At A Glance
A four day itinerary in July 2025
| Day | Location | Attractions and Activities |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Travel | Fly from Rome to Podgorica. Bus to Kotor. |
| 1 | Kotor | Old Kotor, Fortress Hike |
| 2 | Kotor | Cable Car, Alpine Coaster |
| 3 | Kotor | Budva Day Trip, Perast Boat Tour |
| 4 | Travel | Bus from Kotor to Shkodër (Albania). |
Itinerary
Day 0: Flying into Montenegro
I landed in the capital, Podgorica, and immediately realized I’d been mispronouncing it the whole time (the “c” is actually pronounced /ts/). From the airport, I met up with with my friend Bebe, who I’ll be traveling with for the next month. Together, we hopped in a taxi to the bus station and thankfully made it with minutes to spare.
What was supposed to be a 1.5-hour ride turned into a three-hour crawl through traffic, but the silver lining was the incredible scenery. Seeing Budva framed by mountains and sea for the first time was breathtaking.
The journey almost took a disastrous turn when I got off at a “pit stop” restroom break, only to realize the bus was about to leave without me (with all my belongings, including my phone, still onboard). Luckily, Bebe alerted the bus driver that I was still in the bathroom. Counting my blessings on that one.
When we arrived at the bus station, none of the taxis would drive us to our B&B because they didn’t want to accept such a short ride. Luckily, our B&B host came to pick us up!
Day 1: Old Kotor and Fortress Hike
We had a late start after the exhausting travel day, finally heading out around noon for a lunch of goulash, salad, and a regional meat dish.
The afternoon was spent wandering Old Town Kotor, a medieval town completely enclosed within fortress walls. It reminded me a bit of the medinas in North Africa, but with a distinctly European vibe. A local jeweler tried to sell us some pieces, but instead of brushing him off, we chatted for a bit. It reminded me that vendor interactions don’t always have to feel transactional; sometimes they’re just a chance to connect with locals.
Later, we hiked up the fortress walls via an unofficial entrance, stopping midway for pomegranate juice and cheese at a tiny shack overlooking the bay. At the top, we climbed through a little window in the wall. After stopping at the top to admire the views, we descended through the official path, luckily avoiding ticket checks since it was so late. By the time we returned to our B&B, it was past 10 p.m (a common theme throughout this trip).
Day 2: Cable Car and Alpine Coaster
We fueled up on coffee before heading to the Kotor cable car. The views were spectacular — mountains, sea, and town all spread out below us. At the top, we found an alpine coaster (surprise to me, but Bebe had it planned). It was thrilling, though I probably spent too much time filming instead of just enjoying the ride.
For lunch, we went to Konoba Scala Santa in the old town. I didn’t expect much from a touristy spot, but the meal was delicious: fish soup, a seafood mix, and cuttlefish ink risotto. Perfectly seasoned, full of flavor, and one of the best black ink dishes I’ve ever had. Paired with a Hugo spritz, it was the perfect afternoon meal.
Later, I even hit the gym abroad for the first time, something I’d like to make a habit during my time in the Balkans. Edit: Just kidding, it was one of the two times I went to the gym this trip.
Day 3: Budva Day Trip and Perast Boat Tour
Originally, we were supposed to go hiking in Durmitor, but our tour was canceled due to “bad weather”. Throughout our time in Montenegro, there were so many locals warning us about this supposed rough weather ahead. But each day, we experienced clear skies. Maybe they were being overly cautious?
With our Durmitor hike canceled, we pivoted and spent the day in Budva. The Old Town there was similar to Kotor’s. I tried a coffee drink called raf (espresso, cream, sugar steamed together), which tasted like a coffee-hot-chocolate hybrid.
Lunch at Restoran Vista Vidikovac came with jaw-dropping views of Budva. Afterward, we hit the beach, which was packed to the brim. Took a quick dip before escaping the crowds via taxi. On the way back, Bebe spotted strawberry krempita, a custard pastry with a creamy (but not overly sweet) filling. I wouldn’t have discovered these Balkan desserts without her sweet tooth guiding us.
In the evening, we joined a boat tour to Perast and Our Lady of the Rocks. It turned out to be way more fun than expected: bumpy waves, great views, golden-hour lighting, and our boat operator playing some throwback Latin hits like La Camisa Negra.
Reflections
Montenegro was a great start to my four week trip in the Balkans. Between fortress towns, coastal views, mountain backdrops, and warm (if initially stoic) locals, it’s the kind of place that sneaks up on you and stays in your heart.
Traveling with Bebe has made it even better. I enjoyed swapping travel stories to sharing desserts to laughing our way through fortress hikes. If the rest of this Balkans journey is anything like these first few days, it’s going to be unforgettable.