Ultimate 8 Days in Montenegro Itinerary, Winter on Balkan Peninsula

The 8 days Montenegro itinerary included several top sites in this Balkan country. The trip took place in December before Christmas. Since it was our first trip to Balkan peninsular, we spent some effort to learn Montenegro’s history and culture background. And we also tried to learn how to pronounce the names of capital and other locations just in case we had to communicate with the locals.

To get our Montenegro itinerary finalised, we have gone through a thorough planning:

• Search for a travel guide
• Book a flight
• Find a rental car
• Select a hotel
• Create a 8-Day Montenegro itinerary

Search for a travel guide

Having searched many websites, we had still lack of basic information. We learned that the WiFi connection there was not optimistic, and therefore, bought a paper version of travel guide.  It was a smart decision because we really relied on the book during the trip. The internet connection was too slow to search any information efficiently.

Book a flight

In December, most flights landed in Podgorica Airport, the home base of the Montenegro Airlines. Montenegro Airlines offers direct connection between Frankfurt and Podgorica. The airline was nearly fully booked, but we were lucky enough to get the last few tickets. The flying time was about two hours and we were totally satisfied with Montenegro Airlines.

Find a rental a car

The country is not large. In general, the public transportation is not running frequently, especially in winter seasons. Most places we planned to go are not near Podgorica. According to our research, some places are only reachable via cars, for example, the mausoleum in Lovćen.  In order to save traveling time, we decided to rent a car.

The rental price was very cheap. We could pick up our car right at the airport.

Select a hotel

Because the Adriatic coast was the main destination of our trip, we booked 7 nights in the 5-star hotel Regent in Tivat. It is so elegant and is equipped with SPA. The gourmet breakfasts and buffets are just unforgettable. The good thing is that it includes free car parking.

We liked this hotel very much.  It also offers wonderful tea times in the afternoon. it is family friendly as well as a good place for a couple.

Create a 8-Day Montenegro itinerary

1st Day: We arrived at Podgorica Airport in the evening. After picked up our rental car, we drove straight to our first hotel.

2ed Day: Before we headed to our hotel in Tivat, we had a short walk around the Millennium Bridge. And then we took the route via M2.3 and headed to our hotel in Tivat.

3rd Day: Longing to see the sun-kissed Adriatic coast, we spent the whole day on the beaches along the coastline.

4th Day: The highlight of the day was the Old Capital Cetinje and the Mausoleum in Lovćen national park.

5th Day: We went to one of the best kept medieval towns along the Adriatic coast, Kotor. Inspired by the views over the Kotor Bay and the old town, we challenged the 1400 steps from the upper city wall.

6th Day: The hidden gem of the Kotor Bay, Perast, is a remote village with sad stories and but stunning scenes. On the way there we drove along the Kotor Bay. But on the way back, we took the ferry.

7th Day: According to our plan we spent a day in Budva. It was an hour drive from Tivat to Budva. But In the late afternoon, we were so surprised to see the sunset view.

8th Day: On the last day , we took a walk in Tivat and its beautiful Port Montenegro. In contrast to the other remote villages and old walled towns, Tivat represents a new era of Montenegro.

Travel tips

Accommodation

Most accommodations are on the coastline and tourist areas. There are also a few top hotels in the capital. Compared to the hotels in southern European countries, the room rates are still affordable.

Since Montenegro is more or less a summer destination, you need to book early enough to enjoy the low rate.

Booking.com

Organized Tours

As many cruise travelers come from Dubrovnik, Croatia, so the organized tours also start from Croatia. And tours from Podgorica are good choice for those who have a stopover in the capital.