The Perfect 7 Day Montenegro Itinerary for First Timers
Montenegro remains one of Europe’s best-kept secrets, offering a stunning mix of medieval towns, pristine beaches, and beautiful mountain scenery. It’s the ideal destination for a summer getaway. This 7 day Montenegro itinerary will guide you through some of the country’s most breathtaking coastal towns and stunning beaches.
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Table of Contents
Day 1-3 in Budva
Day 1- Arrival in Budva
There are two airports you can fly into to get to Budva. You can fly into Tivat (TIV) airport which is the closest airport to Budva but may have less options for flights. This is around 30 minutes away and you can get a taxi or the bus which costs around £5.The main international airport in Montenegro is Podgorica Airport (TGD) which is located around 1 hour 10 minutes from Budva. You can get a bus from Podgorica Central Bus Station which costs around £8 and takes an hour and a half. You can book these tickets on Omio. Alternatively, a taxi will cost around £50 but I would recommend booking in advance for the best rate.
On your first day in Budva, I would suggest starting off in the old town (Stari Grad) which is a beautiful walled old town, with lots of pretty narrow cobbled-stone streets. I would recommend getting a hotel or airbnb as close to the old town as possible as this is the nicest area in Budva and where I would recommend going in the evenings for dinner and drinks.
Start off the day with coffee and breakfast at Caffe Fiorino, and then wander around the streets of the old town. Head to Citadel Fortress for panoramic sea views. Then for the rest of the afternoon, head to one of Budva’s beaches. My recommendation would be to head to Mogren beach which is just a short walk from the Old Town. It is a sandy beach, with beautiful calm water so perfect for families too, and you can hire sunbeds and umbrellas here. This beach seems much calmer than some of the other areas in Budva. You can then enjoy lunch on the beach at Mogren Beach Restaurant.
Other options for beaches:
Slovenska beach is the largest beach in the centre with lots of bars and restaurants there. It’s usually a lot busier and louder than some of the other beaches with music playing at bars, but still a great beach. If you have a car, some other great beaches are: Jaz Beach, Kamenovo Beach, Bečići Beach or Queen’s Beach. For a more luxury beach club, I would recommend Sumosan at the Dukley Hotel which costs around 90 euros for two sunloungers.
The evenings in Budva have such a lovely atmosphere, I would recommend having a stroll along the promenade as the sun sets. There are lots of lovely bars and restaurants leading up to the Old Town along here. For dinner, head to Citadela Restaurant for dinner with a breathtaking view over the sea and then finish the night at some bars in the Old Town. I have all of my recommendations in my map, but if you wander around theres usually a few with live music and a great atmosphere.
Day 2- Day trip to Sveti Stefan
Start off your day with coffee and a pastry from More Coffee. Then, you are going to visit Sveti Stefan which is the iconic islet that is well known for its A-list celebrities who visited the hotel such as Princess Margaret.
There are a few ways you can get to Sveti Stefan. If you have hired a car, the drive only takes around 15 minutes and there is parking not far from the island. You can get the bus which costs around €2 each way and you can buy tickets on the bus with cash. In the high season they run every 10 minutes. You can also walk, it is a 8km coastal path.
You can spend the day at the beach here where you can hire sunbeds, or head to Sveti Stefan Viewpoint for the best photo of the island. For lunch, head to Olive Restaurant for lunch with an incredible view. On the way back to Budva, stop off at Pržno which is a charming fishing village with another beach.
For dinner, head to Jadran Seafood restaurant which has a perfect location on the seafront. Then head into the old town for drinks.
Day 3- Hawaii Island
On day 3, have a slow morning and head to Akacia Coffee Budva for breakfast. Then, you are going to be visiting my favourite beach in Montenegro, Sveti Nikola Island. It is known as ‘Hawaii’ island because of its turquoise water. You can get a water taxi every 30 minutes from Slovenska Plaža and it costs €6 round-trip per person. There are sunbeds you can hire, a beach bar for lunch and you can also go swimming in some of the hidden coves nearby. I would recommend getting there early to get a sunlounger and make sure to bring cash.
Alternatively, another great way to visit this island is with a kayak tour which usually takes around 3-4 hours.
For your final dinner, I’d recommend heading to the iconic Restaurant Vista Vidikovac for dinner with an incredible hilltop view over the bay.
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Other things to do in Budva
Another great day trip from Budva is to the Tara river, if you are brave enough the whitewater rafting is meant to be incredible here. If not, another great option is to do a day trip that includes Durmitor Mountain, Tara river and canyon and a hike around Black lake.
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Day 4-7- Kotor Bay
Day 4- Kotor Old Town
For the remaining days of your holiday, I would recommend staying at Kotor Bay which is one of the most stunning destinations in Montenegro — a UNESCO-listed fjord with medieval towns, dramatic mountains, and crystal-clear waters. It is about 40 minute drive from Budva. If you haven’t hired a car, you can easily get the bus from Budva’s main bus station (Autobuska Stanica Budva). It takes around an hour and costs around €5. If you would rather take a taxi, this can cost between €30-40.
I would recommend basing yourself in Kotor Old town or as near to the Old Town as you can.
Start off your day with a coffee and pastry at Piccolo Cafe in the Old Town. Then spend the morning exploring the cobbled streets of the old town. Whilst walking around, you will be able to spot the cats of Kotor. They are everywhere, but near the Church of St Mary you will see lots gathered in the little square. I would also recommend walking along the surrounding city walls for beautiful views. For lunch, I would suggest trying a Burek which is a Balkan pastry with fillings such as meat, spinach and cheese or just cheese.
Then in the afternoon, take the scenic coastal path to Dobrota and head to Virtu Beach at Huma hotel to have a drink or relax at the beach here.
In the evening, get the Kotor cable car in time for sunset. The cable car costs €23 for a return journey, and when you reach the top, there is a beautiful bar with the most incredible views over the bay. The cocktails here cost between €14-20. I would aim to be at the bar about an hour before the sun sets to make sure you have a seat and drink in time. Then once you are back in the old town, head for dinner at La Catedral Pasta Bar for amazing pasta in a restaurant tucked away in a little street in the old town.
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Day 5- Hike to viewpoint and Perast
Start off early to hike to the San Giovanni Fortress before it gets too hot. This is a fortress located above Kotor Old Town and the hike up has the most incredible views over the town, and Bay of Kotor. It takes around an hour to hike up and it is quite steep so make sure to wear sensible footwear and bring water with you. You enter through the North Gate of Kotor Old Town and then the main trail entrance is near the Church of St. Mary Collegiate. It costs 8 euros after 8 am. An alternative trail is the ladder of Kotor trail which starts outside the Old Town, and winds up to a panoramic point behind the fortress.
For a more relaxing afternoon, head to Pirates Beach Bar in Perast which is another town on the bay about 20 minutes from Kotor. You can get the bus here, it runs every 30 minutes and costs €2. You could also get a taxi which should cost around €15. The beach bar is on a beautiful stoney beach, with crystal clear water. You can rent a sunbed here for around €20, or just have drinks at the bar.
For dinner this evening, I would recommend going to Moments Restaurant which is a stunning waterfront restaurant with amazing food. They also have such a lovely atmosphere here, with live music and incredible cocktails.
Day 6- Kotor Bay Boat Trip
Start off your day with a slow coffee and breakfast at Cave Coffee. Then, on day 6 I would recommend booking a boat tour, this will take you around the bay to Perast, you will be able to stop at Our Lady of the Rocks Island, and then visit the Blue cave. This is a great way to see the beauty of Kotor Bay.
The boat trips usually take around 3 hours and this will then drop you off back in Kotor. In the afternoon, head to Kraken – underwater wine cellar for a unique experience. You get transported to the bar by a boat, where you can drink wine that has been aged under the sea. You can also jump in the sea here. Afterwards head to Bajova Kula beach for a relaxed afternoon.
In the evening, head for dinner in Kotor. I would recommend Restobar Taraca which is located just outside the walls of the old town and serves incredible food with beautiful views of the river and mountains.
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Other things to do in Kotor
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Day 7- Tivat
Depending on your departure time, on your final day I would recommend visiting Tivat before your flight home. This is a stylish coastal town with a stunning luxury marina with lots of beautiful shops, restaurants, bars, cafes as well as beaches and mountain views. It is about a 20 minute drive from Kotor and you can get the bus here as well.
Start off the day with a coffee and breakfast at the marina at Kafeterija Porto. Then have a wander along the marina and look at some of the shops here. If you have enough time, head to Buddha-Bar Beach Club for a relaxed afternoon or lunch with an incredible view.
About Amelia
Hi! I’m Amelia, a travel content creator and blogger who loves exploring new destinations, experiencing new cultures, and ticking off as much of my bucket list as possible!
I love to find the best things to do, best places to eat, drink and explore so I have created this blog to share my experiences and recommendations so that I can hopefully help you plan your perfect next trip away.
