Holidays in Montenegro with children: the best resorts and entertainment options

A tourist trip abroad with children can be a lot of fun. But if Turkey and Thailand are already boring, and there is not enough money for more expensive options, you should think about a visit to Montenegro. This country is very pleasant for vacationers, the main thing is to know its characteristic features.

The undoubted advantage of a visit to Montenegro is almost absolute security. In comparison even with our country, not to mention Asian states, there is almost no street crime here. It is enough to follow the traffic rules and not cross roads in the wrong places. Even small children can walk there without much risk at any time of the day.

Montenegro is picturesque and graceful. Most of the mountain ranges are concentrated near the sea. You can come to this attractive country without visas. It is quite possible not to use the help of travel agencies, organizing the trip yourself.

The often mentioned cheapness is actually typical for leisure activities in Montenegro. But we must understand that it manifests itself only in relation to other resort regions - Greece, Cyprus, Turkey. Until recently, the cost of recreation here was really very low. However, over the past few years, the situation has changed, and no one offers such affordable prices as before.

What's more enjoyable is the wide variety of food. In Montenegro, it is:

• can be prepared according to the national or European format;
• has large enough portions;
• made from products that are carefully inspected by the environmental and sanitary inspection services.

In this Balkan country, leisure activities are very diverse.Someone sunbathes and swims, someone goes to the mountains, someone goes for walks in parks and gardens. It is not difficult to choose an attractive excursion. Tourists are taken to national parks and old monasteries, to ancient castles. Montenegrin resorts can boast of an abundance of evening and nightlife entertainment.

The cities here are relatively small. Therefore, they allow you to enjoy a calm and relaxed atmosphere. For those who want to get away from the crushing metropolises overflowing with concrete boxes, this is almost an ideal option. Even the largest capital city can be easily bypassed and explored within one day.

Due to the similarity of languages, it is quite easy to understand the various inscriptions, signs, plaques, signs and notices. Moreover, the local staff speaks good Russian. You can easily find the translated menu.

Montenegrins are calm and generally friendly. But it is important to understand that any coin has two sides. Holidays in Montenegro are no exception to this rule. So, a fairly large part of tourists here comes from Russia. And not all of our compatriots, unfortunately, behave in a dignified manner. When the peak season arrives, the beaches are overcrowded. Due to the abundance of boats, cutters, which are constantly near the coast, it is impossible to sail far from it. And this situation does not reflect in the best way on the sanitary condition of water.

In Montenegro, pebble coastal areas prevail. They are not as pleasant as sandy areas. It is often mentioned that local workers cannot cope with cleaning the beaches. Due to a shortage of trash bins, they often overflow. In some places, it is difficult to enter the water from the rocky shore, especially for small children.

The cost of groceries and other goods at beach shops, in coastal kiosks is unjustifiably overpriced. The state of public transport stops in small towns is often unsatisfactory. Problems can be with the sanitary condition of the streets, and with the walls of houses (they are often painted by street "artists"). The class of service in Montenegrin hotels is lower than in recognized tourist centers. Even those who are not too picky in their leisure time pay attention to such shortcomings.

But if no problems frightened travelers, or if they considered the advantages of Montenegro more important, it is necessary to figure out how to prepare for the trip. It is pertinent to analyze first of all the case of self-dispatch. When contacting travel agencies, they will definitely write themselves what and how to do to their clients. When sending with a child from a parent who remains in Russia, you must obtain an exit permit. But a visa is not required, since Montenegro maintains visa-free relations with Russia.

The need to obtain a visa, however, arises when the duration of the trip is 30 days or more. But since Russian tourists go there mainly because of the economy of the tours, and the vacations are not that long, they are unlikely to have to face such a procedure. It is recommended that you purchase the local currency (euro) in advance. Exchange of dollars is economically unprofitable, no one will change rubles in principle, and other monetary units are unlikely. Upon arrival in the country, you must immediately register with the tourist office.

Since medical services in Montenegrin clinics are expensive, it is advisable to take out reliable insurance. Yes, it is quite expensive, especially for those who deliberately go to the mountains or who are going to do some other extreme hobby. But this kind of support is quite reasonable. If you do not have experience in planning and organizing tourist trips on your own, it is better to purchase a comprehensive package.

But we must also remember that package holidays do not always satisfy people. The photographs often show the best apartments or rooms, and it is not a fact that they will be provided upon arrival. There is no longer an opportunity to spend holidays in different resorts. Tours are always sold to only one resort. Tours only occasionally contain offers with cuisines.

Therefore, it is difficult to expect that it will be possible to comfortably rest with young children who require special food. Self-organization of leisure is more difficult, but still it is worth giving preference to it if you intend to get a truly unforgettable experience.

Independence from travel agencies will also save money if a large company travels to the resort. This option is definitely more profitable for a trip with 2 or 3 families at once or one large family. And one more "thing" that is important to stock up on (and, of course, not only when traveling to Montenegro) is elementary politeness and respect for the locals and other tourists.

Choosing between the country's airports (Podgorica and Tivat), you should give preference to the second option. Flights there are cheaper, and transfer to hotels on the coast is also more profitable. It is advised to purchase tickets at least 2 or 3 months in advance. Buying air tickets early will almost always save you money.

But you cannot ignore other parameters of the ticket. The cheapest offers often do not allow you to take your luggage with you without additional payments. As a result, sometimes “affordable” tickets are more expensive than seats on board the leading airlines. It makes sense to use the train only if you have solid funds or if you have a strong fear of flying. Even the most "greedy" air carriers offer better fares than Russian Railways.

After arriving in the country, it is advisable to use a car. It is worth making reservations immediately after purchasing tickets and booking accommodation.

After booking a car, you need to immediately prepare a navigator and electronic maps for it.

Airport transfers are mainly organized by private taxi drivers. The fees for such a service are quite high. Travel by bus is only justified for solo trips or traveling with luggage. A family with children will have to pay about the same amount for travel as for a taxi.

It is worth considering the high cost of medicine in the Balkan country. If you have not bought insurance, you will have to pay from 150 euros for a single doctor's appointment (in the easiest case). More or less serious treatment costs hundreds of euros, and thousands of bills are common with surgical operations. Therefore, buying insurance is fully justified. To pay in various cases, it is imperative to take the local currency (euros) on the road, since money is exchanged there only at extremely unfavorable rates.

If you plan to buy limited food products in excess of the tour and nothing else, you can cost 50 or 100 euros per day. But with comfortable leisure and the use of spa benefits, you will definitely need to pay 2 or 3 times more. This amount will allow you to get a certain amount of entertainment and take advantage of excursion programs. If you are going to dine in small restaurants, systematically go on excursions, you will have to spend from 300 euros per day or more. The most elite vacation options will cost 1000-2000 euros per traveler per day.

For a one-time visit to a budget cafe or restaurant, you will have to pay an average of 10 conventional units. In fast food establishments, the bulk of the dishes cost from 2 euros or a little more. Whether such savings are worth the probable harm to health is up to the travelers themselves. The cost of goods in large retail chains is approximately the same as in Russia. There are only minor differences in both directions for individual items.

Buying a local SIM card with an internet package will cost about 15 euros.It will be possible to buy such a card even in ordinary stalls, but one must remember that all numbers will have to be registered with the presentation of a passport. It is more correct to purchase SIM cards at the offices of mobile operators - they will definitely transfer all the data to the service departments. Setting up the mobile Internet should be entrusted to the operator's personnel, otherwise there is a great risk of instantly losing all the money from bank cards.

For the first visit to Montenegro with children, you can choose:

• Becici;
• Budva;
• Saint Stephen;
• Rafailovichi.

At each of these resort sites, conditions for ordinary leisure are created. When planning to travel to a Balkan country for a long time (2 months or more), it makes sense to settle in Herceg Novi. There are not too many excursions, and the rest at sea is not very good. However, housing in this resort is relatively cheap, prices for all other goods and services are also more affordable. It will be possible to live in a quiet and calm environment without encountering an influx of tourists.

Other resorts are not very suitable for beginners. So, Kotor is considered extremely hot and devoid of quality beaches. A lot of tourists with children who need health improvement go to Petrovac. And the beach is not too big there. Ulcinj is bad because sometimes it is necessary to get from the apartment to the coast for about a kilometer (in hot hours it is unpleasant).

The selection of hotels for the "all inclusive" system in Montenegro is difficult. The thing is that there are not too many objects of this class in the country. As for the direct search for housing, there can be only one opinion - the best way is to use large aggregators.

Many of them create cheats for some reason.

Even very experienced tourists, preparing for a trip to Montenegro with a small child, often fail to recognize the deception. As a result, you have to overpay at least 20%, and this is still a relatively good result. Of all the types of Montenegrin housing, the most profitable is renting rooms for a villa. Such separate rooms usually include a bathroom, air conditioning, a balcony and a TV. But the Internet is either completely absent, or works very poorly.

It is recommended to check in advance if it is possible to use the kitchen and iron there. The owners of each villa set such rules themselves. Without knowing them, you can greatly complicate your vacation with a one-year-old child. Moreover, the most advantageous rooms are often too small. There they put a couple of beds, a miniature cabinet and a wardrobe back to back; even the dining table is often taken out onto the balcony. You need to be interested in the availability of a baby bed in advance.

When preparing for a vacation with children in Montenegro, it should be borne in mind that hotels, pensions and decent apartments are similar in price.

But hotels offer a wider range of services. The only downside is that it is difficult to find a decent Montenegrin hotel. Private housing is much more represented in the tourist real estate market.

The maximum number of entertainment and shopping establishments are available in major cities. This is not only Budva, but also Kotor, Tivat, Bar. It should be borne in mind that in such places there are invariably a lot of tourists, so there is no need to count on solitude.

They are somewhat inferior to the "leaders" in terms of infrastructure:

• Baosici;
• Becici;
• Rafailovichi;
• Kumbor;
• Djenovici.

Of the smallest resort towns, attention is drawn to Stoliv, Bigovo and Morin. They are practically not equipped and are suitable only for families with the smallest children. If you need something other than the beach, these places will not work. As for hotels, choosing the cheapest is not recommended. There is not much difference between them and the apartments.

Hotel Novi is an excellent choice if you need to achieve an optimal ratio of cost and quality of services. The Palma Hotel also occupies a good position. This hotel has its own beach and can delight tourists with superb views. What's nice is that breakfast is included in the original room rate.

In Ulcinj, experts recommend staying in Hotel Mediteran Ulcinj... The old town is nearby. It is not difficult to get even to the beach strip and to the embankment. The views from the hotel are pretty good. Sometimes it is advised to choose and Hotel Aurel.

The kitchens work until late, even when checking in in the evening, tourists are fed. The staff shows their best side. Rooms at Hotel Aurel are kept clean and tidy.

Speaking about entertainment in Montenegro, you should start with sightseeing leisure. Booking excursions in advance does not make much sense. Their cost rarely changes.

Hotels with animation are, as already mentioned, quite rare. But you can do your leisure time on your own, while it will turn out to meet a lot of interesting things at any resort. For physically strong people, a morning (before the onset of heat) walk from Budva would be a great idea. In 3 hours a tourist can explore Becici, Rafailovici, Milocer Park, St. Stephen's Island and a couple of beaches.

To save energy, you should go back by bus. In just 40 minutes you can reach the Mogren Fortress. The elegant coastline is clearly visible from there. From Becici and Rafailovici, many people go for walks to Budva through the tunnel.

Some of them will be glad to visit the local zoo.

Vacationers have much more options when traveling around Montenegro by bus. A visit to Kotor and Perast will cost 3 euros. A full view of the Boko-Kotor Bay opens from the fortress wall. Perast sells tickets for the bell tower of the Church of St. Nicholas.

A ticket to Cetinje costs 2.5 euros. And there the legendary monastery and ancient palaces of local monarchs await travelers. You can end the day's program with a walk in Milocer Park. The longest trip is to Herceg Novi, which costs 5 euros on average. The road will take 60-120 minutes; the exact travel time depends on the traffic situation and whether you take a detour or a ferry.

In Herceg Novi, it is worth seeing:

• the ruins of the fortress walls;
• street stairs;
• exotic plants.

Reasonable criticism should be used when reading reviews. Those assessments that were given more than 5 years ago hardly reflect the current state of affairs in Montenegro. It should be borne in mind that there are often erroneous or paid reviews. And even human psychology can be distorted.

In some places in the summer it can bring garbage to the shore. Except for one week, the water on the beaches will be clear. But they react to pollution much more, and therefore a false impression can be created. What does not change in Montenegro is the abundance of Christian religious buildings viewed on excursions. Experienced travelers are advised to stock up on appropriate clothing for such visits. When preparing for trips to the Tara and Moraci canyons, it is useful to have warm jackets with you.

In the comments, it is noted that with budgetary leisure in Montenegro, it is more profitable to carry beach accessories with you than to pay for their rental on the spot. Some of the food is also advised to take at home. The most rational approach is this: saving on the ticket and taking cash with you to the maximum.

As with traveling to any other country, you need to carefully study the rules of specific airlines. Otherwise, you can unknowingly take on board unsuitable things or too much cargo.Experienced Montenegrin visitors recommend walk more... This is important not only for exploring the surroundings, but also for saving.

A similar situation arises with the cost of sun loungers on different beaches.

All information provided in hotels and villas should be checked and specified. Quite a few people have experienced deliberate deception or delusion. It is not recommended to purchase excursions on the beaches and embankments, and anywhere in the city too. But the suggestions of the group organizers can be trusted. Reviews often write that each city in Montenegro has a lot of interesting things, and before you go or go somewhere else, it is worth exploring it completely.

The sea on different parts of the coast is very different. Sometimes people who walked a few hundred meters to the side discovered a different water temperature and a clean and even bottom.

The roads, despite their decent quality, are difficult for motorists. Only trained drivers will be able to drive through the mountainous terrain without any problems. Therefore, it is advised to refuse car rental to everyone who does not have at least 2 years of driving experience. For those who have one, this way of traveling around the country is considered the best choice. You can get to any point in Montenegro quickly and at no extra cost.

If there is a desire to purchase something in this country, then experienced travelers recommend going to Bar or to Podgorica. Items imported from Italy are often sold in these cities. It is worth coming to Albania for a short time to buy jewelry. Serbian industrial goods are also highly valued. As for food products, prices in Montenegrin markets are noticeably higher than in stores.

Curious that visiting excursions often saves money on food. Almost always, the excursion program includes lunches, and occasionally breakfasts. Some offers, however, involve additional charges. There is still a benefit: prices in mountain villages are lower, and portions are larger than in resorts.

Those who have visited the Durmitor park note that it is quite cold there even in the middle of summer. It makes sense to take warm jackets. It is not worth going back from the lake in this park right away; it is more useful to walk along the tourist paths.

Judging by the reviews, short excursions can be as good as long ones. In general, Montenegro is rated well by visitors.

In addition to general ratings and reviews, it is helpful to choose proper departure times. You can have a rest in Montenegro since May. At this time, the number of tourists is relatively small. The sea is not yet warming up enough, only well-seasoned people can swim in the first ten days of May. The water becomes warmer starting from about May 10-12 (but here it is worth considering the forecasts).

In summer, the number of holidaymakers grows. At the same time, the payment for accommodation in hotels and apartments rises. The water temperature is comfortable. In July and August, there is a maximum influx of tourists, the water in the sea warms up to 26, sometimes up to 28 degrees. Taking advantage of this, the tourism industry raises prices to the maximum.

In September, the cost of living in Montenegro is reduced by 30-35% compared to August rates. The number of travelers is declining. The sea cools down to 23-25 ​​degrees, which is still very comfortable. Any store starts sales at this time. Based on this, summer is suitable for beach activities, and for savings - late spring or early autumn.

The velvet season in Montenegro delights visitors with warm sea, soft sun and comparative empty beaches.

Local tanning can be expected to last up to 10-12 months. In the first half of autumn, fruits, berries and vegetables ripen in the Balkans. As for winter, then it is worth going to Montenegro only to ski resorts.

For sights, prices and excursions in Montenegro, see below.