Montenegro Holidays

Montenegro – the charming Balkan gem that's smaller than Wales, but crammed with jaw-dropping beaches and fairy-tale medieval towns. Once a quiet coastal settlement, Budva is now one of the most happening spots on the Montenegrin coast but for those of you who want a slower holiday there are also more relaxing destinations available.

Highlights of your Holiday to Montenegro

• 🏖️ Beaches with serious heritage: Bečići's 2km of sand and shingle won the Grand Prix in Paris in 1935 as Europe's most beautiful beach, and the beach is still a banger nearly 100 years later.

• 🏰 Medieval walled old towns on the water: Kotor and Budva both sit inside cobbled, walled old towns you can walk the ramparts of, with orange pantile roofs, stone churches and sea views every time you turn a corner.

• 🌊 The Bay of Kotor (Boka): a UNESCO-listed fjord-like inlet of dramatic mountains, Venetian villages, and the island church of Our Lady of the Rocks rising out of the middle of the water. One of Europe's great scenic drives.

• 🎉 Budva's nightlife: Top Hill is an open-air clifftop nightclub with international DJs through summer, and the Old Town's bars and clubs run late. The serious party end of the coast.

• ⛰️ Proper mountain scenery half an hour inland: Durmitor National Park, the Tara River Canyon (deepest in Europe), and hiking, rafting and zip-line country, all within day-trip distance of the coast.

• 🍷 Mediterranean holiday prices without the Mediterranean price tag: five-star hotels, seafood dinners and Italianate old towns at 30-40% less than the equivalent in Croatia or Italy.

💡 Good to Know

• ☀️ Weather: Mediterranean climate on the coast. Peak summer (July and August) sits at 28 to 31°C with the sea warm at 24 to 25°C; spring and autumn stay comfortable at 20 to 25°C. Mountains inland get properly cold in winter.

• 💶 Money: Montenegro uses the Euro (€), but in sterling a pint is around £3, a taverna meal around £10 to £15, and a full dinner for two with wine about £25 to £35. One of Europe's last genuinely affordable Adriatic destinations.

• 🌳 Fun fact: the olive tree at Stara Maslina, near Stari Bar on the south coast, is estimated to be more than 2,000 years old, one of the oldest olive trees in the world. Its hollow trunk is the size of a small room.

🏙️ Where to stay for your 2026 Holidays to Montenegro

The coast divides cleanly into the central Budva Riviera (lively resorts, the biggest hotel stock) and the northern Bay of Kotor / Montenegro Riviera (dramatic scenery, quieter bases). Which end you pick shapes the holiday.

🎉 Lively and social

Budva is Montenegro's tourism capital, a walled medieval old town on the water with the country's biggest nightlife strip wrapped around it. Beach clubs, bars, Top Hill clubbing and plenty of restaurants. The busiest and most developed end of the coast.

🏖️ Family-friendly and relaxed

Bečići sits next door to Budva with its award-winning 2km beach and a family-resort feel, you can walk into Budva along the promenade for the evening. Petrovac is the calmer option further south, a small bay with pine forests, olive groves and a quieter pace, well-suited to families with little ones.

❤️ Scenic and romantic

Kotor is a walled medieval old town wrapped around a harbour at the foot of the Bay of Kotor, with a historic citadel, Venetian fortifications and a dramatic mountain backdrop. Herceg Novi and Dobrota both sit on the same bay, smaller pebble beaches, clearer water, and an atmosphere built for couples rather than groups. Igalo is the spa-resort neighbour of Herceg Novi, known for its mineral-rich waters.

🏨 Top Hotels in Montenegro

Montenegro does coastal hotels with serious range, from big all-inclusive resorts on the Budva Riviera to elegant boutiques in restored 18th-century buildings on the Bay of Kotor. See all hotels in Montenegro or browse our top picks below.

For Families

• Iberostar Waves Bellevue in Bečići sits right on the award-winning beach with direct access, four swimming pools (including an indoor one), the Star Camp kids' club, tennis courts and evening entertainment. 2km walk along the promenade into Budva for the evening.

• Iberostar Waves Herceg Novi in Igalo is a four-star all-inclusive on the beachfront with Bay of Kotor views, the Star Camp activity programme for kids, and easy day-trip access to Kotor and Perast.

• Montenegro Beach Resort in Budva is a four-star beachfront with outdoor pools, a range of restaurants and bars, and apartment-style rooms for families who need more space. Straightforward family-resort base, short walk to central Budva.

For Couples

• Lazure Hotel & Marina in Herceg Novi is a five-star boutique in an 18th-century building overlooking Kotor Bay, with its own marina, a spa, indoor pool, five saunas, and waterfront dining.

• Iberostar Waves Slavija sits in central Budva with a stylish rooftop infinity pool, an adults-only spa with hammam and sauna, and 15 minutes' walk to the medieval old town for dinner and drinks.

• Riva in Petrovac is a chic boutique a few steps from the sand with its own wine cellar and a restaurant terrace overlooking the sea. The quieter couples' pick.

Luxury

• Iberostar Selection Kumbor near Herceg Novi is a five-star resort with a private beach, infinity pools and modern luxury setting on the Bay of Kotor. Kids' club and playground on site for families who want the luxury tier without leaving the kids at home.

• Iberostar Heritage Grand Perast is a five-star palace originally built in the 18th century, on the seafront in Perast on the Bay of Kotor. Stylish modern interior inside the historic shell, on-site pool and spa, stately dining with sea views, one of the country's most distinctive addresses.

• The Chedi Lustica Bay near Tivat is a properly high-end resort on the Lustica peninsula, Asian-inspired spa with saunas and massage suites, outdoor infinity pool with sun loungers, private beach with watersports, and fine dining. The modern-luxury option.

For Groups

• Kadmo is right in central Budva with a rooftop terrace, outdoor pools and a 7-minute walk to the old town's nightlife strip. Ideal for day-by-the-pool, night-on-the-town rotation.

• Apart Hotel MS Katunjanin in Igalo does apartment-style rooms for groups who want the space of a self-catering setup with the services of a hotel, 300m from the beach near Herceg Novi.

• Hotel Tara in Bečići is a contemporary hotel with a big swimming pool and poolside bar, 300m from a private beach section. Easy walk along the promenade into Budva for group dinners.

For Value

• Hotel Harmony in Petrovac is a family-run four-star 350m from the beach, with a seasonal outdoor pool and a proper personal-service character. One of the better-reviewed spots on this stretch of coast.

• Palmon Bay Hotel & Spa in Igalo is a stylish spa hotel with a full-service spa (jacuzzi, sauna, salt room), and an Olive Terrace restaurant serving Mediterranean dinners with Bay of Kotor views. Spa-hotel standard at mid-range prices.

👉 All hotels in Montenegro

🗣️ Local Lingo

English is widely spoken in Budva, Kotor and the main coastal resorts, but a few phrases in Montenegrin (part of the same family as Serbian and Croatian) always go down well. Don't stress the accent, the effort is what lands:

• Zdravo, ZDRAH-voh, Hello

• Hvala, HVAH-lah, Thank you

• Molim, MOH-leem, Please / You're welcome

• Jedno pivo, molim, YED-noh PEE-voh, MOH-leem, One beer, please

• Živjeli!, ZHEEV-yel-ee, Cheers!

🎭 Top Things to Do on your Montenegro Holidays

Beach Lovers & Sun Worshippers

• 🏖️ Bečići Beach – A gorgeous 2km stretch of sand and pebble that won the Grand Prix as Europe's most beautiful beach. The calm, shallow waters are brilliant for families, and there are sunbeds and umbrellas for hire.

• 🏝️ Sveti Nikola Island – Known locally as "Hawaii", this car-free island just off Budva is home to deer, crystal-clear swimming spots, and a couple of beach bars. A water taxi from Budva takes about 10 minutes.

• 🌹 Sveti Stefan – One of Montenegro's most famous sites with pink pebble beaches and picture-perfect views of the 15th-century island village

Culture & History Buffs

• 🏰 Budva Old Town – A medieval walled city that juts right out into the sea, packed with stone buildings, orange-tiled roofs, and ancient churches. You can walk along the city walls for stunning coastal views – it's like a smaller, less crowded Dubrovnik.

• ⛪ Kotor UNESCO World Heritage Site – This spectacular medieval city sits dramatically at the head of Europe's southernmost fjord. Climb the 1,350 steps to San Giovanni Fortress for one of the best views in the Mediterranean, then lose yourself in the maze of Venetian streets below.

• 🏛️ Petrovac's Kastell Lastva – A 16th-century Venetian fortress at the edge of town with stunning views over two nearby islets

Adventure Seekers

• 🪂 Paragliding over Budva – Launch from Brajići hill at 760m and soar over the coastline for 15-30 minutes, taking in bird's-eye views of the old town, Bečići Beach, and Sveti Stefan. No experience needed – tandem flights run from around €65.

• 🚣 Island hopping from Petrovac – Boat trips run to the tiny islands of Sveta Nedjelja and Katič, where legend says the little church brings good luck and good health.

• 🥾 Hiking trails – The Petrovac to Reževići trail offers natural shade through pine forests, benches, and tunnels carved through the rock, ending at a stunning medieval monastery with panoramic sea views.

Nightlife & Entertainment

• 🎉 Top Hill Nightclub – An open-air club perched on a hilltop above Budva with panoramic Adriatic views and international DJ lineups. It's one of the biggest open-air clubs in Europe with a 5,000 capacity – proper epic. Open during summer season (July-August).

• 🍸 Budva bar scene – The old town and beachfront are lined with cocktail bars, live music spots, and late-night haunts that keep the party going all summer. Budva's nightlife is easily the best in Montenegro.

• 🌊 Bay of Kotor boat trips – For something more chilled, evening cruises around the fjord-like bay take in the baroque village of Perast and the tiny island church of Our Lady of the Rocks, with dramatic mountains as your backdrop. Proper romantic.

🌍 More destinations

• 🇭🇷 Croatia, the parent region of the Adriatic, a country of island-hopping Dalmatian islands, Venetian-era old towns and some of the Mediterranean's cleanest water.

• 🏰 Dubrovnik, the walled Adriatic city 45 minutes north of the Montenegrin border, Game of Thrones filming location, full-circuit city walls walkable in 90 minutes.

• 🏖️ Greece, island-hopping, ancient ruins, food at the best prices in the Mediterranean, and a destination for every mood from Athens city breaks to far-flung Cyclades beaches.

• 🏛️ Italy, the other Adriatic coastline, Puglia's heel directly across the water from Montenegro and genuinely pairable by ferry.

• 🇨🇾 Cyprus, warmer for longer than Montenegro (the season stretches to November), beaches on both coasts, and proper winter-sun territory.

• 🇹🇷 Turkey, the big-resort all-inclusive Mediterranean alternative, Antalya and Bodrum leading the way, with flight prices typically lower than the Adriatic.