Barely 100 kilometres from tip to toe, tiny Montenegro is still largely unknown to European travellers; a staggering omission when you consider what it offers: mountains as dramatic as the Alps, undisturbed beaches and stone-walled cities as old as ancient Greece.
Montenegro has swiftly evolved into a luxury destination, where world-class hotels and yacht-filled marinas meet understated Adriatic charm.
The landscape is a feast of contrasts, from glassy bays and olive groves to wild mountains and vineyard-draped valleys made for active exploration.
Boka Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, stuns with its fjord-like beauty, baroque villages and the storied island church of Our Lady of the Rocks.
Kotor’s medieval walls, Budva’s beaches and the quieter charms of Perast and Herceg Novi reveal the region’s rich and varied coastal character.
Seafood and olive oil dominate the table, while the wine—especially Krstač and local reds—is best sampled at vineyards near Lake Skadar.
Montenegro is one of Europe’s newest luxury destinations, complete with glamorous hotels and marinas filled with torpedo-shaped superyachts. Of its natural attractions, the Bay of Kotor (or Boka Bay as it’s also known) takes best in show, its limestone cliffs plunging almost vertically into the Adriatic Sea. At the head of the bay and backed by steep mountains is Kotor itself, one of the best-preserved medieval ports in Europe.
Other highlights include Budva, a mini Dubrovnik with marbled streets and Venetian walls rising from the sea; the small town of Perast, whose magnificent villas were built by wealthy sea captains in the 17th and 18th centuries; Herceg Novi, with its ancient walls, sunny squares and lively atmosphere; and Europe’s largest vineyard, which sits next to Lake Skadar, 30 kilometres from the Adriatic Sea. Also inland is mighty Durmitor National Park, where you can hike through unspoiled pastureland and raft through the colossal Tara Canyon.
If you’re hoping to see and do a bit of everything then May, June and September are ideal times to visit, when the weather is warm but not scorching, the sea is swimmable and prices are lower than in peak summer months. If the plan is to sunbathe by day and party at night then July and August are perfect, with daytime temperatures often 30°C+ and coastal towns like Budva and Kotor at their liveliest. April and October are great for hiking, offering cool, crisp air and stunning scenery in places like Durmitor National Park.
Montenegro is no stranger to luxury hotels, but One&Only Portonovi – the ultra-luxury hotel group’s first ever resort in Europe – is perhaps the finest yet. Resplendent at the entrance of Boka Bay, a fjord-like idyll on the Adriatic Sea, the resort offers chic waterfront villas, world-class dining, a pioneering Chenot spa and spectacular sea views from almost every angle.
A grand waterside hotel with the aristocratic charm of a bygone era, the Regent Porto Montenegro offers alfresco gourmet dining, a lavish spa, refreshing outdoor pools and impeccable 5-star service.
This luxury hotel, a member of The Leading Hotels of the World, is nestled between the Adriatic and the mountains, close to the UNESCO-protected Bay of Kotor and just 20 minutes from the airport at Tivat.