Rest in Montenegro: features and cost

Original and bright, with a mild maritime climate and clear waters of the Adriatic Sea, Montenegro is a good alternative to bored Asian resorts. A pleasant combination of mountains and the sea ensures stunning views and the absence of a suffocating heat even during peak season.

The tourist season in Montenegro is divided into two - summer and winter. The rest of the time, in the fall and spring, here is the rainy season. Tourists open the beach season since the beginning of May. The Adriatic Sea is cool but the air temperature is very comfortable - + 25– + 27 ° С, although on particularly hot days the thermometer may rush to the mark of +40 degrees. The first to warm the beaches of Kotor and Ulcinj. Kotor Bay is great for families with children because of the very warm water and the lack of waves.

By July, the temperature of sea water warms up to + 28 ° С even in northern Herceg Novi, Jaze and the most popular resort of Montenegro Budva.

However, the mountain air, going down to the beaches, brings with it the desired freshness. By September, the beaches are noticeably empty, while the temperature of water and air is still at a comfortable mark. From early October, the sky of Montenegro is covered with dense clouds, and the thermometer creeps smoothly down.

Mid-November marks the beginning of the winter season - modern ski resorts, Zabljak and Kolasin, await their guests. These are quite young resorts, but they are quickly gaining popularity, as they are built according to the latest requirements of alpine skiing. Different levels of difficulty of descents allow you to find a suitable leisure rhythm for both beginners and professionals. Some descents have night lighting. For children, separate safe trails are built.

The main advantage of winter holidays in Montenegro are reasonable prices and stunningly beautiful nature. So, it will be interesting to relax here in winter, not only for lovers of winter sports, but also for lovers of mountain landscapes. A huge number of scenic spots is almost within walking distance, the rest is easy to reach with an inexpensive sightseeing tour or by car. An important point is the low level of crime and the even political situation in the country. Montenegro is recommended for tourists as one of the safest travel countries.

Summer vacation also has a number of advantages, most important of which - comfortable temperature of water and air even in July and August. Hotel service is acceptable at the European level, so everyone can find for themselves comfortable living conditions.

Many Russian tourists prefer the private sector as an alternative to the potent “all inclusive”. Hospitable Montenegrins are very fond of comfort and delicious food, so the rest in rented apartments may be interesting from the point of view of a gastronomic tour. Another advantage of leisure in Montenegro is visa-free entry for a Russian tourist and similarity of language, which makes it comfortable for those who do not speak English. Russian is understood here by almost everyone.The local currency is the euro, in the prices it is easy to navigate.

It is worth noting the main disadvantages of summer holidays in Montenegro.

• The sea has a number of unpleasant features. Most beaches are pebbly or concrete, with a steep slope that is not suitable for holidays with small children. However, some hotels have equipped areas with imported sand, so before booking it is necessary to clarify the nature of the seabed. In addition, sandy beaches can be found in Ultsin, but the water here is not very crystal clear. Often there are cold currents, especially in June, and the water temperature can drop to + 17– + 18 ° С.
• Prices for sun beds and excursions are approaching European.
• In the "hot" season, the number of tourists per square meter is "off scale". It is rather difficult to find a place on the beach, especially in Budva, which is popular with Russian tourists.
• Many bays are used as berths for yachts, leading to water pollution.
• Local public utilities often do not cope with the influx of tourists in the high season, as a result - the garbage on the beaches and cozy streets spoils the whole pleasant impression of the country.

If you make simple calculations, it becomes obvious that for a comfortable holiday with children it is cheaper to buy a tour than to try to organize everything yourself. However, lovers of extreme relaxation and non-standard impressions may well go on an independent journey.

Obviously, the cheapest tickets to Montenegro can be purchased in the off-season. So, in October, round-trip tickets from Moscow cost around 8,500 rubles, rise to 10,000 rubles during the ski season, and air travel at the height of the beach season will cost at least 13,000 rubles, reaching 15,000 rubles and more on some airlines.

Eating in a hospitable Montenegro can be tasty, richly and inexpensively. Thus, a large portion of meat with salad in an inexpensive restaurant will cost only 3-5 euros, a cup of coffee - 1.5 euros, and a complex lunch costs from 5 to 30 euros. It is worth considering that the closer to the sea, the higher the price of food. So, in a cafe with a sea view you will have to pay twice as much for lunch. It is worth noting the increased prices of seafood, for example, one fish plate costs from 15 to 20 euros.

In supermarkets, prices are standard for European countries. If you give preference to fresh vegetables from the market, you need to be prepared for the fact that prices are higher there by 30%. Fresh fruits and vegetables can be bought from street vendors, in this case there can be significant savings.

The price range may vary depending on the season, but on average, you can focus on the following prices per 1 kg:

• peaches, strawberries and cherries - within 3 €;
• oranges - 0,5 €;
• apples - 0,8 €;
• watermelon - 0,5 €;
• pears - 2,4 €;
• chicken fillet - 6 €;
• beef - 6 €;
• bread - 0.6 €.

There are many hotels in Montenegro, where you can relax on the "all inclusive" system. This is the best option for families with small children. However, according to Russian tourists, this country can hardly be called a “package”. Much better to explore the local flavor, renting an apartment or a small house. For this option, it is worth considering the cost of tourist tax, which is usually included in the payment system of hotels, but private hotel houses or apartments indicate prices without it. Usually tourist tax is 1 € per day. You can pay the tourist tax in order to avoid a fine in the nearest information center.

The cost of housing is inversely proportional to the distance from the beach. For those tourists who prefer to leave the room in swimming trunks, prices will be much higher. So, a night in a hotel on the beach in Budva can cost about 60–70 €.

Many Montenegrins earn their living by renting housing.The easiest way to find it is through Booking. A common practice is to book accommodation for one or two days, and on the spot to look for more comfortable apartments. Usually the house where rooms are rented is decorated with a SOBE sign. A two-room apartment with a kitchen can be found for 40 € per day, and prices for a single room start from 10 € per night.

The main entertainment in beautiful Montenegro are excursions. Impressions of mountain landscapes will be remembered for a long time. Fans of club life will be comfortable in Budva, but is it worth going to the sea to choose stuffy bars and nightclubs for relaxation? Excursions can be bought on site or booked on travel sites. The average price is 40 €. Consider the following prices for excursions in Chornoia:

• bus tour for adults costs 40 euros, for children - half;
• Tara and Moraca canyons by minibus - € 65;
• Skadar Lake, including lunch and a boat trip - 40 €;
• Kotor Bay - 22 €;
• monastic tour - 35 €;
• A separate bus tour to Ostrog Mountain, a monastery of the XV century - only 12 €.

Tour operators offer excursions to neighboring countries - Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia. Prices for such trips do not exceed the cost of local excursions and range from 40–50 €.

For lovers of extreme sports and sea fishing there are many offers - paragliding, diving, kite surfing, rafting, yachting, kayaking and a whole park of extreme entertainment in Goritsa.

Montenegro is not a country where it is worth going for shopping. But some Italian brands here can be found at an affordable price. Good jewelry is sold in Podgorica. Local textiles of excellent quality, with appropriate price tags.

At the monastery tours you can buy religious souvenirs. Prices for clothes here are quite high, especially at the height of the season. So, a light summer dress costs € 35–40, beach bags - at around € 10, swimwear can be chosen for € 5–7. Choose an interesting souvenir in a country that lives at the expense of the tourist business, is not difficult. Souvenir shops are always and everywhere.

Wooden souvenirs, tablecloths and towels with national embroidered motifs, woolen clothes are functional, but very expensive gifts. A traditional magnet with a mountain landscape costs 2 €. As souvenirs and gifts, tourists often buy national food - figs, honey with nuts, prshut (smoked dry pork), and olive oil.

Car rental starts from 10 € per day. Motorists need to remember the wild driving style of the locals on their narrow mountain roads. Drivers often forget to turn on the turn signals and park in unexpected ways. You can travel around Montenegro by public transport, but one must be prepared for the terrible non-punctuality and inconvenience of the latter.

During the peak season, minibuses are packed to capacity and people are transported with air conditioning turned off. The delay of the bus by 15-30 minutes is the norm, and a delay of 1 hour is a common practice. However, public transport is quite developed, by bus / minibus you can reach any local attractions. Given the cost of an average excursion, it is obvious that trips on tour buses with guides and meals will be somewhat more comfortable and safer than their own movement.

Convenient and most useful to save on food and lodging, of course, within reasonable limits. So, if you rent a room in a 15–20 minute walk from the sea, you can get a good discount and the opportunity to perform daily wellness exercises along the streets of the cozy Montenegrin towns covered with romance and green leaves. Fast food, ready meat and fish are quite expensive, so If you build your diet on seasonal vegetables and fresh fruits, and cook dinner yourself, the cost of food will be very moderate and the health benefits will be appreciable.

The final cost of rest in Montenegro depends solely on the individual preferences and requirements of the tourist. For those who are not demanding in food and interior and not against a walk to the sea a few kilometers, rest for a week can cost only 150-200 €. Normal, comfortable rest with the condition of independent travel usually requires a budget of 1000 €. Well, the upper limits of daily spending each sets itself.

Organizing a trip to Montenegro on your own is easy. This option is suitable for those who do not like “package” rest. A visa for citizens of Russia and Belarus is not required, the only document required for the trip is a passport. Health insurance is optional, but recommended. Having arranged and unpacked things it is necessary to register with the tourist center within 24 hours in order to avoid a fine.

You can get from Moscow by plane, the flight time will be 3 hours. An alternative, longer and more difficult - a car trip. Daily expenses, including food and accommodation, with a modest budget planning usually do not exceed 40 €, based on this figure and by planning 3-4 excursions, 40 € each, you can calculate how much money you need to take with you.

It is convenient to book apartments on Buckinge or using services such as roomguru or airbnb. ru, where collected almost all the proposals for living. However, according to reviews of experienced tourists, in comparison with the ticket, it is expensive to rest on your own.

A weekly trip to Budva in a four-star hotel with breakfast for one person will cost 510 €. In Becici, the second line of the beach for 7 nights in July for one person costs 470 €. In the hotels for two stars seven-day voucher will cost from 440 €. A trip to Herceg Novi for a week with a 4-star hotel will cost at least € 835 for flights, breakfast and dinner. The “all inclusive” package tour costs around € 1000.

On the advice of seasoned travelers, it is better to buy vouchers not from tour operators, but to take on Internet resourceswhich analyze hundreds of sentences and give out several dozens of optimal options. A common misconception that paying for accommodation directly at the hotel is cheaper.

For an inexpensive vacation you need to choose a small resort towns. The sea there is the same gentle, the road to the main attractions is the same hot, but the prices are pleasantly lower. You need to choose an apartment with a kitchen and cook yourself. If you wish to dine in a restaurant, you should try to avoid the untwisted establishments on the waterfront, and find an inexpensive cozy cafe away from the beach line - the cost of serving there is 1.5-2 times less.

Planning a trip You can periodically monitor travel sites in search of lucrative offers. Sometimes there are attractive tours for two people for five days for € 350 with a flight.

Traveling by company or family is often more profitable than alone. So, you can rent an apartment or a small house in which everyone will be comfortable. Most of the rooms in hotels are also designed for two or three, children under 12 years old are often included in the price of a family vacation.

Montenegro is a Balkan pearl drowning in flowers and greenery, which often leaves an ambiguous impression on tourists - the beauty of nature and the abundance of garbage, pacifying landscapes and an excess of people on the beach, affordable housing prices and overpriced souvenirs, the European standard of living and echoes of the Soviet mentality from local residents. You should definitely go, at least with the aim of making your own opinion.

For information on how much rest in Montenegro costs, see the next video.