Montenegro Holidays

Best things to do in Montenegro

A land exploding with colour, Montenegro's glittering coastline packs in a diversity of resorts with sandy bays and secluded coves, while the rugged interior is blessed with fierce mountains, precipitous canyons and deep glacial lakes.

Viewpoints and panoramas

• Kotor Fortress: Head up to St Ivan's Castle for jaw-droppingly beautiful views over Montenegro's prettiest town.

• Sveti Stefan: A small, stunning island fish scaled with orange roofs, its beauty is such that people stop all day long to take pictures from the adjacent main road.

The best districts

• Old Town Kotor: Perched on the edge of a majestic bay, this medieval Old Town is the undisputed jewel in Montenegro's crown, its timeless delights of cobbled alleyways and secluded piazzas an utter joy.

• Stari Bar: The beauty of its setting is quite staggering – sheer cliffs surround this old town on all sides, and tiny farming communities dot the valleys below.

• Durmitor: A spectacular national park where you can hike through unspoilt pastureland, ski past 2000m-plus peaks, or raft through the colossal Tara Canyon.

Museums

• Naval Heritage Collection, Tivat: Marvellous museum documenting the Boka's strong naval associations; better still is the opportunity to clamber inside the dry-docked submarine Heroj - not one for claustrophobes mind.

Parks and gardens

• Biogradska Gora National Park: Mountains, lakes and ancient virgin forest constitute this beautiful green landscape, which offers lovely walking opportunities.

Historical monuments

• Ostrog Monastery: Spectacularly, improbably carved into a sheer cliff face, this Orthodox monastery is Montenegro's most important pilgrimage site.

• Cetinje's Embassies: Cetinje's former embassies are quite fascinating, and fun to track down – for example the French embassy, covered with an assortment of lemon and blue tiles; the crumbling British embassy, now a music academy; and the gorgeous, peach-coloured Russian embassy.

• St Tryphon's Cathedral, Kotor: Superb twin-towered Romanesque structure whose sumptuous, light-filled interior is distinguished by neat columns of robust, reddish-brown pillars and a fine stone rib-vaulted ceiling.

Day trips in the area

• Lake Skadar: Just a short drive from Podgorica, and the largest body of water in the Balkans, Skadar presents opportunities for a spot of birdwatching, kayaking and wine tasting - quite the combination.

• Ulcinj: The coast's southernmost town, whose colourful Ottoman past is manifest in Turkish-style houses and minaret-topped mosques huddled around the bay.

• Herceg Novi: Abutting the border with Croatia, Herceg Novi's personable ‚Äã‚ÄãOld Town core is complemented by a tumbledown Spanish Fortress and a long, tidy promenade stretching all the way to Igalo.

Activities for families in Montenegro

It goes without saying that the country's beaches are the big family draw, but culture vultures and those seeking more adventurous fare won't be disappointed.

• Beaches: Beaches are of course what Montenegro does best: Budva offers the sandiest beaches anywhere along the Dalmatian coast: both Jaz and Slovenska are fantastic, though the beaches on Sv Nikola Island will appeal to those seeking a more restful time of it.

• Watersports: Jet-skiing, parasailing and zorbing are all family-friendly activities available at various points along the coast – Budva is the prime spot, though kayaking around Kotor Bay is a delight.

Free things to do in Montenegro

Holidays to Montenegro need not be all about spending money. As well as spending time chilling on the local beaches or embracing one of the many festivals, there are simple pleasures to be had just by strolling.

• Free events: The best of the country's many festivals take place in Kotor, including February's Masked Ball, with processions through the Old Town, April's Montenegrin Dance Festival, and, best of all, August's Boka Nights, when boats fill the bay and fireworks electrify the night sky.

• Promenade walks: A lovely way to spend an evening minus the cost, save perhaps for the odd ice cream, is to take a leisurely stroll along any of the coastal town's nightly korzo, such as Budva or Herceg Novi.

Nature and outdoor activities

Outdoor activity holidays to Montenegro come in two main flavours: mountain and coastal, with superb hikes and skiing in the hinterland complemented by all manner of water-bound thrills - there's wonderful nature to observe here too.

• Sea-Kayaking: A great way to explore the many gorgeous coves and inlets along the coast, intermittently stopping off at a beach or village for a spot of light refreshment; the best way to go about it is with a reputable operator such as Black Mountain Montenegro.

• Hiking: The country's most exalted peaks, such as Bobotov kuk and Meded, are in Durmitor, but there's also the Orjen Massif, an alluring Karst landscape crisscrossed with easy to moderate trails, and the rocky slopes of Lovcen.

• Birdwatching: Lake Skadar is one of Europe's most important bird reserves, home, among others, to large numbers of Dalmatian Pelicans. Just outside Tivat is the Solina Nature Reserve, home to both migrating and wintering birds, including waders, common crane, herons, snipe, osprey and pygmy cormorant.

• Skiing: Wintertime in Durmitor opens up fabulous skiing possibilities, and snowboarding is on the rise too; the main slopes are accessible from the mountain town of ≈Ωabljak.

• White water rafting: The go-to activity for adrenaline junkies, rafting down the Tara River Canyon - Europe's deepest - is unlike anywhere else on the continent.

• Paragliding: For those with a head for heights, the mountainsides above Budva dropping steeply to the glittering Adriatic offer all the adrenaline you need; Budva Paragliding is an experienced outfit offering tandem flights.

###Local dishes in Montenegro

One of the true joys of Montenegro holidays is the opportunity to sample its food, which is meat-heavy (this is the Balkans after all). You can also indulge in some of the finest, freshest seafood anywhere on the Adriatic. And if you enjoy fiery drinks, you've come to the right place.

Some typical dishes

• Prsut: A type of prosciutto traditionally salted and pressed to remove excess liquid, then smoked and dried in the cool mountain air.

• Cicvara: A creamy dish made with cornmeal, cheese and sour cream, often served as a side dish or a hearty breakfast.

Meat dishes

• Karaƒëorƒëe vasnicla: Artery-clogging and gut-busting - but oh so delicious - this rolled veal steak stuffed with cheese and coated in breadcrumbs is named after the national hero, Karaƒëorƒëe Petroviƒá.

• Lamb under the bell (Lamb peka): Slow roasted over hot coals under an iron pan, allowing for a juicier, smokier flavour, this is quite simply spectacular.

Fish and seafood dishes

• Buzara: A steaming seafood stew made with mussels, prawns and clams, cooked in a white wine, garlic and tomato sauce.

• Grilled fish: Freshly caught fish, such as sea bass or bream, simply grilled and served with a squeeze of lemon, is a staple on most menus.

Street food

• Burek: A substantial wedge of flaky pastry filled with meat, cheese or spinach, and occasionally mushroom, that's just the job for a quick snack on the go.

• ƒÜevapi: These morish rissoles of spiced minced meat served with onion and a cut of thick, doughy bread are sold at street stalls all over town.

Sweets and desserts

The most popular sweet treat is priganice, fluffy, fried doughballs usually served with honey or jam. Look out too for syrupy baklava sweets, while Montenegrin ice cream (sladoled) is excellent, and sold on the streets almost all year round.

Local drinks

• Rakija: A potent fruit brandy that comes in various flavours, such as plum (≈°ljivovica) or grape (loza) - but pace yourself to avoid waking up with a shocked head and raw throat.

• Wine: Looming over Lake Skadar's western shore, the Crmnica hills are where Montenegro's finest grapes are harvested, most notably the ubiquitous Vranac.

• Beer: Montenegrin beer is terrific, the best of which is Nik≈°iƒçko, from Nik≈°iƒç, which comes in both light and dark (tamno) forms, and is best sampled in its draught version (toƒçeno pivo).