2025-09-25

Celebrating my 30th Birthday in Montenegro... Travel Itinerary and Tips.

I love to travel and visit new places. I think it stems from growing up in a Persian household in Germany and Britain, being immersed in different cultures early on (maybe a story for another time). So for my 30th birthday, I knew I wanted to go abroad. My girlfriend wanted to surprise me, so I left it to her to plan. I am not a fan of surprises so I wasn't sure what to expect.

In early June, I turned 30 and celebrated over some drinks at home with friends and family. Nothing big, so I thought I'd invite some friends to a comedy show the day before my girlfriend and I were to fly to a surprise destination. But they all declined as they told me they had other plans. That evening I found out we were flying to Montenegro! I had been to the Balkans before and had been wanting to visit this country for some time, somewhere I'd never been. I was ecstatic! My girlfriend did a great job, should never have doubted her.

Montenegro is a small country in Southeast Europe on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. I had seen photos of the stunning nature and coastline, which I was looking forward to explore. The country has a blend of Roman and Ottoman influences, reflected in the old town architectures. As a former state of Yugoslavia, it has a complex and diverse history, speaking Montenegrin which is a Serbocroat dialect. Even though English is quite widely spoken in the tourist areas which is convenient, a small 'Zdravo' (Hello) and 'Hvala' (Thank you) can go a long way in connecting with the locals. We flew into Tivat airport, arriving in the early afternoon. We quickly cleared customs as it is a small airport and wasn't too busy. I had purchased an e-sim prior to flying, so my phone worked when we got out. Instantly the taxi cabs are on you, shouting for you to get in their cabs. At first I ignored them, thinking I could hail a cab through an app like uber but there is no such thing in Montenegro. So I asked a guy to take us to our hotel which was a 10 minute drive away. Now, Montenegro, although not part of the EU, use the Euro as their currency. This generally makes it more expensive than the surrounding countries, but still cheaper than Western Europe. The cab quoted me 25 euros, which I quickly negotiated down to 20 even though the other cabbies were trying to back the guy and make me pay more. I can tell you now, 20 euro is still way too expensive. Anyhow, the driver only accepted cash, so I went to withdraw some money in the airport before we set off.

Tip #1: Get an e-sim before you fly to save time and for peace of mind, as a UK sim won't work in the country. Tip #2: Get a digital bank card, which has no/low foreign exchange fees. I use Revolut and Monzo. Tip #3: Airport taxi's will try to scam you at if you are foreign, so don't accept their first offer and negotiate something fair.

I love the initial taxi drive from the airport when I get to a new country, because you start to get a glimpse of where you are. After getting out of the busy airport roads we drove up into the hills, on some windy roads and began to see the stunning scenery Montenegro has to offer. Large mountains rose up through tall, green trees, with square concrete houses dotted along the narrow roads. As we got higher up, a break in the trees revealed the stunning bay of Kotor and its intense shimmering blue waters. My excitement just kept building and I was eager to explore. We got to the hotel, paid the driver and dropped our bags off. Our room wasn't ready for a few more hours, so we decided to drop our bags at reception and get a cab down to the centre of Tivat. The taxi driver was very friendly and chatty, telling us about his life in Montenegro using google translate. a lot of confusing laughs later, we got the port in Tivat. It was high 20 degrees that time of year, which was lovely with the sea breeze. We walked along the coast a bit and then found a restaurant to eat. I asked the waiter if we could sit outside but he refused, telling us it is too windy and we were better of inside. I am glad we listened because about 10 minutes later, at the restaurant next door a sudden gust of wind took an umbrella out and tipped a table. The menu was predominantly seafood based italian food, with some traditional dishes mixed in. I ordered a seafood stew and a linguini pasta dish, my girlfriend a risotto. The food was delicious and great quality. We paid about 70 euros, but we also drank two glasses of wine each so not too bad. After lunch, the plan was to find somewhere to rent a motor bike. I googled some places and found somewhere a short walk away. This allowed us to walk through the port area, along the desinger shops, boats and new apartment blocks. It was interesting to see a clear influx of money, but I wasn't here for that. We reached a more local area, the apartment buildings becoming more degraded and soviet looking, and reached the rental destination that google maps had shown... But it was shut... I mean I'm not even sure it was a rental shop. It was a driveway below an apartment building with a single motorbike parked up. I know to expect some funky entrances or decieving looking shops in ex-soviet countries but this must have been an old business. So I found somewhere else and we continued to walk. Eventually, we got to a car park, next to a supermarket, with a load of rental bikes parked within. There was a sign with a number on it, so I called. A guy said they would come over in several minutes so we waited by the road. A few minutes later, a guy arrived on a bike. He asked me what size bike I would like after requesting to see my licence. I am not a bike rider, but I have some experience renting mopeds in Asia. I asked for a 125cc bike, but he he said I'll give you a 150cc. Which I don't think I am legally allowed to ride but when in Montenegro. The bike cost quite abit, I managed to negotiate it down to €250 with €100 deposit required. I didn't have that much on me so we drove in tandem to a cash point, paid the guy and drove back to the hotel.

As we checked in, my girlfriend had organised for the room to be filled with balloons and a cake to be present. Very sweet gesture. This made entering the room even more exciting! The room was modern and clean with a nice washroom shower and large balcony that had a pool view. We were spending three nights around Tivat/Kotor before heading to another town in the south, Budva.

After relaxing a little in the room and cleaning ourselves up, we decided to take the bike to an old fort that was a short drive away. The roads in Montenegro around the main towns are excellent as the wind up, down and around the mountains. We reached a smaller road that climbed up with insnae views of the bay. I missed the destination, as the entrance to the fort wasn't obvious which led us to the top of the hill where we were greeted by some piggies and goats. Turns out there was an organic farm there and some people camping nearby. After a short fascination with the animals, we drove down abit and found the entrance to the fort. Fort Vrmac is an old Austro-Hungarian military base built in 1897, that they used to control the Bay of Kotor and subdue local uprisings. The concrete structure is now completely abandoned after the collapse of the empire post WWI, so I had to make use of my phone torch but it was cool walking round and seeing the layout and rooms. We didn't spend long in there, because a dark and creepy abandoned building is only so interesting and we were starting to get lost in there.

Tip #4: Remeber your path when entering an abandoned building you have not visited before.

Back at the hotel, we slowly got ready for the evening and drove to a restaurant in Prčanj, which is a small fishing village to the left of the old town of Kotor along the bay. Capasanta was a straightforward balkan seafood restaurant with large wooden tables along the bay. It was cute and romantic as you see the lights of houses and cars on the opposite side of the bay. We had large plates of fried fish and chips with veg, plus the obligatory holiday wine. I was stuffed and it cost around €50! After a pretty full on first day, we headed back and got some much needed shut eye.

The second day we got up and went to get some breakfast, which was included with our room. The food was mediocre but the stray cats stealing unsuspecting tourists food was great entertainment. Today was going to be a beach day so we prepped our stuff and drove around the bay to Verige in Lepetani. The beach itself was a small rocky shore but there was hardly anyone there and has an incredible view of the bay. The bay of Kotor is one of the most beautiful places I have been, I will forever long for the clear bluey green water shimmering in the sun and the peaceful sounds of boats and birds along the bay. We then decided to explore another beach and grab some snacks along the way. We drove south to Herceg Novi. This area had huge new modern roads but the area around the beach was still under development. There were clear signs of construction and I am sure in several years time that area will become another tourist resort. We got to Velja Spila beach. It is till this day one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever visited. It was a little busier, but still reasonably calm. Except for the drilling from the construction going on in the background where they had clearly started to build the foundations for a beach club/ restaurant of some sort. It is sad how we can't just leave nice things as they are in this world and our capitalist culture has to monetise every aspect of life. I wish that beach stays untouched but I fear it will be polluted and over populated in around 5 years.

Tip #5: Get a motor bike while staying around the Bay of Kotor, perfect for exploring. Tip #6: Bureks are great lunch snacks during the day. My favourite is filled with spinach and cheese. Tip #7: In Montenegro, anywhere and everywhere is a sun tanning spot. Doesn't matter where you go along the bay, everywhere is excellent.

After several hours of catching some sun, we headed back to the hotel and got ready for our evening plans. We went to visit the old town of Kotor, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the best preserved medieval towns in the Adriatic. The town had been touched by many conquesting peoples such as Romans, Byzantines, Ottomans and Venetians. Because of this, as you drive up to the town, a huge cruise liner was parked outside the walls having dropped off a gang of tourists for the day. Even though it was busy, it gave the town energy as you were transported back into a time capsule. We decided to walk through the town uphill and were gifted a view over the entire town. And we timed it perfectly, as the old orthodox church bells rang across the town as the sun set over the mountains in the background. We continued to explore a little bit until we settled on a cute pasta bar down a narrow street. There was a bit of a wait for a table but it was very worth it and the waiter made us feel very welcome. All in all, a very romantic evening.

Day three we planned to drive up to a mausoleum located in Lovćen national park. This required driving up the serpentine, a narrow, winding road up the mountain. I highly recommend doing this if you visit Montenegro, because the views were breathtaking and driving up and down those roads was incredible. I had estimated that I should have enough petrol in the bike to get us to the top and down. But we missed a turning and drove the wrong direction for a good 15-20 minutes. By the time we got onto the correct road, the motorbike fuel light was flashing. We had around 8 miles to climb but we also had to get down the mountain as the nearest petrol station was over 20 km away in Kotor. So my estimate was wrong and I decided not to risk running out of petrol in the middle of a Montenegrin national park. The drive down was a little nervy as I drove very slow and mostly let the bike roll down. Luckily, we made it to a petrol station and filled up, before I had a panic attack.

Tip #8: Always fill the tank up before a long drive.

In Kotor, we parked up and decided to walk along the bay and found a restaurant to sit and chill at. We ordered way to much food and I sat watching the shimmering waters of the bay with a crisp, cold beer. My idea of relaxation! We had packed swim wear just in case, so decided to visit Dobrota beach. We perched up on a pier, absorbing the sunshine and jumping into the fresh waters to cool down. Honestly, the bay is mesmerizing.

Fast forward to that evening, we scooted down to the town of Perast, which is a small town just down the bay from Kotor. We found somehwere to park and I went to put the motor bike on the kick stand... As I pulled the bike up, the stand landed on my big toe and the entire weight of the bike came down on it. It bloody hurt, to put it mildly. I was instantly grunting and had to take a minute, which is rare for me as I am pretty good with pain. I didn't think much of it and continued to walk (slowly) down the street towards the restaurant. As we sat and ate, I was in definite discomfort and my toe was throbbing. But this was a nice restaurant and I wanted to enjoy our final evening around the bay, so thought the best method was to load up on some wine. As the night went on, the pain continued to get worse and my adrenaline must have worn off. We decided to head back so I could rest my foot. That night was one of the most uncomfortable nights I have had in my life. My toe felt like it was going to fall off (the nail later did). My poor girlfriend tried to find some painkillers in the middle of the night and managed to find a friendly woman to give us some. Thank you to whoever you are because I don't think I could have got any sleep without them.

The next day, I hobbled down for breakfast and then we checked out of the hotel. My toe was still painful but much better than the night before. The drive to Budva is around an hour. My girlfriend got a taxi to transport our luggage and I followed on the motorbike. It is basically one long road to Budva from Tivat and that road happened to be under construction for loarge parts of it, so the traffic wasn't great. But once we passed that, the roads coming down the mountain presented me with some stunning views of Budva and its coastline. For this part of the trip we had an Airbnb booked, which was located on a steep hill overlooking the old town and the sea. When we arrived the building looked massive for two people... and there was a pool out front... I was a little confused, must just be apartments... I walked in... to the left was a bedroom with a bag in it? You must just have to walk through someones apartment to get to our apartment, I thought, I mean I have seen stranger things travelling. I walked on to the living room... my friends face... wait, all my friends... what is going on?! "Surprise!!!" I was shocked, they got me good. I did not expect them to come for my birthday, I was so happy. Turns out my girlfriend had been planning this for months, organising for the real surprise. And that is why none of my friends were available to celebrate at the start of the week before we left because they were due to fly to Montenegro to meet us! I was grateful and excited. The mood of the holiday completely changed, from a romantic getaway to a party. And I was ready for it! First thing first, we went to a supermarket and loaded the apartment up with food and alcohol for the next few days. We decided to chill by the pool and have some drinks and food before heading out to the old town of Budva for more drinks. We settled on a bar outside the large city walls and had a great time.

Tip #9: When arriving to an Airbnb, always go to the supermarket first to stock up on essentials.

The next day we decide to get a boat to Sveti Nikola island, which is a small island just off the coast of Budva. After a quick ride, we found some beds by the shore and spent the day tanning, swimming and getting a little drunk. The island only accepts cash, luckily some of us had some on us. The beach is stoney but the water is so blue and refreshing. If you are a fan of cliff jumping, this is the place for you, plenty of spots of different heights to choose from. If it wasn't for my damn toe, I'd have been all over it, but I didn't fancy risking smacking it on something. After several hours, we decided to grab some food at the island restaurant which served traditional balkan food and typical fast food like burgers and pizza. We got a mixed grill platter, some fries, some pizzza and a few beers. Great food after a long day in the sun. We got the boat back and headed back to our Villa to chill for the evening as the next day we had rented a boat for the day.

Tip #10: Whenever you are visiting an island in a foreign country, chances are they only accept cash and there are no ATMs. Remeber to bring cash with you.

Boat day! We had rented a small fishing boat for the day to explore the coastline around Budva and visit some beaches. The boat wasn't too quick, but perfect for cruising around and you could tan on the front deck. However, there were no bluetooth speakers, so we had to listen to Montenegrin pop radio for the entire day. Not ideal. Either way, this was by far the best day we had. Some of the beaches we visited were incredible and the areas we stopped to jump in were extremely beautiful.

Tip #11: Rent a boat for the day! It is so worth it. Tip #12: When renting a boat, bring a speaker. Tip #13: Budva is a party town, in the summer especially.

We returned to Budva and decided to go for dinner for our last evening with everyone, as some of my friends were leaving the next day. We went to a seafood restaurant along Przno beach. I ordered freshly caught sea bream, unbelievable. It was quite an expensive meal but the quality of food and service were top notch.

The next day, we checked out of the Villa and the remaining few of us headed to a smaller apartment, which would be our home for a single night before returning to the UK. The apartment was more inland, basic but did the job. We got some lunch and then headed to chill on a beach nearby. I forgot to mention, I still had the motorbike. Whilst in Budva I had used it very little and honestly it was unecessary for this part of the trip. But, I had to return it that day, in Tivat. So during the day, I drove all the way back to Tivat from Budva, gave the bike back, got my deposit and then booked a cab back to Budva. The cab cost me €50, which was basically me losing money due to inexpereince.

Tip #14: You only need a motorbike in around Kotor. And only rent for the days you need it.

We left the beach, got ready in the apartment and went for dinner in Bečići, which is a small town just next to Budva. We found a nice restaurant along the beach and had a lovely meal. I think it came to about €120 for four people, very reasonable for some quality food. Drunk and merry, I hobbled, arm in arm with my best friend, to get a taxi home.

Tip #15: The small coastal towns nearby are a nice alternative to Budva if you want to avoid the party scene. Tip #16: Make sure you try the fresh fish.

And that was that. 8am that morning, we got a taxi to the airport and flew back to the UK. This was such a memorable holiday and I am so grateful for everyone who made it special. Montenegro is one of the most beautiful countries I have ever visited. The people are friendly, the food is amazing and the weather is perfect. I would recommend visiting but selfishly I'd rather it stays slightly unknown because I don't want its charm to be ruined. I can't wait to visit again one day.