Croatia or Montenegro: which is better?

Adriatic. Amazing nature, emotional people, the sea, delicious food - this is what we imagine when we say this word. People who are going to relax in this corner of the world often wonder what to choose: Croatia or Montenegro. Where to go to relax and which country is better in terms of tourism - we will consider in this article. Below are facts about these two countries, the choice is always yours.

Montenegro is a separate state located on a map of Europe, on the western coast of the Balkan Peninsula, washed by the Adriatic Sea. A modern state was formed in 2006 after the collapse of Yugoslavia. The capital of present-day Montenegro is Podgorica - the largest city in the country, although the residence of the president is located in the city of Cetinje, which is considered to be the cultural capital.

Croatia is a country located in the west of the Balkan Peninsula, also washed by the Adriatic Sea. This state was also formed as a result of the collapse of Yugoslavia, and became independent in 1991. The capital is the city of Zagreb. The population is 4 million, and the area is 4 times larger than the area of ​​Montenegro and is 56,542 square meters. km Croatia borders Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, Serbia and Slovenia.

If you are going to rest, and even more so if you decide to go with a child, you must carefully prepare and choose a decent place. It is not very convenient to go down to the sea with a child, for example, from a wooden pier.

It is also necessary to think over where the child will play, therefore, you need at least a clean beach, woodland to take refuge in the shade of trees from the sun, a comfortable hotel, a market to buy quality products, developed infrastructure and so on.

Prices for accommodation are lower in Croatia, since the number of proposals for renting apartments is very large. What can not be said about food prices or visiting catering establishments. Lunch will be cheaper in Montenegro. However, it is necessary to take into account the fact that in Montenegro, the currency is the euro, which is less prone to fluctuations, so planning a budget in advance will be easier. Unlike Croatia, where the Croatian kuna is in use.

In general, compared to Croatia, Montenegro is very cheap. For example, in Montenegro, a cup of coffee, if translated into rubles, costs about 60-120 rubles, in Croatia - 240 rubles, or even 360. Lunch in Croatia will cost you about 60 euros, and it will also be expensive even get a haircut, do manicure, pedicure or go to the museum.

If we talk about quality, Montenegro has a lot more good catering establishments. Maybe this is due to the fact that the Croats are already too spoiled by the huge flow of tourists, unlike the inhabitants of Montenegro.

The settlement options are mainly as follows:

• apartments (apartments);
• villas;
• mini-hotels.

There are enough beaches in Montenegro, and there are both pebble and sand. Before choosing the right one, it should be noted that all Montenegrin beaches are state property and there is even a special law that governs their management. The equipped beaches are simply rented out for long-term rent to private entrepreneurs, who must observe a number of certain rules:

• the entrepreneur must level and clean the beach territory assigned to him year-round;
• sun loungers can occupy only half of the beach, and the rest of the beach remains for those vacationers who like to sit on the ground;
• The entrance to the beach must be publicly accessible and no entry fee should be charged.

But in order to use the inventory, you still have to pay a symbolic amount - about 30 euros. Montenegro has its own piquant feature - there are fenced beaches for nudists. On the beaches in Budva, Petrovec, Rafailovici, the peak of the season begins around July 15 and lasts until September 15.

In this period of time along the sea, it is unlikely to find a place. If you look from above, you can hardly understand where the sea begins and where the beach ends, because the number of people resting on the beach and in the sea is huge.

That in Croatia, that in Montenegro, the mountains are on the coast of the sea, so the sandy beach here is quite difficult to find, mostly pebble beaches. Among Montenegrin expanses, sandy beaches can be found in the south, beyond Ulcinj.

In Croatia, sand-covered coasts are usually found on islands. For example: Punta Rata, Drazika, Golden Horn. But do not underestimate the pebble beaches. Tenants annually bring small pebbles and fill it with sand from above. The sea crushes large pebbles to small sizes, covering the coast with "stone sand".

Montenegro is usually hot in the summer and lasts a long time. The climate in the country is mostly temperate continental. In summer, the temperature on the coast reaches an average of + 25С, in winter + 5С. There is a lot of rainfall during the winter, but the duration of the winter is short. People start swimming here in May and end in October. In Croatia, the swimming season is shorter and lasts from May to September.

In summer, the air temperature can reach + 29C, the average mark is kept in the region of + 23C. Going on vacation to Croatia, it must be borne in mind that the climate here is different, depending on the place of stay.

In the north - continental, in the center of the country - mountainous, on the coast, similarly to Montenegro - moderately continental. Thus, we can conclude that both countries are quite similar in climatic conditions. To decide when it is better to go to the Adriatic coast, you can start from the fact that August is the hottest month, both for Croatia and for Montenegro. The peak tourist season is from approximately mid-July to mid-September.

You can dine in Croatia both in the restaurant and in the konob. Konoba is a small, rustic home-style restaurant. The cuisine is mainly Mediterranean, where seafood prevails in the menu, and European, where you can find other hearty dishes. Lunch will cost you about 50-70 kunas. In Montenegro, you can organize your meals in different ways.

• Eat at home. It is worth noting that the products, in comparison with Croatia, are much cheaper here.
• In catering establishmentswho cook fast food or, more simply, fast food. Such a meal will cost you 3 euros.
• Go to a set lunchs (soup, second, bread and salad). This lunch will cost about 5 euros.
• In restaurants. In such establishments, lunch will cost about 25 euros. Although there are restaurants where you can eat and for 40 euros, but so far there are not many.

Many believe that the quality of service, infrastructure and the level of service are higher in Croatia. This is due to the fact that the tourism business began to develop here much earlier than in Montenegro. And also because this country is considered close to European standards. But in reality this is not entirely true. In Croatia, people are more closed, while in Montenegro they are more sincere and sociable, they are better related to tourists.

The main resorts of Montenegro are the Budva Riviera or Budva, with its pebble beaches, the family resort Hercegnovskaya Riviera, located on the Adriatic Sea, as well as the Ulcinj Riviera, known for its basalt beaches. Places worth visiting in Montenegro:

• The Maritime Museum, located in the center of Kotor - it contains the whole history of the Montenegrin coast;

• National Museum;

• art lovers - Cetin Museum of Art;

• the oldest theater "Zetsky Dom";

• Durmitor National Park;

• a park located near Lake Skadar, on the territory of which the most ancient monasteries and fortresses of the Middle Ages are located.

If you have chosen Croatia, then be sure to visit the following places:

• Plitvice Lakes National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site;

• the medieval palace of Diocletian in Split;

• Amphitheater of Pula.

In order to go on vacation in Montenegro, a visa is not needed, since this country is not a member of the European Union. Entrance is open to residents of Russia, Ukraine, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Belarus. The visa-free stay is 90 guest days.To visit the Republic of Croatia, both a visa and insurance are required for the entire period of stay in the country. A visa can be made in the visa centers of Croatia, which in Russia is quite a lot. It takes about 5 business days. There are also some concessions for multiple holders of Schengen visas.

About which city to choose for families with children, see the next video.