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Best time to visit Montenegro

It’s a small country, and so if you want to choose the best time to go to Montenegro, particularly the coast, we would recommend outside the months of June and July. As the beaches are somewhat brimming. However the mountainous regions, and also around Lake Skadar, are crowd and often cloud free during this time, so it can be just perfect in summer months. Temperatures hover in the very pleasant range as late as November, so perfect for hiking, biking or kayaking right up until our clocks are changing back home.

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Best time to visit Montenegro

temperature & rainfall

Locations: Kotor | Zabljak

The best time to visit Montenegro is just outside the summer months as Montenegro is so small, the coast can feel very crowded. Peak season is a great time to enjoy the mountainous national parks, however - Kotor on the coast can reach 30°C in summer, whereas inland Cetinje averages a sultry 22 °C. Lake Skadar has its own microclimate as it is surrounded by mountains, so not quite as baking in summer but definitely warm enough for swimming. Hikers can ramble happily in Montenegro until November.

When to visit Montenegro

month by month guide

Hikers can ramble happily in Montenegro until November. July and August are very hot for coastal hiking, but the inland mountains offer welcome relief during this time. They are also empty. Unlike the beaches.
Note however that ,even in the mountains, the plain around Podgorica is still baking in summer.
If you want to swim along the coast, the water doesn’t really start warming up until May, but gets to a lovely 25°C by the end of the month, staying warm until October.
Montenegro's mountainous regions receive the highest amounts of rainfall in Europe. There can be rain all year round, so always have a raincoat in your daypack. Thunderstorms are frequent in summer.
White water rafting doesn’t really kick in until May, as the snow melt in the mountains means that the rivers are too strong before then.
Orthodox Easter is usually a week or two later than Catholic and Protestant countries. With open air services and processions, this is wonderful to watch, but many businesses close for this period, falling in either March, April or May depending on the year.
For coastal fun, June and September are best, as the beaches get very crowded. Temperatures are also perfect for activity vacations during these months.
If you want to avoid snow, December, January and February are the months when it is most likely. However, snowshoeing in Biogradsko and Durmitor National Parks at this time is other worldly. And flights can be cheap as chips.

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WHAT HAPPENS WHEN IN MONTENEGRO

Adam Jarvis from our leading walking vacation supplier, Headwater shares his thoughts on the best time to visit Montenegro: "Montenegro experiences each season in all of its glory, from snowy winters in the mountains to sun-baked coastal summers. To get the best out of this for our walkers, we run our guided walking tours from May to September with one offering each for July and August at the beginning and end respectively (as the temperature can be very high during this period).”

Festivals & events

OUR PICK FROM THE MONTENEGRO CALENDAR

Did you know about...?

Boka Night
Taking place on the third Saturday in August every year, think fjord, flotillas and fireworks. The Bay of Kotor becomes a floating carnival on Boka Night, or Bokeska noc, with hundreds of decorated and illuminated boats parading in front of Kotor’s old town, Stari Grad. The party only begins when the last firework dims.

Photo credits: [Top box - island lake: Halavar] [Fireworks: George Alexander Ishida Newman]

Written by Catherine Mack

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