Montenegro's coastline is both rugged and lush green. Look forward to unspoilt nature, high mountains, canyons with wild rivers, a diverse underwater world and old harbour towns where sailors have been around for over 1,000 years. So, which places are worth exploring up close during your sailing voyage?
Top 5 most beautiful places in Montenegro
High mountains and ancient port towns create a beautiful backdrop for yachting. What are the must-see places?
1. Boka Kotorska
Boka Kotorska (Bay of Kotor) is one of the most beautiful in the world. The deep bay, surrounded by the majestic Lovcen Mountains, penetrates 29 km inland and resembles a Norwegian fjord.
Throughout the bay the daily thermals work perfectly: calm in the morning, fresh thermal wind blowing in the afternoon, allowing you to enjoy a pleasant wave-free cruise.
YACHTING.COM TIP: Montenegro has everything you'd expect from a sailing holiday and it's stunning turquoise waters are also friendly to novice sailors. Find out why you should consider sailing here this year in our article — 8 reasons to sail in Montenegro.
2. Kotor
In the Bay of Kotor you'll find ancient ports that will truly take your breath away. The most well-preserved is Kotor, which is one of the few cities on the Adriatic coast that has retained its appearance as a typical 12th–14th century medieval town. The city is enclosed by long expansive city walls built by the Venetians.
You can climb the ramparts high above the bay and to the terraces of the original medieval castle of St. John (Tvrdjava St. Ivan). The climb will take 30 to 40 minutes and despite being demanding at times, it's definitely worth it! There are breathtaking views along the way.
3. Perast
The port of Perast is a real architectural gem. In front of Perast, you'll find two ancient monasteries on two islands, the eastern one is Sv. Dorde (St. George) and the western one is Gospa od Škrpjela (Mary of the Cliff). The latter was artificially created from stones brought here by sailors grateful for their return.
YACHTING.COM TIP: It is possible to sail around the local harbours and even explore them during a 1-week yacht charter. But there's an interesting option — rent a boat for two weeks and continue from Montenegro to Croatia. We recommend adding our popular sightseeing trail from Dubrovnik to Trogir to your itinerary. For everything you need to know when crossing borders by boat, take a look at our guide — Can you cross national borders with a charter boat?.
Other sailing destinations:
4. Ulcinj
Once a dreaded place swarming with pirates who sailed out of Valdanos Bay and raided ships for more that two centuries. In the narrow streets of the old town you will find small shops with handmade products and the atmosphere in the town has a spicy oriental feel. There are some beautiful sandy beaches nearby.
5. Bar
This industrial port town is likely where you’ll board your boat. The landscape around Bar has a long tradition in olive growing and near the village of Mirovica stands what is said to be the world's oldest olive tree, at 2,000 years old. According to tradition, none of the Bar residents were allowed to marry until they had planted at least 10 olive trees.
Stari Bar (Ghost Town) is the historic predecessor of Bar and is definitely worth a visit! The town was built at the foot of the Rumija Mountains but in 1878, the Turks blew up the gunpowder stores and destroyed it. The 1979 earthquake completed the destruction. This gave it its nickname of Ghost Town.
There many more hidden gems to be found in this somewhat neglected yachting destination. Divers, windsurfers and kitesurfers will find plenty to enjoy, while sea canoeing and rafting in the deep canyon of the Tara River are also popular thanks to the regular and stable winds. So get on board, the seductive Montenegro is waiting for you to finally discover it.
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