Having explored many of the tried-and-true countries in Europe (Spain, France and Italy I’m talking to you!), we decided to break into new territory for our first post-covid European vacation: Montenegro and Albania were calling! We were celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary so instead of a ten day vacation, we took a little over two weeks and added Corfu, Greece as well. While we definitely could have stayed longer, our 10 days in Montenegro and Albania were perfect!
Montenegro and Albania are just now making it on mainstream tourist itineraries. In 5 years, I bet they’ll be as popular as their northern neighbour Croatia. Now is the time to get hopping and visit these unexplored beauties before they’re overcome with hoards of tourists.
Having only 10 days in Montenegro and Albania we just barely scratched the surface of everything these incredible countries have to offer. It was definitely fast paced as we wanted to fit in as much as we could but our 10 days in the Balkans were unforgettable. I’m so proud of the kids for keeping in such great spirits as we hopped from destination to destination. They enjoyed the fast pace as much as we did.
Why visit Montenegro and Albania?
Uncrowded
Unless you’re visiting Kotor on a cruise ship day, Montenegro and Albania are quiet and peaceful locations with very few tourists.
Cheap Prices
Travelling as a family of five, we often have sticker shock when the price of hotels, guides and food get added up. This is absolutely not the case for our 10 days in Montenegro and Albania.
We slept in six different places during our 10 days in the Balkans and most of them were half or even quarter the price of accommodation in other European destinations. It isn’t easy travelling as a family of five, especially when the two boys are over 6ft tall. Accommodations that can sleep five are few and far between. In fact, in Montenegro and Albania, the accommodations were so reasonably priced that having two rooms was easy; we were able to get rooms for less than 100 euros each!
We booked several guides during our 10 days in Montenegro and Albania and they were honestly some of the best private guides we’ve ever had. Being able to pay 200 euros for a one day private tour of the Bay of Kotor and 50 euros for 4 hour long walking tours of Berat or Gjirokaster in Albania was incredible.
Amazing food
The local cuisine in Montenegro and Albania is simply fantastic. From byreks (stuffed phylo pastry) and black risotto to the most amazing seafood, everything was delicious and incredibly inexpensive.
Incredible Beauty
Both Montenegro and Albania are stunning. Whether you’re seeking mountain peaks, coastal seascapes, or classic historical architecture of the old town, Montenegro and Albania have it all.
*Disclaimer: Some links in this article are affiliate links. If you purchase products or services through these links, we may earn a small commission. But don’t worry, this will never cost you any extra. As always, all views and thoughts are our own.
How to get around during your 10 days in Montenegro and Albania
You have several options for getting around. Neither country has strong public transportation or train service so you can either take the bus, rent a car, or hire a driver. We didn’t want to drive everywhere so while we rented a car for our last few days in Albania, we opted to have a driver for most of our 10 days. Private drivers are inexpensive in both countries and it was really nice to be able to enjoy the incredible views.
If you’re looking for a driver/guide in Montenegro we highly recommend contacting M Tours. Mladen was a great help when we were planning our trip and our driver Milos was a joy to travel with. We learned so much about the past and present of Montenegro from him and he got along incredibly well with the kids. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend him to you and your families.
The Weather in Montenegro and Albania
We visited in July and it was astonishingly hot. We had several days of temperatures over 40 degrees Celsius so if you visit in summer, be prepared for hot temperatures. We were fortunate and didn’t have any rain at all.
The normal temperatures in Montenegro are from 25-30°C in summer, 10 – 15°C in autumn and spring, and 5-10 °C in winter. Albania differs slightly with temperatures averaging 10-20 °C in spring and autumn and 18-32 °C in summer. The average temperatures in the mountain areas of Albania do drop significantly lower all year round with winter averaging between -2 and 5 °C.
Precipitation varies dramatically throughout the year with the wettest months being November and December in both Albania and Montenegro.
What to pack for your 10 days in Montenegro and Albania
Not having travelled to Europe is several years, I really wanted to update most of my ‘travel’ clothing. We usually visit Europe in summer and I love to wear dresses and skirts. They’re always appropriate wherever you visit and they’re cool and light. We also needed to update our electronics such as a travel adapter with a USB-C outlet, automated selfie stick (yeh, I know, but otherwise I’m not in any photos!), etc. I plan to do a full post on all my favourite items but as a small taste, here are some of my favourite outfits and must have travel items from this particular trip.
My favourite outfits for Albania and Montenegro
A Few of Our Must Have Travel Accessories
If you want to check out more, visit our Amazon store
10 Day Itinerary for Albania and Montenegro
While you won’t be able to see everything during your 10 days in Montenegro and Albania, you will get a wonderful taste of each of these beautiful Balkan countries.
For more detailed information on our 10 day itinerary, check out our posts on 5 days in Montenegro and 5 days in Albania.
Brief Summary of Montenegro and Albania 10 day itinerary
Days 1-4: Kotor, Montenegro
Day 5: Budva, Montenegro
Day 6: Kruje, Albania
Day 7: Berat, Albania
Day 8: Himare, Albania
Day 9-10: Sarande and Gjirokaster, Albania
Day 1: Your Arrival in Montenegro
There are several options when choosing flights to Montenegro. The country has two international airports: one in Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro, and one in Tivat, a short distance from Kotor. Many also choose to fly to Dubrovnik since it’s less than 100 kilometres from Kotor.
If starting in Kotor, as we suggest, Tivat will be your best arrival point. If planning to start your visit in the Durmitor National Park area, it will be best to fly into Podgorica.
Spend some time settling in to your apartment or hotel. Drop in to Old Town Kotor in time for dinner and have an early evening.
Day 2: Day trip around the Bay of Kotor
After a nice night sleep and breakfast, it’s time to get out and enjoy a day around the Bay of Kotor with your rental car or with a driver.
The Bay of Kotor is breathtaking Thanks to a short ferry service, it’s easy to travel around the entire bay and we highly recommend that you do. Leave Kotor and head toward Prcanj and explore the villages along the coast as you head toward the car ferry in Lepetani. The ferry is only 20 minutes long and has nice views of the bay.
Once on the other side, head towards Herceg Novi, stopping first at the Savina Monastery on the hill. Afterward, visit the hilly town of Herceg Novi. It's definitely one of the best places to visit in Montenegro. We suggest starting at the top and working your way down the stairs to the Pet Danica Walkway along the coast. Continue to Risan, home of incredible Roman mosaics, and Perast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and perhaps one of the most popular sights in Montenegro. By visiting late in the afternoon, you can avoid the cruise ship guests that most often visit in the morning. Make sure to take one of the small boats to the island of Our Lady of the Rocks.
After returning to Kotor, head to Old Town and wander until dinner. Enjoy the evening lights of the fortress on the hill as you return to your hotel.
For more information on places to visit around the bay, check out our upcoming post on our daytrip around the Bay of Kotor.
Day 3: The Grand Montenegro Tour
If you’re planning a visit to Montenegro it won’t take long before you read about the Grand Montenegro Tour. Almost every tour company offers it either as a private or group tour. We decided to tweak it a little and remove the boat tour around Skadar Lake but you may decide otherwise.
Birds eye view of the Bay of Kotor from the serpentine roads
The day was amazing as we tackled the serpentine road, enjoyed breakfast in Njegusi, visited the Mausoleum of Petar II Petrovic-Njegos in Loven National Park, explored the former capital of Montenegro, Cetinje, all before lunch! Make sure to stop for magnificent views over Lake Skadar before continuing your day.
Mausoleum of Njegoš
There are so many options for late afternoon. You can choose to do a two hour boat ride around Lake Skadar, which is usually part of the Grand Montenegro Tour, or, you can wander off the beaten path and visit a winery or Sveti Stefan or even further south to an old pirate haven, Ulcinj.
Rijeka Crnojevića Bridge
Day 4: Boat Ride of the Bay of Kotor and exploring Old Town Kotor
Taking a boat ride around the Bay of Kotor is a very popular daytrip. Depending on your budget, you can book a group tour or private tour that can last anywhere from 2 hours to 8 hours. We found that four hours was the perfect choice as it allowed plenty of time to make a few stops that weren’t available on your earlier daytrip around the bay.
Mamut Island Kotor
Rose, Montenegro
We recommend visiting the ex submarine tunnel, tour around Marmota Island, visit the luxury yachts at Porto Montenegro and go swimming at the Blue Hole. You can even stop for lunch at a small village such as Rose!
Spend your afternoon climbing to the Kotor fortress or shopping for souvenirs in Old Town Kotor.
Day 5: Travel to and Explore the Old Town of Budva
While you could visit Budva as a daytrip from Kotor, we recommend spending a night. There is so much to do that two hours simply isn’t enough and it’s en route to Albania so you won’t be backtracking.
Even though Budva is known for its party atmosphere, that doesn’t seem to enter its charming old town which is smaller than that of Kotor and much easier to explore without getting lost. After a nice lunch (like all of Montenegro, the seafood is amazing!), visit the old town churches, the Citadella and make sure to check out the incredible views from the city walls. Consider heading to one of the nearby beaches even if just to visit Budva’s famous dancing girl or hop on a bus to explore the beautiful Sveti Stefan.
Day 6: From Budva to Kruje Albania
If you haven’t visited Sveti Stefan yet, this is your last chance so don’t miss it! This stunning outcropping of land was once a small village until taken over by a, now closed, hotel for the rich and famous. It’s a beautiful spot for photos and to wander the beach. For an even more impressive view, take a short visit up the hill to St. Sava Church before continuing on your way for your next 5 days in Albania.
The roads from Budva to Kruje are very good and the drive to Kruje is about three hours, depending on the border crossing.
You’ll likely be hungry on arrival so after checking in, grab a quick lunch and explore the souk (market). The Kruje souk is said to be one of the most authentic in Albania. We had a wonderful time chatting with the grand daughter of a woman who makes silver filagree jewellery and Albania rugs.
The road through the souk leads to the Kruje castle grounds where you’ll enjoy the rest of your day. Visit the Skanderbeg museum and the ethnographic museum, then have a wonderful dinner at one of the delicious restaurants on the castle grounds.
Day 7: Kruje souk and Berat
Staying overnight in Kruje means that you can enjoy time exploring the souk area before tourists arrive on daytrips from Tirana. The trip from Kruje to Berat is only two hours so there is plenty of time before you need to leave in order to arrive in Berat by lunch time.
Depending on whether you get lost looking for your hotel, you should be ready for your prebooked walking tour with the Berat Tourism Office. Spend the next several hours exploring everything this wonderful medieval town has to offer: the picturesque mosques, the incredible castle area and of course, the amazing town itself … it isn’t hard to understand why Berat is known as the town of a thousand windows.
Day 8: Berat to Himare
It’s about time for some stupendous sea views and beach time on the Albanian Riviera. We recommend spending your first night in Himare because it isn’t near as busy as Sarande and surrounding areas.
The route from Berat to Himare is not for the feint of heart. The roads are fairly good but they are twisty and many people don’t actually adhere to the rules of the road. While you could rent a car, we really recommend hiring a driver for at least this part of your trip.
Break up the long drive with a few stops. Consider stopping at the roman city of Apollonia, visiting St. Mary’s Monastery on Zvernec island and/or stopping to enjoy the views on the Llogora Pass.
Zvernec Monastery
Archaeological Museum of Apollonia
Apollonia
On arrival in Himare, check in and either explore the Himare castle on the hill, or, if you’re ready for some downtime, grab a chair on the beach and enjoy listening to the waves. There are a number of beaches in or near the town and some are busier than others. We stayed at a small hotel across the road from Prinos Beach and loved the location. Whichever you choose, wander into Himare town itself for dinner. There are a number of really good options.
Day 9: Sarande
While Himare may be a much nicer area than Sarande, it isn’t near as conveniently located. Consider renting a car for the next day as the driving is fairly easy and we found it hard to find private drivers for a reasonable price here. It also gives you some flexibility over booking group tours.
On your way to Sarande, stop at Porto Palermo. Visit the castle of Ali Pasha and see the World War II submarine tunnels. Drop your luggage at your hotel and head directly to the ancient city of Butrint, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. I’ll be honest, my family crashed on arrival in Sarande so we decided to have a nap and skip Butrint. It’s blasphemy to say that but sometimes, you just have to do what works for your family. I definitely regret not seeing Butrint and the beaches of Ksamil but it’s a great reason to return.
Have a wonderful dinner, try Haxhi, and wander the boardwalk in Sarande.
Day 10: Gjirokaster
After breakfast, you have a few choices. You could visit Butrint if you didn’t yesterday or you could hop in the car and drive less than two hours to the medieval village of Gjirokaster.
If you visit Gjirokaster, try to pre-book a walking tour with the Gjirokaster tourist office. At the time of our visit it was only 50 euros for several hours and well worth it. Wander the Old Town and bazaar, visit the Castle of Gjirokaster, explore the castle grounds, and enjoy at least one of the historic homes.
Once back in Sarande, return the rental car and enjoy your last night in Albania. Maybe take advantage of the jumping ledge just off the Sarande city beach and go for a quick swim before dinner!
Final thoughts on our 10 days in Montenegro and Albania
If you have more time, check out our more detailed posts in our Montenegro Travel Guide and our Albania Travel Itinerary for other places to visit in each country. Also consider adding on to your 10 days in Montenegro and Albania by taking the morning ferry and visit Corfu as its quite easy to fly in to Montenegro and fly out of Corfu. In fact, Corfu airport is much closer to Sarande than the international airport in Tirana.
Have you visited Albania or Montenegro? What was your favourite place? Let us know in the comments below.
If you liked this, pin it!!
1 Comment
Montenegro Travel Guide: Everything You Need to Know for your Best Holiday - Sunsets and Roller Coasters · October 20, 2023 at 3:41 pm
[…] out our top things to do in Kotor and our Montenegro and Albania itinerary for ideas of how to spend your time in […]