Our travels brought us to Montenegro, and we want to share our Montenegro travel itinerary!
Unfortunately, we didn’t have a chance to see all the places we had originally planned to visit, but that doesn’t mean we can’t go back!
We arrived just as the summer season was really picking up and eventually decided to leave a little sooner for exactly that reason. Some areas, especially along the coast, were getting extremely busy, and we realized that wasn’t how we wanted to experience Montenegro.
In fact, traveling around with a campervan gives us the freedom to explore new places at our own pace.
We aren’t tied to car rentals, hotel reservations or Airbnbs. If we’re enjoying a location, we can stay longer. If we’re not, we can leave the next day.
This freedom makes traveling so much more enjoyable for us!
When moving around by campervan, we usually don’t make set plans. We learn much more about a country once we arrive, chat with locals and decide our movements one day at a time. Sometimes that means we don’t see everything we originally thought we would. But it also means our itinerary becomes ours.
So now let’s talk about our experience traveling Montenegro. Ready to come with us?
This is what we experienced while exploring this beautiful country!
Bay of Kotor, Montenegro
Once we crossed over from Croatia, we stopped just outside the town of Herceg Novi.
We found the lovely Camping Zlokovic along the way and made this our home for three nights! We were welcomed by a very friendly couple who helped us park our campervan in the perfect spot at their campsite, right along the Bay of Kotor. One of my favorite things about the campground was that it was full of olive trees. And, of course, Luca didn’t waste any time before becoming friends with their daughter!
That’s Luca. We arrive somewhere new, and somehow he already has a new friend.
This isn’t the easiest area to explore with a campervan during the height of summer. Parking can be challenging, the roads around the bay can be busy and some of the towns aren’t exactly designed for large vehicles.
So how do you visit all the little towns, or at least some of them, without having to worry about parking?
You go by boat! We took a one-day boat tour with Pajo and had a great time!
The Bay of Kotor, also known as Boka Kotorska, certainly looks like a fjord. You have the sea cutting deep into the land, surrounded by dramatic mountains that rise steeply from the water. But despite often being called Europe’s southernmost fjord, geologically it isn’t actually a true fjord created by glaciers. It is a submerged river canyon system, sometimes described as a ria.
Whatever you call it, though, it is absolutely spectacular. The landscape around the bay is one of the things that makes this part of Montenegro so special. The inner Bay of Kotor and its historic towns are also part of the UNESCO-listed Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor.
So off we went to explore this stunning bay on the coolest boat around!
Our Lady of the Rocks
The first stop on our boat tour took us to Our Lady of the Rocks, one of the most recognizable places in the Bay of Kotor.
What makes this little island particularly interesting is that it is man-made.
According to local legend, two fishermen found an icon of the Madonna and Child on a rock in the sea near Perast. The story goes that they took the icon back to shore, but it mysteriously returned to the same place. Eventually, the people of Perast decided that a church should be built on the spot where the icon had appeared. Over generations, sailors and locals gradually created an island by throwing rocks into the water and, according to tradition, sinking old ships filled with stones. A church was eventually built on the artificial island.
I love stories like this because they mix history, faith, tradition and legend together, and they are part of what makes a place so much more interesting to visit.
And the tradition of adding stones to the island hasn’t disappeared.
Every year on July 22, the people of Perast celebrate a centuries-old tradition known as the Fašinada. Boats leave Perast at sunset carrying stones, which are then thrown into the water around Our Lady of the Rocks. It is a symbolic continuation of the process that created and reinforced the island centuries ago.
I find it fascinating that something that began so long ago continues today. It also means that this tiny artificial island isn’t simply a monument from the past. Its story is still continuing.
Kotor, Montenegro
Another very popular stop on the Bay of Kotor is the town of Kotor.
Kotor sits at the secluded end of the bay and is one of the best-preserved historic towns in this part of the Adriatic. It is surrounded by impressive fortifications, with dramatic mountains rising almost immediately behind it.
The fortified old town and the surrounding region are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognized for the way the historic settlements, architecture and incredible natural landscape fit together. And once you walk through the gates, it is easy to understand why Kotor is so popular.
Narrow alleys.
Little squares.
Catholic and Orthodox churches.
Old stone buildings.
Restaurants and cafés tucked into unexpected corners.
History everywhere.
We spent a few hours simply wandering around the little alleys. We also managed to get lost! But we found our way shortly afterward.
It was fun just running around all the corners of this little town and seeing where each street took us.
Sometimes getting a little lost is the best way to explore a medieval town anyway!
Perast, Montenegro
Perast was another stop during our exploration of the bay.
Perast is a tiny Baroque town and, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful places along the Adriatic. It stretches along a narrow strip of waterfront, so it doesn’t take very long to walk from one side to the other.
Historically, Perast was a town of sailors, captains and shipowners and became particularly important during the centuries of Venetian influence in the Bay of Kotor. Just offshore are its two famous islands: Our Lady of the Rocks and St. George Island.
St. George is the natural island of the two and is home to a Benedictine monastery.
Perast’s maritime history is everywhere, and it is amazing to think how important such a small town once was.
Unlike some other fortified towns along the coast, Perast wasn’t enclosed by one continuous defensive wall.
Instead, its position on the bay, defensive towers and the narrow Verige Strait nearby all played a role in protecting this area. Historically, the Verige Strait was such an important defensive point that chains could be stretched across the narrow passage to help prevent enemy ships from entering the inner bay.
I love learning details like this because suddenly the geography makes sense.
When you’re standing there looking at how narrow the bay becomes, you can actually imagine why controlling that little passage would have been so important.
Perast itself is very small. We made our way from one side to the other in less than ten minutes! We also tried to go up the bell tower to see the view. Unfortunately, when we visited, access wasn’t allowed for young children because of an accident that had happened a few years earlier. So we had to skip this!
Not everything works out when you’re traveling with kids, and that’s okay too.
After four days exploring the Bay of Kotor, we were ready for some cooler temperatures. So we headed up into the mountains!
Ostrog Monastery, Montenegro
On our way north, we decided to make a stop at Ostrog Monastery.
This is one of Montenegro’s most important Orthodox pilgrimage sites, welcoming pilgrims and visitors from many different countries and religions. And before you even know its story, its location makes it incredible.
The white monastery appears almost embedded directly into a sheer cliff face. It almost doesn’t look real.
The Upper Monastery was founded in the 17th century by Saint Basil of Ostrog, also known as St. Vasilije, Bishop of Herzegovina. Parts of the monastery were constructed within natural caves in the rock, creating the extraordinary structure you see today. Inside are small cave churches decorated with religious art and frescoes.
The relics of Saint Basil are also kept at Ostrog, which is one of the main reasons it is such an important pilgrimage destination. Many Orthodox Christians believe his relics have miraculous powers, and pilgrims come to Ostrog to pray for healing, help and comfort during difficult moments in their lives. Some pilgrims traditionally make part of the journey to the Upper Monastery barefoot as an act of devotion.
Whether or not you share those religious beliefs, there is something extremely powerful about visiting a place like this.
When we visited, entry to the monastery was free, but photography and filming weren’t permitted inside the shrine. It isn’t the first time we have visited a monastery built into rock, but it amazes me every time. The dedication and challenge involved in building something in such an unusual place makes you stop and think about how important it must have been to the people who created it.
And you can feel that importance when you are there.
Durmitor National Park, Montenegro
The next stop on our travels around Montenegro was Durmitor National Park. And what a change from the coast!
Durmitor is a completely different side of Montenegro.
The national park was shaped by glaciers and is filled with dramatic mountain peaks, forests, rivers, underground streams and glacial lakes. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1980 and is one of Montenegro’s most important natural areas.
We parked our campervan at a campsite just a few minutes away from the national park. That gave us the chance to easily walk to Black Lake, or Crno Jezero, one of the largest and most beautiful glacial lakes in the Durmitor area. And the walk there was part of the fun.
There were stalls selling fresh products from the region, and of course we had to stop! We bought fresh fruit, honey, jelly and one of their local liquors.
Once you reach Black Lake, the mountain scenery surrounding the water is beautiful. When we visited, there was a restaurant-café overlooking the lake, and you could also rent wooden boats if you wanted to explore it more actively. Or you can simply walk around, enjoy the view and take in the cooler mountain air.
After the heat of the coast, we were definitely appreciating it!
A few days later, we took the chairlift up Savin Kuk. Why?
Because Mass wanted to paraglide off the mountain! Of course he did. So up we all went.
Once we reached the top, we admired the incredible views while Mass prepared for his adventure.
And what did the rest of us do? We found a small patch of snow that still hadn’t melted! So while Mass was getting ready to paraglide off the mountain, we played in the snow with some other foreigners before taking the chairlift back down.
I think that pretty much sums up our family travels. One person is jumping off a mountain. The rest of us are having a snowball fight.
At the base of the mountain, when we visited, there were also a couple of restaurants, a play area and a small zip line, so the kids could continue having fun.
Tara Canyon and Tara River
Which is the best way to experience Tara Canyon? By rafting, of course!
At least that’s what we decided.
This was our first time rafting as a family, and we weren’t really sure how everyone was going to react. There are different rafting options depending on how long you want to be on the river and how adventurous you want the experience to be. Since this was our first time, we chose the shorter option.
We went with Rafting Kljajevića Luka, and although there were more than 15 people in our group, we were lucky enough to get our own boat.
That made the experience even more fun for us as a family.
The Tara River runs through one of Montenegro’s most spectacular natural landscapes. UNESCO describes the Tara River Gorge within the Durmitor region as Europe’s deepest gorge, while Montenegro’s tourism authorities give a maximum depth of around 1,333 meters.
Whatever ranking you use, standing there and looking into it makes one thing very clear: It is enormous.
Rafting gave us a completely different perspective because instead of looking down into the canyon, we were inside it, moving along the river between the steep walls.
For our first family rafting experience, I think choosing the shorter trip was exactly right.
We got the adventure without pushing anyone too far outside their comfort zone.
The rafting company we used was located very close to the impressive Đurđevića Tara Bridge. The bridge stretches for more than 350 meters across the Tara River Canyon and has five arches. When it was completed in 1940, its largest concrete arch made it one of the most remarkable road bridges of its kind in Europe.
But the bridge isn’t only something to look at. This entire area has become an adventure destination.
You can go rafting below it, and there are zip lines that cross the canyon near the bridge. And, of course…We did the zip line too!!!! Because apparently rafting through a giant canyon wasn’t enough adventure for one day.
Podgorica, Montenegro
After spending so much time surrounded by nature, many people wondered why we were heading into a city when there were so many mountains, rivers and beautiful natural areas around Montenegro.
There were a few reasons.
First of all, we were meeting another worldschooling family from Parents, Passports, and Profits.
We also wanted to take a few days off from constantly moving around, especially considering how hot it was.
And even though Podgorica is the capital of Montenegro, it isn’t an overwhelming city. We found it very manageable and pleasant.
Podgorica doesn’t have the same concentration of famous historical sights as places like Kotor, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t anything to do.
For us, it became more about simply spending time there and enjoying everyday life. Because the city is relatively flat, it was also fun to explore by bike. And one of our favorite things to do, along with many locals, was swim in the Morača River.
The days were extremely hot, so getting into that cold river felt pretty amazing!
Our First Escape Room
We also had the chance to try some fun activities for kids while we were in Podgorica. We did our first escape room at Cluville.
At the time, they had a kids’ escape room designed for children between the ages of 6 and 14, as well as an option for adults.
What did we love about it? The kids had to reason, communicate and work together to solve the clues and achieve their goal of getting out.
Basically, learning without realizing they’re learning! We had so much fun that we actually went twice with our friends.
Because this was our experience in 2021, I would check the current status and available activities before planning a visit specifically around Cluville.
Another activity we enjoyed was Adventure Park Gorica.
It is located on Gorica Hill, a popular green escape for locals and visitors and the hill that gives Podgorica its name.
When we visited, the adventure park offered five levels of trails, yellow, green, blue, red and black, with the difficulty increasing as you moved through the levels.
Our kids were followed by instructors throughout the trail, checking that they were comfortable and safe.
Meanwhile, my friend Elly and I enjoyed the afternoon watching our kids move around like monkeys!
Again, adventure park activities and operating conditions can change, so it’s worth checking current opening information before visiting.
Ulcinj, Montenegro
You’re probably wondering: What about all the beaches?
After all, Montenegro has a coastline filled with beaches, and we originally planned to explore much more of it.
But there was one problem. It was so crowded! Lots of traffic. Lots of people.
And this simply isn’t our favorite way of exploring a place.
One of the advantages of traveling without a rigid itinerary is being able to admit when something isn’t working for us and change the plan.
So we did. Instead of forcing ourselves to continue down the coast just because it had been part of our original itinerary, we decided it was time to move on.
And that’s okay.
In fact, it gives us a great excuse to return to Montenegro one day, maybe in spring or fall, when things are quieter and it might be easier to explore more of the coastline at our own pace.
One Last Night in Montenegro
We couldn’t leave without one last stop by the sea. So on our final night in the country, we headed toward Ulcinj.
This part of Montenegro is famous for its long beaches, and Velika Plaža, or Long Beach, is particularly well known for kitesurfing because of its wide sandy beach and windy conditions.
As we arrived, there were so many kite surfers out on the water. It was amazing!!!
I had never seen so many kite surfers together in one place. Watching all those colorful kites moving across the sky and the surfers flying across the water was such a fun way to end our time in Montenegro.
We hadn’t managed to see everything we originally planned.
We didn’t explore as much of the coast as we thought we would.
We changed our plans.
We stayed longer in some places and less in others.
But that’s exactly why we love traveling this way.
Our Montenegro travel itinerary wasn’t created before we arrived.
It developed as we traveled.
We followed the weather. We followed recommendations. We met people. We found places we wanted to stay longer. And when somewhere didn’t feel right for us, we moved on.
From exploring the Bay of Kotor by boat and walking through the little streets of Kotor and Perast to standing beneath Ostrog Monastery, playing in the snow at Savin Kuk, rafting through Tara Canyon, meeting friends in Podgorica and watching kite surfers in Ulcinj, Montenegro gave us so many completely different experiences in one relatively small country.
And there is still so much we haven’t seen.
So instead of thinking about everything we missed, I prefer to think of it another way:
Now we have a reason to come back!
Continue the journey with:
If you are planning a trip to Europe, these family adventures should definitely be on your radar:
- Discovering Bruges With Kids: 10 Amazing Things to Do on a Family Trip
- 20 fun things to do in Copenhagen with your family
- Luxembourg City: our Fantastic Family Adventure exploring
- Ireland by Campervan: Our magical 2019 trip
- Croatia with Kids: Three Months of Slow Travel, History, and Nature
- Lake Ohrid: 7 fun things to do with our kids
I hope our experiences help you plan an unforgettable European adventure of your own!
