Holidays with children in Montenegro

Montenegro attracts Russian tourists with children, because this state in the west of the Balkan Peninsula is famous for its friendliness, beautiful natural landscapes, gentle sea and warm non-aggressive summer sun. Tens of thousands of Russians with kids and schoolchildren flock here every year, because this small Eastern European country is interesting for people of all ages to relax. In this article, we will tell you how to organize your vacation in Montenegro so that it is enjoyable and memorable for a long time.

Pros and cons

As in any other country, Montenegro has its pros and cons, which it is better to find out about in advance, before going there, in order to avoid unpleasant surprises. Nature has generously endowed Montenegro: the Adriatic Sea is transparent, the lakes are sky-blue, the mountains are majestic. Almost the entire territory of the country is given over to national reserves, and you can really enjoy the beauty here for an endlessly long time. The architectural "pearls" of the country, its castles, fortresses and ancient streets will be very popular with connoisseurs of history and sightseeing.

Russians usually do not have linguistic difficulties here, since the Serbian spoken by the local population is very similar to our language, and the inhabitants of Montenegro, over the years of communication with tourists from Russia, have mastered enough Russian vocabulary to communicate without problems.

The national cuisine is very tasty, it contains a lot of vegetables and fruits, fish, seafood, meat - everything that a growing child's body needs.

Another advantage appreciated by the Russians is the cost of a vacation in Montenegro. Prices are quite affordable, and most Russian families can afford to make such a trip at least once a year. In addition, there are a lot of tourist offers in this direction, and there are always last-minute deals that will cost even less than a vacation in Turkey or on the Russian Black Sea coast.

But from this plus follows several important minuses. The main one is the growing prices for real estate and services. Recently, transport in the country has become much more expensive, the cost of food is growing, and rental housing has become an order of magnitude more expensive. During the high season, beaches are overcrowded and spontaneous garbage dumps appear on the streets, as crowds of tourists are not too puzzled to keep clean while visiting.

Climatic features: water and air temperature

The climate of Montenegro determines the proximity of the Adriatic Sea. It is dry and hot here in summer - the average daytime temperature is +30 degrees. In winter, thermometers rarely drop below 0, the average air temperature is + 4-6 degrees. By the sea, where the most popular resorts are located, the climate is Mediterranean. On the plains, a little further from the Adriatic, there is a temperate continental climate, and in the mountains it is alpine.

The most daring begin to open the bathing season at the end of May, when the water temperature is already approaching + 19-20 degrees. In June, the waters of the Adriatic Sea warm up to +23 degrees, in July and August - up to +26 degrees at an air temperature of + 30-32 degrees. The velvet season starts in September - the sea remains warm (up to +23 degrees) and ends in October, when the water of the Adriatic cools down to 21.

It is better to rest with young children not in the midst of the high season, but before and after its end. The periods from late May to mid June and September to October are ideal.

In winter, fans of alpine skiing and lovers of winter mountain landscapes flock to Montenegro. The snow cover in the mountains is stable, and there are no severe frosts. Spring and autumn are well suited for sightseeing holidays, besides, in the off-season, prices for trips to the country are significantly reduced.

Beaches

The main feature of the beaches of Montenegro (there are more than 110 of them in a relatively small territory of the country!) Is that they are 80% rocky and pebble. Public beaches are often covered with concrete. If you try, you can find swimming spots with sandy strips. Here are just a few beaches worth seeing:

Great beach. It is located near Ulcinj, covered with fine sand. There are hotels nearby, which are literally buried in flowering alleys.
Royal beach. The bathing place is located north of Ulcinj. You can get to this piece of paradise only by sea, since the beach is surrounded by rocks on three sides.
Golden beach. Located in the Bar district. The sand here is not only fine and soft, but also has a rich golden color, which gave the name to the resting place. Nearby - cypress groves and a lot of hotels.
Mogren I and II. These beaches are located in the region of the Budva Riviera and are rightfully considered one of the best in Montenegro. There are hotel complexes nearby.
Becici. The length of this sandy beach is almost 2 kilometers, it is well equipped, there are hotels nearby.

Popular resorts of the country

Montenegro, if desired, you can go around the whole in one day. But on such a small territory, there are dozens of small but very picturesque resorts that are united into regions. Most suitable for a joint holiday with children:

Budva Riviera. This region is the heart of the country's tourist center. The main resort town is Budva. This part of Montenegro is very popular with Russians. In addition to Budva, the Riviera includes such resort towns as Petrovac, Becici, Rafailovici. Since the region is in great demand by tourists, rest here is the most comfortable, but at the same time, the most expensive in the country.

Hercegnovskaya Riviera. This is the second most popular region of the country, it is designed for those who travel not only for a beach holiday, but also for treatment. Due to the fact that this part of Montenegro is visited somewhat less often than the Budva Riviera, prices are also slightly lower here. The most famous cities in the region are Herceg Novi, Risan, Tivat, Zelenika and Perast.

Ultsin Riviera. Along with the resorts located in the very south of the country (Bar, Sutomore), the Ultsin region is considered the cheapest in terms of the cost of vouchers, entertainment and excursions. The tourist infrastructure here is less developed than in the center of the country, there are few hotels ideal for children 's holidays, but the beaches are sandy almost everywhere, and the nature fascinates with its majesty.

Accommodation options with a small child: hotels, apartments

Traveling "savages" with children is not very convenient. The younger the child, the more comfort he requires. Montenegro is ready to provide a variety of tours, including accommodation in hotels with a developed "children's" infrastructure, which includes pools with slides, children's clubs with children's and sports grounds, animation. Here are just a few of them that Russian travel parents have left positive reviews about:

Monte Casa Spa & Wellness 4 *. This hotel is located in the town of Petrovac in the prestigious region of the Budva Riviera. The beach is sandy and well-groomed. There is a club for children where they can attend rhythmic and aerobics classes. A large and entertaining playground has been built not far from the hotel. The all-inclusive food system, popular among Russian tourists, is absent in its usual form, there are two options - full boarding and incomplete boarding.

Vile Oliva 4 *. This hotel in Petrovac will be cheaper than accommodation in most other hotels on the Budva Riviera. However, the price here is fully consistent with the quality, and sometimes the quality exceeds the cost. The hotel has a games room and playgrounds. It is possible to buy a voucher with all-inclusive meals.

Splendid Conference & SPA Resort 5 *. The hotel, which can rightfully be classified as a luxury, is located on a sandy beach in the very center of Becici. The beach itself is the property of the hotel and is well looked after. Several dining options are offered by more than five restaurants on the territory of the hotel complex. Children will not be bored - for toddlers from 3 years old there is a kids club, for all children there is a special heated pool.

Iberostar Bellevue 4 *. This hotel is located in Becici. Everything is provided for families with children - there is a mini-club and children's animators who will entertain the child from morning until evening. There is a children's pool with slides, a playground. All inclusive meals are possible.

Hotel Mediteran Conference & Spa Resort & Aqua Park 4 *. A four-star hotel, which is not a pity to give even five stars, since there is not only a developed network of children's clubs, animation and playgrounds, but also a water park. Meals mean only breakfast, for the rest you have to pay separately, but there is an opportunity to purchase a voucher with other types of meals.

Hotel RR 4 *. Quite a budget family hotel in Herzog Novi. There is a substantial discount for children. Baby cots are free. There is no separate children's menu in the restaurant, but most of the dishes are great for children over a year old.

Apartments in Montenegro in 2017 have slightly risen in price, and now apartments on the first coastline for rent cost from 2500 to 6000 rubles per day. The choice of accommodation on the Internet is quite large, however, if the vacation is scheduled for mid-summer and August, it is better to book apartments and villas in advance.

Children's camps

In Montenegro, dozens of children's camps operate every summer, which offer thematic and general health holidays. The most famous do not need introduction:

Igalo Institute - sports camp in Igalo.
SUNNY CAMP - camp for children and teenagers on the sea in Budva.
"Arkona" is a thematic international camp in Tivat.
Citrus is a children's health camp in Podgorica.
“Visiting Mary Poppins” - language camp in Bar. For babies from 3 to 7 years old.

When sending a child to the camp, do not forget to issue him, regardless of age, his own passport, a notarized power of attorney to travel outside Russia from both parents, an extract from the medical card and vaccination card.

Attractions and excursions

While in Montenegro, you should definitely find time to travel around this amazingly beautiful country. If you intend to plan excursions on your own, then be sure to visit these places with your child:

Bay of Kotor;
Fortress of St. John;
Canyon on the Tara River;
Altstadt fortress in Budva;
Monument to Vladimir Vysotsky;
Fortress "Old Bar";
Ostrog monastery.

Excursions between different Montenegrin cities and nature excursions are very popular. To appreciate the beauty of nature, be sure to visit the Durmitor Park in the continental part of the country.

With older children, you can dare to go on an active vacation, which can be safely attributed to rafting on the Tara River. Children from 7 years old, accompanied by adults, are allowed to overcome the mountain rapids of the river. From any resort town or village, you can go on a sea voyage along the coast, this will give you the opportunity to see islands, bays, ancient architectural monuments.

You can have fun with children of any age in the water park in Becici, and Budva will be interesting for tourists who love history and always strive to visit museums. There are many of them in this city.

Useful tips for vacationers

Do not be afraid of strong acclimatization. Even small children under one year old, as well as one-year-old toddlers, for the most part tolerate a short flight to the country and the first days in new conditions well.

Before traveling in high season, when the beaches are crowded, it is advisable to get vaccinated against rotavirus infection. It is not included in the list of mandatory ones, and therefore it can be done on the territory of Russia for a fee in any private or public clinic.

If you are going to go on excursions to monasteries and sacred places, be sure to take a strict and modest clothing. Montenegrins are very sensitive to religion, you should not offend their feelings with short shorts and daring tops.

Be sure to provide a reserve of money for renting beach equipment. All umbrellas and sun loungers are rented and cost from 5 to 25 euros per set.

Excursions in Montenegro are cheaper if ordered from private guides. Tour agencies are more expensive and do not make any discounts for children or bookings for multiple trips. You can always negotiate with private traders. You shouldn't look for them, they will surely find you themselves, as they offer excursions both in the area of hotels and at the airport.

Montenegro can be proud of its road surface. Everything is European, but a lot of questions arise with the organization of the movement. Therefore, in this country it is better not to rent a car if you do not have a lot of driving experience - local roads, intersections and junctions are too complicated.

An independent vacation in Montenegro is, of course, possible. But even according to rough estimates, it turns out to be several times more expensive than buying a tour.

There is no good European shopping in Montenegro. Here tourists can easily buy a Chinese fake, but finding a truly branded item is quite difficult and very expensive. Another paradox of the country's pricing is that food and sweets are more expensive in markets than in stores. Russians are not used to this.

Reviews

When looking for reviews about a vacation in Montenegro, it is important to discard all posts that were published before 2015. From that moment on, the country began to change a lot, and the reviews, where “everything is cheap and super! »Have already lost their relevance.

You should also not take into account reviews beginning with the words: "I want to tell you about my wonderful (wonderful, unforgettable, wonderful, etc.) vacation in Montenegro." These are, as a rule, “customized” paid reviews, which are sometimes written by people who have never been to the country.

A more or less objective assessment of rest in Montenegro is 4 out of 5. Most tourists appreciate the natural beauty of the country, but every third says that the service in hotels leaves much to be desired and is clearly not worth the money paid for it. The sanitary condition of the beaches does not satisfy every fourth or fifth tourist, young mothers complain about the poor development of infrastructure for children in bathing areas.

Every second Russian who visited Montenegro in 2016-2017 complains about rapidly rising prices and rising prices for food. Nevertheless, the charm of this small but beautiful country is so great that a vacation with children in it is recommended by 94% of tourists who voted on the Internet.