Montenegro's independence and its 21 May holiday

Montenegro is one of Europe’s youngest countries, and you can see it in the calendar. Its 21 May holiday commemorates the 2006 referendum, and for travellers it mainly means one thing, two days off in the middle of spring. Here’s what happened, when, and what it changes for your trip.

What happened in 2006

On 21 May 2006 Montenegro held an independence referendum. According to the EU presidency statement published by the OSCE, the referendum commission confirmed the result on 31 May and parliament proclaimed independence on 3 June. Then, on 28 June, Montenegro became the UN’s 192nd member state, by a resolution adopted by acclamation on the recommendation of the Security Council. At that session, the Serbian delegate recalled a hundred years shared as a common state and of friendly relations, while Austria’s, who introduced the resolution, praised the peaceful and democratic way independence had come about. I don’t give the referendum percentage, because I haven’t read it in an official source.

The 21 May holiday

The holidays law makes 21 May a state holiday, Independence Day, and marks it over two days, 21 and 22 May, both days off. The national tourist board adds that if the first day falls on a Sunday, the following two are taken instead. For visitors that means banks and offices closed, and effectively a long weekend in the middle of spring, so it’s worth checking opening times for anything you need to sort out on those dates.

Once your dates are set, check which hotels are still free in Podgorica before prices climb.

13 July, the other state holiday

Don’t confuse it with 13 July, Statehood Day, Montenegro’s other state holiday, also marked over two days. In 2026 the Budva tourist board celebrated it with free concerts in town. Both dates are in the events in Montenegro calendar.

Montenegro since 2006

Twenty years on, the European Commission notes that Montenegro has adopted the euro unilaterally, with no deal with Brussels, and has been a membership candidate since 2010, with negotiations under way since 29 June 2012; I explain where things stand in is Montenegro in the EU. It isn’t part of Schengen, so, as the Foreign Office notes, your time there doesn’t eat into the 90-day Schengen allowance. The capital is Podgorica, while Cetinje, the old royal capital, keeps the title of historic capital in the constitution. For the longer story, from Duklja onwards, see the history of Montenegro.

If you would rather have a local show you round, book a guided tour in Podgorica and choose by the reviews.

If you’re travelling then

I’d bear three things in mind. First, don’t leave bank or office errands for those days. Second, book accommodation a little ahead, as it’s a long weekend. And third, make the most of late May, a lovely time on the coast before the real heat of July and August arrives.

Once your dates are set, check which hotels are still free in Podgorica before prices climb.