My last destination in the Balkan was Montenegro. Montenegro means “Black Mountain”. it’s a tiny country with just 13,000 KM landmass and a population only about 0.7 million. Montenegro is relatively a new country which got independent in 2006. during my two days stay in Montenegro, I explored the capital Podgorica. but I’ll tell you what you should be exploring while in Montenegro.
Visa to Montenegro
Many countries’ citizens don’t require a visa to Montenegro including United States, Canada, Australia all of the European countries and most of the advanced countries in Asia such as Japan, Singapore, South Korea and Malaysia. However, for other countries, a visa is required including Pakistan, India and Bangladesh etc.
But luckily, when a person holds a valid US visa or Schengen visa on his/her passport and he is from Pakistan then he/she also doesn’t require a visa to Montenegro in Advance. and that’s how I visited Montenegro with a valid US visa on my passport. and after visiting this country, it was really worth exploring.
What’s Special in Montenegro?
I think, pretty much everything is special in Montenegro. this is a small country, and within one week, you can explore the entire country. people of Montenegro are very friendly and calm. and needless to say, it’s naturally very beautiful, that’s why I call it the hidden travel gem in Europe.
Montenegro is historically part of the Balkan region, and it was part of former republic of Yugoslavia, in 2006 it broke a part with Serbia and became a new sovereign nation in the democratic world. it’s situated in southeastern Europe and it has a coast on the Adriatic sea.
City Center Podgorica, Montenegro
Daily Expenses in Montenegro
I went from Tirana in Albania by road to Podgorica the capital of Montenegro. The bus ticket cost me around $20 USD. I had booked a hostel in Podgorica which cost me 10 EURO per night (Euro is the currency in Montenegro). The hostel was just in city center Podgorica so I could go to anywhere in the city by walk. I always use Agoda.com for booking hotels/hostels and it gives me best deals everywhere.
In total, I spent $20 USD per day in Podgorica. I found many small restaurants on main boulevard which is a famous road in city center. I found food for as low as $3 per meal. Taxi cost a little bit more, but usually it shouldn’t cost more than 5 EURO for a ride, due to the small size of the city.
Main street in the city center Podgorica
Top Tourist Places in Montenegro
I stayed in Podgorica for two days, but that’s not the main travel destination in Montenegro. Podgorica is a silent city with very few people hanging around. it’s best for living and business. but for tourism purpose, you must go to other cities in Montenegro such as Tivat, Budva and Kotor. In my next visit, I’ll visit these places in Montenegro.
However, if you are in Podgorica then you still can find many interesting places. There are a few museums in the city center and so many statues. A landmark five star hotel and state of the art bridge over the river have given a unique shape to the city. Also, a big shopping mall just upside downtown Podgorica is another attraction not to be missed.
I made a few friends in Montenegro who were nice people and could speak a little bit English. it’s important to mention that English is not widely spoken in many parts of Podgorica. but I think it should be fine at touristic cities such as Budva and Kotor.
For more information on Podgorica, please watch my travel vlog which I recorded during my short stay in Podgorica Montenegro. by the way, I fall in love with Montenegro because of the natural beauty and quite calm atmosphere that I didn’t find in neighboring countries, may be it was due to less population of Montenegro. Happy Traveling!
