Routes
Montenegro in 5 days by car: a loop from Tivat or Podgorica
Montenegro's sights sit close together but the roads are slow: narrow coastal roads, hairpin bends up the mountains and summer queues at the ferry. This loop keeps most days under two hours of driving and works whether you pick up the car at Tivat Airport (TIV) or Podgorica Airport (TGD).
In short
- Pick up in Tivat for a coast-first trip, or in Podgorica if you land there and want Ostrog and Lake Skadar first.
- The Njegoš Mausoleum on Lovćen is open only from 11 April to 15 November. In winter use the variant on Day 3.
- The Kamenari-Lepetane ferry across the Bay of Kotor takes a few minutes and costs 5 EUR per car.
- From 15 November to 1 April winter tyres are required in winter conditions and on mountain road sections set by the government.
- Drive times are approximate, for normal traffic outside July and August, without stops.
Which airport to start from
Tivat Airport sits on the Bay of Kotor, so Days 1 and 2 start minutes from the car. From Podgorica, do the loop in reverse: Ostrog and Lake Skadar first, then over to the coast. The coast from Podgorica is about an hour's drive via the Sozina tunnel to Bar (toll), or a little longer via Cetinje.
Day 1: Kotor
Kotor old town
Walled town at the end of the bay. Walk the lanes and, if you have the legs for it, climb the fortress walls above the town.
- Drive
- Approx. 15 min from Tivat Airport
- Parking
- Paid car parks outside the walls; in summer arrive before 09:00 or after 17:00.
- Time to allow
- Half a day
- Families
- The town is flat; the fortress climb has many steps.
Day 2: the bay, Perast and the ferry
Perast
Small baroque town on the bay. Boats take you to the island church of Our Lady of the Rocks.
- Drive
- Approx. 25 min from Kotor
- Parking
- Car parks at the entrances to the town; the waterfront is closed to through traffic in season.
- Time to allow
- 2 to 3 hours
Herceg Novi via the Kamenari-Lepetane ferry
Continue round the bay to Kamenari and cross back to Lepetane by ferry, near Tivat. The crossing saves the drive round the inner bay.
- Drive
- Approx. 35 min Perast to Kamenari; crossing a few minutes
- Parking
- Herceg Novi has paid parking above the old town.
- Time to allow
- Half a day
Day 3: Lovćen and Cetinje (April to mid-November)
The old road from Kotor climbs the mountain in 25 hairpin bends to Njeguši, then on into Lovćen National Park. The Njegoš Mausoleum stands on Jezerski vrh at about 1,660 m and is reached by 461 steps through a tunnel. Afterwards drive down to Cetinje, the former royal capital.
Njegoš Mausoleum, Lovćen
Open from 11 April to 15 November. Take a jacket: it is much colder at the top than on the coast.
- Drive
- Approx. 1 hour from Kotor via the serpentine road
- Parking
- Car park below the steps.
- Time to allow
- 1.5 hours
Cetinje
Monastery, the old embassies and King Nikola's palace in a small, walkable town.
- Drive
- Approx. 30 min from the mausoleum
- Time to allow
- 2 hours
Winter variant (16 November to 10 April): the mausoleum is closed and the mountain road can be snowbound. Drive Kotor to Budva along the coast and up to Cetinje on the main road instead, and check road conditions before leaving.
Day 4: Budva coast and Lake Skadar
Budva old town and the Sveti Stefan viewpoint
A short walk in Budva's old town, then the viewpoint above the Sveti Stefan islet south of Budva.
- Drive
- Approx. 30 min from Cetinje to Budva; 15 min on to Sveti Stefan
- Parking
- Paid parking in Budva; lay-bys on the main road above Sveti Stefan.
- Time to allow
- 2 to 3 hours
Virpazar and Lake Skadar
Lakeside village with boat trips into the national park.
- Drive
- Approx. 45 min from Sveti Stefan via Petrovac
- Parking
- Small car parks in the village.
- Time to allow
- Half a day with a boat trip
Day 5: Ostrog Monastery and back to Podgorica
Ostrog Monastery
Monastery built into a cliff face above the Zeta valley. Shoulders and knees must be covered.
- Drive
- Approx. 1 hour from Podgorica (about 50 km); the last stretch is a narrow, steep road with hairpins
- Parking
- At the lower and upper monastery; less confident drivers can park at the lower monastery and walk or take the local shuttle.
- Time to allow
- 1.5 to 2 hours
From Ostrog it is about an hour to Podgorica Airport, or about two and a half hours back to Tivat.
Open in Google Maps
Before you cross a border
Dubrovnik, Mostar and Albania are tempting add-ons, but driving a rental car out of Montenegro needs the rental company's written permission and the right insurance documents. Ask before you book, not at the border.
Car rental in Podgorica | Car rental in Tivat
Sources
- Njegoš mausoleum: opening hours, National Museum of Montenegro (checked October 27, 2026)
- Winter tires mandatory as of today, CdM (Police Directorate statement) (checked October 27, 2026)
- Kamenari-Lepetane ferry timetable and fares, Novosti (checked October 27, 2026)
- Maut in Montenegro, ADAC (checked October 27, 2026)
- Ostrog: travel guide, Montenegro.com (checked October 27, 2026)
Rules, prices and opening hours change. Check the official source before you travel. Drive times are approximate.
More guides
Day trips from Tivat and Kotor by car
Six day trips from a base on the Bay of Kotor: Perast, the Luštica peninsula, Herceg Novi by ferry, Lovćen and Cetinje, the Budva coast and Lake Skadar.
Driving in Montenegro: rules, tolls, ferries and winter tyres
What to know before driving a rental car in Montenegro: road rules, the two tolls, the Bay of Kotor ferry, winter equipment from 15 November and taking the car across a border.
Montenegro in winter: coast, ski slopes and what is closed
A winter plan for Montenegro by car: quiet coastal towns, skiing at Kolašin, Ostrog and Cetinje, plus what closes after mid-November and the winter tyre rule.