best beach Europe 1935-36. The beach that marked the beginning of Montenegrin tourism. The beach is still considered one of the best in Montenegro. .
3. Vranac and Krstic 
Try local wines. Vranac (red) and Krstic (white) dry wines are the calling card of Montenegro. Their prices will pleasantly surprise you: young wine costs from 2 euros per liter bottle. At the same time, it looks quite suspicious: it is not even closed with a cork, but with a lid similar to a beer bottle. However, these suspicions are in vain: all wines are of exceptional quality and are made from natural grapes using a natural method, and not by diluting the powder with wine alcohol, as in some places... Therefore, do not be embarrassed by the price: it depends only on the age of the wine and quality (read: availability awards and medals at various exhibitions) of grapes. The only Plantaje winery in Montenegro with its own vineyards is located near Podgorica.
4. Kotor fortress wall 
Spend 3 hours of your vacation to enjoy one of the best views of the Bay of Kotor. And don’t forget to take photos so that you can show off to your colleagues and friends later, as if by chance. 
5. Pleskavica 
Try pljeskavica (chopped cutlet) stuffed with cheese. Compare the cutlets your grandmother cooks with the cutlets prepared by your Montenegrin grandmother.
6. Island of Our Lady on the reef in Perast 
Visit unique man-made island on the Adriatic, which in itself deserves attention. Plus, a wonderful view of Perast, the beautiful Church of Our Lady on the Reef and its rich repository of artifacts and art objects. In general, a must visit! 
7. Ulcinj Great Beach 
Are you used to looking for a place on the beach in August? The largest beach is available to your attention Adriatic Sea! Discover a new sensation: 60 meters wide and 13 km long!!! Here, even during peak season, you can feel endlessly lonely.
8. Souvenir shop at the Cathedral of St. Tryphon in Kotor 
At the entrance to the “Church” of St. Tryphon, in Kotor, there is a very remarkable shop. If you are a connoisseur of church attributes and decorations made from natural materials, then this is the place for you. However, be extremely careful: all this is so mesmerizing and hypnotizing that the mind says: “Oh, leave it! Money is dust, but these jewelry are beautiful.” Based on personal experience, we recommend visiting this establishment either if you have an unlimited budget, or last days vacation. Otherwise, you can leave all your savings here, which may still be useful for exploring all the delights of Montenegro. 
9. Sveti Stefan 
Appreciate a unique natural creation - the island of Sveti Stefan. Try to get onto it and get turned away, learning that the entire island is the territory of the hotel. Take a walk along the coast from Sveti Stefan to Przno and enjoy perhaps the best views of the Montenegrin coast. 
10. Pizza Pronto 
Try the best pizza in Montenegro (at least) at Pizzeria Pronto in Kotor. We also ate pizza in Italy, but in our subjective opinion, for a Russian person there is hardly any tastier pizza than in Pronto. And if you know where it’s tastier, write to us.
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LET'S TRAVEL CHEAP!
Cheap flights
Any trip begins with searching and purchasing tickets - this is something you can and should save on!
When searching for cheap air tickets during our travels, we use search engines such as Aviasales and Momondo.
Some rules for finding cheap air tickets can be found in this article.
Cheap housing
Every traveler, of course, wants to optimize their costs and find good hotel(or apartments) in terms of price/quality ratio. Thus, the more options you are offered, the more likely you are to find the best one. Therefore, your search can be greatly facilitated by the Hotellook service, which searches for the best accommodation booking systems.
You don't need to compare prices on different services yourself - Hotellook will do it for you!
Insurance
To obtain a Schengen visa, as is known, the list of required documents includes an insurance policy for those traveling abroad.
When traveling to other countries where a visa is not required, taking out an insurance policy for the safety of you and your family members will also not be amiss, especially if you are traveling with children.
Excursions
The best way to get to know a new city is through guided tours from local residents. To do this, many travelers use services such as Sputnik8.
If you turn to a local resident with a question about how to get to “there”, do not be surprised if this resident himself takes you to the right place. Montenegrins consider us their brothers and treat us accordingly. There are no annoying sellers here, like in Turkey, and no prejudiced attitude of local young people towards Russian girls.
About excursions
In Montenegro sightseeing tours You can safely buy at a street kiosk. The price there will be less than a guide if you travel in an organized manner. There is a lot to see here, the nature is very beautiful and the ancient cities, monasteries and attractions will leave a favorable impression.
The sightseeing tour of the Bay of Kotor makes a special impression. The journey takes place on a ship for a whole day. The beauty of the coastal landscapes cannot be described in any words. During the excursion you will be able to visit a wonderful ancient city Duke Novi, to which you need to climb up the ancient steps.
During the excursion you will have the opportunity to visit the blue grotto and the natural beach of Zhanitsa. This is unique most beautiful place With clear water and rocky surface. Entering the sea will be more comfortable in special shoes. On the beach there is a cafe, sun loungers and an umbrella - free of charge. Local agencies offer excursions to canyons, monasteries, safaris and other tours. You can go to neighboring Albania. The tour is not cheap, decide for yourself whether you need such a trip.
The country is poor, it takes a long time to travel. Albanians, unlike Montenegrins, do not particularly favor Russians. They blame the USSR for their current plight. It is also not recommended to wear things with Montenegro symbols when traveling to this country. Choose for yourself what you like. You can travel to nearby cities on your own. By bus, travel starts from 3 euros. Since there is no language barrier in the country, you can safely travel on your own.
Where to stay and how to choose accommodation?
Which resort is better to choose? It depends on whether you need silence, a convenient beach, comfortable conditions. It is considered the most popular and therefore noisy city in high season. IN summer months the beaches are filled to capacity. A quieter holiday nearby in Becici, Rafailovichi. Resorts in the Bay of Kotor are also good, but keep in mind that there you will swim in the bay and not in the sea as in Budva and its suburbs.
In Montenegro you can choose different types of accommodation: villa, apartment, room, hotel. An apartment consists of several rooms in a villa, a kitchen, a terrace, a shower, air conditioning, a TV, and a Wi-Fi zone. Several people can live here. You can save money by booking an apartment in winter. This is what Europeans do. In Montenegro, there is almost no all-inclusive system, beloved by Russians. This is quite logical, there is no need for it there. After all, in this country there are so many cafes, restaurants, bars that have very tasty food and huge portions. You are not tied to the hotel.
There are hotels in Montenegro, but their star rating does not always correspond to the European level. Linen is changed once a week and towels every day. But even in three stars the room has a safe (this is not available in Europe), a hairdryer, new furniture, a refrigerator, a shower, and a TV. Breakfasts are also different from European ones, but for the better. Large assortment, fruits, baked goods. In Budva there is a very interesting and unusual tourist complex Slovenska Plaza.
It consists of 3 and 4 star villas. This is a separate area, designed in the form of a Mediterranean village with a park, streets, swimming pool, restaurants and shops. It is located next to the beach, which is very convenient. All tourists vacationing in Budva can freely walk around the territory. The only negative is that in the summer there are a lot of vacationers, so those who like silence should choose a place away from the center.
Meals are organized according to different systems, there is even an all-inclusive option. The room has everything you need: shower, air conditioning, TV, tea and coffee set. In the evenings, discos and entertainment evenings are held here. A very unusual location near the beach and city center should attract the curious traveler.
If you fly from the airport in Tivat, then do not count on normal conditions with air conditioning. The hall resembles a refugee camp. Very cramped, stuffy, very few places to sit. Of course, if you don’t have to wait long for the plane, you can survive; this room is completely unsuitable for a long stay. This has a slightly negative impact on my past stay in this wonderful country. But the tourism infrastructure there is just beginning to develop, so this “shortcoming” can be forgiven.
- One of the characteristic features of the national character of Montenegrins is “slowness”. Do not be offended if the hotel staff or waiter does not run to fulfill your wishes right away - according to the beliefs of the inhabitants of Montenegro, vanity is extremely harmful to health.
- Montenegro is an Orthodox country with a large number of active churches and monasteries that are part of excursion programs. When visiting places of worship, you should not wear overly revealing or transparent clothing, which is especially true for women.
- Although the people of Montenegro are extremely tolerant, raising topics related to the collapse of the former Yugoslavia and the subsequent conflicts is considered bad form.
- Smoking always and everywhere is a kind of “trait” of the national Montenegrin character. Local residents perceive this bad habit so naturally that they smoke in public without hesitation. public places(although a law was passed in 2004 prohibiting this) and even in the presence of children. On the contrary, being offended by smokers is considered bad manners and is highly discouraged. In such cases, it is easier for non-smokers to step aside.
- Don’t be surprised if an unordered glass of wine or liqueur appears on your table during lunch at a local tavern. This is a traditional manifestation of the famous Montenegrin hospitality - a drink at the expense of the establishment or “na račun kuče”.
- Almost everything is allowed to photograph in Montenegro, except for strategically important objects, which have a special sign - a crossed out camera.
- The main advice for those who are going on holiday to Montenegro with children is to choose the right hotel or cottage. It should be close to the beach, since in mountainous Montenegro even short distances can be a problem for the baby. For a cottage, it is desirable to have your own kitchen where you can cook. It doesn't hurt to be close to local market, where you can always buy the freshest meat, dairy products, vegetables and fruits for your table.
- Those who rent a car in Montenegro should remember that small towns this Balkan country There is practically no free parking. Paid parking in Montenegro is divided into equipped (with an automatic barrier) and not equipped. The second type of parking is paid for using a pre-purchased (0.7 € at the newsstand) and filled (put exact time and parking date) of the ticket, which is inserted under the glass from the inside. Do not violate local parking laws - the consequences can be extremely unpleasant for your nerves and wallet.
Sockets in Montenegro(220V)
Safety rules
The security situation in the country is quite ambiguous. Montenegro is one of the most safe countries former Yugoslavia.
You should not carry valuables, documents or large sums of money with you. You should not show your wallet in crowded places or leave things on the front seat of the car during stops. It is recommended to avoid isolated areas, including remote areas of cities, after dark. The police strictly suppress any manifestations of deception foreign tourists, but at the everyday level there are frequent cases of petty fraud or an allegedly suddenly appeared language barrier, so you should be especially careful when discussing financial issues and never give money in advance, before the service is provided.
Hotels
The bulk of hotels and beaches in Montenegro are owned by the state (although recently many boarding houses and hotels owned by foreign companies and individuals have appeared). In Budva, Petrovac, Hercegnovi, Sutomore and Ulcinj the dominant role is played by private sector, often offering better conditions than hotels. The beaches of Montenegro are mainly sandy (south) and small pebbles (from Budva to Sutomore), but the northern regions, as well as in neighboring Croatia, have a mostly rocky coastline, where swimming is possible only in specially equipped places. Most beaches are fenced and access is limited to guests of local hotels and guesthouses or for a fee. Beaches are rare within the city limits - more often their place is occupied by beautiful embankment or a promenade, so many beaches, if they do not belong to some hotel, will have to be reached by public transport.
Water supply
In a number of cities, especially in areas bordering Croatia, there is a shortage of water. Also, the lights are turned off periodically (especially in Montenegro). Tap water is usually chlorinated, but due to damage from NATO airstrikes and general deterioration of networks, drinking tap water is not recommended. For drinking, it is better to use mineral or bottled water.
Photo and video shooting
Photography is allowed only in places where there is no prohibiting sign (crossed out camera). It is prohibited to photograph objects transport infrastructure and energy, port facilities and military installations.
Crossing borders
There is an intra-republican border between Serbia and Montenegro, on which, regardless of the direction of crossing it, you can also be subject to vehicle inspection and document checks (border guards have the right to do this), as well as be faced with the requirement to purchase “national” insurance for vehicle(a clear violation of the law - " green card"uniform throughout the country).
Electricity
Electricity 220 V, 50 Hz. European type sockets and plugs, with grounding. In rural areas, connectors of the old type are common - round two-pin, without grounding. Power outages are quite common, especially between November and April. Most high-end hotels and restaurants have redundant power generators.
Units of measurement
The system of weights and measures is metric.
Price level
The price level in the country is quite low compared to Western Europe, but an order of magnitude higher than in countries such as Bulgaria or Serbia. In addition, prices vary in different regions of Montenegro. In coastal areas, everything is about a third more expensive, except hotels, which, on the contrary, are more expensive in the interior of the country due to weak competition. The focus on tourism makes coastal Montenegro a “state within a state”, since tourists are perceived as a source of income, which often manifests itself in a large number of firms and individuals trying to do business on tourists’ ignorance of local features.
A significant convenience for tourists is the use of the euro as the official currency in Montenegro. This eliminates the need for currency exchange and commission losses.
Polina Boytsova | summer 2017
gessor | autumn 2015
verainalbania | December 2015
