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Bay of Kotor

Countries in the atlas · Europe

Montenegro

A small country where the mountains drop straight into the Adriatic: the Bay of Kotor, the Tara Canyon and Lake Skadar.

Russian passport: visa requiredRussian Foreign Ministry: risk of detention at the request of other countriesprices ×1.3 vs Russia

Photo: Ggia · CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Bay of Kotor
Photo: Ggia · CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Montenegro

Bay of Kotor

Access 1/5 · easyJFMAMJJASOND

Boka Kotorska is a winding bay between mountains. The old town of Kotor and its Venetian walls climbing the slope are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The climb to St John’s Fortress is about 1,300 steps, with a view over the whole bay. From Perast, boats run to the island of Our Lady of the Rocks.

Getting there
Fly to Tivat (10 minutes from Kotor) or Podgorica (about 1.5 hours).
Sources (3)
Durmitor and the Tara Canyon
Photo: Alexkom000 · CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Žabljak, Montenegro

Durmitor and the Tara Canyon

Access 2/5 · fairly easyJFMAMJJASOND

Durmitor National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site: limestone peaks, the Black Lake near Žabljak and dozens of mountain lakes known as “mountain eyes”.

The Tara River Canyon, about 1,300 metres deep, is one of the deepest in Europe. In summer people raft down the Tara, and the Đurđevića Tara Bridge hangs over the abyss.

Getting there
From Podgorica, about 2.5–3 hours by car to Žabljak.
Fees and tickets
Entry to the national park is €5 a day, children under 15 free; rafting on the Tara from €40.
Sources (3)
Lake Skadar
Photo: Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Montenegro

Lake Skadar

Access 1/5 · easyJFMAMJJASOND

Lake Skadar, on the border with Albania, is a national park and one of the most important bird nesting sites in Europe: Dalmatian pelicans live here.

Boats take you among the water lilies to the island monasteries, and from the Pavlova Strana viewpoint you can see the bend of the Crnojević River.

Getting there
From Podgorica, about 30 minutes to Virpazar or Rijeka Crnojevića.
Fees and tickets
Entry is €5 a day, and a trip on the lake is included in the ticket; a kayak costs from €3 an hour.
Sources (2)

Before you go

Montenegro: entry, safety, money, flights, laws and budget — with sources.

Entry

Since 01.11.2026 Russian citizens have needed a visa: visa-free entry has been cancelled as Montenegro aligns its visa policy with the EU (the Government of Montenegro). Applications are accepted by VFS Global visa centres in Moscow, Murmansk, Yekaterinburg and other cities; there is no e-visa yet.

Without a Montenegrin visa you can enter for up to 30 days on a valid visa or residence permit of the Schengen area, the USA, the UK or Ireland. Police registration is required within 24 hours (at a hotel, the host does it); the fine is €60–600.

Rules for any passport

Checked 2 November 2026. These are the rules for a Russian citizen with an international passport on a tourist trip. For other passports and purposes, see the official website — the button above.

Sources (5)

Safety

The Russian Foreign Ministry warns that Russian citizens have been arrested at the request of third countries; in Cetinje and Bar, hostility towards Russians is possible. Overstaying means detention and lengthy proceedings.

Sources (2)

Money and cards

The Mir card does not work, and Russian cards may be refused. Bring euros in cash; declare sums from €10,000.

Sources (2)

Flights

There are no direct flights from Russia. Connections are via Belgrade (Air Serbia) or Istanbul.

Sources (2)

Laws and bans

  • Foreigners must register within 24 hours, or face a fine of €60–600.
  • Cultural property and works of art may be taken out only with a permit, even if bought from the artist.
  • Cash from €10,000 only with a declaration.
Sources (1)

Budget

prices ×1.3 vs Russia · price level 0.50 (US = 1), 2025

Prices are a third higher than in Russia. Durmitor and Lake Skadar national parks cost €5 a day; plus the visa and the visa centre fees.

The price level is the ratio of purchasing power parity for household consumption to the market exchange rate (World Bank). These are national averages: resorts and capitals cost more, the countryside less. Flights are not included.

Sources (3)