After my recent trip to Montenegro, I thought I’d share some useful tips for saving money while having a splendid time on your next trip to the beautiful tiny Balkan country. You can also find my full 5-day travel itinerary at the end of the article. Feel free to copy or save it.
Always hold cash
I was surprised to see a lot of stores and places accept bank cards. However, it would be best if you still had cash in your wallet at all times. The locally used currency is Euros, even though Montenegro isn’t part of the European Union.
Your bank card is useful at restaurants, hotels, grocery stores, most ice-cream shops, and the main bus stations. But, you would need cash to pay for the boat tours, excursions, taxis, and local buses.
How much cash should you hold? I’d advise a 60-40 split of your budget. You should do just fine holding 60% as cash.
Avoid the overpriced Taxi and catch a train instead
The easiest way to get to the city from the airport is by taxi. But that’s not the only way, you have options. I noticed there was no information point when I arrived at the airport. So I asked an airport employee if there was a bus to the city. She expressly stated that taxis were the only option. I later found out that the information was incorrect. It is possible to catch a train to the city. However, it appears the taxi drivers and airport staff have some sort of unwritten agreement. Thus, their only response to “how to get to the city” is “by taxi”.
Save your 10-15 euros. Walk about 800 meters to the Aerodrom train station and pay just under 2 euros to the city.
Internet Service in Montenegro
There are a couple of e-sim options for internet access in non-EU countries. On my recent trip to Macedonia and Albania, I used Revolut’s e-sim package for internet service. However, Montenegro’s “One” network. turned out to be way better. The internet was really fast and the data package was over 10 times more than Revolut’s. 500 GB for 15 euros, more than enough data for a 5-day trip.
Transportation in Montenegro
The most convenient way to move from city to city or within a city is by taxi. However, that option tends to get pretty expensive very quickly. If you are travelling on a budget, you should keep reading.
Travelling between Cities
The cheapest way to move between cities is by bus. The main cities have their main bus station with connections to various parts of the country. They also connect to neighbouring countries like Croatia and Serbia. Tickets usually start from 6 euros, depending on your travel distance. They all accept cash and bank cards for payment. It can get tricky to find the exact bus times before getting to the station.
Tip: Download Rome2Rio app. It gave us the most approximate information on bus times and prices. The info was off by a few euros and minutes at most.
Getting around a city
Local buses don’t have the best of connections in Montenegro. Thus, visitors are heavily dependent on taxis. Sadly, Uber and Bolt are not operating in the country yet.
Taxi drivers are always looking to take advantage of tourists. I can say with certainty that they intentionally alter their taxi meters to get the most out of tourists. I figured out a few ways to avoid getting ripped off (at least not so much):
- Traffic is better after 8 pm. So stay out a bit later so your bill doesn’t build up in traffic.
- After saying your destination, insist on the meter being turned off and negotiate a flat fee with the driver. It helps if you have the exact cash bill. This worked for me in Podgorica, on my way back to the airport.
- Be open to sharing a taxi with strangers. It would save you a lot.
Tip: A lot of hotels rent out electric scooters and bikes to their guests. These are perfect for enjoying the seaside in Budva and the docks in Kotor.
Accommodation: Where we stayed
Hotel in Kotor
We stayed in a boutique hotel just outside the city centre, C-group suites. The hotel was very modern and affordable. A pool on the roof, and another heated indoor pool with a sauna. The drive to the centre was under 5 minutes, so taxi prices never exceeded 3.5 euros.
The price was 100 euros per night.
Hotel in Budva
Hotel quality in Budva is much better than in Kotor. Almost all are super modern but at great value. We stayed in a luxury hotel outside the city centre, the Katamare Hotel. Hands down the best hotel I’ve ever booked. It also had one pool on the roof and another on the first floor. However, none of those mattered because the hotel had a beachfront. And guests are given the option to borrow towels for the beach.
The price was 100 euros per night.
My Montenegro Travel Itinerary
Day 1. Arrival in Podgorica and Travel to Kotor
Morning:
– Arrival in Podgorica: The country’s biggest airport is in its capital city. We arrived around noon and headed straight to Kotor city.
– Travel to Kotor: It’s about a 2-hour drive from Podgorica to Kotor. You can rent a car or take a bus. We took a €10 taxi from the airport to the bus station (Autobuska Stanica). Afterwards, we caught a 2.5-hour bus to Kotor. The bus cost €8 per person.
Afternoon:
– Explore Kotor Old Town: Wandered through the medieval old town, a UNESCO World Heritage site, with its charming narrow streets and historical buildings.
– Kotor Cathedral: Visited the St. Tryphon Cathedral, a stunning Romanesque church with great views from its towers.
Evening:
– Dinner in Kotor: Enjoyed a traditional Montenegrin meal at one of the popular local restaurants, Platanus.
Day 2. Kotor Bay Boat Tour (Perast, Lady of the Rock, Submarine Tunnel, Mamula and Blue Cave)
Morning:
– Kotor Fortress Hike: After breakfast at the hotel, we took a hike up to the Kotor Fortress for breathtaking views of the Kotor Bay. The 40-minute hike is steep but the views are worth it.
Afternoon:
– Boat Tour: The boat tours take about 3 hours and leave 3 times daily. 9 am, 12 noon and 3 pm. We booked an hour before the 3 pm tour. The first stop on the ride was Perast, then we spent time through Lady of the Rock, the submarine tunnel, and the blue cave. Experienced swimmers are allowed a short swim in the blue cave. It cost €35 per person.
Evening:
– Relax in Kotor Bay: We enjoyed a peaceful walk by the bay and had dinner at another highly-rated restaurant in the old town, La Catedral Pasta Bar.
Day 3. Budva: Old Town
Morning:
– Travel to Budva It’s about half an hour’s drive from Kotor. You can find a bus every hour from the bus station for just €6. But we opted for a taxi that got us there faster for €30.
Afternoon:
– Explore Budva Old Town: Explore the medieval old town, with its cobbled streets, historic buildings, and charming shops.
Evening:
– Budva coastline Walk through the coastline, enjoy some gelato, street food and views of the beautiful sunset on the eastern side of the city. Budva is known for its buzzing nightlife.
Day 4. Budva: Sveti Stefan
Morning:
– Water Activity: There are a lot of water activities you can choose from at different price points and adventure levels. Swimming at the beach (free), kayaking (€15), sub-boarding (€25), Jet ski (€80), Water tube (€10), Parasailing (€50), water ski (€40), rent a boat (€20). We swam at the beach for free with rented towels from our hotel.
Afternoon:
– Sveti Stefan: We visited the nearby islet of Sveti Stefan, an exclusive resort that can be admired from the mainland. You can walk around the area and take some beautiful photos. You can also swim there, the water is much calmer.
Evening:
– Budva Beaches and Nightlife: Spent the evening enjoying Budva’s beachside. We dined at a seaside restaurant, Duomo.
Day 5. Podgorica and Departure
Morning:
– Return to Podgorica: Head back to Podgorica. If time allows, explore the capital city before your departure. We visited the local mall and then stopped by for some gelato at Cioccolat Italiani.
Afternoon:
– Lunch in the city: If you have enough time, grab lunch at any affordable local restaurant in the city. We ate at a great place called Spaghetti.
Evening:
-Head to the airport via train and depart.
