A Venetian-era walled town (UNESCO) deep in a fjord-like Adriatic bay: fortress walls climbing the mountainside, the village of Perast, the island church of Our Lady of the Rocks, Budva's old town and beaches. For nature, history and boat trips. No direct flights — fly via Istanbul to Tivat. Mongolian citizens need a Montenegrin visa, but holders of a valid Schengen, US, UK or Irish visa can stay up to 30 days without one.
🛂 Visa: Visa required · 30 days✈ Flight: 14h☀ Best months: May, June, September, October
#beach#walled town#UNESCO#mountains#boat trips#visa-free with a Schengen visa
Orange — daytime average, blue — night, grey bars — rainfall, green — sea temperature. Best months: May, June, September, October.
Things to see (12)
🧸 for kids
Kotor Old Town★ 4.7 (40,000)
CultureFree (small fee for St Tryphon's Cathedral)24 hours
Marble squares and narrow lanes inside Venetian walls, St Tryphon's Cathedral (1166) and Kotor's famous cats. UNESCO site. On cruise-ship days come early morning or in the evening for calm.
Nature€15 (children under 12 free)In season 7:00–20:00
About 1,350 stone steps from the old town up to 280 m, with the whole bay below. A 45–60 minute climb — go early or before sunset, with water and good shoes.
Travel guide
Like a well-travelled friend for a first-timer: before you go, landing, SIM, transport, money, food, safety, manners, apps, leaving — step by step.
🧳Before you goMontenegro is outside the EU and Schengen. For Mongolians the easiest way in is with a valid Schengen, US or UK visa.+
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Visa: visa-free with a Schengen visa
Mongolian citizens need a Montenegrin visa. But with a valid Schengen, US, UK or Irish visa in your passport, or a residence permit of one of these, you can enter without a visa and stay up to 30 days (or until that visa expires, if sooner). The rule applies all year. Without such a visa, apply for a Montenegrin C visa at the Embassy of Montenegro in Beijing; a decision comes in about 10 days.
Tip: If you are also visiting Croatia (Dubrovnik) or Italy, get a Schengen visa and combine Montenegro into the same trip — the smartest route.
Every foreign visitor must be registered within 24 hours of arrival. In a hotel or registered rental the host does it and adds the tourist tax (about €1 per person per night) to your bill. In an unregistered private flat or with friends, register yourself at the local tourist organisation.
Tip: Keep your registration slip (white card) until you leave — the border may ask for it.
Montenegro is not in the EU, so only insurance covers medical costs — travel insurance is a must. In July–August Kotor and Budva are packed and prices peak; May–June and September–October are calm and the sea is still warm.
Tip: Check the cruise-ship schedule on the Port of Kotor site and visit the old town on days with few ships.
🛬Landing and getting to the cityTivat Airport is closest to Kotor; Podgorica and Dubrovnik are further away.+
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Tivat (TIV) → Kotor
Tivat Airport is about 8 km from Kotor old town, 10–15 minutes by taxi. A taxi costs roughly €15–30 — agree the fare before you get in, or pre-book a transfer. Buses to Kotor and Budva stop on the main road outside the airport, but with luggage a taxi is easier.
Podgorica Airport is about 90 km from Kotor, 1.5 hours by car. Many buses a day run from Podgorica bus station to Kotor; a transfer or rental car is fastest.
From Dubrovnik Airport in Croatia to Kotor is about 2 hours with a border crossing; summer queues at the border can be long. This route needs a Schengen visa (Croatia is in Schengen) — which also lets you into Montenegro visa-free.
EU roaming does not apply in Montenegro. Crnogorski Telekom, One and m:tel all sell tourist packs: 15 days with 500 GB for about €15, 30 days from €20. Buy one with your passport at Tivat or Podgorica airport, or at shops and kiosks in town.
If your phone supports eSIM, buy a Montenegro eSIM from Airalo, Holafly or similar before you fly — it works on landing. If you are also going to Croatia or Albania, pick a Balkans regional plan.
Tip: Coverage drops on mountain roads, so download Google Maps for offline use.
🚇Getting aroundWalk Kotor's old town; reach the bay villages and Budva by bus, boat or rental car.+
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Intercity buses
Kotor–Budva is 22 km, 30–45 minutes by bus, tickets about €3–5; many buses also run from Kotor to Perast, Tivat and Herceg Novi. Buy tickets at the bus station or in cash from the driver; stations may charge a small platform fee.
A car is best for seeing Lovćen, Cetinje, Skadar Lake and Durmitor on your own schedule. Bring an International Driving Permit. The Serpentine is narrow and steep and you will meet tour buses at peak times in summer — go slowly and carefully.
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Boats and taxis
In summer water taxis and tour boats link the bay villages (Kotor, Perast, Tivat), and small boats run from Perast pier to Our Lady of the Rocks. Check that a taxi has a meter, or agree the fare in advance.
💳Money and taxes+
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The euro
Montenegro is not in the EU but uses the euro as its official currency. ATMs are plentiful in the old town and Budva; cards usually work in restaurants and hotels. You need cash for Perast boats, small churches, market stalls and buses.
Tip: Independent ATMs (Euronet and similar) charge high fees; use bank ATMs and decline the 'convert for you' offer.
Tourist tax is about €1 per person per night, children under 12 exempt; registered hotels and rentals collect it. In July–August the coast from Kotor to Budva costs as much as other European beach resorts; prices drop in May and October.
🍜FoodMediterranean food on the coast — fish, seafood, olive oil; meat and cheese in the mountains.+
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What to eat
Njeguši smoked ham (pršut) and cheese, black risotto (with cuttlefish ink), grilled fish, mussels buzara, ćevapi grilled meat, and carp from Skadar Lake. With children, pizza and pasta are everywhere.
Tip: Carry enough cash, and ask the price first in restaurants that sell fish by weight.
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Cheap and reliable
Bakeries (pekara) in the residential areas outside the old town sell burek and pizza slices; supermarkets (Voli, Idea) are good for beach picnics. Restaurants inside the old town cost more than those outside.
The fortress steps and the Lovćen road are tough in summer heat — start early and take water and a hat. Mountain weather changes fast; tell someone your route before hiking. Watch your pockets in crowded places.
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Hospitals
Kotor General Hospital (Dobrota) has an emergency department; Budva has a health centre and English-speaking private clinics. Serious cases go to the Clinical Centre in Podgorica. Call your insurer's assistance line first and they will direct you to a hospital that bills them directly.
🙏Manners+
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Churches and monasteries
Cover shoulders and knees in Orthodox and Catholic churches; some monasteries lend shawls and skirts at the door. No photos during services, and keep quiet.
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Old towns and beaches
Budva and Kotor ban walking around the old towns in swimwear or shirtless, and fine offenders — dress when you leave the beach. Kotor's cats are the town's symbol: you can feed them, but don't harass them.
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Social
Montenegrins are friendly and unhurried — slow service in restaurants is normal. Tipping is not compulsory, but leaving a little for good service is common. Better not to raise Balkan politics or the wars yourself.
📱Useful apps+
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Roads and buses
Google Maps is reliable for walking and driving, but bus times are patchy — check BusTicket4.me for intercity timetables and online tickets.
Tivat Airport is small, but queues get long on summer weekends. It is 10–15 minutes by taxi from Kotor; be there 2 hours before an international flight. If flying from Podgorica, allow 1.5 hours' drive from Kotor.
Exit control checks your passport and, if you entered on it, your Schengen visa; keep your white card handy. Montenegro is not in the EU, so VAT refunds don't follow EU rules — if a large shop gave you a tax-free form, have it stamped by customs at the border.
Bay of Kotor boat trip and the Blue Cave★ 4.7 (8,000)
NatureGroup tour ≈€25–40Tours ≈9:00–17:00 (May–October)
A 3–4 hour speedboat trip from Kotor, Tivat or Herceg Novi to Perast, Our Lady of the Rocks, Mamula island and the Blue Cave, where you can swim in glowing blue water. Boats skip the cave when the sea is rough.
CityTown free; citadel ≈€524 hours (citadel in daytime)
A 2,500-year-old walled town on a headland: cafés, small churches, sea views from the citadel. 30–45 minutes by bus from Kotor. The Budva seafront gets very busy on summer evenings.
A 15th-century island village joined to the shore by a narrow causeway — Montenegro's most famous picture. The island itself (a hotel) is closed to the public; view it from the road above and relax on the nearby Miločer and Sveti Stefan beaches.
Drive up Kotor's 25-bend Serpentine and climb 461 steps to the 1,657 m Jezerski peak; on a clear day you see the whole bay and as far as Albania. Taste smoked ham and cheese in Njeguši village on the way.
A small former capital behind Lovćen: King Nikola's palace-museum, Cetinje Monastery and the old foreign legation buildings. Combine with Lovćen in one day.
A luxury superyacht marina: waterfront promenade, restaurants, shops, a playground and a naval heritage collection with an old submarine. Five minutes from the airport.
NaturePark €5; boats from ≈€20–25Boats ≈9:00–18:00
The biggest lake in the Balkans: water lilies, pelicans, island monasteries. A 2-hour boat trip from Virpazar, then local wine and fish. About 1.5 hours by car from Kotor.
