Let us introduce you to the enchanting Montenegro!

This small country is located in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula on the Adriatic coast. Once part of the federal republic of Yugoslavia, it is now an independent state.

High rocky mesmerizing mountains, unique wildlife, crystal-clear sea water, huge canyons, deep-water lakes, and ancient medieval cities – all this will allow you to enjoy a wonderful vacation and plunge into the fabulous atmosphere of this land.

Montenegro is suitable for connoisseurs of peace and quiet, who want to relax in the bosom of nature from the bustle of big cities. For lovers of outdoor activities, there is also something to do here – a variety of excursion programs, boat trips and mini-cruises, trekking and forest walks.

Montenegro has the cleanest ecology and healing climate, due to the absence of industrial production in the country and its seaside location, which is important for those who want to improve their health.

The unique microclimate of the Boka Kotorska Bay, the presence of mineral waters and curative mud allowed to create here a health resort of the European level, the famous center of spa medicine and rehabilitation Institute Igalo, opened in 1949, which provides a full range of medical services for natural treatment. It is located on the outskirts of the town of Herceg Novi in ​​the Igalo region.

Couples with small children will also be comfortable resting in this country. The locals are very friendly and just love children.

Welcome to Montenegro!

Herceg Novi

Herceg Novi is located at the foot of Mount Orjen, at the mouth of the Boka Kotorska Bay on the Adriatic Sea, near the border with Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The city is rightfully considered the “botanical garden of Montenegro”, a huge number of relict plants and shrubs grow here, therefore Montenegrins call this city “the City of Flowers”. Unlike other resort towns in Montenegro, Herceg Novi has a traditional European look: there are practically no high multi-storey buildings, all houses are made in European style architecture. Small houses with tiled roofs, buried in bougainvillea flowers, surrounded by evergreen hedges, tall date palms, orange trees and magnolias create an atmosphere of idyll and tranquility.

The rich monumental heritage in Opshtina Herceg Novi has been created as a result of a mixture of different peoples and cultures that have changed and collided here throughout their long history.

The beginning of tourism in this area dates back to the 19th century. Since that time, the first records (Sima Matavul) about the Shora Rose hotel appeared. In 1872 the “Bella Vista” tavern, owned by the Sava Bachanovich family, with 25 beds “for foreigners” is mentioned. The development of modern hotel management in Herceg Novi, it can be rightfully said, in the Bay of Kotor and Montenegro, began with the construction of the Pension on Green Beaches in Zelenika, later called the Plaza Hotel. This hotel began functioning in 1902, but the Decision by which the municipal administration authorized the construction of this hotel to the Hungarian nobleman Dr. Antal Maguar of Budapest was also issued in the 19th century – on November 24, 1898. In 1909, the Herceg Novi Buildings and Movement Joint Stock Company requested permission to build the Boka Hotel in the very center of Herceg Novi, which began operating in 1913 with 43 rooms and “central heating and hot tub”. For many years this hotel was a kind of symbol and trademark of the city, and, among other things, won the gold medal for “comfort and service” at the Paris Tourism Fair in 1932. As a result of the catastrophic earthquake in 1979, the Boca Hotel was significantly damaged, and less than a year later decoration of the hotel and the park, a well-known rare Mediterranean plants, there was a pond, which was demolished for the same reason. Thanks to the Tourist center and the Municipality, Herceg Novi, a pond was returned to the same place in 1998 in the same way.

in the period between the two world wars several hotels operated in Herceg Novi, including: “America”, “Mine”, “Adriatic”, “Balkans “,” Savina “,” Europe “,” Topol “,” Herceg Novi “,” Serbian Hotel “,” Belgrade “. In 1926, the Plage Hotel, owned by the Trani family, opened its doors to guests in approximately the same location as today. In 1906, Tomo M. Katurich received permission to place a hotel in Kamenari, and in 1929 the Igalo hotel, which belonged to the Yankovich family, was opened in Igalo. In Zelenika, in addition to the already mentioned “Beach” hotel, belonged to Obren Dunierovich and functioned the “Boca” hotel, which was blown up by the Germans during their retreat in 1944.

In the period between the two world wars, two tourist associations were created, including the first on the Adriatic: Savina in Herceg Novi in ​​1922 and Igalo in Igalo in 1924. The intensive and organized development of modern tourism in this area dates back to the sixties of the last century, when almost all existing hotels were built, which were both large and modern. The only exceptions are the Beach Hotel and the Second Building of the Dr. Simo Milosevic Institute, a Mediterranean health center, built later, in 1980 and 1988, respectively.

Back in 1929, Opstina Herceg Novi was declared a “sea bath and climatic resort”, since it has long been known for the healing properties of coastal sea mud, called “Igalskaya mud”, and the mineral water “Igalski salt marshes”. Over time, with the development of Igalo, the term climatic resort was lost as a term for the entire municipality – Opstina Herceg Novi. The already mentioned hotel “Igalo” with 16 rooms and 40 beds was built on the site of the current building of the first building of the Institute “Dr. Simo Milosevic” and even then had, for example, a hotel car that received guests at the port or airport “Gruda”. In the laboratory of the famous French resort Vichy, a study of Igalo mud was carried out, which definitely confirmed its exceptional healing properties, but only after the Second World War, thanks to Dr. Montenegro November 1, 1949.

Tourists can choose from a wide range of accommodation from small apartments to villas with a private pool.The beaches here are small-pebble and concrete pontoons.Since Herceg Novi is located in the bay, there are rarely big waves, which is a favorable factor for swimming with children.Sea water in the bay is clear, crystal o-clean, which allows snorkeling and diving. There are several schools in the city that teach the rules of diving and underwater swimming.

Along the coastal edge of the city, connecting the Igalo and Savina districts, there is a multi-kilometer embankment – the main promenade of the city, on which there are countless restaurants, cafes and bars.

At the piers of the city, boat trips are offered on city water transport in order to visit the wild and sandy beaches of the Boka Kotorska Bay, thus tourists get to know the former presidential beach of Zhanitsa, and in some cases (for an additional fee) there is an opportunity to swim in the Blue Cave and open sea.

For those wishing to improve their health, the sanatorium-resort complex Institute Igalo will present a full range of medical services for natural treatment and rehabilitation. All this is possible thanks to the mild climate here, clean sea air saturated with minerals and essential oils, therapeutic mud and mineral waters.

Herceg Novi is suitable for lovers of calm and measured rest, family holidays with children, for those who want to improve their health.

Budva

Budva is one of the main seaside resorts in Montenegro, popular with tourists who prefer a fun and energetic holiday. A city of active nightlife. Casinos, bars, restaurants, discos, tennis courts – everything for every taste. At the height of the summer season, the city is crowded with tourists and full of entertainment programs.

In the vicinity of Budva you will find many beaches, mostly pebble and surrounded by rocks, there are also sandy beaches. The largest and most popular beaches of the Budva Riviera are Plazha Slovenska and Mogren. Along the “Plazh Slovenska” there is a large number of bars, cafes, open-air discos.

Tourists are offered sea excursions by boat or speedboat to the island of St. Nicholas, you can also rent a sailing yacht here.

Budva is a noisy youth resort, not very suitable for families with small children. Of the minuses, one can also highlight the dense multi-storey buildings, which make the city look like a modern metropolis.

Four kilometers from Budva, there are small secluded villages Becici and Rafailovici, which are a conglomerate of hotels, apartments and villas for every taste. Well-developed infrastructure and good beaches make the villages an ideal place for families. In 1935 Becici beach was recognized as the most beautiful beach in Europe.

Ulcinj

Ulcinj is the southernmost city of Montenegro near the border with Albania. It is not like the rest of the coastal cities of the Budva and Hercegnov Riviera, which were greatly influenced by the Venetian rule. Ulcinj for centuries was under the rule of the Ottoman Empire, which could not but affect the external features of the city. There are many mosques here; most of the Montenegrin Muslims live in this city. The population of Ulcinj is predominantly Albanian, here you can hardly hear Serbian speech. All signs, road signs, advertisements are made using both Serbian and Albanian languages.

Ulcinj is famous for its long sandy beaches, which are not so many in the whole of Montenegro. The beaches of Ulcinj Riviera are basalt, thanks to the mineral components that make up the basalt sand, these beaches have a positive effect on diseases of the musculoskeletal system.

The city beach “Mala Plaja”, located at the walls of the old town, is crowded with vacationers in the summer season.

4 km south of Ulcinj, 13 km, there is a magnificent sandy beach “Velika Plazha”, which stretches almost to the border with Albania, its width reaches 60 m – this is the largest sandy beach on the Adriatic coast.

It is impossible to ignore the beaches of the island of Ada Bojana. The sand here is rich in mineral and biologically active substances and has a mild radioactive effect, which is beneficial in the treatment of the musculoskeletal system and infertility.

Kotor

Kotor is the center of excursion tourism in Montenegro. The Old Town (Stari Grad) of Kotor, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of the best preserved medieval towns on the Adriatic coast.

The architecture of Kotor was formed from the end of the 12th century, the main influence on the external style of the buildings that have survived to this day was the Venetians. The Venetian period lasted from 1420 to 1797 – this is the time of real prosperity, at this time powerful city walls were erected to protect against the attacks of the Ottoman Empire, palaces, towers, temples, churches were built. Despite the fact that the city was heavily affected by earthquakes (in 1667, 1979), which damaged more than half of the buildings in the city, it is now fully restored with its characteristic Venetian style.

The opportunity to travel back to the medieval era, which every stone of this amazing town breathes, attracts tourists from all over the world. You can wander the narrow streets, relax in a cozy cafe, listen to the organ in the Catholic cathedral, climb to the very top of the hill to the Fortress of St. John and admire the panorama of the city from a bird’s eye view (since climbing to the top is not easy, take care of comfortable shoes and stock up on drinking water). In the old town you can rent a room in a small hotel for one or two nights to feel like a resident of the Middle Ages.

Kotor has several beaches and a promenade, as well as a port where multi-deck cruise ships and sailing yachts arrive.

Its main wealth is historical monuments and architecture.

From Kotor it is easy to reach the Lovcen National Park, which covers the central and highest part of the Lovcen mountain range (1749 m) and covers an area of ​​62.2 km². The park was established to protect the unique nature, as well as the historical, cultural and architectural heritage. Here is a paradise for lovers of wildlife, forest walks, hiking and trekking.

For lovers of medieval architecture, we also recommend visiting the towns of Perast, Risan and small islands, which are located near Kotor and are part of the Kotor Riviera.

Bar

Bar – is the largest port in Montenegro, from here you can get to Italy (the city of Bari) by ferry. Around Bar there are several small villages where families with children can have a rest – Sutomore, Dobra Voda, Shushan, Big Sands.

If you stay in the Bar itself, then there is a sufficient selection of apartments, houses, villas. The city is suitable for a relaxing holiday: there are no noisy discos and nightclubs, but full of small restaurants and cozy cafes.

The city beach of Bar is sandy, there are also many pebble beaches in the vicinity.

Not far from the city beach in shallow water there is a sunken yacht of King Nikola and the German cruiser Forverts, which can be used for scuba diving. The ships are not deep and are accessible even to a novice diver.

One of the most interesting and large sights of Bar is the palace of King Nikola. The palace includes a chapel, a winter and a botanical garden, as well as a small and large palace. Today these premises are used by the local history museum.

Tivat

Tivat is a modern town on the shores of the Bay of Kotor, located on the Vrmac peninsula, not far (5 km) from the international airport and containing the most grandiose marina for expensive yachts, as well as a luxurious residential complex (microdistrict) “Porto Montenegro” and a hotel “Regent”, which is used by millionaire yachtsmen.

It is interesting that the described city is named after the Illyrian queen Teuta, who loved to rest in these parts. In the Middle Ages, Tivat was a summer vacation spot for the Kotor aristocracy. As for the sights of historical and cultural value, in contrast to the neighboring popular cities, there is nothing in Tivat marked by UNESCO, and indeed almost nothing old (with the exception of one single medieval castle in the center and several churches). At the same time, the infrastructure in Tivat is developed and active life is gaining momentum, and the convenient location of the city makes it easy to get to Perast, Kotor or Budva, where it will be possible to enjoy culturally and historically, since these cities are located no more than half an hour’s drive from Tivat. Comfortable liners depart from Tivat, offering a boat trip along the Boka Kotorska Bay with a stop at Zanitsa beach, tourists have the opportunity to see such cities like Kotor, Herceg Novi and two picturesque islands (Gospa od Skrpla and St. Georgia) in the region of Risan and Perast.

Despite being the youngest town in Boca, there are many interesting and alluring places to visit. In the city center – Renaissance Summer House Buca, Ostrvo Cvijeca (flower island) with ritual monuments, Gornja Lastva – the old center at an altitude of 300m above sea level, the amazing Plavi Horizonti beach and the island of St. Nicholas – must-see places for tourists in Tivat.

Tivat does not have a pronounced beach line, mostly platform beaches.

There are two airports in Montenegro that provide international flights:

1) in the city of Tivat (airport code TIV)
2) in the capital of Montenegro Podgorica (airport code TGD)

Regular direct flights from Moscow are provided by such airlines as Aeroflot and Montenegro Airlines, travel time is about 3 -3.5 hours

Which airport is right for you? 

If you have chosen the resorts: Herceg Novi and Hercegnovskaya Riviera, Budva or Kotor,

then Tivat airport is suitable for you, approximate travel time:

Tivat – Herceg Novi – 1 hour;
Tivat – Budva – 25 minutes;
Tivat – Kotor – 10 minutes.

These resorts can be reached from the airport of Podgorica, approximate travel time:

Podgorica – Herceg Novi – 2.5 hours;
Podgorica – Kotor – 1.5 hours;
Podgorica – Tivat – 1.5 hours;
Podgorica – Budva – 1 hour.

To get to the cities of Bar and Ulcinj in time is almost the same both from the airport of Tivat and from the airport of Podgorica.