Things to do in Montenegro

25 things to do in Montenegro

Listed in full below. The running order is set by votes and loads with the page.

• Climb to San Giovanni Fortress above Kotor

  Ascend the 1,350 ancient stone steps zigzagging up Mount Lovćen above Kotor Old Town. The panoramic view over the bay's fjord-like inlets, terracotta rooftops, and surrounding limestone peaks is one of the most photographed scenes in the Adriatic.

  Kotor

• Wander the cobblestone lanes of Kotor Old Town

  Step through the Sea Gate into a UNESCO-listed medieval town of Venetian palaces, hidden squares, and Romanesque churches. The compact old town rewards aimless exploration with cats lounging on ancient doorsteps and tiny cafés tucked into 15th-century walls.

  Kotor

• Take a boat to Our Lady of the Rocks island

  A short boat ride from Perast brings you to this artificial island built over centuries by local sailors dropping rocks after each voyage. Inside the small Catholic church, a remarkable icon and 68 oil-on-canvas paintings by Tripo Kokolja line the walls.

  Perast, Bay of Kotor

• Visit Ostrog Monastery carved into a cliff face

  This Serbian Orthodox monastery is literally hewn into a sheer rock face 900 metres above the Zeta plain. Pilgrims from all faiths trek to the Upper Monastery to see the cave-church of St. Basil of Ostrog, whose relics are said to perform miracles.

  Ostrog, Danilovgrad municipality

• Hike through Durmitor National Park to Black Lake

  A gentle 3.5 km trail encircles Crno Jezero, a glacial lake framed by dense pine forest and the towering peaks of Durmitor. The water shifts from emerald to ink-black depending on the light, backed by the imposing face of Međed summit.

  Žabljak, Durmitor

• White-water raft the Tara River Canyon

  The Tara River cuts through Europe's deepest canyon (1,300 m), flanked by ancient forests and cascading waterfalls. Full-day rafting trips tackle Class III–IV rapids through the 82-km gorge, with calm stretches perfect for swimming in turquoise pools.

  Žabljak / Mojkovac

• Summit Bobotov Kuk, Montenegro's highest peak

  At 2,523 m, Bobotov Kuk is the crown of Durmitor and offers a challenging but non-technical scramble over scree and rock. On clear days the summit reveals views stretching to the Adriatic Sea, Lake Skadar, and the Albanian Alps.

  Durmitor, Žabljak

• Kayak or boat across Lake Skadar

  The largest lake in the Balkans straddles the Montenegro-Albania border, dotted with water lilies, pelicans, and crumbling island monasteries like Starčevo and Grmožur. Karst springs, called 'oka,' bubble up beneath the surface creating vivid blue circles.

  Virpazar / Rijeka Crnojevića

• Pay respects at the Njegoš Mausoleum on Mount Lovćen

  Designed by sculptor Ivan Meštrović and reached by climbing 461 steps through a tunnel, this granite mausoleum sits at 1,657 m on Lovćen's Jezerski Vrh. The views across Montenegro's rugged interior from the terrace are staggering, and the 28-tonne reclining figure of poet-prince Petar II is extraordinary.

  Lovćen National Park, Cetinje

• Drive the serpentine road up Mount Lovćen from Kotor

  Twenty-five hairpin bends climb from sea level to 900 m above Kotor, each turn revealing a progressively more dramatic view over the bay. The narrow road, built in the Austro-Hungarian era, passes through Njeguši village and offers pullover spots at nearly every switchback.

  Kotor to Njeguši

• Savour Njeguški pršut in the village of Njeguši

  In the mountain hamlet of Njeguši, family smokehouses produce pršut — air-dried ham smoked over beechwood — that is Montenegro's most prized delicacy. Order a platter with local cheese and honey at a roadside konoba while gazing down toward the Adriatic.

  Njeguši, Cetinje

• Explore Cetinje, Montenegro's old royal capital

  This small town at the foot of Mount Lovćen served as Montenegro's capital until 1946 and is packed with former embassies, palaces, and monasteries. The Cetinje Monastery houses a fragment of the True Cross and the right hand of John the Baptist.

  Cetinje

• Stroll the Venetian walls of Budva Old Town

  A walled peninsula jutting into the Adriatic, Stari Grad Budva packs Roman-era necropolises, Orthodox churches, and Venetian-era stone houses into a few compact streets. Walk the sea-facing ramparts at sunset for views across Mogren Beach toward the open sea.

  Budva

• Sunbathe on Sveti Stefan island beach

  Once a fortified fishing village dating to the 15th century, this tiny rocky islet connected to the mainland by a narrow sandbar became an exclusive resort. Even if you can't enter the Aman resort, the public beach on the mainland side offers crystal-clear water and a postcard-perfect view of the island's terracotta rooftops.

  Sveti Stefan, Budva Riviera

• Wander the baroque streets of Perast

  This sleepy Baroque town on the Bay of Kotor once rivalled Venice as a maritime power, built by sea captains who returned with architectural ideas from across Europe. Seventeen churches, a maritime museum, and a string of crumbling palazzi line the car-free waterfront.

  Perast, Bay of Kotor

• Party at Top Hill nightclub in Budva

  Perched on a hilltop above Budva with open-air dance floors and views over the Adriatic, Top Hill is the Balkans' premier summer club. International DJs spin until dawn while the crowd spills across terraces overlooking the coast below.

  Budva

• Explore the ruins of Stari Bar

  Above the modern coastal town of Bar lies one of the largest fortified archaeological sites in the Balkans, with ruins spanning Roman, Byzantine, Venetian, and Ottoman periods. A massive aqueduct from the 16th century leads to the citadel, which was abandoned after a siege in 1877.

  Stari Bar

• Visit Herceg Novi's Kanli Kula fortress

  This imposing Ottoman fortress, whose name means 'Bloody Tower,' dominates Herceg Novi's skyline and now hosts summer open-air film screenings and concerts. Climb to the top for sweeping views over the entrance to the Bay of Kotor and the Prevlaka peninsula.

  Herceg Novi

• Walk the Milenijum Bridge and riverside in Podgorica

  The capital's landmark cable-stayed bridge spans the Morača River in a dramatic white arc, symbolising post-independence Montenegro. Stroll along the river promenade past the Orthodox cathedral and into Stara Varoš, the old Turkish quarter with its clock tower.

  Podgorica

• Hike through Biogradska Gora primeval forest

  One of Europe's last remaining virgin forests shelters 500-year-old trees towering over 50 metres, surrounding the glacial Biogradsko Lake. Marked trails weave through beech and fir groves where wolves, bears, and over 200 bird species still roam undisturbed.

  Kolašin, Biogradska Gora

• Zip-line across the Tara Canyon

  Soar 170 metres above the turquoise Tara River on one of the world's longest zip-lines (over 1,000 m). The crossing provides a bird's-eye view of the canyon's sheer limestone walls, dense forest canopy, and the gorge that rivals the Grand Canyon in depth.

  Đurđevića Tara Bridge area

• Visit Savina Monastery in Herceg Novi

  Three churches tucked into lush subtropical gardens above Herceg Novi date to the 11th century, with the Great Church featuring remarkable 18th-century frescoes and a carved iconostasis. The monastery's relics include a fragment of the cross of Christ and a hand of St. Basil.

  Herceg Novi

• Explore Lipa Cave near Cetinje

  Discovered in the 19th century and open to guided tours, this cave system stretches for 2.5 km of chambers filled with stalactites, stalagmites, and flowstone curtains. The constant 10°C temperature inside offers cool relief on hot Adriatic summer days.

  Cetinje area

• Discover the Old Town of Ulcinj

  Perched on a rocky promontory above the sea, Ulcinj's citadel is the oldest part of the city — once a notorious pirate stronghold and slave-trading port. Ottoman-era mosques, Venetian walls, and a museum in the former slave quarters reveal the town's layered past.

  Ulcinj

• Marina-hop at Porto Montenegro in Tivat

  This transformed Yugoslav-era naval base is now a gleaming superyacht marina lined with designer shops, waterfront restaurants, and a naval heritage museum. Walk the quays past million-dollar boats, then swim at the free pebble beach beside the pool club.

  Tivat