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/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!