Croatia or Montenegro: which is better?

Adriatic. Amazing nature, emotional people, the sea, delicious food - this is what we represent when we pronounce this word. People who are going to rest in this corner of the world often wonder what to choose: Croatia or Montenegro. Where to go to rest and which country is better in terms of tourism - consider in this article. Below are the facts about these two countries, the choice is always yours.

Montenegro is a separate state located on the map of Europe, on the west coast of the Balkan Peninsula, washed by the Adriatic Sea. The modern state was formed in 2006 after the collapse of Yugoslavia. The capital of present-day Montenegro is Podgorica, the largest city in the country, although the residence of the president himself is in the city of Cetinje, which is rightly considered the cultural capital.

Croatia is a country located in the west of the Balkan Peninsula, also washed by the Adriatic Sea. This state was also formed as a result of the breakup of Yugoslavia, and became independent in 1991. The capital is Zagreb. The population is 4 million, and the area is 4 times more than the area of ​​Montenegro and is 56542 square meters. km Croatia is bordered by Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, Serbia and Slovenia.

If you are going to rest, and even more so if you decide to go with the child, you need to carefully prepare and choose a decent place. It is not very convenient with a child to descend into the sea, for example, from a wooden pier.

It is also necessary to think about where the child will play, so you need at least a clean beach, woodland to hide in the shade of trees from the sun, a comfortable hotel, a market to buy quality products, developed infrastructure and so on.

Prices for accommodation are lower in Croatia, since the number of proposals for the lease of apartments is very large. What can be said about the prices of food or visiting catering establishments. Dine cheaper in Montenegro. However, it is necessary to take into account the fact that the currency in Montenegro is the euro, which is less subject to fluctuations, so it will be easier to plan the budget in advance. Unlike Croatia, where the Croatian Kuna is in use.

In general, compared to Croatia in Montenegro, everything is very cheap. For example, in Montenegro, a cup of coffee, if translated into rubles, costs about 60-120 rubles, in Croatia it is 240 rubles, or even 360. Lunch in Croatia will cost you about 60 euros, and it will be expensive even just get a haircut, a manicure, a pedicure or go to the museum.

If we talk about quality, Montenegro has a lot more good catering establishments. Maybe this is due to the fact that the Croats are already too spoiled by a huge flow of tourists, unlike the residents of Montenegro.

Variants of settlement mainly such:

• apartments (flats);
• villas;
• mini hotels.

There are enough beaches in Montenegro, and there are both pebble and sandy ones. Before choosing a suitable one, it should be noted that all Montenegrin beaches are state property and even there is a special law that regulates their management. Equipped beaches are simply rented out to long-term private entrepreneurs, who must follow a number of specific rules:

• the entrepreneur is obliged to level and clean the beach area assigned to him year-round;
• the loungers can occupy only half of the beach, and the rest of the beach is left for those who like to sit on the ground;
• Beach access should be public and no passage fee should be charged.

But in order to use the inventory, you still have to pay a symbolic amount - about 30 euros. Montenegro has its own piquant feature - there are fenced beaches for nudists. On the beaches in Budva, Petrovac, Rafailovici, the peak season begins around July 15 and lasts until September 15.

In this period of time along the sea, it is unlikely to find a place. If you look from above, you can hardly understand where the sea begins and where the beach ends, because the number of people on the beach and in the sea is enormous.

That in Croatia, in Montenegro, the mountains are located on the coast of the sea, so the sandy beach here is quite difficult to find, mainly pebble beaches. Among the Montenegrin expanses of sandy beaches can be found in the south, after Ultsinom.

In Croatia, the coast covered with sand, are usually found on the islands. For example: Punta Rata, Drazika, Golden Horn. But do not underestimate the pebble beaches. Tenants annually bring small pebbles and cover it with sand from above. The sea crushes large pebbles to small sizes, covering the coast with “stone sand”.

In the summer in Montenegro it is usually hot and lasts a long time. The climate in the country is predominantly temperate continental. In summer, the temperature on the coasts reaches an average of + 25C, in winter + 5C. During the winter there is a large amount of precipitation, but the duration of the winter is short. People start swimming here in May and finish in October. In Croatia, the swimming season is shorter and lasts from May to September.

In summer, the air temperature can reach + 29C, the average mark is around + 23C. When going on holiday to Croatia, it is necessary to take into account that the climate here is different, depending on the place of stay.

In the north - continental, in the center of the country - mountainous, on the coast, similarly to Montenegro, - moderately continental. Thus, we can conclude that both countries are quite similar in climatic conditions. To decide when it is better to go to the Adriatic coast, one can make a start from the fact that August is the hottest month, both for Croatia and Montenegro. The peak of the tourist season is a period from about mid-July to mid-September.

Dine in Croatia can be both in a restaurant and in a konoba. Konoba is a homely small restaurant, made in a rustic style. The cuisine is predominantly Mediterranean, where seafood predominates in the menu, and European, where you can find other hearty dishes. Lunch will cost you about 50-70 kuna. In Montenegro, you can organize your food in different ways.

• Eat at home. It should be noted that products, in comparison with Croatia, are much cheaper here.
• In catering establishmentswho cook fast food or, more simply, fast food. This dinner will cost you 3 euros.
• Go to a complex lunchs (soup, second, bread and salad). This lunch will cost about 5 euros.
• In restaurants. In such institutions, lunch will cost about 25 euros. Although there are restaurants where you can eat at 40 euros, but so far there are few of them.

Many believe that the quality of service, infrastructure development and level of service are higher in Croatia. This is due to the fact that the tourism business here began to develop much earlier than in Montenegro. And also because this country is considered close to European standards. But in fact, this is not entirely true. In Croatia, people are more closed, while in Montenegro they are more sincere and sociable, they treat tourists better.

The main resorts of Montenegro are Budva Riviera or Budva, with their pebble beaches, the family resort of Herceg Nova Riviera, located on the Adriatic Sea, and the Ulcinj Riviera, known for its basalt beaches. Places worth visiting in Montenegro:

• The Maritime Museum, located in the center of the city of Kotor - it contains the entire history of the Montenegrin coast;

• National Museum;

• Art lovers - Tsetin Art Museum;

• the oldest theater "Zetsky house";

• Durmitor National Park;

• Park, located near Lake Skadar, on whose territory the oldest monasteries and fortresses of the Middle Ages are located.

If you choose Croatia, be sure to visit the following places:

• Plitvice Lakes National Park, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List;

• the medieval palace of Diocletian in Split;

• Amphitheater Pula.

In order to go to rest in Montenegro, a visa is not needed, since this country is not part of the European Union. Entry is open to residents of Russia, Ukraine, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Belarus. The period of stay in the visa-free regime is 90 guest days. To visit the Republic of Croatia, you need both a visa and insurance for the entire period of stay in the country. The visa can be made at the Croatian visa centers, which are quite numerous in Russia. It takes about 5 business days. There are also some indulgences for multiple holders of Schengen visas.

For information on which city to choose for families with children, see the following video.