Late Checkout: Alternative Euro Summer Destination – Montenegro

Year after year summer rolls around and year after year, it feels like everyone is traveling to Europe. “Euro summer” is officially a verb. But with the spike in travelers comes oversaturated destinations, lost-luggage, and more chaos than calm.

While hotspots like Italy, France, Greece, and Spain are always going to be top choices for a summer vacay, lesser-known destinations are definitely on the rise. This year, I started to see a lot more people talking about the beautiful beaches in Albania, crystal clear lakes in Slovenia, and the historic old towns in Montenegro. So I decided to visit Kotor and Budva, Montenegro to see if they could really compete with the euro-summer heavy hitters.

‍Kotor, Montenegro  

Kotor is a small coastal town in Montenegro with a tiny population of about 13,000 people. While it’s been a more well-known city break to European-natives and large cruise ship-dwellers, its popularity hasn’t quite made it over to America.

Arriving in Kotor is a bit chaotic whether by boat, bus, or plane. There are very few taxis in this town and definitely no Uber. It can be tough to catch a ride and the local bus only runs once per hour (and you won’t find the time stops on Google Maps). It’s one of those places where traffic is crazy and nothing is on time. Your best bet is to head straight to the information booth at the center of town and have them call you a ride to your accommodation.

Kotor is split into 2 main parts – the Old City and the Bay. The Old City is surrounded by fortress walls (very similar to Dubrovnik, Croatia). There are a few accommodations inside the Old City, but most recommend staying a little bit outside of that area for the best experience. There are many beautiful resort-like properties that line the entire bay and are only a 15-20 minute drive into the Old City.

The advantage to staying in Kotor Bay is being able to explore in the early morning and late evening when the cruise ship crowds aren’t around. Mid-day gets extremely busy and EXTREMELY hot. I highly recommend planning your day to explore in the morning, beach or pool mid-day, and go out again at night.

Top Things to Do in Kotor:

Climb the Fortress Walls: When walking around Kotor you really can’t miss the giant castle-like stairs winding up the grassy hill that acts as the backdrop to the city. These are the fortress walls. You’ll read online that there are two entrances and one might be free, but the best thing to do is go to the “real” one and just pay the €15 entry fee (it’s nice to support the city anyways). You have to walk straight through the old city to get to the entrance, follow the signs or ask people along the way if you need help. The walk up is TOUGH which is why I highly recommend going first thing in the morning before the sun gets too hot. You don’t necessarily need to be dressed for a hike, but you will be walking straight uphill (mostly stairs) for about 1 hour. I saw people walking up in all kinds of clothes and shoes, so it’s up to you in the end. Throughout the walk there are many amazing viewpoints, but nothing beats the view from the top. It’s worth it. Depending how fast you go it can take anywhere from 1-3 hours round trip.

Take a Boat Cruise: This is probably the number one thing to do in Kotor and there are many operators running the same tour for pretty much the same price so it doesn’t really matter who you go with. On this 3ish-hour ride, you’ll pass by the town of Perast (side-note: it’s worth a whole day trip to Perast if you have time), stop at Our Lady of the Rocks (a floating church on an island), go into an old war submarine tunnel (this was actually cool), drive through the Blue Cave (keep your expectations somewhat low for this), and then have about 20 minutes to jump in the water if you want. Overall, I’m glad I did it, but I didn’t think the whole thing was anything to write home about.

Explore the Old City: Whether you’re a walking-tour kind of person or just like to wander, definitely spend a bit of time exploring the Old City. Think cobblestone alleyways, cozy wine bars, and lots of shopping. Stop for a gelato to cool down and keep a tally of how many cats you see.

Budva, Montenegro

Just a 40-minute drive down from Kotor is Budva, another beautiful beach town on the Adriatic. Arriving in Budva was a refreshing change from Kotor as it’s far more built up and way better connected. It was an easy walk from accommodation to Old Town and then to the beaches. 

Budva felt far more local and less touristy than Kotor which was a welcome change. I found myself walking around the Old Town wondering where everyone was (in the best way). The Old Town is so nice and quiet with lovely cafes, restaurant patios and wine bars.

Then you have the beaches which are really the star of the show in Budva. Budva feels much closer to a “vacation” town to me with umbrella-dotted beaches lining the entire coast.

Things to do in Budva:

Wander the Old Town: I really don’t think you need a proper “tour” here, but if you like history and facts, then it would be worth it. Definitely go up the Budva Citadel (it costs about €6), it’s a great view of the city!

Hit the Beach: There are a dozen or so beaches dotted around Budva, some better than others. Right in the center is Old Town Beach with lounge chairs and a little cafe for drinks and snacks. It’s going to be the most crowded, but that’s because of the stunning backdrop of the Citadel. Walk 5-10 more minutes down the bay and you’ll hit Mogren Beach and Mogren II. Mogren II has better lounge chairs (€30/day) and a nice(ish) restaurant/bar that you can get served from on the beach. On the other side of the Old Town there are loads more beaches where you can bring your own towel/chairs or rent some dodgy ones for cheaper. You can also take a €6 boat ride over to “Hawaii” island which is anything but Hawaiin, however it’s a cool experience to be on a secluded beach in the middle of the ocean. A chair here is going to run you €10 for the day. Reminder that these beaches are rocks, not sand, so choose your footwear accordingly.

Water Sports: Most of the beaches have outfitters that offer stand up paddle boarding, kayaks, jet skis, boats, and paragliding. So if you’re up for the adventure, there’s always that.

Day Trip to Sveti Stefan: Take a quick 20-minute drive down the bay and you’ll hit Sveti Stefan. Another picturesque town with a little beachfront. The main draw is the floating island that used to be a popular destination, but was recently taken over by the Aman resort group. You can only visit the island as part of a tour, but you can get views of it from the mainland and enjoy the mainland beach.

Is Montenegro Actually a Good Euro Summer Alternative?

Can Montenegro compete with the likes of the Amalfi Coast, Santorini, and St. Tropez? No.

Is it a good choice if you want something WAY less expensive, much less crowded, & a bit quieter? Absolutely.

Over the next few years I think we’re going to see Montenegro rise in popularity as a go-to beach vacation spot. With more tourists there will be more money and the cities will only continue to get nicer and more built up. I think your experience will be very dependent on where you stay. Of course there are high-end luxury hotels which will probably make you feel like you’re in a nice resort on any given beach. Plus the seafood is bar none.

Overall Montenegro is a far less expensive option than your typical Euro summer cities, but don’t expect a super high-end experience (for now).