The name of the country Monte and Negro are both Latin origin words. The original name of the country is Crna Gora which can be translated as black mountain. Monte means mountain and negro means black so basically the name of the country means Black Mountain in English. Mount Lovcen with its dense evergreen forests that seemed dark and black from a distance, was the reason for the country to be called Montenegro.
Where is Montenegro?
Montenegro is a small European country with 13,452 km2 land and 360 km2 water. It is by the Adriatic Sea in the south-east of Europe surrounded by Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo and Albania. There’s the Adriatic Sea between Montenegro and Italy.
It’s a very young country…with history or without history? Of course with an extensive history as the land has been a settlement for many tribes, kingdoms and countries for centuries.
History of Montenegro
• The first known inhabitants of the land were the Illyrians around 1000 BC.
• By 400 BC the Greek colonies settled on the coast.
• It was 228 BC when the Romans started to invade the region and in 100 BC the Romans fully captured the Balkans.
• In 395 the Roman Empire split into two and in 1042 Duklja declared its independence from the Byzantine Empire.
• In 1186 the kingdom of Duklja was defeated by Stefan Nemanje of the Serbian Kingdom.
• In 14th century the Balsics took the control of the region.
• In 1455 the noble family Crnojevics took the control until it was captured by the Ottomans in 1496.
• Between 1514 and 1528 and between 1507 and 1614 Montenegro was independent.
• In the 17th century they defeated the Ottoman Empire and governed by the Metropolitans.
• In 1797 the Austrian Empire took the control.
• In 1878 it was recognized as sovereign for 30 years.
• In 1910 it became the kingdom until 1916 when it was captured by Austria-Hungary Kingdom.
• In 1918 it became a part of the Serbian Kingdom, then in 1922 of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. Then joined in the Yugoslavian Kingdom in 1929.
• In 1974 Socialist Republic of Montenegro had a new constitution.
• After the break down of Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1992, Serbia and Montenegro stayed together in a smaller Federal Republic of Yugoslavia until 1996 when it had a separate economy with the usage of Deutsche Mark which led it to Euro although it’s not a member of EU or the Eurozone currency union.
• With Belgrade Agreement in 2003 Serbia and Montenegro started to be called as separate countries.
Montenegro was born in 2006 as the youngest child of former Yugoslavia. With a referendum held on 21st May 2006, Montenegro declared independence and became an independent country on 3rd June 2006. In 2015 the country joined NATO and it is expected to join the European Union soon.
Montenegro is a very centrally located country which is just an hour away from Rome, 1,5 hours away from Istanbul, Vienna and Paris, 2 hours from Berlin, 3 hours from Amsterdam and London by plane. There are direct flights from almost all around European cities to Podgorica Airport and Tivat Airport in Montenegro as well as to Dubrovnik Airport, although in Croatia, it is just an hour away from most popular Montenegro coastal cities.
Currency in Montenegro
The currency used in Montenegro is Euro. Accession of the country to European Union is expected to be very soon in the near future.
What is the language of Montenegro?
The language of Montenegro is Montenegrin. It is similar to Serbian and Croatian. It can be a little bit difficult to read and write the language rather than speaking it as it doesn’t have the Latin alphabet. The writing system of Montenegrin is Cyrillic.
Hello – Zdravo
Thank you – Hvala
Please – Molim
My name is – Zovem se
Good - Dobro
Yes - Da
No – Ne
How are you? – Kako ste?
What is the capital of Montenegro?
is the capital of Montenegro. It is located 49 metres above the sea level in the heart of Montenegro. The city is surrounded by Zeta, Moraca, Sitnica, Cijevna and Ribnica Rivers. It was known as Titograd between 1946 and 1992. Since 1326 the name Podgorica was used for this city.
It was taken by the Ottomans, Austrians, Italians and Germans over the years and unfortunately destroyed during the II. World War by more than 70 bombings. The historical monuments that could survive after the destruction were the 18th century Ottoman clock tower, a mosque, some houses in the old town Stara Varos and Dajbabe Monastery. Podgorica has one of the international airports of Montenegro.
For the hikers and nature lovers Podgorica
has a National Park and Skadar Lake.
Other major cities in Montenegro are Niksic, Pljevlja, Bijelo Polje and Cetinje when the population is taken into consideration.
The popular and worth visiting cities in Montenegro are Bar, Herceg Novi, Budva, Ulcinj, Tivat, Perast and Kotor.
Montenegro climate, Montenegro location and Montenegro history are the significant reasons for becoming a popular travel destination. It attracted more than 2 million tourists within last year.
But is it safe to travel in Montenegro? Definitely! It is one of the safest countries in Europe with low crime rates.
Do you need a visa for Montenegro?
Most of the countries do not need a visa to enter Montenegro. They only need passports and may stay in the country up to 90 days. U.S. Citizens, British, European Countries, Turkish, Australians do not need visa.
How to get to Montenegro
By train to Montenegro
Montenegro is connected to Serbia by train, from Belgrade to Bar and Podgorica. Within Montenegro there are trains from and to Bar, Podgorica, Niksic and Bijelo Polje.
By plane to Montenegro
There are two international airports in Montenegro, Tivat Airport and Podgorica Airport. There are direct flights from major European cities to and from both airport.
By bus to Montenegro
You can get to Montenegro by bus directly from the border countries like Bosnia, Albania, Serbia, Croatia. The international buses connect the other countries with Podgorica
. One of the mostly used international airport close to Montenegro is Dubrovnik Airport
and you can get a bus from Dubrovnik Airport
to Dubrovnik bus station and then to Montenegro.
Top Things To Do in Montenegro
It’s a small European country with 13,812 km² area which is almost half of Macedonia and almost quarter of Croatia. Germany is 26 times bigger than Montenegro. Turkey is 57 times bigger than Montenegro. United Kingdom is 18 times bigger than Montenegro. Montenegro, the whole country is 2 times bigger than one of the third biggest cities in Turkey called Izmir. Montenegro, the country, is 9 times bigger than London.
Considering the size of Montenegro, 10-12 days would be sufficient to see the attractions in the whole country. What are the top things to do in Montenegro?
Most travelers would agree that Lovcen Mountain is a natural beauty, a well preserved national park in Montenegro which is a perfect location for hiking. Mountain Lovcen is actually the eponym of Montenegro. The name of the country comes from the dark/black look of this mountain from a distance.
Our Lady of the Rocks
is one of the most visited symbols of Montenegro
. It is located in Perast, in the Bay of Kotor
. Having said the Bay of Kotor
, it is the location where you’d probably spend most of your time during your stay in Montenegro. Most towns in the Bay of Kotor
have lots of attractions not to be missed. Kotor Cathedral, Saint Tryphon for instance, is a must to see when you are in Kotor town
The Mamula Island
in Herceg Novi
would amaze you and maybe upset you with its look and history. Porto Montenegro
which is known as the Monte Carlo of Montenegro
is going to be the place where you want to spend hours and hours.
And talking about a bay evokes a question, how about the Montenegro Beaches?
Top 10 towns to visit in Montenegro are Kotor, Budva, Herceg Novi, Perast, Tivat, Ulcinj, Dobrota, Risan, Cetinje, Bar and give it a go to Podgorica for being the capital of Montenegro.
Top 15 attractions to see and to do in Montenegro are Kotor Old Town
, Port of Kotor
, Sveti Djordje Island
, Sveti Stefan
, Our Lady of the Rocks
, St John’s Fortress
, Blue Cave
, Island Mamula
, Kotor Maritime Museum
, Church of Our Lady of Remedy
(Health), Porto Montenegro
, Lake Skadar
, St Tryphon’s Square
and St Tryphon Cathedral
and Kotor City Walls
You’ve been to Montenegro and have fallen in love with it…or you have never been to Montenegro and have little information about it…But you want to make an investment in a foreign country and you want it to be one of the best destinations in every aspect. Then you are on the right page for the excellent country to invest in!
To start with an important question; can foreigners buy property in Montenegro
? Yes, they can. Foreigners can buy a property in Montenegro for investment to let out or to live in temporarily or permanently. Foreigner can buy a land as well but it has to be through a company.
So we have ticked one of the most important questions that comes to mind before making an investment. How about the other questions that you have on your mind like Is Montenegro is good to invest in? Is Montenegro safe to live in? Is there cheap property in Montenegro? Are the properties affordable?
It is always a good idea to cooperate with a local when buying a property in a foreign country. The Montenegro real estate agents have detailed information about the best location to invest and also they know the legal process about buying a property. It is useful to be in touch with a local expert especially if you don’t know the language of the country you invest in.
Montenegro real estate prices
, comparing with other countries in Europe, are very reasonable. Most investors have been glad to buy cheap and affordable properties in Montenegro which increase in value every year.
If you ever think of spending your summer holidays in a foreign country with excellent weather and good location within that country then you should definitely go with Budva real estate, Tivat real estate or Kotor real estate. Apartments in Montenegro are the most preferred properties. They are the most affordable ones and easy to let out. But you might be interested in spending your holiday in a beachfront property in Montenegro. Then there are small houses and villas in the Bay of Kotor.
The best thing about buying a house in Montenegro is, as soon as you own a property, no matter how much it costs, you get a permission to live in Montenegro with no limited duration. It means you can stay as long as you want in Montenegro or travel to and from Montenegro as much as you like.