The island village of Sveti Stefan and its causeway seen from above, ringed by deep blue sea
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Montenegro

From the fjord-like Bay of Kotor and the superyacht marina of Porto Montenegro to the island village of Sveti Stefan: Montenegro at its finest, chosen by one rule: first class or not at all.

Sveti Stefan from abovePhotograph: Oleg Gratilo

Kultura

Mountains that fall into the sea

Montenegro takes its name from the black mountains that rise straight from the Adriatic. The Bay of Kotor winds deep inland between them, and the walled town of Kotor, once a Venetian stronghold, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site beneath its zig-zag fortifications.

Across the bay, the Baroque village of Perast faces two island churches, and the old naval base at Tivat has become Porto Montenegro, one of the Mediterranean's great superyacht marinas. South along the coast, the fortified island village of Sveti Stefan sits at the end of its causeway, and inland lie Lake Skadar and the canyons of Durmitor.

This guide brings together only the first class: the resort, the marinas, the spa, the homes and the school that meet our standard.

A few words of Montenegrin
EnglishMontenegrinSay it
HelloZdravoZDRAH-voh
PleaseMolimMOH-leem
Thank youHvalaHVAH-lah
Good eveningDobro večeDOH-broh VEH-cheh
The bill, pleaseRačun, molimRAH-choon, MOH-leem

Where to go

The best places to visit in Montenegro

The Bay of Kotor: the best time to visit, the one best hotel, and how to arrive by private jet, helicopter or yacht.

Bay of Kotor

Best time to visitJune and September are best: warm water in the bay and long days, with fewer cruise ships and crowds in Kotor's old town than in July and August.

  • Stay
    One&Only PortonoviForbes Five-Star

    On the bay at Herceg Novi, the first hotel in Montenegro to earn the rating.

  • Dine
    None that meets our standard yet.
  • Beach
    None that meets our standard yet.
Arrive privately
By private jet
Tivat Airport (TIV / LYTV), about 30 minutes by car to Kotor. Dubrovnik Airport (DBV / LDDU) in Croatia is the second option, about 1 hour 30 minutes from Kotor by car plus the border crossing.
By helicopter
Rarely needed: Tivat Airport is less than 10 minutes from Porto Montenegro and about 30 minutes from Kotor by road.
By sea
Porto Montenegro, Tivat, with about 450 berths including a 250-metre berth, among the largest in the Mediterranean; about 30 minutes by car to Kotor. Portonovi Marina, Herceg Novi, takes yachts up to 120 metres at the entrance to the bay.

The full Bay of Kotor guide ›

Beyond the coast

Lake Skadar and Durmitor

Lake Skadar National Park

The largest lake on the Balkan Peninsula, shared with Albania, with island monasteries and Ottoman-era fortifications. It became a national park in 1983 and supports some 270 bird species.

Best time to visitMay, June and September.

  • Stay
    No hotel here yet meets our standard; visit as a day trip from the Bay of Kotor (One&Only Portonovi).

Durmitor National Park

A high limestone massif in the north with glacial lakes, known locally as "mountain eyes," and the gorge of the Tara river, the deepest in Europe. It was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1980.

Best time to visitJune to September.

  • Stay
    No hotel here yet meets our standard; a long day trip from the Bay of Kotor, about three hours each way by road.

Stay

Luxury hotels and resorts in Montenegro

Montenegro's hotel at our standard: One&Only Portonovi, the country's first Forbes Five-Star.

The finest hotels

Each rated Forbes Five-Star or holding two or three MICHELIN Keys.

Sail

Yachting in Montenegro

Porto Montenegro and Portonovi, the superyacht marinas of the Bay of Kotor, and the yard that serves them.

Superyacht marinas

  • Porto MontenegroTivat

    About 450 berths, including a 250-metre berth among the largest in the Mediterranean, in the Bay of Kotor; it holds Platinum marina certification. Visit website ↗

  • Portonovi MarinaHerceg Novi

    238 berths, taking yachts up to 120 metres on the outer breakwater and 70 metres inside, at the entrance to the Bay of Kotor beside the One&Only resort; Superyacht Ready accredited in 2025. Visit website ↗

Refit and maintenance

  • Adriatic42Bijela (Bay of Kotor)

    A superyacht refit yard opened in 2022 by a joint venture of Drydocks World and the Investment Corporation of Dubai under a 30-year concession, with a 180 by 34 metre floating dock and a 720-tonne travelift; its first client was the 107-metre Black Pearl. Visit website ↗

Cruises

Montenegro by sea

The cruise ports of Montenegro, and where the luxury lines call.

Ships sail the length of the Bay of Kotor to the walled town, and the small luxury ships berth at Porto Montenegro in Tivat.

Where the luxury lines call

From the lines' own 2026 and 2027 voyages. Ports change from season to season, so check the voyage before you reserve.

Luxury Cruise LinesSuites at Sea

Experience

Events and things to do in Montenegro

The Montenegrin year: the great events, month by month; each event's own website gives this year's dates.

Health spas

  • Chenot Espace at One&Only PortonoviBay of Kotor

    A medical spa at the mouth of the Bay of Kotor, run on the Chenot Method of diagnostics, detox and the Chenot Diet, with cryotherapy and hydrotherapy. Visit website ↗

Live

Luxury real estate in Montenegro

A home in Montenegro: the agencies and advisers at our standard, for the purchase and for life after it.

Prime real estate

  • Montenegro Sotheby's International RealtyTivat

    The Sotheby's affiliate for Montenegro, with its office in Porto Montenegro, covering the Bay of Kotor and the Budva Riviera.

  • Dream Estates MontenegroKotor

    Savills' partner agency in Montenegro, based in Kotor Old Town for about twenty years and specialising in waterfront and historic stone houses around the Bay of Kotor. Visit website ↗

Branded residences and new developments

  • Porto MontenegroTivat

    Owned by the Investment Corporation of Dubai since 2016, the superyacht marina village (about 450 berths) offers resort apartments and penthouses, including the completed Regent Pool Club Residences and the managed Boka Place residences, alongside the Regent hotel. Visit website ↗

  • PortonoviHerceg Novi

    A 26-hectare resort at the mouth of the Bay of Kotor with a 238-berth marina; homes include The Marina and Village residences, Sky Villas and One&Only Private Homes next to the One&Only Portonovi resort and its Chenot Espace spa. Visit website ↗

International schools

  • Knightsbridge Schools InternationalTivat

    Founded in 2010 in Tivat, home of Porto Montenegro, an English-language IB World School for ages 3 to 18, authorised for the IB Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma programmes.

Plan your trip

Luxury travel in Montenegro and the Mediterranean: your questions answered

When is the best time to visit Montenegro?

June and September are best: warm water in the bay and long days, with fewer cruise ships and crowds in Kotor's old town than in July and August.

Where are the best luxury hotels in Montenegro?

One&Only Portonovi (Forbes Five-Star).

How do you arrive in Montenegro by private jet?

Tivat Airport (TIV / LYTV), about 30 minutes by car to Kotor.

Do you tip in Montenegro?

Around 10% is customary in restaurants when service is good. Rounding up is usual for drivers. Luxury hotels: porters €2–5 a bag, housekeeping €5–10 a day. The currency is the euro.

What should you wear in Montenegro?

Orthodox monasteries such as Ostrog expect modest dress. Cover your shoulders and knees, and women should carry a light headscarf. Away from the beach, wear clothes over your swimwear. Budva fines people €200 for walking in its Old Town in swimwear or bare-chested. The universal yacht rule applies: no hard-soled shoes on deck. Evenings are dressier than the daytime beach scene, and smart outfits are expected at the better bars and restaurants.

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Customs and etiquette

Customs and etiquette in Montenegro

How Montenegro does things.

Language
Montenegrin is the official language. Serbian, Bosnian, Albanian and Croatian are also in official use, and both Latin and Cyrillic scripts appear. English is widely spoken in luxury hotels, marinas and restaurants along the coast, especially at Porto Montenegro and around Kotor and Budva.
Greetings
A handshake is standard. Friends often greet with cheek kisses. People are warm but appreciate formality at first meetings.
Dress
Orthodox monasteries such as Ostrog expect modest dress. Cover your shoulders and knees, and women should carry a light headscarf. Away from the beach, wear clothes over your swimwear. Budva fines people €200 for walking in its Old Town in swimwear or bare-chested. The universal yacht rule applies: no hard-soled shoes on deck. Evenings are dressier than the daytime beach scene, and smart outfits are expected at the better bars and restaurants.
Dining
Long, late summer dinners are the norm on the coast, from about 8 pm. Reserve ahead in July and August.
Tipping
Around 10% is customary in restaurants when service is good. Rounding up is usual for drivers. Luxury hotels: porters €2–5 a bag, housekeeping €5–10 a day. The currency is the euro.
Good to know
Ostrog Monastery is one of the most important Orthodox pilgrimage sites in the region. Visit quietly and dress modestly, and ask before photographing worshippers.

Every list on this page is checked by hand and dated: last checked October 2026. Hotels, restaurants and events link only to their own official websites, where confirmed.

The Mediterranean Season Letter

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Four letters a year, one for each season: the Mediterranean from spring to autumn, and Beyond the Mediterranean, into the Alps, in winter. The one best hotel to book, and the events worth crossing a sea for.