Montenegro with family in August 2022 (between 15th - 31st)

I would not avoid the Bay of Kotor. The drive around the Bay (possible by public bus) is stunning. The crowds seem mostly in the town of Kotor itself, and they are a serious issue only on the days there is a large ship in port. You should be able to get decent Information on the cruise ship schedule online. Try searching for something like strong textcruise schedule port of Kotor.strong text If a large ship is due in port, spend the day outside Kotor.

Among the other towns worth visiting are Budva, Ulcinj (with a sort of Turkish vibe), Herceg-Novi and Cetinje. I didn't find the capital, Podgorica, particularly interesting.

Montenegro has some lovely scenery. I've read good things about the national parks but found no public buses to them.

I do not have children and don't go to beaches in Europe, so I can't offer any advice on those topics.

I agree, Kotor is certainly worth a visit. Yes, the walled city is crowded when cruise ships are in, but otherwise climbing the wall, strolling the shops is fun. We had a flat in nearby Dobrota and enjoyed a week there. The drive to the Mausoleum of Njegos is a switchback full day but worth the visit.

Montenegro, lucky you. I love it so much I have returned a number of times ... the last was in July.

Okay, public transportation is minimal and not very convenient for tourism, so i recommend a guide with a car (maybe a van for you), good news, the costs in Montenegro are significantly less than Western Europe. At the end I will post an email address for an amazing young lady. Recommended her to another couple about a month ago and they came back raving about her. At the very least you can use her for planning services.

The Kotor Bay area is pretty amazing and there are a number of worthwhile stops. Kotor it's self I think is worth skipping if you have seen Dubrovnik because it is just a smaller version of Dubrovnik; although a lot less Disney Like than Dubrovnik. Otherwise ... go. And if the tour boats are in, there is a way to avoid the mess. Stay in Perast just down the coast and visit Kotor in the late afternoon or early morning before the boats unload. I actually enjoy Perast more than Kotor.

Then yes, Budva for the beaches and the old town, then Stari Bar for the old abandoned city and the wonderful little road lined with shops and pomegranate vendors. Past the "oldest" tree in Europe and down to Ulcinj. The old town on the hill in Ulcinj is really amazing.

Its August and warm as he!! so head inland to the high country. See the monastery at Ostrog and the hotel restaurant below it a few miles with the terrace that looks hundreds and hundreds of feet down into an amazing valley. Great lunch stop.

Further up to the Tara River Canyon, the deepest in Europe. Ride the zip lines shop the souvenirs in the huts along the rim. Brave? Go rafting.

And I haven't even touched the National Parks with spectacular views, mountain lakes, and the prosciutto houses along the way or the mountain roads that will blow your mind.

With 15 days you may want to start in Sarajevo; and experience not to be forgotten, then to Mostar and then on in to Montenegro. The borders are currently (and have been all year) easy to cross. Did I mention the small olive processing houses and the wineries? And add a few days and there are twice weekly flights from Podgorica to Budapest for about $50.

Anyway, you want to contact Dijana at dijana@docleatravel.com. Full tour, transfer assistance or just planning and booking; worth the conversation.

Wow, I did not expect so many wonderful suggestions.
Thanks acraven , Alan and James for going through my long question and giving your answers. We have been more inclined towards a budget friendly, adventurous travel in the past (been to places like Iceland, Philippines, South Africa) but with this new member in the family wanted to do a more relaxed trip. I am glad I came across this forum!

Once again, thank you for the detailed tips and suggestions. We would factor them in our itinerary. Can't wait for the trip :)

Regards,
JJ

Thanks James for the contact details of Dijana! We will certainly get in touch with her.

She is a good lady. My friends have been talking as much about her as they have Montenegro. And from your last statement about your previous trips, Montenegro is a pretty good fit.

I would also visit Perast. It is smaller than Kotor and much less crowded. And so beautiful with its white Venetian architecture, and I love the contrast with the blue sea. Take a short boat ride to Our Lady of the Rocks, a man-made island. The boat ride is worth it for the views, and the tiny church on the island is interesting to visit. There are no big cruise ships in Perast.

If you go to Kotor, there is a drive you need to know about. It goes up the side of a mountain and leads to the towns of Njegusi and Cetinje. It includes 25 numbered 180 degree switchback turns and at least 75 other sharp turns. There is a rock wall on one side and nothing on the other. But large tour buses do travel this road. The views of the town and bay are super spectacular. Many people love the drive and the views, but others don't like it. If you or your spouse are prone to motion sickness or have a problem with heights you might want to avoid this drive. Don't mean to be Debbie Downer, just giving food for thought. You can go to bing.com, use the map feature, and see aerial views of the road. Googlemaps.com. will also allow you can check it out. Suggest you look at as many maps and aerial views of the road as you can before making your decision to drive it. On 12 Mar. 2017 there was a thread on this forum titled "Greece Montenegro Croatia". One person included a link to a good map that shows the road. Another person had a link to a video made along parts of the road.