Have you ever heard of Montenegro, a Balkan country in Southeastern Europe? Maybe you’ve heard of it but are wondering why to visit Montenegro. We’re here to share 15 photos of Montenegro that will inspire you to visit. Pictures are worth a thousand words, so here’s the equivalent of 15,000 words to make you want to plan a vacation to Montenegro.

Montenegro is arguably one of the most beautiful countries in Europe. It has everything you could want in a perfect destination- medieval villages, pristine beaches, exquisitely blue waters along its Adriatic coast, rugged mountains, glacial lakes, one of Europe’s deepest river canyons, and affordable prices. Yet surprisingly, it doesn’t seem to get much attention. Especially not when compared to its neighbor Croatia, which has become a very popular tourist destination thanks in part to being a filming location of the popular HBO series Game of Thrones. We cannot understand why Montenegro doesn’t get all the hype it deserves. We think it is a fantastic destination and hope to inspire to you visit Montenegro. Pull out your bucket list because you once you see our gorgeous photos of Montenegro, we think you’ll want to add it!

15 Photos of Montenegro That Will Make You Want to Visit

Montenegro Beaches- this Sveti Stefan beach is fit for a queen!

Of all the beautiful beaches along the Adriatic, we think this Sveti Stefan beach is one of the most beautiful beaches Montenegro boasts. This beautiful stretch of pink sand and turquoise water was Montenegrin Queen Marija’s favorite and has been named Queen’s Beach in her honor. Villa Milocer, which sets back from the beach, was the summer residence of the royal family but is now owned by Aman Resorts. Celebrities and other royalty like Sophia Loren and Princess Margaret also enjoyed vacationing on luxurious Sveti Stefan back in the 60’s and 70’s. Imagine yourself a queen as you sit and gaze out at the sparkling waters of the Adriatic Sea from this stunning Sveti Stefan beach. However, be prepared to shell out some cash to feel like royalty here. Queen’s Beach is reserved for guests of Aman Sveti Stefan resort, but the public can use it for 80 Euros per person for a lounger. However, the public can access the Sveti Stefan beach south of the islet for free, which is also beautiful although much more crowded.

Aman Sveti Stefan- the best luxury hotel in Montenegro!

If you’re seeking blissful relaxation, secluded luxury, and historic charm, then we’ve found the perfect resort for you. Aman Sveti Stefan is the most exclusive and best luxury hotel in Montenegro. We splurged on a deluxe cottage suite there and fell in love with the unique property, which occupies the entire islet of Sveti Stefan. In fact, you cannot enter Sveti Stefan unless you are a registered guest of the resort. However, you can visit for much less than the cost of a room (starting at about 800 Euros per night) by dining in one of restaurants. You will need a dinner reservation and will be escorted along cobblestone footpaths to the piazza, where some of the restaurants are located on this medieval village with stone cottages and red-tiled roofs. It’s as romantic as you can get! Here’s the view of the Sveti Stefan beach from behind the thick stone walls of the fortified 15th century village and the islet from the mainland.

Lovcen National Park- Home to Montenegro’s Black Mountain

Lovcen is a mountain in southwestern Montenegro that inspired the name of the country. Crna Gora, which means Black Mountain, appeared black with its cover of dense forest. Today it is protected by Lovcen National Park, which overlooks the bays of Boka Kotorska, also called the Bay of Kotor. The winding drive up the mountain from Kotor is not for the faint of heart, but is well worth it for the breathtaking views along the way and at the top. There are 25 hairpin turns so take it slow. Then there’s 461 steps to Jezerski Vrh, which is 1660 meters above sea level. It is a great spot for a panoramic view of the spectacular scenery of Montenegro. It is also home to Petar Petrovic Njegos’s Mausoleum, who was a Prince-Bishop of Montenegro, poet and philosopher whose works are highly regarded. You can also pay $5 to dress up in traditional Montenegrin costumes and get your picture taken, which was a lot of fun! We happened to be celebrating our 10 year wedding anniversary and have the most original anniversary photos ever taken from Lovcen National Park!

Kotor Montengro- a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Kotor is Montenegro’s most picturesque village and a must-visit on any Balkan itinerary. The old town, its fortifications, and the Bay of Kotor are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Part of the city wall dates as far back as the 9th century, which is pretty impressive! Old Kotor is a medieval village with narrow cobblestone streets and ancient cathedrals. You will love getting lost wandering its streets, stopping for souvenirs or a glass of wine at an open-air restaurant while street musicians play live music. Make sure to take the path up St. John’s Hill for the money shot below of the Bay of Kotor and Old Town with its red-tiled roofs and church towers. This epic view is so beautiful that it almost looks surreal, like a painting. Trust us, it’s real and we hope you get there to see it too! Be prepared to sweat though, because Kotor Montenegro weather was scorching in the summer when we visited.

Perast Montenegro

Perast is a small town just 30 minutes away from Kotor that is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The most popular thing to do here is to take a boat ride to the small man-made island of Our Lady of the Rock where an old church sits. The island was created by sinking old ships and depositing stones to reinforce the base. We didn’t get there in time for a boat ride, but think it’s a charming little town where you can enjoy dinner or drinks at one of the restaurants with views of the bay.

Porto Montenegro Yacht Club and Marina

Porto Montengro Yacht Club is a glamorous spot to be seen in Montenegro. We wandered in through the side door innocently when we were exploring the marina. After a few minutes we were asked to leave when we pulled out our professional camera. Apparently they don’t want any paparazzi snapping photos of celebs or the rich and famous who hang out here. We learned that there was a sultan and some dignitaries visiting that day, hence the need for discretion. I think we could have stayed under the radar if we hadn’t pulled out our camera. But with a setting this luxurious, we couldn’t help but capture a photo of it! Meander along the Montenegro marina and dream of having your own private yacht one day!

Skadar Lake Montenegro

Skadar Lake is the largest lake in Southern Europe and the largest national park in Montenegro. It also goes by the names of Shkodra, Shkoder, and Scutari. This pristine wilderness borders Montenegro and Albania and is renowned as one of Europe’s top bird reserves. Floating meadows of water lilies and hundreds of types of algae give it a green appearance in places. We stopped at a lakeside restaurant for a delicious lunch of fresh fish and enjoyed the peaceful views and calming sounds of nature. You can take boat rides on Skadar Lake and spot wildlife such as otters, herons, and rare Dalmatian pelicans.

Sample Montenegrin Food and Wine

When driving the scenic mountain roads, make sure to stop for some local products to take home as souvenirs of Montenegro. You can taste samples of Montenegrin food like honey, fruit preserves, cheese, meats and more. There are also tons of stands with local fruit wines, which were very sweet and would make a great dessert wine. You can also find a selection of beautiful hand-made sweaters and vests. We thought this stand on the side of the road, nestled in the mountains of Montenegro, was picture-perfect. We prefer buying products from local families rather than large souvenir shops.

Here’s a funny little side story about this stand, which was on the way down the mountain road from Lovcen National Park. We had taken photos at Lovcen in the Montenegrin costumes and when we stopped at this stand, the man working there said he knew us. He showed us a photo on his phone of us in the costumes, taken a few minutes earlier that his brother sent him. It turns out his brother rents out the costumes and sent our photo to his brother because he had fun chatting with us (and maybe because Bertaut looks like an NBA star).  We got a good laugh out of that! LOL

Have our photos of Montenegro inspired you to visit?

Montenegro is one of the countries that surprised us the most because we had heard almost nothing about it, yet it blew us away! Between its sparking turquoise waters on the Adriatic Montenegrin Coast, impressive lakes and mountains, medieval villages and spectacular vistas, we fell in love with this lesser known Balkan country in Europe. We hope we’ve inspired you to visit Montenegro and discover its wild beauty on your own! When in Eastern Europe, we also highly recommend visiting Budapest. Read our posts about the best things to do in Budapest, its top thermal baths, and where to stay with our Hilton Budapest review.

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