r/montenegro • u/AutoModerator • Jan 01 '25

Tourism Tourist Thread 2025

Feel free to ask anything about visiting Montenegro and get advice and tips from others in the community.

Before posting a question, please check out previous tourist threads (in the community bookmarks) or use the search bar on this subreddit. You may find that your question has already been answered.

Do not post tourism related questions outside of this thread; they will be removed. Please refrain from using this thread for off-topic questions and comments. Asking about weed (or other illegal substances) will get you banned.

Some useful links:

National Tourism Organisation of Montenegro

Montenegro – Wikivoyage

Montenegro – Wikitravel

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u/rcremebrulee Apr 19 '25

Hello. First, a huge THANK YOU for all the support I have received on this thread for planning my trip – which is now not far away at all. To this end, I do have a few last minute questions and am hoping to get some support from locals and those of you that are seasoned travelers in this region. My apologies in advance if any of these are utterly frivolous.

 

a.       Soon after I arrive at Podgorica airport, I am headed straight to the city train station to catch a 7pm train to Bijelo Polje. This means I have roughly two hours between the time I leave the airport and my scheduled train departure time. I need to figure out dinner for myself (I am a vegetarian). Any recommendations close to the train station for a quick grab-and-go for my train journey?

b.       Given the time constraints associated with the previous question, would it also be recommended for me to get my local Sim card close to the train station? Any specific stores within walking distance to the station that I can get my local sim card? The reason I need to do this the day I arrive is because I will be in Bijelo Polje all of the next day (which is a Sunday when apparently all shops there are closed).

c.       I finally decided to bite the bullet and rent a car to do the following route: Podgorica train station-Virpazar-Lipa Cave-Cetinje-Njegos Maousoleum and finally Kotor. Obviously, this will be split into two days with the Day 2 ride beginning in Virpazar and ending in Kotor. I am trying to figure out stops and timing for this drive and was hoping to get some concrete input from all of you on here. Obviously, my timings revolve primarily around the timings for the tours at Lipa Cave. It appears that this month, there are only three per day – at 10:00 a.m., noon, and 2 pm. Obviously, I would like to do this as early as possible.  Which means I would have to reach Lipa Cave by around 9:30 a.m. I figured this would also give me time to get lunch at Cetinje (any recommendations for local food that at least caters to vegetarians a little?). I am not really sure what to do in Cetinje. It appears on a bunch of tour itineraries but if I was only planning on doing an hour-long stop plus lunch, any recommendations on where to park and use as an exploration point for the city? The next time will be Lovcen national park. At this point, I am using Njegos Mausoleum as my destination but any other points on the way with viewpoints that you recommend I stop at? All inputs are welcome.

d.       When I get to Kotor, I am booked to stay in old town (pretty close to the River Gate). Obviously, I do not want to lug my baggage too far (and sadly, this time, I have a lot of it since the trip to Montenegro is a stopover on the way to a destination further from where I live in now). Any landmark that you suggest I meet my apartment host at where I can drop off the baggage before looking for free parking? I have found two locations southwest of the Gurdic gate to old town but my apartment host insists there is some free parking close to the River gate (I am hoping this is true).

e.       I was thinking of driving to Perast on my final day with a rental car. I’ve heard parking is free up until the end of April but I would like to visit on May 1st to catch the “Adornment of the Mage” festival at the town square at 7:00 a.m. I’ve heard parking there can be 8 euros a day (which I don’t mind spending) but I’d rather not spend indiscriminately on parking (and there is hourly parking option there). Some folks have suggested parking in Risan and then either walking to Perast or taking a cab there. Neither is appealing given how early in the day I would like to get to Perast. Furthermore, how long does the procession at the town square go on for on this day?

f.        May 1st is Labor day in Montenegro. Does that mean all shops are closed on that day in the Kotor area?

g. Now this is a random one. I am a vegetarian but I want to try whatever little local vegetarian food (even if it is just dessert) that I can get my hands on while I am here. Here are the food items I would like to try - palačinke (crepes) with Eurocrem (hazelnut spread), Priganice ( Montenegrin doughnuts ), Posni pasulj/prebranac, Posna pita sa pečurka/krompir/blitva. Any recommendations for where I can find any of this in either Kotor, Budva, Perast, or Virpazar?

 

My apologies for the barrage of super-specific questions but any input here would be great. Thank you in advance.

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u/TigrastiSmooth Apr 19 '25

a. So you need about 15-20 min from the airport to the train station, plus the time to find a taxi. So pick a place near the train station to eat. There's a pizza place in the bus station (which is right next to the train station) and they usually have pizza, pasta, tortillas with veggies (typically called 'vegetarijana' in the menu). If you're in a squeeze, maybe ask them to pack it for you so you could eat on the train. Or look at google maps and pick any restaurant nearby that you like. Also if you're really in a hurry you can ask the taxi driver to stop at a big supermarket (Nas diskont or HDL) along the way and grab some ready-made meals (they usually have some grilled veggies and salads, but it's unpredictable) or snacks.

b. You can buy a tourist sim at any kiosk. There is one right next to the train station.

c. Cetinje is usually visited for the museums and history. But if you're there for an hour, just pick a nice restaurant and enjoy your meal or walk around the center, it's a small town.

f. Shops are closed May 1st and 2nd

g. Aim for national cuisine restaurants. I don't have specific recommendations. Our culture is more meat oriented, but as you listed there are some non-meat options. For fast food options, in bakeries there is usually burek with cheese or potato or spinach, which is tasty (but ask the locals where can you find good burek). Bakeries work on Sundays, FYI. Pies are a big thing in the north, so try to find some while you are in Bijelo Polje also.

Based on what you wrote, I'd say you are more informed than the average tourist and you'll be fine. Just enjoy and don't run to the next save point, always ask a local like your host what do they recommend or what's going on in town, and maybe you'll discover something surprising and unplanned - which is always the most memorable experience.

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u/rcremebrulee Apr 19 '25

 First, a massive THANK YOU for the prompt and helpful response. Super nice of you to say I am more informed than the average tourist. Honestly, I feel far less prepared for this trip than ANY other trip I have taken in recent years – primarily because this was a last-minute plan that my mother came up with. Usually, I spend months planning this. We get so little vacation in the US (I live in New York City) so I try and do a lot of the leg work ahead of time to make sure I can maximize my time in my destination.

 

As for the taxi, I have already booked one and the driver will receive me at the airport. A super-awesome member of this subreddit suggested that I lock this down ahead of time or I run a non-trivial risk of overpaying for a short ride.

 

Thank you for letting me know about the pizza place at the bus station next door. I think I should have enough time to eat at the place. Good to know that the kiosk for the sim is also right by the train station.

As for Cetinje, any museums you feel are absolute must-visits. As for the center, any specific landmark that you have in mind that I should plug in to my GPS so that I can drive there and find parking? Admittedly, this is the part of the trip that I am least prepared with so I am flying a little blind here.

Thank you for the heads up on the store closures on May 1st and 2nd. I’ll plan around that. I am imagining this closure does NOT apply to restaurants. Fair assumption?

I love Burek and was introduced to this when I visited Croatia and Bosnia over a decade ago.

I echo your view on connecting with a local on recommendations. Unfortunately, we were not able to find homestays on short notice wherein we get to interact with our hosts. Hence, for both places where I have an apartment stay booked, I don’t imagine I will see the host outside of check-in and payment. I was really hoping for something where there is a community dining with many guests etc – but that seemed really difficult to find at the last minute.

Once again, thank you so much for the input – especially as it applies to Day 1 (the day of my arrival). Knowing that I can lock in both my SIM card situation and dinner before boarding the train is undoubtedly a relief. Responses such as yours reaffirm my faith in this subreddit!

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u/TigrastiSmooth Apr 19 '25 edited Apr 19 '25

Yeah restaurants will be open on May 1st, most of them. Especially in tourist areas like the coast.

As for Cetinje, any museums you feel are absolute must-visits.

Unless you are a history buff, I would skip them. Don't have any specific parking recs as I'm not from that town, but I remember it's not difficult to find a parking space. Stop and ask for directions if unsure, locals are friendly. You can also skip Cetinje altogether, it's no big deal.

Google Maps can help you a lot to see what's where, plus reviews. Although the Street view is a bit outdated, but it's useful still.

Pretty sure there's a stand in the airport itself where you can get a sim. You can tell if you see 'Tobacco Press', those are kiosks/stands usually.

Now, about the trains, while it's a scenic ride, the trains are old and dirty(some are newer and okay admittedly) and often running late. The main station is, well you'll see..

Curious, if you don't mind me asking - why Bijelo Polje? It's not really a tourist place. It's not a bad town or anything, just not that interesting either.

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u/rcremebrulee Apr 19 '25

Thank you once again. While I do like history, I have to confess that given how little time I've had to prepare for this trip, I have not spent the time warranted to get a deeper understanding of the country's history. I have printed some notes for reading on my way there so that I don't land in Montenegro like a total blank slate when it comes to the country's history.

Good to know I have options for the sim card at the airport too.

I've been given a heads up on the train delays - so we have somewhat braced ourselves for that. How bad are the delays. Hours or just 30-40 minutes? As for the trains being old, I echo that view based on what I've seen on Youtube. I've also heard that the main station doesn't even look like a train station. It looks more credible than Aerodrom near the airport though so that's something!

So yes, you're definitely not the first person to ask me about why Bijelo Polje. Admittedly, this destination was my mother's idea. She's always wanted to factor in one thing off the beaten path on her trips and I respect that. For me, the real incentive is the train ride. For my mother, she found the ethnic mix of the area and its proximity (although NOT that close at all) to Durmitor and Biogradska Park as being appealing. Honestly, we're still figuring out what the plan is there. A Dutch blogger has actually outlined a good day-long plan for Bijelo Polje (the town) but we're also in correspondence with an agency called RAMS that can take us on a jeep tour plus a short hike. I am in two minds on this since it is a private tour costing 75 euros per person. Neither of us really wants a private tour so we'll have to figure out which way to go with this.

Really hoping someone chimes in on here with regards to my local vegetarian food question. I feel like I am cheating culinarily speaking if I only eat foreign food on a trip and not the local stuff (however little of it is vegetarian!).

Once again, thank you so much for the input. This is super helpful and has alleviated a lot of my concerns.

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u/TigrastiSmooth Apr 19 '25

That's actually awesome to hear that you choose not a typical tourist place. There's some great nature around Bijelo Polje, and Biogradska gora is close. Durmitor, on the other hand can be a frustrating car ride from BP, the road along the Tara river is usually closed for construction and you would have to go via Pljevlja which could get pretty expensive with taxi. It's why people who visit Durmitor usually stay in Zabljak. But is manageable.

The train delays are literally unpredictable - it' could arrive right on time or be late an hour.

People usually just post questions here and don't comment post festum, but I'm sure it would be useful to share your experience after the trip in a comment in this thread. As you see it can be useful to many future tourists. Anyway, welcome to Montenegro and have fun!

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u/rcremebrulee Apr 19 '25

Getting from Zabljak to Bijelo Polje is a royal pain. I even explored the possibility of going there directly from the airport at Podgorica and then making my way back to Podgorica from Bijelo Polje by train. But the travel logistics are non-trivial to say the least.

As for train delays, I've added fair bit of buffer for both journeys so hopefully, it's not too crazy.

I absolutely promise to share my write-up after doing the trip. I usually do one after every trip I take. It's mean to be a mini-guide for anyone that does NOT have time to do a deep dive into a guidebook (I could have used something like that this time given how monumentally unprepared I am for this trip!).

Thanks once again. I wish I could thank you all in person!

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u/antisarcastics Apr 19 '25

hey - do you know the website happycow.net ? it shows you restaurants in the nearby area that are either entirely vegan, vegetarian or at least vegetarian-friendly.

i'm going to montenegro tomorrow for the first time for a week and am also veggie. wish me luck!

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u/rcremebrulee Apr 19 '25

Thanks so much for the response - and that too from a fellow veggie - that's awesome! Yes, been using happycow since 2019 but here is the deal- I use it as a backup in towns where I don't have any concrete recommendations or the restaurant timings don't align with my schedule. The app is a bit hit-or-miss in some cities/countries. In Barcelona, this app really came through for me. In Casablanca, not so much from a culinary perspective. Admittedly, the app led to me a restaurant at the Hyatt in Casablance. I literally NEVER find myself at places like this as a backpacker and while the meal I had there was amazing, I literally had all of one veggie option on that menu - but the fab live entertainment that night at the restaurant compensated for my lack of options. I will absolutely use happycow as a fall-back if I hit a wall in terms of specific recommendations. Since you are leaving before I do, would you mind if I DMd you in a few days to get your input on veggie options once you are there? Thanks once again!

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u/antisarcastics Apr 19 '25

yes, i agree with you that it can be a bit hit and miss - i think it's mostly fuelled by user reviews. it was great for my last trip in Spain (Granada, Malaga), but in some countries there just aren't that many options sadly. yes, feel free to DM me! it's possible i won't be in the same places you're planning to go to, but i'll happily let you know how things are.

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u/rcremebrulee Apr 19 '25

For Spain, happycow is brilliant. For Granada, I had my list of restaurants all lined up before I left (I was far better prepared for that trip than I am for this one!) so I didn't need it for that specific city. I will definitely DM you. Thanks so much!

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u/rcremebrulee Apr 19 '25

I just discovered that we have corresponded before when I was planning my trip to Morocco!

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u/Ok-Distance-5344 Apr 19 '25

Hello again, just a few things i can throw my 2c in on

You can get a sim from the airport kiosk shop in the corner when you have collected your bags, you could maybe also get an esim ahead of time if your phone is compatible.

Parking in Perast is not free its 8€ flat rate all year round, however if you continue driving a little past perast (coming from the risan side) you can park just off the side of the road on the grass for free.

Veggie food is pretty lacking sadly, the spinach / potato/ cheese pita is ok can be a bit greasy for my liking, the usual gelato and veg pizza, priganice is ok - again can be oily, omelettes and tuna sandwiches / salads (posno if you eat fish) found most places.

Try some ajvar and kačamak that’s probably the Montenegrin vegetarian food of choice.

Paradise food is probably the best place I found for veggie food theres one in podgorica and one in budva, I also like the tofu mushroom udon dish at koneko asian garden cafe in Podgorica but it’s obviously not local cuisine.

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u/rcremebrulee Apr 19 '25

A massive thank you as always for your responses. My phone, sadly, is NOT esim compatible. Any sim companies you think I should avoid. I'll buy my sim card at the airport kiosk shop as per your suggestion.

As for Perast, given that I will be driving there from Kotor so I am guessing I park BEFORE I reach the city. Fair assumption? I am being shameless with question but any specific landmark I should punch in in google maps to make sure I have not crossed the point at which I can park?

Will give kačamak a try. I discovered Ajvar during a visit to Croatia and Bosnia over a decade ago. They actually sell it in my local market since my neighborhood is heavily Greek/Balkan. I will check out Paradise food at Budva.

Thank you once again for humoring my endless barrage of questions!

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u/Ok-Distance-5344 Apr 19 '25

All are pretty much the same, I have ‘one’ network and my OH has ‘mtel’ both similar price and coverage. Think mtel works outside of mne too if that helps.

If you search for ‘Plaza Velemira kraj Perasta’ on google maps satellite then scroll up a bit towards perast where you see ‘parking 1’ inbetween those 2 points you will find the grass spaces for parking on the roadside.

Happy to help :)

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u/rcremebrulee Apr 19 '25

This is super helpful. Thank you so much. I'll go for mtel even though I am not really headed anywhere else in the region around Montenegro. The specifics on Perast are super helpful. Bookmarking this right now. I won't get ticketed for parking on the grass right? Sorry if this is a super dumb question. And seriously, you have no idea how much I wish I could thank you in person for being so patient with my questions!

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u/Ok-Distance-5344 Apr 20 '25

No I have parked there many times with no issues you will see the grass is flattened where others have done the same. I will be in perast 26th-29th actually so I will just miss you otherwise we could of met up for a coffee and you could have picked my brains 🤣

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u/rcremebrulee Apr 20 '25

I would love to catch up for coffee. The tricky thing is that I get to the Kotor area only around the 29th and now after I found that shops are closed on May 1st and 2nd, I am rethinking the order of what I do and how soon I should get to Kotor. I leave the country from Tivat early on May 3rd so it means there will be no time for souvenir shopping etc (I do very little of this. I have no clue what my mother will do in this realm). Glad to know that you've done this parking before. If for some reason, I make it to the area sooner on the 29th, I will keep you posted. The original plan was to make it to Kotor around 4 or 5 pm that day but we might have to recalibrate now that I found out about stores not being operational on May 1st and or 2nd. Does this closure apply to boat tour companies too?

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u/Ok-Distance-5344 Apr 20 '25

I’m pretty sure the boat tour companies will be operating on labour day it’s a popular time for people to do family outings such as boat trips. There are lots of small places selling postcards and magnets etc you can pick up as you go around. If you’re around perast feel free to DM me and we can get a coffee, I will be running the 33km trail race on Saturday so hoping for good weather!

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u/rcremebrulee Apr 20 '25

First, wishing you the best for the race. I am feeling a sense of physical inadequacy as I type this. What you're doing is super impressive! Will definitely keep you posted on if I am close to Perast on the 29th.

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u/Horror-Beginning1946 Apr 30 '25

For real non-tourist souvenirs, there is an older woman who sells handmade, beautiful crochet pieces - table runners, etc. - just outside the main gates of the Old Town. You will see farmer's market stalls there too but her table is there most days.

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u/rcremebrulee Apr 30 '25

Which gate? Sea gate? We were at the farmer’s market this morning and did not see souvenirs there. We did see some interesting food and produce stores though. Thank you so much for your input.

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u/Horror-Beginning1946 May 02 '25

yes, just south of Sea Gate is where I've seen her several times. However, with the holiday, it's possible she's occupied with family, etc. Or she might be there Saturday morning, as that's the biggest market day. In general, in the Balkans, the farmer's markets also include seniors selling their knitting, crocheting, dried flower arrangements (and potions, etc.), embroidery.

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