How to independently get to Montenegro and have a good rest?

Travel to foreign resorts usually takes place with the help of professional tour operators. But for experienced tourists, unlike newcomers, such support is no longer needed. Therefore, it is useful to know how to arrive without help in the same Montenegro, and what to do on the spot after arrival.

Heading to Montenegro is no less pleasant than to Turkey, Greece or another recognized resort. Her landscapes look like the expanses of Switzerland, because it is also a mountainous country. But before you get there yourself and enjoy the natural, cultural delights, it is important to decide what time it is better to go on the road. We should start with the fact that climatic conditions in different parts of the Balkan country can vary greatly:

• in the coastal zone, the weather develops according to the Mediterranean type;
• in the mountains, of course, a mountain climate has developed;
• the northern part of the country has a temperate continental climate.

In the middle of Montenegro is always a bit colder than the sea. But still it is believed that conditions in the country as a whole are conducive to rest in any period of the year. Peak season naturally occurs in the summer months. Then the beaches are overflowing with foreign tourists who also swim. From June to August, Montenegro can please:

• connoisseurs of beaches;
• lovers of excursions;
• anglers;
• keen on rafting, yachting and other water sports.

In September, the weather is still relatively good. But from September 15, it starts to deteriorate. And in October, the velvet season finally ends. Until the end of March, rest on the beach will be impossible. Partly compensation can be a visit to the ski resorts and excursions. From late autumn to half of spring, the number of people using excursion programs is small, and their prices are declining.

Montenegro is distinguished by a rare concentration of ancient monuments even for a European country with a history. A lot of them deserved increased protection from the government and UNESCO.

But even with the choice of beach leisure, it is not indifferent, in what summer month travelers will go on the road. So, in June, the air warms up to +21 degrees Celsius in the afternoon. Bathing allows you to perk up and improve your tone. The advantage is that the sun does not exhaust people, and you can lie on the beaches for quite a long time. But for trips with children, July or August are much better suited.

The air temperature surely reaches +26.30 degrees Celsius. In the water, you can be calm for hours. However, prolonged sun exposure without protective compounds can harm the skin.

Regardless of time of departure and mode of travel, it is useful to know what documents are required. A visa to Montenegro is not required if the total time of stay in the country is declared a maximum of 30 days in a row. At the same time, the longest period of presence of Russians during the first half of the year cannot exceed 180 days.If tourists fit into this framework, they need only show a passport. It must be valid for at least 90 days from the time when departure is scheduled back.

If you are going to Montenegro for 31 days in a row and more or for 91 days or more during the first half of the year, it is advisable to make a visa in advance. Submission of applications must occur at least one month before arrival in the country. To obtain a visa will have to provide

• a copy of a foreign passport;
• personal application;
• application form;
• hotel reservation (or an apartment / private house / villa / apartment rental agreement);
• duplicate air ticket reservations;
• certificate of employment (option - bank statement confirming the presence of at least 20 euros on the account for each scheduled day);
• a couple of color photographs.

The rate of visa fee for adults is 62 euros. Per child pay 32 euros (children under 14 years of age are considered children under Montenegrin legislation). If you are going to settle not in a hotel, but in private housing, you will have to register with the units of the national tourist organization. The period during which the registration should usually be made is 1 day. But those who come to Budva may not register if they live there for no more than 72 hours.

Important: the same lists are also drawn up in the police departments, more precisely, in their departments dealing with foreigners. You can safely go there. In hotels, sanatoriums, boarding houses, and other organized places of leisure, registration is taken over by managers.

In order not to constantly look for where to turn, you need to use resources Compare ru or Cherehapa. These sites will compare prices on the proposals of all major insurance companies at once. Therefore, the choice of a suitable option is simplified to a minimum.

To travel by car you need to have:

• driver's license;
• confirmation of vehicle registration;
• insurance for the car "green card";
• booking hotels or confirming other places of settlement;
• passports with a Schengen visa (without it you can not pass through the countries included in this agreement);
• premeditious route (in the course of which the migration authorities should be).

The fee for traveling to Montenegro is relatively small. First of all, you should consider the cost of rental housing. The maximum rate is typical for large resort areas. So, in Ultsin it is impossible to rent hotel rooms for less than 16 euros. Slightly more profitable trip to Zabljak: they pay at least 14 euros per day.

For self-arrival in Montenegro, it is possible to use the apartments. There is a kitchen where it is easy to cook. Find apartments in Budva succeed at a price of 30 euros per day. The most expensive apartment offers are on Sveti Stefan Island. You can spend one day there for at least 500 euros; at the same time on the isthmus connecting the island with the continent, rates for housing start at 40 euros.

Plays an important role in saving money the right choice of catering establishments. The most popular cafes and restaurants regularly raise prices for their services. So, in an inexpensive cafe, you will have to pay 5 euros for dinner, and you can have dinner together tightly somewhere in the same place somewhere for 40 euros. You can buy 0.5 liters of beer in bars for 2.2 euros, a portion of cappuccino costs at least 1.7 euros. Payment for products (on average in the markets and shops of the country) will be:

• grapes - 1.5;
• figs - 2;
• oranges 0.7;
• potato 0.6;
• tomatoes 0.6;
• milk 0.8;
• bread 0.6;
• chicken fillet 5.8 euros.

When eating in a budget cafe 3 times a day for a day, you need to plan an expense of at least 21 euros. In medium-sized restaurants, the rate rises to at least 35 euros. Given the experience of serious travelers, it is useful to eat in establishments offering a comprehensive menu. It implies simple (acceptable to all) and at the same time nourishing food. These are the dishes most often preferred by the Montenegrins themselves.

In local fast food places, the cost of meals is relatively low. So, for a portion of the pleskavitsa pizza will have to pay 1.5 euros. The fee for a pancake with cream will be 1 euro, and for a sandwich containing cheese and meat - twice as much.

The cost of renting a car will have to add the cost of gasoline. Its liter at Montenegrin gas stations costs about 1.4 euros. For comparison: you can order a taxi for euros, and for every kilometer its passengers pay 45 eurocents. Using public transport, for the ticket give 50 eurocents.

Removing a separate one-room apartment in the center of a city, for a month you will have to pay at least 240 euros. In the outskirts of cities the same objects are rented for 190-200 euros. If we proceed from the use of budget hotels, the minimum expenses for transportation and visits to economy class cafes, travelers will need from 45 euros per day. But it is useful to bear in mind that this is only the minimum amount, moreover, derived for reference.

Additional entertainment or unique delicacies are needed by almost everyone; therefore, for a comfortable trip, it is worth adding at least 20-25 euros to the indicated daily figure.

Going to travel around Montenegro under its own power for the first time, you should definitely go to Budva. All the other resorts of the country can be left “for later”, but Budva, in fact, requires immediate attention. Around the city there are many canyons and other beauties that deserve the brush of a painter. The most elegant is the Budva Riviera - the gap between Budva itself and the town of Petrovac.

The second place you should definitely look at is Bucha Castlelocated in the middle of Tivat. When you visit this city, an inspection of the castle will be suitable both as a beginning and as a climax. In the old fortress there is a cultural center that organizes various events. The shape of the castle is designed in accordance with the principles of the architecture of the classical Middle Ages. But there are separate parts in it that were added or altered later.

Returning to Budva, it is worth pointing out that the old part of this city is exactly suitable for tourists. TYou will find brilliant examples of buildings of the Venetian period. In the old churches and temples everywhere rich compositions. After walking through the stone-covered streets of the city, it is very pleasant to relax in the cafe, where delicious and aromatic coffee is prepared.

And from Budva you should go to the south-western part of the country, to the mountain lovcen, which has become one of the main symbols of Montenegro. Near the mountain is located a national park under the same name. Rest in this place can be combined with acquaintance with vegetation and fauna, including rare species, with a tour of the beautiful caves.

If tourists choose the Tivat area, they should look at St. Mark's Island. True, the tourist complex built there since the beginning of the Yugoslav war has been abandoned. But on the island often come lovers of active recreation.

Of the individual sights of Montenegro, mentioned in any guidebook, deserves special attention Prison. It is very appreciated by pilgrims - after all, this monastery, though not the oldest in the country, but extremely famous in certain circles.In the monastery there are caves in which the clergy in ancient times sheltered. The upper part of the complex is built right inside the rocks and is raised about 1 km above sea level.

The easiest way to get to Montenegro from Russia without a ticket is possible by plane. Places on liners leaving from Moscow cost from 10,000 rubles. Departure from St. Petersburg is more expensive; a ticket costs at least 17,000. Going on the road from other regional centers of our country, you will have to pay at least 20 thousand rubles for a trip by air. Because tours are more profitable.

Alternative option - travel by train. In the recent past, this option was very popular. The point is to change the route: now the trains do not go through Kiev. From Moscow they go to Minsk, then to Warsaw, Bratislava, Budapest. Therefore, in the car will have to spend about 70 hours, in addition, passengers pay a hefty amount.

Important: regardless of the type of transport, with a short-term (up to 30 days) trip you can do without a visa. If tourists depart from Moscow, then they should go through countries such as:

• Belarus;
• Poland;
• Slovakia;
• Hungary;
• Serbia

Of course, you can come up with more intricate routes. However, this will only significantly lengthen the travel time and tire very much, in addition, costs will increase. You can get there by car from Moscow to Montenegro along the described route in three days. For this, you will have to make two intermediate stops for the night. They are usually made in Lublin, as soon as they pass the border control, and in Budapest.

You can make the trip more comfortable by stopping again in Minsk. Depending on the characteristics of the car, on the road situation and on the personal characteristics of driving, it will be necessary to spend from 300 to 330 euros one way for gasoline.

Going to Montenegro, as it is easy to see, is quite easy. Highways in this country are still available without payment. You will have to pay only at the entrance to the Sozin tunnel (for cars, the rate is 2 euro 50 cents). On the roads there are a number of sites where you can safely enjoy the panoramic views. Or take photos.

A trip to Montenegro by car is also nice because there are some of the most lenient parking rules in the EU. It is impossible to stop just like that only under prohibitive signs and in paid zones. Naturally paid sites are concentrated near the attractions and in the city centers. Motorists can solve the problem by stopping a little further away. The hundreds of meters passed have not hurt anyone.

It is advisable to choose hotels and apartments that offer free private parking. There you can easily leave the car for any time, and walk around the neighborhood or have fun without thinking about it. The basic rules of driving in Montenegro are not significantly different from the Russian counterpart. In settlements, you can not move faster than 50 kilometers per hour. Drive on dirt roads at speeds up to 90, and on asphalt roads - up to 100 km / h.

On the most modern highways, you can drive at speeds of up to 130 kilometers. But the list of such roads must be specified in advance. For disabling the low beam (regardless of the time of day) impose a fine of 30-150 euros. All passengers must be fastened. It is not allowed to travel by children under 12 years of age in the front seats.

To avoid harassment from the traffic police, you must always carry a standard first-aid kit, a fire extinguisher and an emergency stop sign with you.You can leave the car only with a reflective vest. This garment should be inside the cabin, best of all in a prominent place. Montenegro is punished for using any device that helps bypass radar control. Riding on studded tires is prohibited in principle.

But not only Moscow drivers go to the Balkans, and to focus only on them would be snobbery. For people going on the road, for example, from Voronezh or through it, the path will be different. They will have to drive about 2720 km, having spent 33-35 hours on the road. They leave for Montenegro mainly for the purpose of enjoying a beach holiday. Coastal areas there are very different, but with rare exceptions, they are well sheltered from the wind.

Since the main beach facilities are oversaturated with tourists from the middle of July to the middle of September, it is recommended to travel from May 20 to July 15. But we must remember that then the sea may still not warm enough.

It will take 36-38 hours to overcome it. At the same time consumed from 240 to 270 liters of fuel. On the way, motorists will have to drive through the following main points:

• Orsha;
• Borisov;
• Baranovichi;
• Slonim;
• Volkovysk;
• Bialystok;
• Kozerki;
• Neboruv;
• Ostrava;
• Trsice;
• Brno;
• Drasenhofen;
• Vein;
• Graz;
• Galgovo (Slovenia);
• Budva itself.

The main part of the sights of Montenegro is concentrated in the coastal zone. Therefore, there rushes the maximum flow of tourists. Budva is recommended for youth recreation, for family travelers. This city is also suitable for those who are going to explore the whole country. The city is located almost in the center of the Adriatic coast, and getting from it to the most remote corners is easy. The infrastructure in this place is very well developed.

But the problem is that in Budva, the demand for housing is too high. It is necessary either to pay big money, or to search for a suitable option for a long time. More expensive here and beach holidays. In addition, Budva is often noisy.

A visit to Herceg Novi will attract a considerable part of the youth audience. Those who wish to improve their health also come here. In this area of ​​the country there are many opportunities for mountain tourism and passes through the caves. Herceg Novi is clearly divided into areas for holidaymakers with different interests and inclinations.

It is worthwhile to stay in Kotor if:

• need to get acquainted with the local bay;
• there is a desire to visit the nearby Riviera;
• I want to touch the old city building.

Coming here by car, you can not worry about the location of the city in the depths of the bay and the rarity of buses. But it is worth considering that the chance to find free parking is very small. In the old part of the city the prices in the cafes are very high, there is no specific children's entertainment. Since around the mountain, darkness comes early. And the beaches in the city itself is not found.

Staying in Tivat, you can easily get to any point of Montenegro quickly. At this resort, vacationers waiting for the canceled cultural program. But the city is not too big and does not abound in retail outlets. There is only a little “- beaches, travel companies, entertainment, cafes, souvenir shops. The cost of housing is not the lowest even by Montenegrin standards.

It is important not only to plan the route correctly and choose the end point of the trip, not only to decide on the range of attractions visited. To rest in Montenegro safely and pleasantly, you should listen to the opinions of seasoned tourists. They strongly recommend not to neglect the requirements of the registration regime.The likelihood of facing sanctions is low, but if they do happen, the consequences are inevitable. It is useful, even when living in a hotel, to further clarify whether or not the data were transferred to the registration service.

Despite its reputation as a safe country, it is important to understand that in Montenegro, as elsewhere, tourists attract criminals of all stripes. Many crooks come from other countries for petty theft. Therefore, complete relaxation is undesirable. Visits to the wilderness can be dangerous. Walking there alone, especially in the mountains, is not recommended.

Connoisseurs are advised to have the euro in cash, and ideally - in small denomination. Bank cards obviously do not accept taxi drivers, sellers in the markets. You can not pay them even in shops and restaurants, located in the north or in the remote mountains. But you can find NLB ATMs, where they cash euro cards in rubles, and where the menu is in Russian.

Another advise:

• plan more time for sightseeing;
• stop drinking water from the tap;
• handle money neatly and not show it in public;
• be ready to check on the Serbian-Montenegrin border.

How to get by car from Moscow to Montenegro, see the following video.