Our article will interest those tourists who are thinking about how to independently go to Montenegro. Of course, the easiest way is to use the services of travel agencies, but many vacationers are eager to save money, so it’s 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 they should have with them, as well as give answers to many other questions.
Travel Documents
One of the most important issues 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 so at all. Russians do not need a visa to travel to Montenegro if the duration of your stay in the country does not exceed thirty consecutive days (no more than 90 days in six months). That nuance greatly simplifies the situation. The list of documents for travel consists of only one passport. However, pay attention to the validity period of the document. At the time of your departure from Russia, the passport must be valid for another 90 days.
But if you are planning a longer vacation, the terms of which exceed 90 days, then in this case it is worth pre-issuing a visa. An application for its receipt must be submitted no earlier than a month before departure. To apply for a visa, you will need the following documents: a statement, application form, confirmation of the fact of booking at the hotel or a rental contract, a job certificate or statement confirming that you have an acceptable amount of money in your account (at the rate of 20 euros per person per day) , copy of 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 live in a hotel, hostel, sanatorium or in another similar place, then experienced tourists recommend registering at any office of the Tourism Organization in Montenegro. You need to do this within a day. And only in Budva you can register within 72 hours. In addition, registration can be issued in the department for work with foreigners in any police department. When tourists stay in hotels and hotels, administrators do this 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
Insurance for a trip to Montenegro is not a mandatory document, but experts still recommend it. You can issue it using the online service on which large insurers are registered. Thus, you can choose a policy suitable for all criteria and price.
How to get to the country?
When planning a trip to Montenegro, be sure to think about how you will get. The easiest way is to use the services of one of the airlines. The cheapest tickets for flights from Moscow to Podgorica or Tivat cost about 10 thousand rubles. But from St. Petersburg, the flight will cost at least 17,000 rubles (for the journey in both directions).
But from other cities of Russia - Kazan, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Rostov-on-Don, Chelyabinsk, the cost of a ticket starts at 20,000 rubles. The route must be painstakingly studied and thought over, since sometimes it is sometimes cheaper to get to Moscow on your own and then fly from it by plane than using a direct flight.
In summer and spring you can find cheap charter flights. As a rule, all planes from Russia land at the Tivat airport.
Another quite popular option for a trip to Montenegro on your own is by car. In this case, you will need: documents on the registration of your car, rights, route, car insurance and a Schengen visa, which gives the right to cross European countries.
Train travel
Of course, the distance from Moscow to Montenegro can be overcome by train. Not so long ago, this method was very popular. But the situation has changed since then. In the old days, Montenegro traveled by train through Kiev to Budapest. Now the route has been changed, and the train now goes in the direction Minsk - Warsaw - Bratislava - Budapest. Not only will you be on the road for about 70 hours, but you will still have to open a Schengen visa to cross Slovakia, Hungary and Poland. And the cost of such a trip is not at all budgetary.
Reservation
Trips to Montenegro are very popular among Russians. The reason for this is a visa-free regime, reasonable prices, beautiful landscapes and a mild Mediterranean climate. Yes, and organize your own trip is not difficult. Montenegro traditionally belongs to inexpensive European countries along with Poland, Bulgaria and Romania. It is this fact that attracts tourists. In order to understand how much money to take to Montenegro, consider the cost of living in hotels and meals in local cafes.
You can book a hotel for yourself on any service on the Internet, here you can choose the most suitable option. Cheaper housing should be sought in small resort towns. In large and famous resorts, such as St. Stephen or Budva, apartment rental is quite expensive. In the Bar, a standard room costs from 20 euros, in Ulcinj - from 16 euros, in Zabljak - from 14 euros, and in Sutomore - from 18 euros.
In Montenegro there are many offers of accommodation in apartments. This option can be considered ideal for an independent trip, as such rooms have a kitchen, which makes it possible to cook on their own. Even in Budva, studios or apartments can be found at a price of 30 euros per day. On St. Stephen Island, apartment rental is very expensive - 500-700 euros, because there is only one luxury complex - Aman Resort, but in the isthmus of the island with the mainland you can rent a room - from 40 euros.
Food at the resort
The cost of a trip to Montenegro will be significantly reduced if you avoid visiting untwisted cafes and restaurants. Lunch in an inexpensive institution will cost you only 5 euros, and dinner for two people, consisting of several dishes, about 40 dollars. Half a liter of beer in local bars costs from 2.20 euros, and one cappuccino - from 1.75 euros.
If you still rent apartments with a kitchen, you can cook your own meals, which means you can save. Here is the average cost of products in the markets and stores in Montenegro:
- Oranges - 0.7 euros.
- Figs - 2 euros.
- Apples - 1 euro.
- Grapes - 1.5 euros.
- Peaches - 2.5 euros.
- Potato - 0.6 euros.
- Tomatoes - 0.6 euros.
- Eggs - 1.5 euros.
- Water - 0.7 euros.
- Milk - 0.8 euros.
- Rice - 0.8 euros.
- Bread - 0.6 euros.
- Wine - from 4.5 euros.
- Shrimp - 15-25 euros.
- Chicken fillet - 5.8 euros.
The cost of food in a cafe
If you decide to eat in inexpensive cafes, then breakfast for one will cost you 4 euros, both - more than 7 euros, and dinner at least 10 euros. Mid-range restaurants offer breakfast from 5 €, lunch at least 11 €, and a good dinner will cost more than 18 €.
The cost of drinks is given separately:
- Coffee or tea - from 1 €.
- Fresh juice - 2.5 €.
- Water - 2.5 €.
- Wine (glass) - 3 €.
Experienced travelers who have already repeatedly organized a trip to Montenegro for themselves, I recommend finding places that have a sign - a comprehensive menu. Going to the waiter, you can ask what kind of dishes are available. As a rule, a complex menu includes simple, tasty and at the same time hearty food, which is usually ordered by local residents. For example, a delicious goulash will cost three euros.
In addition, travelers recommend paying attention to fast foods. Prices in such establishments are also low. A portion of pizza mash pizza costs 1.5 €, a pancake with cream - 1 €, a sandwich with cheese and meat - 2 €.
The 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 live and where to eat. We want to give a minimum package of expenses for tourists subject to a budget holiday, which will consist of the cost of housing, travel and meals.
Resting at any resort, you will need to use transport. Cost of services:
- Liter of gasoline - 1.39 €.
- Travel by public transport - 0.5 €.
- Taxi order - 1 €.
- 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 per month from 240 euros, on the outskirts of the same apartments will cost 190 euros. If we take into account the cost of living in a budget hotel (from 16 € per day), transport and food costs 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 is withdrawn very approximately. In the resort, as a rule, you want to see something or try some delicacies. All such expenses significantly increase the budget of the trip.
Pilgrimage Travel
Do not forget that there are pilgrimage trips to Montenegro. Their peculiarity is that they are more focused on visiting numerous temples and shrines, but at the same time there is a beach holiday. Mandatory places to visit are the cities of Cetinje and the Undercity.
Cetinje is a very ancient city, which was founded back in 1482. It houses the monastery of the Nativity of the Virgin, in which the right hand of John the Baptist is located , the icon 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, visiting the ancient Adriatic coast, and relaxing at sea. During excursion events, tourists can see such shrines as the thorn from the crown of the Savior, as well as a piece of the robe of the Blessed Virgin Mary and many other objects.
In addition, pilgrims are usually taken to see the Church of the Resurrection of Christ and the Moraca Monastery in the Undercity. The program of events for different tour operators may vary slightly, so it’s worth specifying the route and choosing the most interesting for you.
What to choose: self-rest or a ticket?
According to tourists who have experience of independent trips to resorts, including Montenegro, it can be said that a self-organized trip has several advantages. First of all, it concerns the cost. Trips to Montenegro, although not too expensive, but still an independent trip is cheaper. You have the opportunity to choose your own accommodation, and not relax in the hotel, which is imposed on you by a travel agency. True, it is worth considering that sometimes tour operators offer last-minute trips to Montenegro. The cost of such tours is sometimes very attractive, so this option is also worth considering.
Tourists reviews
Tourists who have repeatedly rested in Montenegro, note that the country's resorts are the best place for a vacation with children. A visit to the country has a number of undeniable advantages that make you make a choice in the direction of Montenegro:
- Beautiful nature: sea, sandy beaches and mountains.
- Fairly low prices for food and housing.
- Large selection of attractions to visit.
- Cheap transportation.
- Visa-free regime.
- Ideal price-performance ratio.
But among the mass of positive reviews, there are some comments. Tourists believe that the prices at large resorts in Montenegro are noticeably high. Therefore, you have to choose small villages in order to save money. In addition, local merchants, as in any resort, seek to cash in on tourists. However, a similar phenomenon can be found anywhere in the world.
Trip to Montenegro: tourist tips
Experienced tourists who have repeatedly visited Montenegro recommend:
- Never drink tap water, but stock up on bottled mineral water.
- Visit more local attractions.
- To be careful with money and never show a purse, the local police, although they keep order, but nobody canceled petty fraud, especially. When it comes to foreigners.
- Do not be afraid of the language barrier. Montenegro is a country in which almost everyone will understand you.
- Montenegro and Serbia have an internal border where they can check documents and baggage, as well as offer to purchase “insurance” for the car. The last requirement is completely unreasonable, since the "green card" - this is the document that you need.
What to see in Montenegro?
Montenegro is a stunningly beautiful country, visiting which, you should definitely take this opportunity and break away from a beach holiday to view local attractions.
There are a lot of canyons and picturesque places. The Budva Riviera, the most picturesque part of the coast with stunning beaches from Petrovets to Budva, can be called a real gem of the country. It is here that tourists tend to get here. In order to truly see the resort, it is better to rent a car. This will make it possible to travel along the coast on your own. Of course, numerous travel companies offer all kinds of trips, but you can independently visit all the sights, which is much more interesting.
Bucha Castle is one of those places worth seeing. It is located in the center of Tivat. Once the building served as the summer residence of the Lukovic and Bucha families. The ancient castle can be safely called the central historical attraction of the city. It houses a cultural center that organizes all kinds of cultural events throughout the year. At one time, the castle was built in a special style, combining a villa for relaxation and the defenses of a medieval building. Currently, the appearance of the building can be attributed to the classic Middle Ages, but some individual elements were completed or remade in later times.
Old Budva
Absolutely all tourists always strive to get into the old Budva. The city has the best examples of Venetian architecture, ancient churches and temples decorated with rich compositions. The winding cobbled streets of the city beckon to walk along them and sit in one of the local cafes, drinking aromatic coffee. Getting into an amazing city, you plunge into the atmosphere of the Middle Ages, preserved here to this day.
Lovchen
In the south-west of the country is one of the symbols of Montenegro - Mount Lovcen. Here is the park of the same name. The uniqueness of the mountain is that it is located in the border of climatic zones: mountain and sea. Lovcen has two peaks Shtivnik and Jezerski vrh. On the second of them is the mausoleum of the famous thinker Peter Negush.
Back in 1952, the central part of the mountain range and the mountain itself were declared a national park. The unique flora and fauna needs protection. The park has more than 1300 species of plants. There are beech and coniferous forests, clearings with rarest flowers, as well as the rarest representatives of the bird world and animals.
The park has preserved many caves and hollows, which are interesting not only for travelers, but also for professionals who study mountain processes.
St. Mark's Island
The island of Stradioti (or St. Mark) - can be called the most picturesque of all the islands of Tivat. Although it is small in size, it is covered with greenery, and on the coast it pleases with a wonderful beach. Back in 1962, a tourist complex was built here. Its feature was the lack of electricity and running water. Tourists were offered such an uncomfortable vacation, presenting inconvenience as a highlight of the resort. Until 1991, this place was incredibly popular among young people who spent all the time on the beach and engaged in water sports.
Currently, the complex has long been closed and overgrown with grass. Nevertheless, active tourists come here for the sake of a beautiful beach and clear sea.
Prison
Probably every tourist who goes to Montenegro heard about the prison. The ancient monastery may not be the oldest in the country, but it is certainly very famous. The prison is known precisely in the circles of pilgrims; it is visited as often as the Temple of the Holy Sepulcher located in Jerusalem. Here the relics of Vasily Ostrozhsky and an ancient prayer book (1732) rest in the walls.
The monastery has two parts - the lower and upper. Moreover, the second of them, built into the rocks and is located at an altitude of one kilometer above sea level. The temple was built in the seventeenth century, but the caves served as a shelter for the monks from ancient times.
Currently, the monastery is functioning; twelve monks live in it. But at the same time, Ostrog is open to pilgrims.