Traveling to Montenegro on your own is as easy as shelling pears. And now I will try to prove it to you. Firstly, Russians do not require a visa to enter this country. Secondly, this is a fairly busy air route, which is served by many Russian airlines. Thirdly, this is a friendly Slavic country, if not with a culture and way of life close to us, then certainly understandable. Fourthly, this country is relatively inexpensive. I hope I have convinced you that you should definitely go to Montenegro on your own. Now I'll tell you how to do it!
1. Why does everyone like Montenegro?
The answer is very simple. Because she is truly wonderful! Sunny, hospitable, tasty, beautiful. Montenegro is a very successful combination of incredible natural beauty, an abundance of cultural and historical attractions and the sea! In general, everything your heart desires: beaches, mountains, ancient cities, museums, add to this the excellent cuisine and hospitality of the Montenegrin people and you will understand why you can love Montenegro.
2. What is the best way to get there?
As I said above, planes of quite a large number of airlines fly in this direction, namely: Aeroflot, S7 Airlines, Red Wings, Ural Airlines, SarAvia and Montenergro. These are only those airlines that fly non-stop. In summer, flights operate daily several times a day. At two international airport: in Tivat and Podgorica. Tourists most often fly to Tivat, as it is closer to all popular Montenegrin resorts. There are much fewer flights to Podgorica, but still, keep in mind that it’s not too far from Podgorica to the sea, perhaps this option will be more convenient or, for example, cheaper. Traditionally, I recommend looking for cheap ones using the Aviasales service, which I always use myself.
3. Where to stay?
If we talk about the host city, then, in principle, this is a matter of taste. If you want to see the most beautiful Montenegrin landscapes, then you should probably choose among the cities of the Bay of Kotor (Kotor, Perast, Risan, Herceg Novi), if you want a noisy youth holiday with cafes and discos, stop your look at Budva, and if, on the contrary, you dream of a quiet and unhurried vacation rhythm, consider the small villages on the coast that are part of the Budva Riviera: Becici, Rafailovici, Sveti Stefan, Przno.
And if we talk about overnight accommodation, then, in my opinion, the apartments are ideal for a stay in Montenegro. There are a lot of them and for every taste and budget, they are convenient with everything you need. They say that in the resorts of Montenegro, you can find free apartments on site, but personally I don’t like to take risks and prefer to resolve such issues in advance. I’m looking, like everyone else, on the Internet on specialized Montenegrin sites or in regular ones.
4. Do I need a visa?
No =) Russians have the right to stay in the territory for 30 days without a visa. The only document that needs to be drawn up is the so-called white cardboard, which is both the registration of the tourist in the country and the tax that he must pay. You can order the white cardboard within three days after arriving in the country at the tourist center.
5. How much will my trip cost?
And a little about how much a trip to Montenegro costs. Of course, you can only determine your budget yourself, and it will depend on your requirements and preferences. But lest you think that traveling is always expensive, I will give below approximate prices for air tickets, accommodation and some other goods and services.
— air tickets - from 12,000 rubles
Moscow-Tivat-Moscow, economy class.
— apartments in Budva - from 1,000 rubles/night
— apartments in Kotor - from 1,500 rubles/night
– tourist tax (“white cardboard”) – about 1 euro per person per day
– car rental – from 30 euros per day
– a bottle of local wine – from 2.5 euros
— “Polako” condition — free =)
In this article I will describe in detail how to organize your trip, what you must see in Montenegro and what excursions to go on.
How to organize your own trip
Flights
I usually buy plane tickets 3-4 weeks before the trip.To begin with, I determine the dates of my trip, then immediately look at the cost of tickets for the dates I need on the website . It is more profitable to buy tickets with departure Tuesday-Thursday, usually the highest cost is for Friday-Monday.
There are only two airports in all of Montenegro, in Tivat and Podgorica. I chose Tivat airport because it is located on the coast and it is much faster and cheaper to get to any resort town. Fly from Moscow to 3 hours 20 minutes.
Accommodation
After the plane tickets are purchased, I look for a hotel or apartment. During my first trip, I rented an apartment in Budva through an international serviceAirbnb.com
, A I also rented rooms in guest houses in Kotor and Tivat through the well-known. INDuring my second trip I used a Montenegrin service to rent an apartment in Budva .
1. (discount )
3. Airbnb .com
Insurance for tourists
I bought travel insurance twice through service . The first time the insurance was from Liberty Insurance, the second time from RESO Guarantee. ServiceCherehapaconvenient in that it compares services and costs of insurance policies from 15 insurance companies . If you set your parameters, you will immediately see the cost of all insurance. I myself was lucky enough not to use health insurance, and I wish the same for you!
Visa
Visa to Montenegro for Russians, Belarusians and Ukrainiansnot required . During the summer months, citizens of the Russian Federation can vacation in Montenegro without a visa for 90 days. The rest of the time you can stay in Montenegro for 30 days without a visa.
To holiday in Montenegro you only need a passport!!!
What language to communicate with Montenegrins
Many tourists are scared and stopped from traveling abroad by what they don’t know English language or the language of the country they are traveling to. In the case of Montenegro, language difficulties are unlikely to arise, especially if you vacation in a resort town, since many Montenegrins live off tourists from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. I met Montenegrins who studied Russian in schools. As one Montenegrin told me: “We understand Russian well, but we can’t speak.”
Money
In Montenegro the national currency is Euro . It is advisable to take euros in cash with you, since bank cards are not accepted everywhere. In large shops and restaurants you can use a card (I used a Sberbank debit card), but in transport, small cafes, souvenir shops and in places far from popular tourist spots, you can only pay in cash. In addition, if you rent an apartment or room from the owners, you will have to pay them in cash.
You can withdraw cash from your card at an ATM, but take into account the conversion and commission. In my opinion, it is better to exchange rubles for euros in your own country, looking for a favorable rate, and go on vacation with cash.
How much money to take with you
Before your trip, calculate your basic expenses:
Hotel/apartment - if you book in advance and do not look for accommodation on the spot, then you will know the exact amount of payment. You may be asked to pay a deposit for one day of stay if you book on services, be sure to read the booking conditions.
Directions - you need to decide in advance how you will move around the country, how you will get to the hotel from the airport. For example, from Tivat airport to Budva, travel by bus costs 3 euros, by ordered taxi/transfer - from 25 euros, you can rent a car at the airport from 27 euros per day.
Registration - You must register with the tourist office within the first 24 hours if you are staying in an apartment or room. If you live in a hotel, then registration may or may not be included in the price; this must be clarified with the hotel. It is advisable to keep your hotel reservation sheet until you return to Russia. The cost of registration in Montenegro is 1 euro per adult per day.
Nutrition - if you rent an apartment with a kitchen or a room with a shared kitchen, you can buy food in a supermarket or market and cook it yourself. If you want to forget about the kitchen during your vacation and try Montenegrin dishes in restaurants, then lunch will cost you 7-12 euros per person.
Eexcursions - the cost of a tour of Montenegro starts from 25 euros per adult and 12.5 euros per child.
Museums - if you want to visit local museums and galleries, then ticket prices range from 1 to 3 euros.
Beaches - you can sunbathe on the beaches in Montenegro for free with your own towel, but if you want to use a sunbed and umbrella, you will have to pay 10-15 euros.
Souvenirs/gifts - it all depends on what you want to keep as a souvenir of Montenegro, for example, if you like to hang magnets on the refrigerator, then the cheapest magnet can be bought for 1-2 euros. Typically, the more popular the place, the higher the cost of souvenirs. In my opinion, the most expensive place to buy souvenirs is Old city Kotor, it is better to buy souvenirs in Herceg Novi in the souvenir pavilions on the embankment. In Budva there is a shop “Everything for 1 euro”. You can expect souvenirs to cost from 3 to 15 euros.
How to get from Tivat airport to Budva
Before my first trip to Montenegro, I was looking for information on how to get from the airport to Budva by bus. Everything turned out to be simple. You need to leave the airport building, walk about 50-70 meters to highway and wait for the bus.
Bus waiting areanear Tivat airport
Since there is no special stop near the airport, you need to raise your hand for the bus to stop. The fare must be paid to the conductor, who himself approaches the passengers. Take your suitcases with you onto the bus; luggage transportation is free.
The buses do not have numbers; they have signs indicating the direction. If you are traveling to Budva, then Budva may be indicated(Budva)or Ulcinj (Ulcinj). If you travel further than Budva, for example, to Becici / Rafailovici / Sveti Stefan / Petrovac / Sutomore / Bar / Ulcinj, then there will be a sign Ulcinj (Ulcinj). If it's necessaryto Kotor, then either Herceg Novi (HercegNovi), or Igalo(Igalo)or Kotor(Kotor).
Bus schedules and fares can be found atwebsite busticket4.me, only this site does not show the schedule from the airport to the city you need, so you need to indicate the city of Tivat, and not Tivat airport. Just add 2-3 minutes to the indicated time, which is approximately how long the bus travels from the bus station in Tivat to the airport.
Taxi
Near the airport there are always a lot of bomb drivers waiting for tourists. They offer their services and will take you anywhere. Only their fare is usually much higher than in a specialized taxi.
It is very convenient to order a taxi from home via the Internet. When you arrive in Montenegro, a taxi will be waiting for you near the airport. You can find out the cost of travel and order a taxi at the international .
Rent a car
It is convenient to rent a car if you are traveling to Montenegro with your family or big company and you are not going to relax only on the beach. With a car, you will travel around Montenegro on your own, you will be able to visit beautiful beaches and attractions far from the cities, and you will not depend on bus schedules and excursion groups. You can view cars and rental prices on . Before your trip, download the appMaps.meon your phone, this is the most detailed and convenient map for traveling around Montenegro.
Registration in Montenegro
Registration of tourists in Montenegro is mandatory. It can be checked when leaving the country, for example, at the airport or at the border when traveling to another country. For lack of registration - a fine of 200 euros. Therefore, it is better to keep the registration receipt until you return to your homeland, and also take it with you if you go on an excursion to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia or Albania.
If you have booked your stay at a good hotel through, then you No need go to the post office and tourist information center yourself (Tourist info) To register, this is done by the hotel staff themselves. Some hotels/guesthouses/hostels may charge you an additional fee for registration, 1 euro per day.
If you rent an apartment/apartment from the owners throughAirbnb or , then most likely you will need to do the registration yourself. Although when I was on a tourist tripom information center, I saw local hosts who themselves came with passports and registered their guests.
How to register yourself in Budva
Registration must be done within the first day of your stay in Montenegro!!!
II did the registration in Budva myself. To do this, you need your international passport, also ask the owner of the apartment to write down the address of the apartment/house and last name on a piece of paper. First, go to the post office to pay for registration, 1 adult - 1 euro per day, 1 child - 0.5 euros per day. At the post office, give the passports of everyone registered and tell the post office employee: “Registration.Quantity days”, she will tell you the payment amount. You will be given a pink slip - a receipt for payment of registration, with which you immediately go to the tourist information center.
There are two information centers in Budva tourist center (Tourist info), one is located in the Old Town, but I could not find it, although I wandered for a long time through the narrow ancient streets. The second tourist information center is located at the intersection of the main street of Budva - Yadran highway ( Jadranski put) and Filip Kovacevic streets ( Filipa Kovačevića). Give your international passport, a piece of paper with your residential address and a receipt to the center employee, she will give you a receipt confirming your registration in Montenegro. Place the receipt in your passport and keep the receipt with you until you return home.
Addresses of post offices in Budva:
1. Crossing streetsPopa Jola Zeca and Filipa Kovačevića (in the bus station building)
2. Mediteranska, 8 (opposite the shopping centerPlaza)
3. Trg Sunca, 3 (post office closest to the tourist information center)
4. Mediteranska ulica br. 1 (about C old city)
Excursions in Montenegro
Montenegro has many beautiful and interesting places. I believe that you can go to some places on your own, but there are places where you can’t get there on your own, and the presence of an experienced guide who can tell interesting stories about the sights, interesting facts and outstanding Montenegrins, gives more insight into the country than any guidebook.
View all group and individual excursions in Montenegro you can use the services And . On these excursion booking services you can find interesting excursions with professional Russian guides who have lived in Montenegro for a long time and have received a guide’s license.
I went on several group excursions. I offer my list of excursions that will help you get to know beautiful Montenegro as best as possible.
Main excursions around Chernogoria in Russian
Book a hotel in Montenegro:Find out the bus schedule:Bussticket4.me
Rent a car:
Our article will be of interest to those tourists who are thinking about how to travel to Montenegro on their own. Of course, the easiest way is to use the services of travel companies, but many vacationers want to save money, so it’s cheaper to act on your own. So, what do you need to know about traveling to Montenegro? In our article we will look at all the nuances of such a trip so that tourists understand what documents need to be prepared and how much money to have with them, and we will also give answers to many other questions.
Travel documents
One of the most important issues, which future travelers need to decide - what documents are needed to travel to Montenegro. Many tourists who are planning a trip to this country for the first time mistakenly believe that they need to apply for a visa. In fact, this is not true at all. Russians do not need a visa to travel to Montenegro if your stay in the country does not exceed thirty days in a row (no more than 90 days in six months). That nuance greatly simplifies the situation. The list of documents for travel consists of only one passport. However, pay attention to the validity period of the document. At the time of your departure from Russia, your passport must be valid for another 90 days.
But if you are planning a longer vacation, the duration of which exceeds 90 days, then in this case it is worth applying for a visa in advance. An application for it must be submitted no earlier than a month before departure. To apply for a visa, you will need the following documents: an application, a questionnaire, confirmation of a hotel reservation or rental agreement, a certificate from work or an extract confirming that you have an acceptable amount of money in your account (at the rate of 20 euros per person per day) , copy of ticket reservation, color photographs (2 pcs.). For adult citizens, the visa fee is 62 euros, and for a child under 14 years old - only 32 euros.
If you want to stay in a hotel, hostel, sanatorium or other similar place, then experienced tourists recommend registering at any office of the Tourist Organization in Montenegro. This needs to be done within 24 hours. And only in Budva you can register within 72 hours. In addition, registration can be completed at the department for work with foreigners at any police station. When tourists stay in hotels and inns, administrators do this themselves. It would seem, why are all these formalities needed? The fact is that when leaving Montenegro, if you do not have registration, you can be fined 200 euros.
Insurance
If you do rent an apartment with a kitchen, you can cook your own meals, which means you can save money. Here is the average cost of products in markets and shops in Montenegro:
- Oranges - 0.7 euros.
- Figs - 2 euros.
- Apples - 1 euro.
- Grapes - 1.5 euros.
- Peaches - 2.5 euros.
- Potatoes - 0.6 euros.
- Tomatoes - 0.6 euros.
- Eggs - 1.5 euros.
- Water - 0.7 euros.
- Milk - 0.8 euros.
- Rice - 0.8 euros.
- Bread - 0.6 euros.
- Wine - from 4.5 euros.
- Shrimp - 15-25 euros.
- Chicken fillet - 5.8 euros.
Cost of food in a cafe
If you decide to eat in inexpensive cafes, then breakfast for one will cost you 4 euros, both will cost you more than 7 euros, and dinner will cost you at least 10 euros. Mid-level restaurants offer breakfasts from 5 €, lunches - at least 11 €, and a good dinner will cost more than 18 €.
The cost of drinks is given separately:
- Coffee or tea - from 1 €.
- Fresh juice - 2.5 €.
- Water - 2.5 €.
- Wine (glass) - 3 €.
Experienced travelers who have already organized a trip to Montenegro more than once, I recommend finding establishments that have a sign indicating a set menu. Approaching the waiter, you can ask what dishes are available. As a rule, the set menu includes simple, tasty and at the same time satisfying food, which you usually order for yourself local residents. For example, a delicious goulash will cost three euros.
Daily expenses of tourists
In order to understand how much money to take to Montenegro, you need to proceed from what hotel you will stay in and where to eat. We want to provide a minimum package of tourist expenses, provided budget holiday, which will consist of the cost of housing, travel and food.
When vacationing at any resort, you will need to use transport. Cost of services:
- A liter of gasoline - 1.39 €.
- Directions public transport - 0,5 €.
- Taxi order - 1 €.
- Taxi fare for each kilometer is 0.45 €.
As we already mentioned, the cost of housing at the resorts varies greatly. In the city center, renting a one-room apartment can cost from 240 euros per month; on the outskirts, the same apartment will cost 190 euros. If we take into account the cost of living in a budget hotel (from 16 € per day), the cost of transport and food in inexpensive establishments, then on average we can say that a tourist needs to have at least 45 € per day.
However, it is worth understanding that this amount is calculated very roughly. At a resort, as a rule, you want to see something or try some delicacies. All such expenses significantly increase the travel budget.
Pilgrimage journeys
Do not forget that there are also pilgrimage trips to Montenegro. Their peculiarity is that they are focused more on visiting numerous temples and shrines, but at the same time there is also beach holiday. The cities of Cetinje and Podgorodica are a must-see.
Cetinje - very ancient city, which was founded back in 1482. It houses the Monastery of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, which houses the right hand of the Virgin Mary, painted by St. Luke, and the relics of the Wonderworkers of Ostrog and Cetinje.
Usually pilgrimage tours include a visit to the residence of the Zeta metropolitans, a visit to Budva, a tour of the ancient Adriatic coast, and a vacation at sea. During excursion activities, tourists can see such shrines as a thorn from the crown of the Savior himself, as well as a piece of the robe Holy Mother of God and many other items.
In addition, pilgrims are usually taken to see the Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Podgoroditsa. The program of activities for different tour operators may differ slightly, so it is worth checking the route and choosing the most interesting one for you.
What to choose: an independent holiday or a trip?
According to tourists who have experience of independent travel to resorts, including Montenegro, it can be said that an independently organized trip has a number of advantages. First of all, it concerns cost. Although trips to Montenegro are not too expensive, an independent trip is still cheaper. You have the opportunity to choose accommodation yourself, rather than relax in a hotel that is imposed on you by a travel agency. However, it is worth considering that sometimes tour operators offer last-minute trips to Montenegro. The cost of such tours is sometimes very attractive, so this option is also worth considering.
An independent trip to Montenegro is a great idea!
Even if you have never gone on vacation without a travel agency, organizing an independent trip to Montenegro will not be difficult. This country is easy to get to. Local culture and Slavic language close and understandable to us. Finding a hotel or renting private accommodation is not a problem. And most importantly, a trip for up to 90 days does not require a visa.
Next is our step-by-step instructions on how to travel to Montenegro on your own.
Since there is a lot of information, some of it hidden in tabs. They open with a mouse click and look like this:
Just three steps
To organize a trip, you need to take three main steps: purchase tickets, book accommodation and buy an insurance policy.
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How to get to Montenegro on your own
If desired, you can get to Montenegro by sea
You can get to Montenegro by air, by land and, if desired, by sea. Let's take a closer look at the simplest and most popular method - by plane. And briefly - on an interesting, but long journey - by train from neighboring Serbia or Moscow.
Flight to Montenegro
There are only two airports in Montenegro - in Tivat and the capital of the country Podgorica. From Moscow, direct flights are usually operated to Tivat. It is located in the center of the resort area. With transfers you can get to both Podgorica and Tivat from any city in Russia, Ukraine, or Belarus. Another option is to fly to Belgrade, get to know the capital of Serbia, and from there - to Montenegro by train or bus. By the way, this route will be much cheaper.
If saving is not a question, The best way- flight to Tivat. From Tivat airport to Budva - 30 minutes by bus, to Herceg Novi - 1 hour.
Tivat Airport on the map
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Tivat airport is tiny, like Montenegro itself
You need insurance that will provide real help
Independent trips around Montenegro
Montenegro is a tiny country that you can travel around in a few days. You can often get from point A to point B on foot: the distances between settlements. Once we had a great walk from Budva to Sveti Stefan and back. It only took half a day.
Transfer from the airport to the hotel
From Tivat airport You can get to the hotel by bus, taxi, ordering a transfer online or renting a car, which will be delivered directly to the airport (see chapter).
If you are traveling without children, with little luggage and the flight is not very tiring for you, there is no point in spending money on taxis and transfers. From the airport to Budva it takes half an hour by bus.
Bus is the cheapest transport in Montenegro
By bus
To take the bus, you need to get onto the highway near the airport (a hundred meters away) and walk along it to the left for a hundred meters, towards Tivat. There you will see bus stops. If you need to go to Budva, Sveti Stefan, Bar, Ulcinj, wait for the bus at the bus stop without crossing the road. If you are going to Herceg Novi, Tivat, Perast, go on the opposite side. Just in case, check with the driver whether he is going to the resort you need.
Or you don’t have to look for a stop. Stand next to the highway and, noticing a bus coming, vote :) The driver will notice and stop.
Bus fare - from €2
.
The bus will take you to the bus station. You will have to get from there to the hotel by taxi or on foot. See the location of the hotel and bus station on the map in advance.
Bus station in Budva on the map
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Entrance to Budva bus station
By taxi
Taxi drivers are usually on duty near the airport; their prices, as is usually the case in such places, are inhumane and overpriced. If you can negotiate, you will leave at an affordable price.
Transfer
Transfer is a convenient option
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How to leave on your own from one city in Montenegro to another?
It's easy to get to any city by bus
The distances between settlements in Montenegro are small, so you can get around by taxi, rented car or bicycle, or sometimes just on foot. The most popular mode of transport is bus. The entire coast - from Herceg Novi to Ulcinj - takes 3.5 hours by bus and 9,5
Euro. Traveling between other cities is cheaper and faster. The disadvantage of Montenegrin buses is that the schedule changes frequently and is not always followed.
Bus schedules and fares are on the website busticket4.me .
Car rental in Montenegro
Maximum mobility when traveling independently in Montenegro is provided by renting a car. The roads are excellent. The country, however, is mountainous and the landscape is steep. If this doesn’t bother you, by renting a car you can see the whole country.
It’s easy to rent a car via the Internet - on websites or.
Company Feature Auto-travel the fact that it specializes in renting cars from local rental companies; You can book a specific car with her, rather than just select a car model. Rentalcars is focused on popular brands and provides the opportunity to choose a car from the most famous rental companies.
As for prices, in the summer months both those and others start at 30-35 euros per day. Out of season, of course, it's cheaper. A rented car can be picked up at Tivat and Podgorica airports or at any of the popular resorts.
They don’t rent a car like this :)
Language of Montenegro
In accordance with the Constitution of Montenegro, the official language in the country is Montenegrin. However, it is almost no different from Serbian. However, what is important to us is not linguistic subtleties, but how clear the language is for us.
According to our experience of traveling independently through the countries of the former Yugoslavia, you can communicate with Montenegrins, Serbs, and Croats without even knowing their language. This is the case if you want to ask something, you can clarify and ask again if you misunderstood. Many Montenegrin words are similar to Russian:
“dobar dan” - “good afternoon”
"autobus" - "bus"
"zheleznichka stanitsa" - "railway station"
"izlaz" - "exit".
Some things may be confusing:
"right" - "straight"
or to be confused:
"trg" - "area".
Therefore, we take with us to the Balkans a cheat sheet with words that can be useful in everyday life.
If you read the name of the street, then you already know how to read Montenegrin
Currency of Montenegro
Monetary unit of Montenegro - Euro, although the country is not part of the eurozone. This is very convenient: you don’t have to change currency twice, you just need to bring Eurokas with you. The most profitable option bank cards— card in euros; There will be no conversion or commission on purchases.
When there are no small euros, you have to wait for change
Excursions around Montenegro
In fact, you can see any sights in Montenegro on your own. In some places it’s enough to walk, in others you can take a bus or rent a car. But if you want comfort, to be brought and taken away and told, buy excursions on the spot or order online.
— here is the largest selection of excursions;
- here are the lowest prices;
You can visit places on your own that you can’t get with a tour.
An independent holiday in Montenegro turns out to be comfortable and very eventful. Organizing your own trip is not difficult: to visit the country you do not need to go to the embassy to obtain a visa.
In this article we will look at the main questions that concern travelers before their first trip to Montenegro. We will talk about safety issues, prices, the attitude of locals towards tourists, and share useful links and personal experience.
How to travel to Montenegro on your own? Briefly to the point
Since the article turned out to be quite long and detailed, we first give a brief summary
Independent travel to Montenegro
- on the Adriatic coast, surrounded by the Balkan Mountains. Here are the basics and .
- No visa required for Montenegro for up to 30 days. In summer, this period can be extended to 90 days.
- - 1 euro Approximate Euro exchange rate:
1 euro = 74 rubles
1 euro = 31 hryvnia
1 euro = 1.17 dollars. Take only euros with you. It is not profitable to change dollars; there is nowhere to change rubles. - They understand that Russians are treated well.
- In Montenegro it is very safely.
- Upon arrival in the country you need.
- Medicine in Montenegro is expensive, you need to apply for a good one.
- low when compared with other European countries. Here you can relax both on a budget and very comfortably.
- Vacationing in Montenegro on a package tour is usually cheaper than planning a vacation yourself.
- The article contains step-by-step instructions for organizing your own holiday in Montenegro. From buying air tickets and renting accommodation to entertainment and travel routes.
If you decide to organize your own vacation, we advise you to carefully read the entire article.
Independent holiday or tour? What and when to choose
In Montenegro, you can relax either on a package tour or by organizing the entire vacation yourself.
Vacation package It usually works out cheaper and can be organized with less effort.
Self-planned trip Almost always it turns out better and more interesting, but you will have to spend a lot of effort on organizing it, and the cost of the vacation will be even more expensive than the tour.
When is the best time to vacation in Montenegro on a tour?
The main advantage of a tour holiday is the low price. No matter how carefully you plan your independent trip, a similar tour will still turn out to be a little cheaper. You can check prices, for example, at.
If you plan to spend most of your vacation on the beach, then buying a ticket to it will be easier than looking for tickets, accommodation, and everything else.
Vacation packages also have significant disadvantages:
- It is usually not clear exactly what your home will look like. In the photo they show the most expensive room, but they give you a cheap one, which is much worse.
- You cannot spend part of your vacation at one resort and part at another. Traveling is more difficult.
- Tours rarely offer comfortable apartments with a kitchen where you can cook for yourself. This is important if you are going on vacation with a small child and he needs special nutrition.
Useful: detailed article about tours to Montenegro with a description of personal experience
When is it worth organizing a trip to Montenegro on your own?
It’s worth traveling to Montenegro on your own if you’re willing to spend the time and effort to make your vacation truly unforgettable. Usually it costs more, but you will get more impressions and emotions.
Another advantage of independent holidays is savings for large groups. If you are traveling with 2-3 families, you can rent an entire villa or apartment with 2-3 bedrooms, dividing the price among everyone.
Independent holiday in Montenegro: brief instructions
We have prepared a small step by step instructions By independent travel to Montenegro.
We advise you to purchase travel services in the same order in which they are described on the website, it will be cheaper. For example, it is described earlier than the purchase and because the closer to the vacation, the more expensive the car will cost. And insurance and excursions hardly become more expensive.
Visa and registration issues: who can travel to Montenegro?
If you plan to vacation for no more than 90 days, then A visa to Montenegro is not required. They will simply put a stamp at customs at the airport and wish you a pleasant stay.
But all tourists who come on vacation on their own and will live in the private sector must register with the travel agency. Otherwise there will be a fine 200 euros Approximate Euro exchange rate:
200 euros = 14800 rubles
200 euros = 6200 hryvnia
200 euros = 470 Belarusian rubles
200 euros = 234 dollars
All rates are approximate, but they help you quickly estimate prices. Worth registering 1 euro Approximate Euro exchange rate:
1 euro = 74 rubles
1 euro = 31 hryvnia
1 euro = 2.35 Belarusian rubles
1 euro = 1.17 dollars
If you are flying on a vacation or staying in a hotel, you do not need to register.
Is it safe in Montenegro? What language, how do they treat Russians?
Montenegro is very safe. The locals are hospitable, there is no rampant crime, even tourists are scammed much less often and more carefully than in other countries popular with Russians.
Of course, sometimes there are pickpockets, but in our 5-7 years of vacation, nothing was ever stolen from us. The Montenegrins themselves are very law-abiding people. The country is small, everyone knows each other. Once you steal something, the stigma will fall not only on the person, but also on his children and grandchildren. Nobody needs this.
But like any popular resort, in the summer many “guest performers” come to Montenegro from neighboring countries: Bulgaria, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Romania, etc.
Conclusions: In terms of safety for life and wallet, Montenegro can give a head start to Turkey and Egypt.
Forest fires, which are often shown on TV, usually rage far from the resorts. We almost always find out about them through calls and messages from worried friends and relatives.
You can only see forest fires. Sometimes it looks beautiful, especially the burning mountains in the evening. And sometimes smoke ruins good shots.
Locals Russian-speaking tourists are treated well. Many people understand Russian; they know it better here than English. What can I say, if half of the advertising in the country is in Russian.
However, simple human relationships are very important in Montenegro. Sometimes it's more important than money. Treat people well and they will treat you the same way.
Useful: useful tips tourists about holidays in Montenegro.
How to find air tickets to Montenegro and when to buy them?
The flight to Montenegro from Moscow takes about 3 hours. There are 2 airports in the country: Tivat and Podgorica.
Most often, tickets to Tivat are cheaper. Getting from Tivat to the coast is also more convenient; from Podgorica it is almost half as expensive.
It is best to buy tickets as far in advance as possible, at least several months in advance. Typically, but not always, the earlier you buy your ticket, the cheaper it will cost.
The easiest way to quickly estimate the price of tickets to Montenegro is to use the low price calendar from Aviasales.ru:
Using the calendar, you can set the city of departure and airport of arrival (check Tivat and Podgorica), the duration of the trip, and search only for direct flights or flights with transfers.
Important point!
When choosing tickets, pay attention to whether the ticket includes luggage.
For example, the cheapest tickets are from Pobeda, but they only include hand luggage, and you will have to pay extra for all additional services. As a result, the ticket (including baggage and surcharges) is more expensive than that of S7, Aeroflot, Montenegro Airlines or Air Serbia.
Can be reached to Montenegro and by train from Moscow, but it costs several times more than an airplane (tickets from 250 euros Approximate Euro exchange rate:
250 euros = 18,500 rubles
250 euros = 7750 hryvnia
250 euros = 587.5 Belarusian rubles
250 euros = 292.5 dollars
All rates are approximate, but they help you quickly estimate one-way prices), the journey takes 61 hours and you need a Schengen transit visa. You should use this option only if you have terrible aerophobia.
Choosing a resort and housing: rooms in villas, apartments, hotels
There are four resorts that we would recommend to friends for their first holiday experience in Montenegro. This is , and . They are well suited for casual relaxation.
If you are planning a long vacation, for example for the whole summer, and want to live in silence and without crowds of tourists, you can choose. There are few excursions and the beaches are not very good, but the accommodation is cheaper and the prices are lower.
We are not ready to recommend other resorts. For example, it is very hot and not good beaches, V Petrovac tiny beach and a lot of tourists with sick children, Ulcinj From the apartments to the beach it’s a kilometer walk in the heat without a cover.
We recommend looking for accommodation on or AirBnB.ru. Search on forums, in in social networks, messengers, etc. We don't recommend it. There are a lot of intermediaries with incomprehensible “mark-ups”. Even experienced bloggers and travelers often fall for their tricks, overpaying 20-100% for housing.
Types of housing in Montenegro
The cheapest housing in Montenegro - room in the villa. Usually this is a separate room with its own shower and toilet, air conditioning, TV, balcony and barely working internet.
A hostess will live with you in the villa and you can turn to her for help. Some villas have a kitchen and iron, some do not.
The cheapest rooms in villas are usually quite tiny. They barely fit two single beds, a couple of small bedside tables and a wardrobe. The dining table is on the balcony.
Good apartments and hotels they cost about the same. The apartments usually have a kitchen, washing machine, and iron. They are closer in meaning to an apartment. This is convenient if you want to cook or just live like a local.
IN hotels there is a reception, a lot is offered additional services: laundry, ordering food and drinks in the room, free room cleaning, etc. There are not many good hotels in Montenegro; the choice of apartments is much richer.
If you want a local site, take a closer look at Olimpus.me. They offer the same apartments as Booking, but often a little cheaper. We usually look for accommodation on Booking and if it is for a long period of time, we book it on Olympus.
Here are examples of housing with prices where we lived in August 2017 (peak season, expensive):
View from the balcony of the apartment we rented in Herceg Novi, on the first line. Price per day 162 euros. For this money there were two balconies, two bedrooms, two separate showers and a large living room with kitchen. The area is guarded, guests can use sun loungers.
The kitchen and dining room are combined with the living room (it is not visible in the photo). Directly from the kitchen there is access to a small balcony with beautiful view. The room is very spacious and bright.
And this is an apartment in Kotor (our four green windows on the second floor). A couple of minutes from the very center of the old city. They cost us 135 euros per day. The apartment has a large living room, a good kitchen and a shower room. There are two bedrooms at different ends of the apartment (vacators do not interfere with each other).
Photos without processing turned out dull. Living in an apartment is much more light and colorful.
This can help: detailed article about rental housing in Montenegro: villas, hotels and apartments
Book a car to travel on your own
The most comfortable way to travel around Montenegro, see the sights, go to the beach and the supermarket is to take a. Prices for normal cars start at 25 euros Approximate Euro exchange rate:
25 euros = 1850 rubles
25 euros = 775 hryvnia
25 euros = 29.25 dollars
All rates are approximate, but they help you quickly estimate prices per day.
It's best to book a car immediately after purchasing tickets and rental housing. The cheapest or best options are sorted out first. If you delay booking a little, you will have to choose from what is left at the time of your vacation.
It is best to rent a car on local websites. The most positive reviews at the time of our vacation were about Myrentacar.com. We tried it ourselves. We were satisfied. We recommend.
The feature of the site is not only low prices, but also the ability to choose a specific car. You will know all the characteristics down to the color, gearbox and year of manufacture. You can book, for example, a white convertible for a wedding photo shoot and be sure that this is exactly what you will get.
An idea on how to save money by renting a car
You can rent a car not at the resort, but right at the airport. Then you won’t have to pay for a transfer (for example, to Budva it costs a minimum 23 euros Approximate Euro exchange rate:
23 euros = 1702 rubles
23 euros = 713 hryvnia
23 euros = 54.05 Belarusian rubles
23 euros = 26.91 dollars
All rates are approximate, but they help you quickly estimate prices), which costs the same as renting a car for a day.
The procedure is as follows:
- Go to Myrentacar.com
- Choose your favorite car
- Place of receipt indicate Tivat airport, place of delivery - Your resort.
- You can return your car even the next day by paying just 25 euros Approximate Euro exchange rate:
25 euros = 1850 rubles
25 euros = 775 hryvnia
25 euros = 58.75 Belarusian rubles
25 euros = 29.25 dollarsAll rates are approximate, but they help you quickly estimate prices
. - Upon arrival in Montenegro, a company representative will be waiting for you at the airport with a sign.
There are several other ways to save significantly on your vacation by renting a car. For example, you can inexpensively stay in a luxury apartment with a pool, but 10-15 minutes by car from the beach. This is exactly the same distance as walking from an ordinary villa in Budva.
This and other ways to save are described in detail in.
After you book a car, do not forget to download the navigator and maps to your phone. The whole process with pictures is also in the article about renting a car.
We organize transfer from the airport to the resort
If you don’t want to rent a car, you need to take care of a transfer. Taxi drivers at the airport are mostly private. The prices are very high, and their counter can spin faster than the wheels. That is if there is one at all, which is rare.
Getting there by bus is only convenient if you are traveling without luggage or alone. Otherwise, you will have to pay almost the same amount for tickets as for the transfer.
What are the prices in Montenegro? How much does food and entertainment cost?
Prices in Montenegro are lower than most European countries. By and large, even in resort towns they are not much higher than those in Moscow.
You can have lunch at an inexpensive restaurant for 8-12 euros Approximate Euro exchange rate:
10 euros = 740 rubles
10 euros = 310 hryvnia
10 euros = 23.5 Belarusian rubles
10 euros = 11.7 dollars
All rates are approximate, but they help you quickly estimate prices per person. Behind 15-20 euros Approximate Euro exchange rate:
15 euros = 1110 rubles
15 euros = 465 hryvnia
15 euros = 35.25 Belarusian rubles
15 euros = 17.55 dollars
All courses are approximate, but it helps to quickly estimate prices; you can eat already very well prepared dishes of national cuisine. The portions are large and tasty.
Fast food is very helpful for budget-conscious tourists. A hamburger that can replace lunch is worth 1.7 euro Approximate Euro exchange rate:
1.7 euros = 125.8 rubles
1.7 euro = 52.7 hryvnia
1.7 euros = 4 Belarusian rubles
1.7 euros = 1.99 dollars
All rates are approximate, but they help you quickly estimate prices, a slice of pizza 1-2 euros Approximate Euro exchange rate:
1 euro = 74 rubles
1 euro = 31 hryvnia
1 euro = 2.35 Belarusian rubles
1 euro = 1.17 dollars
All courses are approximate, but they help you quickly estimate prices depending on the filling.
Prices in supermarkets are about the same as at home. Some things are more expensive, while others are cheaper.
Useful: a detailed article about and a separate article with food prices.
The situation is similar with entertainment, excursions, car rental and everything else:
- You can walk along the coast from to.
- You can take a bus from Budva to go to 3 euros Approximate Euro exchange rate:
3 euros = 222 rubles
3 euros = 93 hryvnia
3 euros = 7.05 Belarusian rubles
3 euros = 3.51 dollarsAll rates are approximate, but they help you quickly estimate prices
one way. - You can buy the cheapest one for 25 euros Approximate Euro exchange rate:
25 euros = 1850 rubles
25 euros = 775 hryvnia
25 euros = 58.75 Belarusian rubles
25 euros = 29.25 dollarsAll rates are approximate, but they help you quickly estimate prices
. - Possible for 25 euros Approximate Euro exchange rate:
25 euros = 1850 rubles
25 euros = 775 hryvnia
25 euros = 58.75 Belarusian rubles
25 euros = 29.25 dollarsAll rates are approximate, but they help you quickly estimate prices
and explore the country on your own. A normal car is already standing 35 or more euros Approximate Euro exchange rate:
35 euros = 2590 rubles
35 euros = 1085 hryvnia
35 euros = 82.25 Belarusian rubles
35 euros = 40.95 dollarsAll rates are approximate, but they help you quickly estimate prices
. - You can take an excellent group for 65 euros Approximate Euro exchange rate:
65 euros = 4810 rubles
65 euros = 2015 hryvnia
65 euros = 152.75 Belarusian rubles
65 euros = 76.05 dollarsAll rates are approximate, but they help you quickly estimate prices
per person. - Or you can buy it, but for 295 euros Approximate Euro exchange rate:
295 euros = 21830 rubles
295 euros = 9145 hryvnia
295 euros = 693.25 Belarusian rubles
295 euros = 345.15 dollarsAll rates are approximate, but they help you quickly estimate prices
.
As you can see, Montenegro offers recreation and entertainment for every budget. There are free options, and there are quite expensive ones that will suit even the most demanding tourists.
