ChernogoryaMontenegro without rushing: a guide for independent travelers

An independent guide for traveling to Montenegro on your own. Not a travel agency or an official tourism website; we sell no tours or accommodation and are not affiliated with the previous site on this domain. Check entry rules on official websites.

Reference

Reference

This section collects the words and names you'll come across while preparing for a trip to Montenegro: geographic terms, road terms and rules for behaving in nature. The definitions are short and need no background knowledge. Specific facts come from verified sources, and everything else is described in general terms, without figures that quickly go out of date. Entry rules are deliberately left out: they need to be checked on official websites before every trip.

Cetinje is the historic capital, Podgorica the current one. Visiting both is worthwhile if only to feel how different one country can look.

— Editor's note

Geography

Bay of Kotor
A winding bay on Montenegro's coast, with old towns and villages along its shores. The Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979.
Durmitor
A mountain range and national park in the north of the country. Durmitor National Park was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1980. Visitor rules are set by the park administration.
Lake Skadar
The largest lake in the Balkan Peninsula, lying on the border between Montenegro and Albania. On its shores and on the water, it's important to be quiet and considerate, especially near birds.
Cetinje
The historic royal capital of Montenegro. The town is best explored on foot and at a leisurely pace, with respect for its churches and for the quiet of residential streets.
Podgorica
The capital of Montenegro. As in any larger city, it's a convenient place to stock up before heading to the mountains or the lake.

On the road

Switchback road
A mountain road with a series of sharp hairpin bends. Drive it slowly, stay in your lane and don't stop where other drivers can't see you.
Intercity bus
A bus that runs between towns. Convenient if you're staying in one or two places and don't want to drive. Check schedules and baggage rules against up-to-date information.
Car rental
Temporary use of a car under a contract. Before signing, read the insurance terms, the return rules and your liability for damage, and be honest about your experience driving mountain roads.
Parking in an old town
Historic centers are often closed to cars or leave almost no room to park. Usually you leave the car in a designated parking area outside the old part of town and continue on foot, following the signs.

Nature

National park
A protected natural area with its own visitor rules. What you can and can't do in a park is decided by its administration, and those rules are worth learning in advance.
Camping and fire rules
A general term for restrictions on where you can pitch a tent, stay overnight and light a fire. In dry weather, any fire outdoors is dangerous. If you're not sure it's allowed, don't light one.
Mountain trail
A hiking route in the mountains. Trails vary in difficulty, and you should choose them based on your abilities, the weather and the time of day, not just the beauty of the view.
Trail markings
Signs on rocks, trees and signposts that show where a trail leads. If you lose the markings, go back to the last sign you saw and don't try to find a shortcut.

Where to read more

  • Guides

    How to plan a week in Montenegro on your own, plus a catalogue of upcoming articles.

  • Questions

    Short answers: what to do before the trip, how to get around, how to stay safe in the mountains and near water.

  • Collections

    Collections by interest: the old towns of the bay, the mountains and canyons of the north, the lake and its birds.

  • Sections

    A map of topics: the country's regions, transport and roads, nature and safety, local customs.

  • Questions

    Short answers: what to do before the trip, how to get around, how to stay safe in the mountains and near water.

  • Collections

    Collections by interest: the old towns of the bay, the mountains and canyons of the north, the lake and its birds.

  • New

    A feed of the guide's pages with dates and topic tags.

Sources

  • UNESCO World Heritage List (Kotor, Durmitor)
  • Official government websites of Montenegro and your own country: entry rules (in general terms)
  • Chernogorya editorial materials

Information is current as of the date this page was prepared. Entry rules, national park regulations, transport schedules and car rental terms change over time, so check official sources and the rules in force on the ground before you travel.