The Full Monte, Montenegro

A well overdue round-up of Montenegro in October!

The late-summer sun dilemma hit: choose one of the usual favourites, jet off somewhere tropical, or take a gamble on a destination with a bit more unpredictability.

We went for the gamble. Craving a mix of mountains, coast, and something slightly less obvious, we landed on Montenegro. Still fairly under the radar, especially in the north, it’s ideal for a road trip: affordable, varied, and full of opportunities for hiking, swimming, and quiet detours.

Bordering Croatia, Montenegro has a similar feel in places, but once you drive beyond the hotspots of Kotor and Budva, you start to see a more rural, slower side of the country. Over ten days, we explored Kotor and Budva before heading to Virpazar by Lake Skadar and Žabljak for access to Durmitor National Park.

In October, you can usually expect sunshine, mid-twenties temperatures by the coast, and cooler but comfortable days up north. Spoiler: we didn’t quite get that version of Montenegro. Our beach days came with the occasional bout of goosebumps, and 40 cm of early snow threw our northern plans slightly off course (RIP to my trusty hiking boots – the only real weather casualty of the trip).

Kotor was my crazy-cat lady haven. From the moment we arrived, a five-minute walk suddenly took twenty with all the cuddling added en route. Grateful to have survived the aptly named Serpentine road on the way down, we quickly settled into the rhythm of the bay.

The old-town lends itself perfectly for plenty of aimless wandering. Head just outside the walls, ascend the ladder route to the Fortress (with a Rakia pit-stop-shot at the ‘cheese shop’ for good measure), for a bird’s-eye view of the burnt rooftop buildings. We skipped the cable car due to high winds closing it for most of our stay, but there are still plenty of places to catch a beautiful sunset around the bay.

One of our highlights was BBQ Tanjga for a platter of meat, salad, and chips — a must-eat in town. Moments, a refined seafood restaurant, is perfect for a special occasion. We were even treated to a traditional Montenegrin dessert, karampana, as a birthday surprise.

After a few days by the bay, Budva was a welcome reset: beaches and, finally, warmer temperatures. Even in October, this coastal town attracts a crowd, but with a car, you’ll reach quiet coves within thirty minutes. If you’re looking for something within walking distance, bring a beach read and spend a sunny morning at Mogren, cooling off in the pristine water between chapters.

It’s worth heading to Sveti Stefan during your stay – a private island framed by rose-tinted pebbles. Wander the footpath to the right of the island towards Miločer Beach, our favourite swim spot of the day and completely empty at golden hour. For the best sunset, drive up to St. Sava Church, where the views stretch out for miles along the coast.

After a few lazy days by the sea, we made our way north to Žabljak. In hindsight, our next stop should probably have been Virpazar, but with birthdays to celebrate and an early departure flight, we had to stay flexible.

As keen hikers, we were spoilt for choice in Durmitor National Park. I couldn’t recommend our apartment enough, which our host, Goran, had built himself!

While the early snow disrupted our plans to hike Bobtor Kuk, the highest point in Montenegro, we were still able to enjoy incredible views from Prutas, just 150m lower. It’s also worth adding Crvena Greda (Red Rock) to your itinerary. The summit was too precarious to reach due to the snow and fog, but the hike to the lake alone is worth the effort, and you’ll likely have the trail completely to yourself.

We packed picnics and cooked in our apartment most days, but if you want to dine out, try Izvor for a traditional dinner or Shambhala Bakery for a hearty breakfast before a hike.

Finally, with weary legs, we drove south towards Virpazar and caught our first glimpse of Lake Skadar. We stayed at a family-run winery for our final nights, which didn’t disappoint – wine from their vineyard paired perfectly with the catch of the day.

One of the most obvious things to do in Lake Skadar is get out on the water. We splurged on an early-morning private boat tour to make the most of sunrise and the wildlife. The traditional, shallow boats are able to manoeuvre through areas unlike the larger tours, and it’s well worthwhile. Covered in clusters of water lilies, the narrow waterways felt almost like drifting through the Amazon.

Looking back, Montenegro was exactly the kind of gamble we’d hoped for. Between quiet coves, mountain hikes, curious cats and unexpected snowstorms, it delivered far more variety than any predictable late-summer escape ever could.

Even if our hiking plans didn’t go quite as intended, the detours ended up being half the fun. And if there’s one thing Montenegro does well, it’s reminding you that the best trips rarely go exactly to plan.