Montenegro Things To Do

The Montenegrin Coast is perfect for sunbathing and swimming. The best beaches lie along the Budvanska Rivijera a 13-mile coastal stretch south of Budva. Entry to beaches is free; sun beds and umbrellas can be rented by the day.

From May through September, Pro Dive, based at the Queen of Montenegro Hotel in Bečići, runs scuba diving trips to coral reefs, underwater caves and shipwrecks right off the Montenegrin coast. Training is available for beginners.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kotor’s old town lies within a 3-mile fortification system. Visit the 12th-century Romanesque cathedral and the Montenegrin Naval Museum (011-382-82-304-720), then run up hill to St John’s Fortress for superb bay views.

After a long day of hiking the mountains of Biogradska Gora National Park, bed down in one of the 20 traditional wooden shepherds' huts at Eco Village Jelka. Here, water is collected from a spring and meals are prepared from local organic produce.

The stunning Tara River Canyon is 50 miles long and 4,265 feet deep. From June through September, Eco Tours offer one-day whitewater rafting trips here. Breakfast and lunch are included, as is transport, with pick-up points in Kolašin and Zabljak.

Close to Nikšić, Montenegro's top pilgrimage site, Ostrog Monastery, is built into a sheer cliff face. It was founded in the 17th-century by St Vasilije Ostroški, who was believed to work miracles. The saint's body is enshrined in a small frescoed cave church.

Skadar Lake National Park is home to over 270 bird species including the rare Dalmatian pelican and the pygmy cormorant. The park has four bird-watching towers and offers organized bird-watching tours.

The Splendid Spa and Wellness Centre opened in November 2007. Treatments use Elemis and Yves Saint-Laurent products and signature, nature-inspired therapies include a rose-oil massage, a goat-milk wrap, and an algae-dry float.