Independent travel in Montenegro by car. Road trip in Montenegro

In this photo review you will find an exhaustive list and map all sights of Montenegro, which can be viewed in summer or winter in 1-2 weeks, here are also the best routes for day trips in Montenegro.

The post gives a short description, you can click on the name and open an article with a detailed story, photo and information about how to get and how much is it.

Advice... Montenegro has incredibly beautiful nature, but public transport does not go to many places.

If you do not plan to take in to travel to the sights of Montenegro on your own, then I recommend considering the option of buying group excursions.

There is a very large selection of one-day tours. If you need to choose only one or two excursions, then the most interesting are these:

1. Excursion along the Boka Kotorska Bay, 25€ adults and 12€ children

If you do not plan to take excursions, then below is described what to see in Montenegro on your own.

The content of the article

If you are interested in the description of a particular day, click on its name to read more about these attractions.

Choice of transport

Due to the compact size of the country, most of Montenegro's attractions can be visited as part of day trips from Budva or other resorts.

1. Car for rent

V national parks and in the mountains of Montenegro buses do not go, and it is there that all the most interesting is located. If there are at least two of you, then car rental + gasoline will cost the same or less than travel by public transport, especially over long distances.

Montenegro sightseeing map

Day 1

Kotor - Perast - oyster farm - Boka Kotorska bay - Bajova kula beach

Day 2

Gorazda Fortress - Mount Lovcen - Njegushi - Cetinje - Lipa Cave

, 24 km from Budva

Price - is free

The most modern and reliable building for its time (1886), well preserved to this day. Partially overgrown with grass, stands on a mountain between Kotor and Tivat.

, 52 km from Budva

Time for inspection - 30 minutes-1 hour
Things to do? Taste prosciutto and cheese

Njegushi is a village in the mountains near the nat. Lovcen park, where Montenegrin prosciutto is produced. Annual - 16€ / kg, two years old - 18€ / kg

, 33 km from Budva

Price - 5€

The cave is located 5 km from Cetinje. One of the largest refined caves in Montenegro.

How to get there?

The above places can be visited only as part of the excursion Montenegro tour per 30€ ... A more detailed option - Heart of Montenegro- She is standing 50€ but includes visits to more places.

Alternatively, take your car or taxi.

We went by car for 8 ocloc'k visited all of the above, on the way back we stopped at the beaches of Jaz and near Budva.

There is no public transport in Lovcen National Park. Alternatively, you can take a bus to Cetinje ( 4 €, 40 min), and then hire a taxi to be taken to Mount Lovcen and brought back to Cetinje ( 20-25€ for a taxi, subject to waiting).

Day 3

Herceg Novi - Zanitsa beach - Blue cave - Mamula fortress

, 45 km from Budva

The greenest city in Montenegro on the border with Croatia. We will see the Savina monastery, three fortresses, the old town and beaches. If you go with a group excursion, there will be little time for inspection.

Blue cave

There are excursions from Herceg Novi that include visiting not only the Zanitsa beach, but also the Blue Cave (8 €). On the Zanitsa beach, you can also buy an excursion to the Blue Cave for 3€

You will be taken by boat to the grotto where you can swim. The only downside is that the place is popular, so there will be other boats and many tourists in the cave.

How to get there?

You can see Herceg Novi, Blue Cave, Zanitsa beach and Tivat as part of a boat trip along the Herceg Novinsky Bay for 45€ ... This excursion is designed for the whole day.

You can also get to Herceg Novi and Zanjica beach on your own by car for 1 hour via the ferry in Tivat ( 4.5€ for a car, people are free).

An alternative option is to come to Herceg Novi by bus ( 5.5-6.5€ per person one way from Budva, 1h15m or 2 hours along the bypass) and already on the spot buy a boat trip ( 5€ for Zhanitsa + 6€ for the blue cave and the Mamula fortress).

Day 4

Tivat - Porto Montenegro - Kalardovo beach - Island of Flowers

Tivat, 25 km from Budva

In Tivat, you can see the embankment, the botanical garden, the Bucha palace, parks, city beaches, and most importantly, the Porto Montenegro yacht marina.

Kalardovo beach, 22 km from Budva

To the south of Tivat there is a small, equipped beach Kalardovo (sand and small pebbles). There is a restaurant, there are swings for children, sun loungers and umbrellas can be rented. If you want to swim in the sea in the Tivat region, you can do it in Kalardovo. At the same time, watch the planes take off (the airport is very close).

From Kalardovo you can go on foot to the Island of Flowers - there are also beaches and the ruins of the monastery of St. Michael.

How to get there?

You can come to Tivat by bus from Budva ( 3-4€ , every half hour, on the way 30 minutes) or by car.

If there is little time for rest in Montenegro, you can see Tivat and the Porto Montenegro yacht marina on the way to Herceg Novi ( day 3). You can also come to Tivat to the Lido mar pool for the whole day if the sea is stormy or if you are tired of noisy crowded beaches.

Day 5

Piva Lake - Zabljak - nat. Durmitor park - Djurdzhevich bridge and canyons of the Tara rivers, Moraca - Ostrog monastery

Piva lake, 170 km from Budva

Here we can see the lake and the Piva monastery of the 16th century. Must see in Montenegro.

Zabljak, 187 km from Budva

Zabljak is the center of mountain tourism in Montenegro near the Durmitor park. If you are traveling by bus, you need to buy a ticket to Zabljak. This town has all the infrastructure (housing, cafes).

Djurdjevic bridge, 201 km from Budva

, 100 km from Budva

Ostrog Monastery (17th century) is the main shrine of Montenegro. Located in a rock at an altitude of 900 m above the sea. The relics of St. Basil are kept here, to which pilgrims come from all over Montenegro. The relics are usually asked for health or children. The place is really bright and energetically strong.

How to get there?

The north and north-east of Montenegro is incredibly beautiful, so if you need to choose just one excursion, I recommend visiting the canyons and Durmitor National Park.

This is an extremely busy route, but quite feasible. It is better to leave early in the morning.

We went to Durmitor by car and managed to see all the places listed above in one day, 500 km per 12 hours... One day is clearly not enough to walk along the hiking trails of Durmitor Park. Better to go with an overnight stay.

When preparing for the trip, I followed the description with some adjustments.

It was planned to go only to the nat. Durmitor park and to the Tara river, but in the end we also managed to visit the Ostrog monastery on the way back. We arrived in Ostrog at 6 pm, when the last sightseeing buses took tourists to the resorts. No queues (during the day you can stand in line for the relics for an hour or two).

Alternative road. If you do not go to Ostrog, you can go back along the highway through Kolasin to Podgorica, see the national park along the way Biogradska gora, canyon of the Moraca river and walk along suspension bridge over the Moraca river(it is indicated on my map of attractions in the description of the 5th day, red icons).

All these places, except for Ostrog, can be visited within the framework. Look for the name "Canyons" - 40€ or the Grand Canyons - it is more intense and worth 65€ per person.

Ostrog Monastery can be visited on another day, by purchasing a tour of the monasteries, it is worth 25€

By public transport you can reach the town of Zabljak. There is one bus from Budva at 8.45, it costs 16€ one way, on the way 5:00... If this bus does not fit, then we go from Budva to Podgorica and there we take a bus to Zabljak (4 flights a day).

Day 6

Ulcinj - Velika Plaza - Ada Bojana Island - Bar

, 70 km from Budva

Resort in the south of Montenegro on the border with Albania. Famous for its sandy beaches and special atmosphere (energetic Albanian music plays, a completely different contingent of tourists than on the Budva Riviera)

Bar, 52 km from Budva

The Bar has an Old Bar and a New Bar. In the Old Town (entrance 2€ ) a mosque, a fortress of the 17th century, a church and a cathedral, an old olive tree (2000 years old). New Bar is the largest port of Montenegro and a popular resort (a dubious choice for a beach holiday, but there are enough vacationers).

How to get there?

For rest, I would not choose these places, but for a day go to Ulcinj and a ride on the surrounding beaches is definitely worth it. The landscapes and the sea are not at all the same as in the north of the country.

If you are traveling by bus ( 7.5 €, 2 hours), you will have to walk a lot or spend money on a taxi, because the distances are long, and there is no public transport between Ulcinj and the beaches. It is better to drive your car to see the city, the long beach, and the island of Ada Bojana.

Bar can be visited on the way to Ulcinj or on the way back. If you purposefully only want to go to Bar, then buses go from Budva ( 5 €, 1 hour). From New Bar to Old 5km... You can walk or take the bus for 1€ .

Day 7

Skadar Lake - Rijeka Crnojevića - Podgorica

Skadar lake, 43 km from Budva

Skadar Lake is one of the largest bird sanctuaries in Europe. We go to the city of Virpazar, there we ride a boat on Lake Skadar to the Gmozur fortress. You can also visit other lake monasteries on the islands.

Podgorica, 64 km from Budva

Our article will interest those tourists who are thinking about how to go to Montenegro on their own. Of course, the easiest way is to use the services of travel companies, but many vacationers seek to save money, so it is cheaper to act independently. So what you need to know about a trip to Montenegro? In our article, we will consider all the nuances of such a trip so that tourists understand what documents need to be drawn up and how much money to have with them, as well as give answers to many other questions.

Travel documents

One of the main questions that future travelers need to solve is what documents are needed to travel to Montenegro. Many tourists who are planning a trip to this country for the first time mistakenly believe that they need to apply for a visa. In fact, this is not at all the case. Russians do not need a visa to travel to Montenegro if the period of your stay in the country does not exceed thirty days in a row (no more than 90 days in six months). That nuance greatly simplifies the situation. The list of travel documents consists of only one passport. However, pay attention to the expiration dates of the document. At the time of your departure from Russia, your passport must be valid for another 90 days.

But if you are planning a longer vacation, the duration of which exceeds 90 days, then in this case it is worth getting a visa in advance. An application for its receipt must be submitted no earlier than one month before departure. To apply for a visa, you will need the following documents: an application, a questionnaire, confirmation of the fact of a hotel reservation or a rental agreement, a certificate from work or an extract confirming that you have an acceptable amount of money in your account (at the rate of 20 euros per person per day) , a copy of the ticket reservation, color photographs (2 pcs.). For adults, the visa fee is 62 euros, and for a child under 14 years old - only 32 euros.

If you want to stay in a hotel, hostel, sanatorium or other similar place, experienced tourists recommend registering at any office of the Tourism Organization in Montenegro. This must be done within 24 hours. And only in Budva you can register within 72 hours. In addition, registration can be made at the department for work with foreigners at any police station. When tourists stay in hotels and inns, administrators do it on their own. It would seem, why are all these formalities needed? The fact is that when leaving Montenegro, in the absence of registration, they can be fined 200 euros.

Insurance

If you still rent an apartment with a kitchen, you will be able to cook your own food, which means that you will be able to save money. Here is the average cost of food in the markets and shops of Montenegro:

1. Oranges - 0.7 euros.
2. Figs - 2 euros.
3. Apples - 1 euro.
4. Grapes - 1.5 euros.
5. Peaches - 2.5 euros.
6. Potatoes - 0.6 euros.
7. Tomatoes - 0.6 euros.
8. Eggs - 1.5 euros.
9. Water - 0.7 euros.
10. Milk - 0.8 euros.
11. Rice - 0.8 euros.
12. Bread - 0.6 euros.
13. Wine - from 4.5 euros.
14. Shrimps - 15-25 euros.
15. Chicken fillet - 5.8 euros.

The cost of food in a cafe

If you decide to eat in inexpensive cafes, breakfast for one will cost you 4 euros, both more than 7 euros, and dinner at least 10 euros. Mid-range restaurants offer breakfasts from 5 €, lunches at least 11 €, and a good dinner will cost more than 18 €.

The cost of drinks is given separately:

1. Coffee or tea - from 1 €.
2. Fresh juice - 2.5 €.
3. Water - 2.5 €.
4. Wine (glass) - 3 €.

Experienced travelers who have more than once organize a trip to Montenegro for themselves, I recommend finding establishments that have a sign - a set menu. Approaching the waiter, you can ask what dishes are available. As a rule, the set menu includes simple, tasty and at the same time filling food, which locals usually order for themselves. For example, a delicious goulash will cost three euros.

Daily expenses of tourists

In order to understand how much money to take to Montenegro, you need to proceed from the hotel in which you will stay and where to eat. We want to bring the minimum package of tourist expenses subject to a budget holiday, which will consist of housing, travel and food costs.

While resting at any resort, you will need to use transport. Cost of services:

1. A liter of gasoline - € 1.39.
2. Public transport - 0.5 €.
3. Taxi order - 1 €.
4. Taxi fare per kilometer - 0.45 €.

As we have already mentioned, the cost of housing in resorts is very different. In the city center, renting a one-room apartment can cost from 240 euros per month, on the outskirts of the same apartment will cost 190 euros. If we take into account the cost of living in a budget hotel (from 16 € per day), the cost of transport and meals in inexpensive institutions, then on average we can say that a tourist needs to have at least 45 € per day.

However, it should be understood that this amount has been withdrawn very approximately. At the resort, as a rule, you want to see something or try some delicacies. All such expenses significantly increase the travel budget.

Pilgrimage travel

Do not forget that there are also pilgrimage trips to Montenegro. Their peculiarity is that they are more focused on exploring numerous temples and shrines, but at the same time there is a beach holiday. The towns of Cetinje and Podgoroditsa are a must-see.

Cetinje is a very ancient city that was founded back in 1482. It houses the monastery of the Nativity of the Virgin, which houses the right hand of the Virgin, painted by St. Luke, the relics of the Miracle Workers of Ostrog and Cetinje.

As a rule, pilgrimage tours involve visiting the residence of the Zeta metropolitans, visiting Budva, exploring the ancient Adriatic coast, and relaxing at sea. During excursion activities, tourists can see such shrines as a thorn from the crown of the Savior himself, as well as a piece of the robe of the Most Holy Theotokos and many other items.

In addition, pilgrims, as a rule, are taken to see the Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Podgoroditsa. The program of events for different tour operators may differ slightly, so it is worth clarifying the route and choosing the most interesting one for you.

What to choose: an independent vacation or a trip?

According to tourists who have experience of independent travel to resorts, including Montenegro, we can say that self-organized travel has a number of advantages. First of all, it concerns the cost. Tours to Montenegro, although not too expensive, but still an independent trip is cheaper. You have the opportunity to choose accommodation yourself, and not to rest in a hotel, which is imposed on you by a travel agency. True, it should be borne in mind that sometimes tour operators offer a last-minute ticket to Montenegro. The cost of such tours is sometimes very attractive, so this option is also worth considering.

Where: Russia, St. Petersburg.
Where: Montenegro, Budva.
Distance: 3 300 km.
Route by country: Russia, Belarus, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro.
Automobile: Peugeot 308 1.6 MT Premium.
Crew: 3 persons.
Planned time: 8 days for the trip (there and back), 10 days - rest in Montenegro.

By car to Montenegro. Training

A Schengen transit visa (25 euros) was issued at the Polish Embassy, ​​because of all countries, only Poland, Slovakia and Hungary are included in the Schengen zone (for other countries, Russian citizens do not need a visa). At the Polish Embassy you will be asked to write an "essay" (in Russian) why you are traveling through Poland and the route of your trip by country.

You also need to have a document confirming the availability of booked accommodation in Montenegro. In our case, it was a voucher for booking a 2-room apartment in Budva. Found and booked online (better search on specialized forums). For a 2-room apartment 10 minutes walk from the sea, we paid 25,000 rubles for three. After payment, the voucher will be sent by e-mail.

The intermediate nights were extremely spontaneous. Nothing was booked in advance anywhere.

In any insurance company, you will need to issue a "Green Card" - insurance (an analogue of our OSAGO policy) for free travel in all countries of destination.

About money

Keep a good supply of money on credit cards, since the euro is the official currency only in Montenegro itself, in other countries the money is their own.

Take cash euros in small bills. A note of 100 euros can only be exchanged at the bank.

In Belarus, Russian rubles are accepted at some gas stations (in particular, Lukoil gas stations), but not everywhere.

About navigation

We were shown the way by the Tibo A1000 navigator with additionally installed maps of Eastern Europe (except Serbia), two fold-out paper maps and an atlas of European roads.

Attention! Strictly observe the speed limit! Even if cars with local numbers will actively spit on him, be sure to turn on the dipped headlights at any time of the day and do not turn on the fog lights unnecessarily!

By car to Montenegro. Drive

Start at 10.00 from St. Petersburg along Pulkovskoe highway through Pskov to Belarus. In the Pskov region, the roads leave much to be desired, be careful and strictly follow the traffic rules. Traffic police officers meet very often and in various places. Pass Pskov, Ostrov, and Opochka. Further, two roads are possible: through the town of Pustoshka to the town of Nevel and further across the border to the village. Yukhovichi to the city of Vitebsk, or through the settlement of Sebezh, then across the border to the city of Polotsk. In the second case, the road is shorter by 100 km, but it will be necessary to pay for travel through the Sebezhsky Reserve (from 250 rubles, depending on the type of car). Travel through the Russian-Belarusian border is free.

Belarus. The fraternal republic is distinguished, first of all, by well-groomed tracks. The roads are smooth everywhere, you will not see debris lying on the side of the road, there are regularly cozy places for rest. But there are two caveats. First, enter Belarus with a full tank of gasoline. Gas stations along the highway will be rare, and the cost of gasoline differs sharply from Russian in a larger direction (the price per liter of 95 was about 35 Russian rubles, and now it is even more). Secondly, there are practically no traffic police officers on the highway (only at the entrance to large settlements), but do not lose your vigilance: exceeding the speed of more than 20 km / h - deprivation of rights! It is possible to "come to an agreement" with local authorities, but it is difficult.

The next city is the capital of Belarus, the city of Minsk. A beautiful city that radiates warmth and kindness. If you have time, be sure to stay in it, take a walk along the Trinity Suburb or in the park of Komsomolskoye Lake.

After Minsk the road goes to Brest, to the Belarusian-Polish border. The Minsk-Brest highway is essentially a toll highway. But the fee is scanty, and the road is excellent. It was on this stretch of the road that we could not resist the temptation and "overwhelmed" the speedometer of our 308th ...

In terms of recreation, we had an advantage. In the Vitebsk region, I have relatives who gave us shelter for the night. But in Vitebsk, Minsk or Brest, finding an inexpensive hotel will not be a problem (including via the Internet), and roadside motels are periodically encountered along the highway.

Start from the Vitebsk region at 9.00. Somewhere in the afternoon we drove up to the Belarusian-Polish border. The queue of cars at 20-25, stood for three hours, the documents were issued in twenty minutes. At the beginning of the fifth we entered Poland.

After crossing the Polish border, our road led through Lublin to Rzeszow, and further to the border with Slovakia. The roads in Poland are good but narrow. There are no trails as such, every 5-10 km you must meet a village. Everything is clean and tidy everywhere. We drove long enough, according to the rules: in settlements - 50 km / h, outside - 80-90 km / h. One of the features of the roads is their smoothness. In Poland, the sound of tires disappeared, and it was possible to speak in a car at a speed of 90 km / h in a whisper.

Polish is a very funny language, a large number of affectionate suffixes and sha sounds give it a unique flavor. Everyone understands the Russian language, and Polish, in general, is understandable, so we communicated with the natives without any problems.

It is worth noting that in Poland everything is open until 19.00-20.00. Later everything "dies out", only gas stations work. Hotels and motels were regularly encountered along the way in Poland. But it was decided to spend the night in Slovakia in order to start the morning in a new country - it was a mistake!

The Polish-Slovak border is ... a Fiat Uno from the 80s, with two border guards and a granary book. We were enrolled in it and sent further with God. It was necessary to find a place to sleep. It turned out to be difficult. There is nowhere to spend the night in Slovakia: there are no motels or hotels on the way - only in large cities. By chance, in the nearest settlement after the border, they spoke to a young man of about 20 years old, who offered to spend the night with him for 30 euros. Nothing to do - agreed! At about 2 am we drove up to a nice two-story house. The door was opened by the sleepy mother of a hospitable stranger. The guy explained to her who we are and why we came. The woman took us to the guest room, sleepy dad brought us pillows and blankets, showed us where the bathroom and toilet were. In general, (not expensively) they gave a warm welcome to complete strangers. Here it is - the Slavic brotherhood! They understand Russian, but very poorly, they explained using English and "fingers".

We moved towards Hungary through Presov and Kosice. Slovakia, to put it mildly, is not a rich country. There isn't much to see along the way. Almost all the way there are corn fields. The roads in Slovakia are not bad, but broken sections of asphalt were also encountered regularly. There were few cars, so by 13.00 we were approaching the Slovak-Hungarian border.

There is no border between Slovakia and Hungary at all, only an abandoned customs terminal, which is not guarded by anyone. The fact that Hungary is a country with a more developed economy than Slovakia is immediately evident. Good wide roads with paved shoulders, mostly flat. There are modern gas stations regularly, which even have a shower room! The tracks are quite busy, but local drivers travel along them in a stream, at a speed of 120-140 km / h. The movement in this mode allowed us to pass Hungary very quickly, without fear of getting caught by the police. Fortunately, local drivers warn about ambushes in the same way as in Russia. It is worth paying attention to the peculiarities of overtaking in Hungary. The driver of the car, who decided to overtake, turns on the "emergency gang" and boldly drives into the oncoming lane. A car, which is moving in the oncoming lane, rebuilds to the side of the road, letting the overtaking one pass.

The route in Hungary looked like this: through the town of Miskolc to the town of Budapest, then along the E-75 highway through the town of Kecskemet to the town of Szeged, and then, through the Serbian border to the town of Subotica.

In Budapest, they wanted to stay a little longer. We drove through the city center, but saw nothing particularly interesting, and there was no time to look. Hungarians do not speak either English or French, much less Russian. Communicated "on the fingers"

Signs are regularly encountered along the route through Poland, Slovakia and Hungary. It is easy to navigate the track. In cities and towns, the navigator is very helpful, suggesting the desired turn or exit.

However, for some unknown reason, the map of Serbia was not installed in our electronic travel guide. And I must say that it was the road through Serbia that left us the most impressions, both positive and negative.

About gasoline

Gasoline is expensive in Eastern Europe. The range of prices (in terms of) from 1.35 to 1.55 euros per liter of 95th. Some gas stations confused us with the number of types of fuel: there were 4 types of one 95th.

The Hungarian-Serbian border is a standard customs terminal. Free at the border. We looked at the voucher and driver's license, stamped our passports and let us through. The road in Serbia continued to delight us with its quality: smooth and free. After Subotica, the highway led us to the village of Novi Sad. Further, there is an opportunity to go in two ways. First: without turning off the E-75 highway, go straight to Belgrade, and then along the E-763 highway to the border with Montenegro. The second way is more difficult, through Bosnia and Herzegovina: from Novi Sad, take road 21, cross the E-70 highway and move to Sabac. Then you need to get on road 19 and go west, through the settlements of Duvanishte, Leshnitsa, Banja-Koviliacha, and further along the Drina river to the border crossing over the bridge in Zvornik. In Russia we were advised to go through Bosnia and Herzigovina. But, having looked at the complexity of the route, and being flattered by the quality of the highway to Novi Sad, we decided to go through Belgrade - this was the second mistake! The fact is that the road after Belgrade to the very coast of the Adriatic Sea is a road through the mountains, while the road through Bosnia and Herzegovina is a detour. But more on that later.

Belgrade itself is still a large construction site, traces of the military events of 1999 are visible, there is a lot of rubbish on the streets, there are practically no signs in the city (let me remind you that there was no map of Serbia in our navigator). But the roads are perfectly flat everywhere. Somehow we found an exit from the city to the desired highway E-763. It was getting dark. The next landmark was the city of Chachak. On the way to this settlement, we had our first meeting with the police. We were fined for the included fog lights (in terms of) 40 euros. At first, the policeman refused to take a fine in euros, but, realizing that we simply did not have any other money, he took aside, put the money in his pocket and, smiling, let go. When it got completely dark, we began to drive into the mountainous region. Ears began to clog. The outboard temperature indicator dropped from +23 to +3 degrees Celsius.

After the town of Chachak, the road lies in the town of Uzhitsa and further to the village. Priepole to the Serbian-Montenegrin border. Having driven 150 km from the Serbian capital, we realized that there would be nowhere to spend the night in the mountains. The mountain settlements encountered were a deplorable sight. It was at this moment that our crew made a courageous decision to go to the final destination without stopping!

We drove along the mountain serpentine for the first time. Experienced the whole gamut of feelings from the road. First of all, from the beauty and monumentality of rocks and cliffs in the moonlight. Chippers over the cliffs met once every hundred meters, wreaths and flowers lay at every third turn. From the adrenaline injected into the blood, the sleep passed by itself, the concentration is one hundred percent. At a speed of 60 km / h in closed corners, they still managed to overtake us by tourist buses! We arrived at the border with Montenegro late at night.

At the border with Montenegro, in addition to standard passport procedures, we were asked to pay an environmental fee (15 euros) for travel through the reserve. They gave out a sticker that had to be glued to the windshield. The mountain road of Montenegro was not particularly different from the Serbian one - all the same serpentine, only already directed towards the descent. At the entrance to Podgorica, the road began to straighten. Gasoline in Montenegro is the cheapest of all Eastern European countries - 1.22 euros per liter of 95th. At dawn, at about 6 o'clock in the morning, we drove through the town of Cetinje - the last landmark before the final point of the route. And when the sun fully rose over the horizon, we saw the azure coast of the Adriatic Sea and the main center of tourist life in Montenegro - the fortress city of Budva.

A separate article is required to describe the sights of Montenegro, so let's leave that for the future. I will only say that this country deserves to be in it at least once.

... about the way back

Let us draw your attention to one day of the trip in the opposite direction. We decided to drive through Bosnia and Herzegovina. We also returned to the city of Podgorica, only then we should go to the city of Niksic and, further through the village. Pluzine to the border along the E-762 highway. There were no problems at the border, all documents were processed quickly and clearly. It was decided to visit the capital - Sarajevo.

The center of this city is a bit like the architecture of native St. Petersburg, especially in the area of ​​the embankment of the Milyatski River. After visiting the capital, we had to get to the Bosnian-Serbian border near the town of Zvornik. The road there lies through the village of Vlasenitsa and further northeast to the Drina River. To the border bridge, the road runs along this river, and then, after crossing the bridge, you return to Serbia. Having compared the two routes on our own experience, we have definitely decided that a longer route through Bosnia and Herzegovina is justified. There are much fewer mountain roads, the steepness of the serpentines is smoother, which means that the average speed is higher. Also, the average fuel consumption fell, which in the mountains reached 13 liters per hundred due to the constant inclusion of low gears, up to the first.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, on a highway in the middle of a forest, we were stopped for the second time by the police for exceeding the speed limit by 20 km / h. Converted from the local currency to the euro, the fine was 20 "European units". They also refused to take in euros and were released like that.

... But driving through Poland on the way back, we exceeded the speed by as much as 60 km / h, not noticing the sign "Settlement". After a 15-minute conversation in the car, they got off with an “unofficial fine” of 100 euros (the official was 200 euros). So not only our guards of the law do not hesitate to earn extra money ...

By car to Montenegro: results

There and back - 7,126 km in 8 days. The trip gave a lot of impressions. But, let us draw your attention to the fact that the goal was precisely the rest in Montenegro, therefore, in most interesting places along the route, we did not stop, so as not to waste time. Driving and physical training must be at a good level. Fuel costs were around 1,300 euros for the three. There were no criminal incidents all the way. I never had to worry about my life, health and property.

From the point of view of economic feasibility, there is no difference between a ticket with a plane ticket and an independent trip by car. But if you are ready for adventure, want to see with your own eyes how people live in other countries, to enrich your worldview - feel free to hit the road. It is very interesting!

Being in one place for the whole vacation, even at the sea, even in good weather, even in such a busy resort town as Budva, is boring, you must admit. And if the sun has disappeared behind the clouds and there is no point in going to the beach, then you definitely need to go somewhere, to see something. And then the question arises - go buy a tour or head towards the rental office. The first option gives you the opportunity to completely relax, and sipping from a pre-filled flask the local Vranac, calmly listen to the stories of the guide, but this, of course, is not as interesting as an independent trip by car. Would an excursion bus go to Zabljak by a short road, across the pass? And we went, having absolutely no idea what awaits us there ...

Yes, at the beginning of September, when the peak of the season is already behind it is quite difficult to find an inexpensive "live" car in a rental office in Budva, it is better to order in advance. But we were lucky - we managed to take a gasoline Toyota Yaris, moreover, the distributors did not even ask to leave a deposit. Strange, but for some reason diesel cars are not favored in Montenegro, although the terrain is very favorable to this. So, the flasks are full, the prosciutto has been purchased, it's time to go!

Budva is left behind

While we were buying food and filling the flasks, the weather improved significantly, and we immediately turned to the nearest beach to continue our vegetable holiday, the sun is hot, but the decision was made, and we leave further from the sunny coast to the harsh (as it turned out later) Montenegrin distances. From the poster of the Russian company that bought up half of Montenegro, they smile after us.

Route planning was carried out practically on the go, using a navigation program. The road is still good, there are not many cars, there is beauty on the sides!

Even passengers are sometimes distracted from the flask in order to bite prosciutto admire the views

In front of the tunnel we stopped to take a breath and have the courage to photograph the majestic mountains, and the road along which they had just passed.

At the fork after Shavnik we turned left, and immediately realized that they had made a fatal mistake why Montenegro is called Montenegro

Meanwhile, the road was getting narrower, and the temperature overboard was getting colder.

We climb to the pass, the road has narrowed so much that you can go further only on a donkey, crossing with an oncoming car can cause problems. Before sharp turns, of which there are a great many, we signal the horn so that the oncoming Kamaz does not accidentally crush our tin can to warn of its approach. But, cars on this road practically do not drive, because all smart people go along another, good road through Mojkovac

There are no oncoming and passing cars, but there are cows

And finally, people! True, it is not clear what they are doing there, it is very similar to some kind of ritual. They did not begin to find out the details, so that we would not be accidentally sacrificed.

In the meantime, it is not getting hot outside at all, probably, you should have taken warm clothes with you. But who knew that the temperature difference with Budva would be as much as 20 degrees!

We quickly inspect the sights that fall on the way - and rather back to the car, it's warm there, there is a stove

By all appearances, the places here are not touristy.

Abandoned houses, gloomy, deserted

But still, among this despondency, as it turned out, there is life

Fences serve a purely symbolic function.

The purpose of such bridges in front of some houses remains a mystery.

Eerie-looking dwelling, and the bumper of the car is made of natural wood!

We got to Zabljak, looked at the Black Lake, and went to look for a lodging for the night. Dinner at a hotel in the vicinity of the city cost a ridiculous amount, several times cheaper than in Budva, and it was very difficult to finish all the offered meat, but we did it!

Because there was nothing more to see in Zabljak (or maybe there was, but we did not know what else to see there), the next morning we set off on our way back. The thermometer in the car showed +3, it was very cold in the T-shirt, I had to flinch until the interior warmed up. Fog crawled through the mountains

We went back along a different road - through Mojkovac, along the way there is a very beautiful bridge

But he has probably already been seen 100 times on tourist brochures and in guidebooks.

As we approached the coast, it got warmer, the sun appeared more and more often

The houses are not so scary anymore, the stove in the car was turned off

When we passed Lake Skadar, it got hot, turned on the air conditioner

If you liked the village houses presented in the topic and you may be in search of a "new homeland", you can familiarize yourself with the prices for real estate in Montenegro. The site also has many offers of townhouses and apartments in the cities of Montenegro.

By inertia we got to Stefan, you can relax again!

It all started with the fact that once upon a time 12-13 years ago, and maybe even more, I heard about a country like Montenegro, then still the youngest state, in principle, just like now. And something hooked me, began to learn about this country, wooled the Internet, then I did not really understand what I wanted at all. Just browsing beautiful places on the internet. Then, at a more conscious age, I realized that I wanted to go there. Then it was a dream that later became a goal. I wanted to fly away back in the summer of 2018, but I had to change jobs and I couldn't see my vacations until this year.

On this journey, the plans were to travel "a little further" to Eurasia from practically the most eastern point to the most western. The idea for this route was conceived after a trip in 2011, when we drove from the Sea of ​​Japan to the North Sea in the Netherlands and Belgium. In the same year, they moved to the Atlantic Ocean at Cape Roca in Portugal. So, everything is in order.

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But just Turkey was not enough for me. And if you drive around Chernoy, then Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova will also come under attack. Damn, well, then Ukraine must be bypassed, and this is Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland. And if you go around, you can take it to the west and hit Greece, Montenegro, and then Italy is nearby. And above it is Switzerland. And away we go. And away we go. So much so that there were 17 countries.

After the cold Siberian winter of 2017, a slightly less cold spring came. Everyone immediately wanted to bask in the sea. The past ten months since our last trip to the three Transcaucasian countries hinted that it would be high time to go on vacation. Unfortunately, we didn't manage to catch a hot ticket to any Thailand this time. And I really didn't want to give 130,000 rubles for the tour for 10 days, in BB format. Therefore, our eyes were turned towards the western seaside resorts. By chance, I come across a rather lucrative offer from S7 Airlines in Montenegro. With a little thought, we decide to spend a couple of weeks of vacation in this European country. A flight from Kemerovo to Tivat and back costs only 69 thousand rubles for two adults and two children (6 and 9 years old). Basic Economy fare without luggage, but with hand luggage of 10 kg for each passenger, which is quite enough for the things you need on vacation. For Siberians, taking into account two flights for a total of 8 hours each, this is a very profitable option.

We have issued a Bulgarian visa, for a period of about a week, (70 euros - for an adult; 35 euros for a child; including health insurance), a green card (about 30 euros). After browsing the Internet and taking into account the stories of friends, we reserved on booking.com an apartment in Zabljak (for 2 days at 35 euros / day), in Kotor (for 3 days at 30 euros / day).

I'll tell you about a 3-day excursion around Montenegro on a Mazda2 rental in September 2016. I booked the car in advance at a well-known rental company in Budva and got almost what I expected: Mazda2 1.5 MT 2015 without defects, without faults and WITHOUT A SPARE WHEEL. The lack of a spare wheel for our route was an unpleasant surprise, I asked the manager to give another car, no matter more expensive or cheaper, but with a spare, which he could not do that day, like everything is scheduled. Well - I look with despondency at a small can of chemistry, which they carefully put in a niche for a stowaway and on the road. All the time of the trip, and especially at night, on a mountain road, this thought is in my head: "Be more careful, go around stones, we are without a spare tire." The Mazda2 itself handles brilliantly, and after restyling it received a new interesting design and a level of comfort that is good for a compact car. For the convenience of the stratum, a "recoil" system is built into the slide. What is the reason for the fact that our Mazda2 did not take root?

Brief conclusions: The Balkans is a region, as if specially created for travel. Very beautiful and varied nature, concentrated in a relatively small area; warm climate and sea; a hellish mixture of cultures and beliefs; rich story; delicious and inexpensive (compared to Western Europe) cuisine; friendly attitude towards Russians and a language close to understanding (except for Albania) make the rest in the Balkans rich and unforgettable. We will come there again with great pleasure, and maybe more than once.

Vacation in June was planned to be relatively long for us - 3 weeks, in connection with which it was decided to eliminate this topographic injustice and take a ride through the former federal republics of Yugoslavia. I understood that even 3 weeks would not be enough to more or less thoroughly see all 6 young states that were formed after the collapse of the SFRY. I definitely wanted to get to know fraternal Serbia, relax for 3-4 days at sea in Montenegro, be sure to visit the mysterious Bosnia and Herzegovina, and then how will it go. At the same time, such transit Schengen countries as Poland, Slovakia and Hungary, too, would not like to fly without looking, without stopping.

A little more than a month ago, I returned from my next trip to Montenegro. The last time I came there in the spring of last year, and since that moment, certain and rather significant changes have taken place in this wonderful country, including for Russian tourists, which I would like to tell you about. I believe that this info will be useful to many who intend to visit Montenegro in the near future.

The desire to visit Bulgaria came to me after I accidentally found the official tourist portal of this country on the Internet: http://bulgariatravel.org/. This site contains almost all the sights of Bulgaria with their descriptions, photographs, opening hours, the cost of excursions, indicating the GPS coordinates. Many people think that apart from the sea there is nothing interesting there. But in Bulgaria there are many caves, waterfalls, thermal springs, rocks, gorges, ancient cities, fortresses, etc. There are enough attractions for more than one trip.