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Hello everyone, travelers! This is Mark from Walter's World. Today we are in beautiful Montenegro, and we will talk about what to do and especially what not to do when visiting Montenegro. And I want you to be good tourists when you come here. So, don't forget to learn a few Montenegrin words when you're here, because the locals really appreciate it, as many tourists come and don't learn a single word. So I want you to know at least a few. First, "zdrav". "Zdravo" simply means " hello". You can come anywhere, say " hello", people will be happy, they will smile, because you said hello, right? Or you can say "dobar dan", which means " good day", and that will also make them happy. This works
in restaurants, stores or anywhere, people really appreciate it. But the word that will bring the most smiles when you receive something in a restaurant, bar, after service, when you leave, or when you take a boat trip to the island of Our Lady of the Rock is "hvala." " Hvala" means "thank you," and it's one of those things that really attracts people to you, because we're on the coast, there are a lot of tourists here who don't teach anything. Sometimes it's just nice to hear them speak their native language when you travel. So, this is important. And I will tell you that the further inland you travel, the more useful your few Montenegrin words will be, because English is very common on the coast, and less is known in the hinterland. But as a tourist,
you shouldn't worry about not speaking Montenegrin, although knowing a few words is useful. Now, one more thing: if you are going to come here in the summer, don't expect to be alone on the Montenegrin coast, because this place is very popular. This is not a hidden gem. This is a place with a lot of tourists. And if you notice-I guess you can't see it right now because there are no cruise ships-but the cruise ships like to come into Kotor, and they dock in Budva, which is a very popular beach town that people like to go to. So just be aware that it can get crowded here in the summer, so don't forget to book your accommodation in advance, okay? Another tip for you: if you are going here and want to relax on the beach, don't think that
all the beaches here are sandy. Many of them may simply be concrete platforms or, even more painfully, pebble or rocky beaches. So don't forget to bring aqua shoes if you're going to the beach during your stay here, okay? A little sore feet on the beach is something I think we'll have to accept, especially with such beautiful scenery. Oh, and if you want to visit the island of Gospa od Škrpjela, that beautiful artificial island with a church, you need to go to Perast. You travel to Perast, arrive there and take a boat to reach the island. It's not very expensive to go and see. Take a walk there and enjoy the views. This is really beautiful. So, we went to Kotor to continue. When you are in Montenegro, if you see the word " Njeguški"
next to prosciutto or cheese, be sure to take it. Because Njegusi makes fantastic prosciutto. Prosciutto here in Montenegro is actually very, very tasty. You should taste it. And if you see it in any dish, such as pork with prosciutto and local cheese, you are guaranteed to be satisfied. After all, it's not just seafood here. Take prosciutto, cheese, and pork together and you will be satisfied. So don't miss this. While in Montenegro, don't feel guilty about supposedly destroying an entire forest, because every time you order something, they bring you an extra copy of the check. This is normal. So, if you order drinks, they will bring you a check. And if you order something else later, they'll bring you another check for it. So know this: if you want to
save a tree, order everything at once to accumulate orders. But the checks will be piling up on your desk. So keep that in mind. Also, while you're here, don't forget about Montenegrin wine. Vranac is probably the most famous red wine here. But they also have good white wines. But this is one I definitely recommend. It has a very rich taste. Which one exactly? Fuller -bodied, but a little fruity. So it's a nice wine to drink. You can enjoy it here with your meal. And don't forget, if you're in Kotor, be sure to try the black risotto. So, if you're here, that's great, because you know what? It's not just delicious pork with
prosciutto and cheese. There is a lot of other delicious food here. When you travel, there are countless places to visit in Montenegro, but I will tell you: don't miss Kotor. I know that Kotor is not the most popular place for tourists. It's probably Budva because of the beaches there, but for me, if you're looking for culture, beauty, and a medieval town with stone walls, there's no better place than Kotor. This is a beautiful city, and most likely, if you come here by car or on a cruise ship, you will definitely visit Kotor. When you arrive, you will see the island of Our Lady on the Rock. This church is located on an island in the middle of the Bay of Kotor. This is incredibly beautiful. And if you are in Kotor, you can take a
boat tour to this island. This is just wonderful. Really, be sure to go and enjoy the city. And let me tell you, when you are in Kotor, don't be surprised by the large number of cats, there are just a sea of them here. People can feed cats. People can pet them. The cat may even try to enter your apartment if you are staying there. Just know that cats are an integral part of this place. When you come to Kotor, pay attention to the beautiful churches; The Cathedral of St. Tryphon is very beautiful inside. There is a beautiful view of the city from there. You can admire it if you don't want to climb to the fortress on the top of the hill. The churches of St. Luke and St. Nicholas are also very beautiful. There
are several museums here. Yes, there 's even a cat museum here. There are so many cats in the city. They will probably become your main memory, or you will buy a souvenir with a cat. In addition to the cat museum, there is also the Maritime Museum. He is really very interesting. But I must warn you: don't expect to be alone in Kotor. This is a very popular place to visit. And since the historic center is surrounded by those magnificent walls that keep everything inside, don't think you'll be alone there. And that can be a little tiring. And that's exactly what I want to tell you. If you come to Montenegro for the beach in the summer, you may sometimes feel a bit overwhelmed. So I want to say: if there are too many of you in Budva
or here in Kotor, don't forget that there are other places along the coast where you can go. You can go inland. You can go to Perast, which is very close to Kotor towards Dubrovnik, see the Baroque palaces and churches there, and explore the country; I'll talk about the interior later, but be prepared: it gets very, very crowded here in the summer. And this brings us to another point: don't expect the coast to be fully operational during the off-season. That is, from May to early September, everything is functioning, everything is open, and you will have no problems with housing, food, and entertainment. However, from October to March, many coastal towns simply close. Of course, not everything is closing, but many establishments are closing,
so finding accommodation or food is becoming more difficult. That's why I advise you not to ignore cities that don't depend solely on beach vacations. Like Kotor: you can visit the coast, but the city itself is alive all year round, and there is always something to see here thanks to its rich history. But to be sure that everything is open and you can fully enjoy the national parks, it is better to plan your trip for the period from May to September. And one more tip: wherever you go in Montenegro, be sure to negotiate a price with the taxi driver before the trip, because, like everywhere in the world, there are drivers who don't mind making money off tourists, and Montenegro is no exception. So, it's better to make arrangements in advance or use one
of the travel apps so you can plan them there and get everything done properly. This is not a problem. Some taxi companies already have such apps, and you can use them. But just getting into the first car you can find isn't always a good idea. Unfortunately, this is quite common in the Balkans as taxi drivers do not have the best reputation, so it is better to use an app. I'll tell you more, even locals will advise you to use an app to order a taxi, rather than just hailing one on the street. So this is what you really need to know. And whether you are in Croatia, Albania, Macedonia or Kosovo, you will be told the same thing everywhere. When I think about Macedonia or Croatia, I also want to warn you: don't think that Montenegro, especially on the coast, like in
Kotor or Budva, are extremely cheap destinations. They used to be very cheap. Right now I would say they are relatively affordable. Because if you come to Kotor and want to eat in the city, the main thing is that inside the city walls you will pay the same prices for food as in Germany, understand? Maybe a little cheaper than in Germany, but it's not a budget place. I'm not saying that Montenegro is expensive in general, because it's not. It is still more affordable than Croatia, but definitely more expensive than Albania, North Macedonia, or Kosovo. I can say this for sure. So, coming from these countries, you will have a rough idea of your expenses.
We have a video about prices here, so you can watch it to learn about the cost of living in Montenegro. I just want you to understand: it's no longer the "Oh my God, it's so cheap here" thing it was a few years ago. Prices have increased, and I would advise even if you think everything is affordable, don't tell the locals: "Oh my god, it's so cheap." "Oh my god, it's so accessible." Because, honestly, if you're on the coast, you probably wouldn't say that anyway. But for locals, this is somewhat insulting, because their salaries have not increased in proportion to the price increases. So keep that in mind. Another thing you might not want to discuss with the locals when you're here is the relationship with Albania or Croatia, because
sometimes they can be a bit controversial. When I crossed the border with Albania, there was nothing special, but everyone warned us: "Hey, be careful on the Montenegrin border with Croatia, because sometimes they don't always get along." Nothing serious, but it's one of those things that can make the line at the border longer than you expect when you enter Croatia. So just make sure you plan your time if you are crossing borders as Google will show you a specific travel time. They will say: "Oh, it's ." Yes, if by some miracle you get there at 6 am, when the borders open and no one is there, you might be lucky. Otherwise, it will take a little longer when you plan on crossing borders here in Montenegro. And, like many places you come to in
Montenegro, the people here are very friendly and the service is very helpful. So if you have any questions, just ask them and they'll say, "Hey, this is something worth trying." If you want to drink beer, be sure to eat cake while you're here, like Jocelyn said. But, to be honest, there are so many restaurants around where you can eat really deliciously, have a nice time, and get great service. So, when you come to Montenegro, don't forget to have cash with you. Yes, credit cards are accepted in many places where tourists go. However, if you are going to explore places outside of Kotor and Budva, it is important to have cash. And don't forget that they use the euro here.
You can use ATMs, it's not a problem. They will allow you to withdraw money there. I'll tell you honestly, don't agree to the conversion, because, man, their rates were 10% lower. It wasn't a very profitable conversion, if you agreed to it, you know? So keep that in mind. And also about fees-I think it's important to note: don't forget to check if there are additional service fees on your bill when you visit restaurants or other establishments, because there might be something extra there. So, it's always better to check. Sometimes they might add something extra to the bill, or it might just be a service charge because you took the bread, and yes, you will most likely have to pay for it, but just be prepared for it so you don't get upset about unexpected charges that
you already know about in advance. So when you're offered something, "Oh, would you like some bread with that?" Maybe ask them, "Oh, how much does this bread cost?" Is this something extra or is it already included? And I'll tell you about the service here: don't expect it to be fast. I mean, the service in Montenegro is professional, friendly, but it's not fast. So you really need to have patience when you go out to eat, whether it's in tourist areas like Budva or here in Kotor, or if you're visiting other places around the country, patience is key. They will be helpful, they will be friendly, but yes, it takes a little while, and don't forget that you need to ask for the bill yourself, because they won't
rush you, because they're not in a hurry and they won't rush you. So it's better to know this when you're leaving, so that when it's time to leave, you can say, " Excuse me, molim, please. Can I have the bill?" And that will make everything a little faster. I want you to know: if you get hungry here in Montenegro, don't worry, there is always a baker nearby. And if you don't know what a pekara is, it's a bakery, okay? You will see them everywhere, in all cities and towns. They will bake you some goodies that will help you stay energized throughout the day. Another thing I want to say: don't just stay on the coast. There is much more to see in Montenegro than
just the beaches of Budva or strolling through the fortress town of Kotor. In fact, a lot of interesting things await you if you move inland. We're talking about the Tara River Canyon while you're here. Durmitor National Park is located right there. So hit the road and explore. The fact is that a couple of hours' drive from here, from Kotor, you are already in the mountains, and it is simply incredibly beautiful. And when the summer heat sets in, sometimes it's nice to climb a couple of thousand meters up to cool off a bit, catch a fresh breeze, and admire the beautiful view. You can go higher and visit some lakes, for example, Skadarskoe, you can definitely go there. Or if you visit monasteries
, well, there are many monasteries around. Ostrog Monastery is probably one of the most famous ones you can see. But what's worth doing is if you go into some, especially, I would say, Orthodox churches, when you see all these icons inside, it's really impressive when you get there. Catholic churches are also beautiful when you go inside, but there are many things to see besides the coast. So go explore the country. Leave the coast, go inland, okay? But I will tell you, when you go inland, don't forget to bring tissues with you, because not all public toilets will be, let's say, fully equipped. So you might need a tissue or two when you're on the go. So have some
paper crafts with you, you'll see them. Napkins are sold in stores and places like that, just like everywhere else in the world, wherever you go. But I always have them with me. I always throw a pack of tissues in my backpack just in case, you know. The situation is improving, but I have to say that if you are in national parks, traveling around, it can still be a problem. As for driving, tissues might come in handy because you might get scared driving around Montenegro, because if you drive along the coast it can be really annoying because of the tourists, traffic jams and sometimes two-lane roads, it can be really tiring. But I also want to say this: you shouldn't take too many risks on mountain roads, because there are a lot of sharp turns and
serpentines when you go up. And local drivers know how to drive there. They are very aggressive drivers. They're speeding, overtaking very fast, you can get stuck behind a truck and not know what to do, and the locals will be overtaking in two rows on a " blind" turn, and you think: "Oh my God, we're all going to die now." And you'll probably feel that way when you're here. So, I'll say this: if you're going to drive here, and you can drive here, it's okay, just don't be too confident or too scared of the way the locals drive, but be very careful and attentive, because sometimes it can be a little scary, okay? But overall, you will have a great time here in Montenegro. There is beautiful nature here, a beautiful coast, islands worth seeing,
beaches and historic cities worth visiting. In short, it's such a beautiful country, and the people here are nice. Especially remember, if you know at least a few words, such as " Hello", " Please", do you remember them? This will help you have a great time during your stay in Montenegro. In any case, what would you recommend doing or not doing when visiting Montenegro? Write in the comments below so other travelers can enjoy this beautiful country, and I say goodbye to you from Kotor, Montenegro.
