Montenegro Fly-Drive Holiday

Fly to Tivat on the Montenegrin coast. On arrival, collect your hire car and make your way to the UNESCO world heritage town of Kotor (7km). Check-in to your hotel for a three night stay.

Explore Kotor and the surrounding Boka Bay area. The old town of Kotor is a car free zone so wander the intricate marble streets on foot and discover picturesque boutiques and cafes. The Square of Arms is the main thoroughfare of the town and a perfect place to rest and watch the world go by. Return to the car and drive around the Boka Bay, making sure to stop off in the quaint Baroque town of Perast. Be sure to catch a water taxi out to Our Lady of the Rocks Island which offers a fantastic panoramic view of the bay from its shores. Return to Kotor. (B)

Head up to the old royal capital of Cetinje today. Make a stop in the village of Njegusi, where you can take the opportunity to taste the delicious, locally produced meats and cheeses that the villagers sell. On arrival in Cetinje, take a look around King Nicola’s Museum which is home to many interesting artefacts documenting Montenegro’s tumultuous history. Return to Kotor via the 25 Serpentines road which snakes its way down the mountainside. At the top the view of the bay below is simply stunning and will entice anyone to pull out their camera. (B)

Drive along the coast this morning towards the southernmost town in Montenegro, Ulcinj. Drive through the village of Przno and pass the resort of Sveti Stefan. Now once again a luxury resort, the hotel and surrounding area often played host to the rich and famous in the 1970s. Make a stop en-route in Petrovac for morning coffee at one of the cafes located along its picturesque promenade. Continue along the coast to the port town of Bar. Watch the ships pass or discover the two-thousand-year old olive tree ‘Mirovica’, now a state protected feature and thought to be the oldest of its kind in the world. (87km) On arrival in Ulcinj, check-in to your hotel for a two night stay. (B)

Perhaps today could be the day for some well deserved R & R. The longest beach in the country, the 14km Velika Plaza, is a 20 minute drive away and blissfully undeveloped. Soak up the sun or take a stroll along the waters edge. In the evening, continue down towards the Albanian border, stopping at one of the seafood restaurants on the island of Ada Bojana, created by the river delta. The sunsets here are spectacular, accompanied by a plate of beautifully fresh grilled fish and a glass of something chilled.(B)

Make the drive to the Lake Skadar National Park. The largest lake in the Balkans is home to 260 species of birds, including the Pygmy Cormorant and Dalmatian Pelican so bird-watching opportunities abound here. The lake is surrounded by traditional fishing villages and quaint monasteries so continue the drive around the lake, perhaps stopping off at one of the many family run wineries in the area. The lakeside town of Virpazar is the parks largest settlement and contains a few small restaurants including one housed on a boat on the lake. From here you can pick up a scheduled boat tour if you wish to discover the lake from the water. Continue down to Budva for a two night stay. (94km)

Spend the morning exploring the old town of Budva (car free zone). The city walls are a miniature version of Dubrovnik’s’ but offer a full birds-eye view of the town below. Once back on the ground, soak up the bustling atmosphere inside the walls, peeking inside the many intriguing churches that dot the narrow lanes before enjoying lunch at one of the restaurants encircling the town. (B)