How to get to Montenegro yourself and have a good rest?

Traveling to foreign resorts usually takes place with the help of professional tour operators. But experienced tourists, unlike beginners, do not need such support anymore. Therefore, it is useful to know how to come without help to the same Montenegro, and what to do on the spot after arrival.

Going to Montenegro is no less pleasant than going to Turkey, Greece or another recognized resort. Her landscapes look like the vastness of Switzerland, because it is also a mountainous country. But before you arrive there yourself and enjoy the natural, cultural delights, it is important to decide - in what time it is better to go on the road. To begin with, the climatic conditions in different parts of the Balkan country can vary greatly:

• in the coastal strip, the weather develops according to the Mediterranean type;
• in the mountains, of course, there was a mountain climate;
• in the northern part of the country, a temperate continental climate is found.

In the middle of Montenegro it is always a little colder than by the sea. But nevertheless, it is believed that the conditions on the territory of the country as a whole favor relaxation in any period of the year. The peak season naturally occurs in the summer months. Then the beaches are crowded with foreign tourists who also swim. From June to August, Montenegro can please:

• lovers of beaches;
• lovers of excursions;
• anglers;
• keen on rafting, yachting and other water sports.

In September, the weather is still relatively good. But from September 15, approximately, it begins to deteriorate. And in October, the velvet season ends completely. Until the end of March, relaxing on the beach will be impossible.Part of the compensation may be a visit to the ski resorts and visits to excursions. From late autumn to half spring, the number of people who use excursion programs is small, and their prices are reduced.

Montenegro stands out as rare even for a European country with a history of concentration of ancient monuments. Many of them deserve increased protection from the government and UNESCO.

But even when choosing beach activities, it is not indifferent to what summer month travelers will go on a trip. So, in June, the air warms up in the afternoon to +21 degrees Celsius. Bathing allows you to perk up and improve your tone. The advantage is that the sun does not exhaust people, and you can lie on the beaches for quite some time. But for trips with children, July or August is much better.

Air temperature confidently reaches +26.30 degrees Celsius. In the water you can be calm for hours. However, prolonged sun exposure without protective compounds can harm the skin.

Regardless of the time of departure and the way of travel, it is useful to know what documents are required. A visa to Montenegro is not required if the total stay in the country is declared a maximum of 30 consecutive days. At the same time, the longest period of the presence of Russians during the six months cannot exceed 180 days. If tourists fit into this framework, they need to show only a foreign passport. It must be valid for at least 90 days from the date the departure is planned.

If you are going to Montenegro for 31 consecutive days or more or for 91 days or more for half a year, it is advisable to make a visa in advance. The application must be submitted at least one month before arrival in the country. To apply for visas you will have to provide:

• a copy of a foreign passport;
• personal application;
• profile;
• hotel reservation (or lease agreement for an apartment / private house / villa / apartment);
• duplicate flight reservation;
• certificate of employment (option - bank statement confirming the presence on the account of at least 20 euros for each scheduled day);
• a couple of color photographs.

The visa fee for adults is 62 euros. For 1 child they pay 32 euros (children under Montenegrin legislation are considered citizens under 14 years old). If you intend to settle not in a hotel, but in private housing, you will have to register with the units of the national tourist organization. The period during which registration should usually be made is 1 day. But those who arrived in Budva may not be registered if they live there for no more than 72 hours.

Important: the same lists are compiled in the police departments, more precisely, in their departments for working with foreigners. You can safely turn there too. In hotels, resorts, boarding houses and other organized places of leisure, the registration is undertaken by the managers.

In order not to constantly look for where to turn, one must use resources Compare. com or Cherehapa. These sites compare prices at the offers of all major insurance companies. Therefore, the selection of a suitable option is simplified to a minimum.

To travel by car you need to have:

• driver's license;
• confirmation of registration of the vehicle;
• insurance for a car of the “green card” format;
• hotel reservation or confirmation of other places of settlement;
• passports with a Schengen visa (without it you can not travel to the countries included in this agreement);
• pre-designed route (which should be in the course of migration authorities).

The fee for traveling to Montenegro is relatively low. The first thing to consider is the cost of renting a home. The maximum rate is typical for large resort sites. So, in Ulcinj it is impossible to rent hotel rooms cheaper than 16 euros. A little more profitable trip to Zabljak: they pay at least 14 euros per day.

For an independent visit to Montenegro, it is quite possible to use the apartments. There are kitchens where it is easy to cook your own food. Find apartments in Budva will be possible at a price of 30 euros per day. The most expensive offers of apartments - on the island of St. Stephen. You can spend one day there for at least 500 euros; at the same time, on the isthmus connecting the island with the continent, housing rates start at 40 euros.

Plays an important role in saving money the right choice of catering establishments. The most popular cafes and restaurants naturally raise prices for their services. So, in an inexpensive cafe you have to pay 5 euros for lunch, you can have a tight dinner together there for about 40 euros. You can buy 0.5 liters of beer in bars for 2.2 euros, a portion of cappuccino costs at least 1.7 euros. The fee for products (on average for the markets and shops of the country) will be:

• grapes - 1.5;
• figs - 2;
• oranges 0.7;
• potato 0.6;
• tomatoes 0.6;
• milk 0.8;
• bread 0.6;
• chicken fillet 5.8 euros.

When eating in a budget cafe 3 times a day for a day, you need to plan an expense of at least 21 euros. In mid-range restaurants, the rate rises to at least 35 euros. Given the experience of serious travelers, it is good to eat in establishments that offer a comprehensive menu. It implies simple (acceptable for everyone) and at the same time satisfying food. These are the dishes most often preferred by the Montenegrins themselves.

In local fast-food establishments, the cost of food is relatively low. So, for a portion of pizza "pleskavitsa" will have to pay 1.5 euros. The fee for a pancake with cream will be 1 euro, and for a sandwich containing cheese and meat - twice as much.

The cost of renting a car will have to add the cost of gasoline. Its liter at Montenegrin gas stations costs about 1.4 euros. For comparison: you can order a taxi for euros, and for every kilometer its passengers pay 45 euro cents. Using public transport, they pay 50 euro cents for a ticket.

When renting a detached one-room apartment in the center of a city, you will have to pay at least 240 euros per month. In the outskirts of cities, the same objects are rented out for 190-200 euros. Based on the use of budget hotels, minimal transportation costs and visits to economy class cafes, travelers will need from 45 euros per day. But it is useful to consider that this is only the minimum amount, and deduced for reference.

Almost everyone needs additional entertainment or unique delicacies; therefore, for a comfortable trip, you should add at least 20-25 euros to the indicated daily figure.

If you are going to travel around Montenegro on your own for the first time, you should definitely go to Budva. All other resorts of the country can be left “for later”, but Budva, indeed, requires primary attention. Around the city there are many canyons and other beauties that deserve the brush of the painter. The Budva Riviera is considered the most elegant - the gap between Budva itself and the town of Petrovac.

The second place you should definitely look is Bucha castlelocated in the middle of Tivat. When you visit this city, an inspection of the castle is suitable both as a beginning and as a climax. In the old fortress is a cultural center that organizes a variety of events. The appearance of the castle was developed in accordance with the principles of classical architecture of the Middle Ages. But there are separate parts in it, which were completed or remade later.

Returning to Budva, it is worth pointing out that the old part of this city is definitely suitable for visiting by tourists. TYou will find brilliant examples of buildings of the Venetian period. In old churches and temples everywhere rich compositions. After passing through the stone-covered streets of the city, it is very pleasant to relax in a cafe where delicious and fragrant coffee is prepared.

And from Budva you should go to the southwestern part of the country, to mount Lovcen, which has become one of the main symbols of Montenegro. Near the mountain there is a national park under the same name. Holidays in this place can be combined with an acquaintance with vegetation and fauna, including rare species, with an examination of beautiful caves.

If tourists have chosen the Tivat area, they should look at St. Mark's Island. True, the tourist complex built there has been abandoned since the beginning of the Yugoslav war. But lovers of outdoor activities often come to the island.

Of the individual attractions of Montenegro mentioned in any guidebook, deserves special attention Prison. Pilgrims really appreciate him - after all, this monastery, although not the oldest in the country, is extremely famous in certain circles. The monastery also has caves in which the clergy in ancient times took refuge. The upper part of the complex is built right inside the rocks and raised about 1 km above sea level.

The easiest way to get to Montenegro from Russia without a ticket is by plane. Places on liners leaving Moscow cost from 10,000 rubles. Departure from St. Petersburg is more expensive, a ticket costs at least 17,000. Going on the road from other regional centers of our country, you will have to pay at least 20 thousand rubles for a trip by air. Because tours are more profitable.

An alternative is train travel. In the recent past, this option was very popular. The thing is changing the route: now trains do not go through Kiev. From Moscow they follow to Minsk, then to Warsaw, Bratislava, Budapest. Therefore, the car will have to spend about 70 hours, in addition, passengers pay a hefty amount.

Important: regardless of the type of transport, for a short-term (up to 30 days) trip, you can do without a visa. If tourists depart from Moscow, then they should go through such countries as:

• Belarus;
• Poland;
• Slovakia;
• Hungary;
• Serbia

Of course, you can come up with more intricate routes. However, this will only significantly extend the travel time and tire very much, in addition, expenses will increase. It is possible to get by car from Moscow to Montenegro by the described route in three days. To do this, you will have to make two intermediate stops at night. Usually they are made in Lublin, as soon as they pass the border control, and in Budapest.

You can make the trip more comfortable by staying again in Minsk. Depending on the characteristics of the car, on the road situation and on the personal characteristics of driving, you will have to spend between 300 and 330 euros one way for gasoline.

Traveling to Montenegro, as you can see, is pretty easy. Highways in this country are still available without fare.You will have to pay only at the entrance to the Sozin tunnel (for cars, the rate is 2 euros to 50 cents). A number of sites have been prepared on the roads where you can safely enjoy panoramic views. Or take pictures.

It’s also nice to drive a car to Montenegro because there are some of the mildest parking rules in the EU. It’s just impossible to stop just under prohibition signs and in paid zones. Naturally paid sites are concentrated near the sights and in the centers of cities. Motorists can solve the problem by stopping a little further away. Several hundred meters passed have not hurt anyone.

It is advisable to choose hotels and apartments that offer free private parking. There you can easily leave the car for any time you want, and walk around the neighborhood or have fun without thinking about it. The basic driving rules in Montenegro do not have significant differences from the Russian counterpart. In settlements it is impossible to move faster than 50 kilometers per hour. On dirt roads they travel at speeds up to 90, and on paved roads - up to 100 km / h.

On the most modern highways you can ride at speeds up to 130 kilometers. But the list of such roads must be clarified in advance. For turning off the dipped beam (regardless of the time of day) impose a fine of 30-150 euros. All passengers must be fastened. It is not permitted by the rules to drive children under 12 in the front seats.

To avoid harassment by the traffic police, you must always carry a standard first-aid kit, fire extinguisher and emergency stop sign. You can exit the car only if you have a reflective vest. This garment should be inside the cabin, best of all - in a conspicuous place. Montenegro is being punished for using any devices that help bypass radar monitoring. Riding studded tires is prohibited in principle.

But not only Moscow drivers go to the Balkans, and it would be snobbery to focus only on them. For people traveling on the road, for example, from Voronezh or through it, the path will be different. They have to drive about 2720 km, having spent 33-35 hours on the road. They leave for Montenegro mainly with the aim of enjoying a beach holiday. The coastal sites there are very different, but with rare exceptions, they are well sheltered from the wind.

Since the main beach facilities are oversaturated with tourists from half of July to half of September, it is recommended to go from May 20 to July 15. But we must remember that then the sea may not warm up enough yet.

It will take 36-38 hours to overcome it. This consumes from 240 to 270 liters of fuel. On the road, motorists will have to drive through these main points:

• Orsha;
• Borisov;
• Baranovichi;
• Elephant;
• Volkovysk;
• Bialystok;
• Kozerki;
• Neborub;
• Ostrava
• Třice
• Brno;
• Drazenhofen;
• Vein;
• Graz;
• Galgovo (Slovenia);
• Budva itself.

The main part of the sights of Montenegro is concentrated in the coastal zone. Therefore, the maximum flow of tourists rushes there. Budva is recommended for youth recreation, for family travelers. This city is also suitable for those who are going to explore the whole country. The city is located almost in the center of the Adriatic coast, and it is not difficult to get from it to the most remote corners. The infrastructure in this place is very well developed.

But the problem is that in Budva there is too much demand for housing. You have to either pay a lot of money, or look for a suitable option for a long time. More expensive here is a beach holiday. In addition, in Budva it is often noisy.

A visit to Herceg Novi will appeal to a large part of the youth audience. People who wish to improve their health also come here. In this area of ​​the country there are many opportunities for mountain tourism and passage through the caves. Herceg Novi is clearly divided into areas for vacationers with different interests and inclinations.

Staying in Kotor is worth it if:

• you need to get acquainted with the local bay;
• there is a desire to visit the nearby Riviera;
• I want to touch the old city building.

Arriving here by car, you can not worry about the location of the city in the depths of the bay and the rarity of buses. But it is worth considering that the chance to find free parking is very small. In the old part of the city, the prices in the cafe are very high, there are no specific children's entertainments. Since around the mountain, darkness comes early. And there are no beaches in the city itself.

Staying in Tivat, you can easily get to anywhere in Montenegro quickly. At this resort, vacationers are waiting for an excellent cultural program. But the city is not too large and is not replete with retail outlets. There are only “few” here - beaches, travel agencies, entertainment, cafes, souvenir shops. The cost of housing is not the lowest, even by Montenegrin standards.

It is important not only to correctly plan the route and choose the final point of travel, not only to determine the circle of visited attractions. To relax in Montenegro safely and pleasantly, it is worth listening to the opinions of experienced tourists. They strongly recommend that you do not neglect the requirements of the registration regime. The likelihood of facing sanctions is small, but if they do happen, the consequences are inevitable. It is useful even during your stay at the hotel to further clarify whether the data has really been transmitted to the registration service.

Despite its reputation as a safe country, it’s important to understand that in Montenegro, as elsewhere, tourists attract criminals of all stripes. Many crooks come from other countries for petty theft. Therefore, complete relaxation is undesirable. Visits to the wilderness can be dangerous. Going there alone, especially to the mountains, is not recommended.

Connoisseurs are advised to have the euro in cash, and ideally - a small denomination. Bank cards are obviously not accepted by taxi drivers, sellers in the markets. You can not pay them even in shops and restaurants located in the north or in the mountains. But you can find NLB ATMs, where they cash out ruble cards in euros, and where the menu is in Russian.

Still advised:

• plan more time for sightseeing;
• refuse to drink tap water;
• handle money carefully and not show it publicly;
• Be ready to check on the Serbian-Montenegrin border.

See how to get by car from Moscow to Montenegro in the next video.