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Travel guide · The Bay of Kotor and the Tara Canyon

Travelling to Montenegro

The Bay of Kotor between mountains, Venetian towns, Adriatic beaches and the Tara Canyon. We tell you when to go, what to see and what to eat.

Updated 18 October 2026 · How we make our guides

  • All year round
  • Where to eat: the konoba (tavern)
Photo: Unsplash

Montenegro in 30 seconds

  • Any time of year is good to travel to Montenegro: our data shows no months with weather, closure or crowd warnings.
  • The Lepetane–Kamenari ferry crosses the bay and saves almost an hour.
  • To eat like a local: the konoba (tavern). Don’t leave without trying: Njeguški pršut, Kačamak, Adriatic fish.

Montenegro in November

Yes: November is a good time to travel to Montenegro. Our data shows no weather or seasonal warnings that month.

More destinations for November

When to travel to Montenegro

Any time of year is good to travel to Montenegro: our data shows no months with weather, closure or crowd warnings.

  1. Jan no warnings
  2. Feb no warnings
  3. Mar no warnings
  4. Apr no warnings
  5. May no warnings
  6. Jun no warnings
  7. Jul no warnings
  8. Aug no warnings
  9. Sep no warnings
  10. Oct no warnings
  11. Nov no warnings
  12. Dec no warnings

What to see in Montenegro

The cities and areas most worth your time, with their highlights. Open each one for all the places, where to stay and its day trips.

  • Kotor
    Bay of Kotor

    Kotor

    A walled town at the head of the bay, with a fortress up the mountain.

    • Cathedral of St Tryphon
    • Maritime Museum of Montenegro
    • Perast
    • Our Lady of the Rocks
    Kotor guide
  • Budva
    Coast

    Budva

    An old town by the sea and Montenegro’s liveliest stretch of coast.

    • Sveti Stefan
    • Sveti Nikola Island
    • Mogren Beach
    • Jaz Beach
    Budva guide
  • Žabljak
    Durmitor

    Žabljak

    A mountain village in Durmitor National Park, next to the Tara Canyon.

    • Durmitor
    • Black Lake (Crno jezero)
    • Bobotov Kuk
    • Savin Kuk
    Žabljak guide
  • Perast

    Perast

    A Venetian baroque village with two islets and their churches just offshore.

    • Our Lady of the Rocks
    • St George Island
    • Palaces
    • St Nicholas bell tower
    Perast guide
  • Herceg Novi

    Herceg Novi

    The town of steps and flowers, at the entrance to the bay.

    • Clock Tower
    • Kanli Kula Fortress
    • Pet Danica promenade
    • Savina Monastery
    Herceg Novi guide
  • Sveti Stefan

    Sveti Stefan

    An islet village joined to the mainland by a sandy isthmus.

    • The islet
    • Sveti Stefan Beach
    • Viewpoint
    • Milocer
    Sveti Stefan guide
  • Ulcinj

    Ulcinj

    The southernmost town, with Ottoman influence and a thirteen-kilometre sandy beach.

    • Old town
    • Velika Plaža
    • Ada Bojana Island
    • Salt pans
    Ulcinj guide
  • Cetinje

    Cetinje

    The old royal capital, with the mausoleum on Mount Lovćen nearby.

    • Cetinje Monastery
    • King Nikola’s Palace
    • Lovćen
    • Njeguši
    Cetinje guide
  • Podgorica

    Podgorica

    The capital, a base for Lake Skadar and the mountains.

    • Millennium Bridge
    • Stara Varoš
    • Lake Skadar
    • Ostrog Monastery
    Podgorica guide

Day trips and activities

What’s most worth booking from each city. We take you straight to the best-rated tour on GetYourGuide, with its reviews and dates.

From Kotor

From Budva

From Žabljak

From Perast

From Herceg Novi

From Sveti Stefan

From Ulcinj

From Cetinje

From Podgorica

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What to eat in Montenegro

To eat like a local: the konoba (tavern), and order Adriatic fish or njeguški pršut. And don’t leave without trying:

  • Njeguški pršut

    Smoked ham from Njeguši.

  • Kačamak

    Polenta with cheese and soured cream.

  • Adriatic fish

    Grilled.

  • Ćevapi

    Grilled minced-meat rolls.

  • Njeguši cheese

    Served with the ham.

  • Vranac

    A local red wine.

The typical dish of Montenegro, at home

Kačamak
Photo: Berishasinan · CC BY-SA 4.0

Kačamak

Polenta from Montenegro’s mountains, cooked with potato and lots of cheese and kajmak (clotted cream) until stretchy. Shepherds’ food for the cold, with a glass of yoghurt.

  • Serves 4
  • 45 min

Ingredients

  • 3 potatoes
  • 250 g cornmeal
  • 1 litre of water
  • 200 g fresh cheese or feta
  • 150 g kajmak (or thick soured cream with butter)
  • Salt
  • Yoghurt or kefir to go with it

How to make it at home

  1. Cook the potatoes in chunks in the salted water until tender.
  2. Roughly mash them in the same water.
  3. Sprinkle in the cornmeal, without stirring, and leave it to cook covered for 10 minutes.
  4. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon, adding the cheese and kajmak, until stretchy (about 15 minutes).
  5. Serve hot with a glass of yoghurt.

The trick: Stirring hard is the key: it should pull into strings.

The typical food of each city, with a recipe

Curious facts about Montenegro

What guidebooks don’t tell you and will help you understand the country better.

  • It uses the euro even though it isn’t in the European Union.
  • The Tara Canyon is one of the deepest in Europe.
  • Sveti Stefan is an islet village turned into a hotel.
  • The Bay of Kotor looks like a fjord, although it’s actually an ancient river valley.
  • Perast has two islets with churches just off the village.
  • The name comes from the dark mountains (Monte Negro) of Lovćen.

Traditions of Montenegro

Customs and celebrations that will help you experience the country like a local.

  • July (Perast) Fašinada

    Boats carrying stones out to the church islet.

  • February Kotor Carnival

    Parades in the old town.

  • Hospitality

    A welcome glass of rakia.

  • February (Herceg Novi) Mimosa

    The mimosa flower festival.

What not to do in Montenegro

First-trip mistakes that are easy to avoid.

  • Don’t climb to Kotor’s fortress at midday in summer.
  • Don’t drive fast on the bay road: it’s narrow.
  • Don’t go to the coast in August without a booking.
  • Don’t forget cash for small villages.
  • Don’t expect EU roaming: Montenegro isn’t included.
  • Don’t skip the Tara Canyon if you like rafting.

Before you go

Entry requirements depend on your passport and change: always check them with official sources before travelling.

  • Entering the country

    Visas, electronic authorisations and health requirements for Montenegro depend on your nationality. Check your government’s official travel advice and the embassy before you book.

    UK: foreign travel advice (GOV.UK) US: travel advisories (travel.state.gov)
  • Traveller tips

    The Lepetane–Kamenari ferry crosses the bay and saves almost an hour.

    In Kotor, park outside the walls: the old town is pedestrianised.

    There’s a daily tourist tax, usually included in your accommodation.

Frequently asked questions about Montenegro

What people search for most before travelling to Montenegro.

What’s the best time to travel to Montenegro?

Any time of year is good to travel to Montenegro: our data shows no months with weather, closure or crowd warnings.

What to see in Montenegro in a week?

The essentials of Montenegro: Kotor, Budva, Žabljak, Perast and Herceg Novi. How many places fit into your days, and in what order, depends on your dates and how you get around: the Bagintravel app plans your trip day by day in a minute.

What to eat in Montenegro?

Njeguški pršut, Kačamak, Adriatic fish, Ćevapi, Njeguši cheese, Vranac. To eat like a local: the konoba (tavern).

What is the typical dish of Montenegro?

Kačamak. Polenta from Montenegro’s mountains, cooked with potato and lots of cheese and kajmak (clotted cream) until stretchy. Shepherds’ food for the cold, with a glass of yoghurt.

What should you not do in Montenegro?

Don’t climb to Kotor’s fortress at midday in summer. Don’t drive fast on the bay road: it’s narrow. Don’t go to the coast in August without a booking.

Is it worth travelling to Montenegro in November?

Yes: November is a good time to travel to Montenegro. Our data shows no weather or seasonal warnings that month.

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Guide reviewed 18 October 2026. Seasonal data, places and areas: the same ones the Bagintravel app uses. Sources and method.

Photos: cover, Unsplash. Kotor, Chensiyuan (CC BY-SA 4.0). Budva, Igycg at English Wikipedia (Public domain). Žabljak, Ingo Mehling (CC BY-SA 4.0). Perast, Marcin Konsek (CC BY-SA 4.0). Herceg Novi, Zlatko at en.wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Sveti Stefan, Marcin Konsek (CC BY-SA 4.0). Ulcinj, Andrey from Russia (CC BY 2.0). Cetinje, Marcin Konsek (CC BY-SA 4.0). Podgorica, Savo Prelevic (CC BY 4.0).