Five days in Montenegro, from the bay to Lake Skadar

With five days you can leave the coast and see why Montenegro is more than beaches. My plan combines the Bay of Kotor, Lovćen and Cetinje, the Budva Riviera and Lake Skadar, with just two changes of hotel. If you can, hire a car from day three.

Days 1 and 2, Kotor and Perast

Your flight lands at Tivat, 8 km from Kotor. Give the first afternoon to the old town, then climb the walls to St John’s, perched 300 m up above the rooftops. Day two is Perast, some 14 km round the shore, with St Nicholas and the two islets facing it. With the afternoon free, carry on round the shore to Herceg Novi, about 31 km from Kotor, with its fortresses. Your base is covered in Kotor. If you’d rather not drive at all on these first two days, Kotor and Perast are close enough for a taxi with the fare agreed in advance.

Day 3, Lovćen and Cetinje

My favourite day of the trip. Go up Lovćen, by cable car from Dub or by car, and visit the Njegoš mausoleum on Jezerski vrh. National Parks says that when the sky is clear the view from the top takes in much of Montenegro and parts of Albania, Herzegovina and Croatia, and park entry is €3. Then drop down through Njeguši, the village of the Petrović dynasty, to Cetinje, once the royal capital and about 48 km from Kotor. There you’ll find the monastery, the Biljarda with its relief map of Montenegro, and King Nikola’s palace. More in Lovćen and Cetinje.

To sleep close to everything, search places to stay in Budva on Expedia and filter by area before price.

Day 4, Budva and Sveti Stefan

Cetinje to Budva is about 27 km. Walk the old town and the Citadel in the morning, then take the local bus to Sveti Stefan, about 9 km, to see it from the beach. Stay in Budva or, for something quieter, carry on to Bar, which the National Tourism Organisation describes as having reasonably priced accommodation. From Bar, the next day already starts beside the lake.

Day 5, Lake Skadar

Budva to Bar is about 38 km, and Bar to Virpazar on the lake shore about 23. Protected as a national park since 1983, the lake supports some 280 bird species according to the National Tourism Organisation, including the Dalmatian pelican. Entry is €5, and boats leave from Virpazar. If you’re flying home from Podgorica, the airport is just over half an hour from the lake. I’d take an early boat with the whole day ahead and leave the afternoon for the transfer. Details are in Lake Skadar.

If you are short on time, see the best tours in Budva and pick one that fits your day.

If you’ve one more day

With six days, I’d add Ostrog on the way north or a night in Žabljak, though Durmitor deserves more time. For that, see Montenegro in a week.

To sleep close to everything, search places to stay in Budva on Booking.com and filter by area before price.