I spent just under a week bicycle touring in Montenegro in May 2016. My route followed the Montenegro coastline as part of a longer cycling trip across Europe. Read on to discover what I thought, the exact route I took, and to watch the daily vlogs made on the road!
Bicycle Touring in Montenegro
My bike tour from Greece to England took me through several European countries I hadn't visited before. Montenegro was one of them.
Montenegro
was a country I had never visited before, and knew little about. I am embarrassed to say, that I still know little about it!
I was under some pressure to meet several deadlines and appointments during my cycling trip. For this reason, my experience of bicycle touring in Montenegro was all too brief.
Montenegro Bike Touring
I have listed each day below, and have included the exact routes I took when cycling in Montenegro. These were recorded using my Garmin Touring GPS
.
I have also included my daily vlogs, which I made during the trip. If you are planning on bicycle touring in Montenegro, this information might prove helpful.
At the end of the post, I have listed some tips for bicycle touring in Montenegro. These cover the basics of what you might expect, how much things cost, and other useful information.
The day starts at Day 17, in Ulcinj in Montenegro. If you would like to find out how I got there, check out my previous article about bicycle touring in Albania.
Tuesday 24th May 2016 Day 17 – Cycling from Ulcinj to Lastva Grbaljska in Montenegro
Wednesday 25th May 2016 Day 18 – Cycling from Lastva Grbaljska to Herceg Novi in Montenegro
Wednesday 26th May 2016 Day 19 – Cycling from Herceg Novi in Montenegro to Dubrovnik in Croatia
Tips for Bicycle Touring in Montenegro
Currency – Montenegro uses the Euro. There are ATM machines in most towns and cities.
Credit Cards – Most businesses prefer cash, although some hotels may accept credit cards.
Road Conditions – The coastal road was sealed, but didn't have much of a shoulder to use. There were also a few long tunnels to cycle through in Montenegro. I found the traffic to be fast moving and impatient. Don't expect car drivers to give you much room!
Accommodation – My luck was in when cycling in Montenegro! It was still off-season, and I was getting some incredible bargains from Booking.com. A whole apartment for less than 15 Euros? Thanks very much!
Conclusion
During my cycling trip from Greece to England, I had to cut through some countries very quickly, and Montenegro was one of them.
I know that I didn't do it justice on this trip, especially as I didn't cycle through any of the highlands, which are acknowledged to be the best parts! I will clearly have to go bicycle touring in Montenegro again!
If you want to find out more about Montenegro, you might find this very useful – The Best of Montenegro / The Best of The Balkans / Beautiful Montenegro
Lizzie says
Great to see you’ve done this. I’m planning on cycling from the UK to Greece this April via a very similar route, intending to work in a refugee camp when I get there. How were the border crossings with a bike?
Dave Briggs says
Hi Lizzie,
Great to hear that you are planning a cycling trip from England to Greece! There are certainly a lot of refugee camps to choose from when you get here – Official estimates put the number of refugees at 50,000 in Greece. Unofficially, it is likely to be much higher. Good luck with your aim… it will be interesting to hear your views of it after working at a camp for a while.
As for the cycling – all the border crossings are super easy. Through most of Europe you won’t even notice you’ve crossed a border. Others, may require a stamp.
Sam says
By just taking the coast you missed out on the best bits for sure, from Kotor to Durmitor > Tara river Gorge (deepest in Europe) was one of the most scenic parts of our years cycle… Too many cyclists stick to the Balkan coast and its just a fraction of what the area has to offer!
Dave Briggs says
Yep – hands up I admit that I zipped through too fast due to deadlines!
Brit says
Dave – i think you nailed it and missed it on this one. 🙂 True there is not much shoulder on the roads and drivers are impatient. Yes you should have seen some good stuff while riding the coastline. BUT, the hidden treasures are further inland. Montenegro is the most bio-diverse country in Europe. You need to experience the mountains, rivers, and lakes as well as the fascinating culture. Don’t be in such a hurry next time, drop me a line, and I’ll intro you to some amazing spots.
Now, spot on for wanting to revisit Albania and Slovenia too. Lots of variety that is worth experience throughout this peninsula.
Peace and good riding to you!
Dave Briggs says
Hi Brit,
Hope you are keeping well! I knew I should have asked you for advice and a route before I left. Everything just turned into a last minute rush. However, your words have inspired me to take another look at Montenegro!
Apostolos says
Hi Dave the following is certainly worth a visit, its Crnojevića river
Map 1
The best part of Montenegro is in the mountains, for example Durmitor National Park that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Map 2
Dave Briggs says
Noted for the next time I am there!