Table of Contents
Montenegro was the country that many of our friends and family thought we would love. This small Balkan nation attracts huge numbers of visitors each year, especially during the summer months, thanks to its beautiful coastline, picturesque towns and dramatic scenery.
However, after just a few days we decided to change our plans and move on earlier than expected. In the end, we only spent four days in Montenegro and never really connected with it the way we had hoped.
So, is Montenegro worth visiting?
Is it worth going to Montenegro?
Absolutely.
Just because Montenegro wasn’t the right fit for us doesn’t mean it isn’t worth visiting. In fact, we can completely understand why so many people love it.
We know it isn’t entirely fair to judge a country based on only two destinations, but after visiting Herceg Novi and Kotor, we felt ready to continue our journey elsewhere.
If you’re looking for a relaxing holiday with beautiful scenery, easy transport and plenty of tourism infrastructure, Montenegro is a fantastic choice. However, if you’re seeking something a little more adventurous or less visited, we would personally recommend Bosnia and Herzegovina or Albania instead.
Both countries felt more off the beaten path, attracted fewer tourists and were noticeably cheaper. We also ended up falling completely in love with both of them.
Why we didn’t fall in love with Montenegro
Don’t get us wrong. Montenegro is stunning.
Both places we visited were beautiful, and the scenery we saw from the bus window was spectacular. The mountains, coastline and views across the Bay of Kotor were some of the most impressive landscapes of our Balkan trip.
The issue wasn’t the scenery.
When we crossed the border from Bosnia, everything suddenly felt very different. English was widely spoken, the currency changed to the Euro and prices increased significantly. None of these things are negative, but they changed the feeling of the trip.
We tend to enjoy places that feel a little rough around the edges, where tourism hasn’t completely shaped the local experience. Compared to Bosnia, Montenegro’s coast felt much more developed and much more focused on tourism.
Had we arrived from Croatia, or visited Montenegro first, we might have had a completely different impression. In fact, we probably would have considered it relatively affordable. Instead, we arrived directly from Bosnia, which felt more authentic to us, was considerably cheaper and matched our travel style better. Because of that comparison, neither Herceg Novi nor Kotor quite clicked with us.
Will We Return?
Probably. Looking back, we know we judged Montenegro quite quickly. Four days isn’t enough time to fully understand any country, and there are plenty of places we didn’t get to visit.
At the time, though, moving on to Albania made sense both from a budget perspective and because we were looking for somewhere that felt a little less geared towards tourism.
Montenegro simply wasn’t the right destination for us on that particular trip. That said, we’d happily give it another chance in the future.