Generally, roads in Montenegro are in good state and they are very picturesque due to mountain or sea views around. Here we will list several scenic routes which are worth going by car, taxi or bus. All of them are free – with one exception.
Kotor – Herceg Novi
Let’s start from the most iconic place – the Bay of Kotor. Our route starts in Kotor, goes from Perast (make a short stop here), Risan (also make a short stop here) and finally reaches Herceg Novi (but you can go further to Dubrovnik, Croatia). The route goes very close to the Bay of Kotor waters and views are just astonishing. You’ll get completely different mountain view every several minutes due to geometry of the Bay of Kotor. Don’t want to drive? Just take a bus in Kotor to Herceg Novi and enjoy the views!
Kotor serpentine
Probably, the most extreme route of our list. There is no bus here – only car or taxi. You will go from the Bay of Kotor up the mountain and further to Njeguši, the home village of Montenegrin rulers. Be careful: the road is narrow so you need to be attentive here. If you are not sure, better take local taxi.
Budva – Bar
Tired of Kotor serpentine? You can have a rest on Budva – Bar road, it goes along the Adriatic coast so here you have awesome sea views. Here the views of Budva riviera go first including famous view of Sveti Stefan (there is a comfortable viewpoint near Sveti Stefan), then you can make a short stop in Petrovac (small town with great embankment, beach and Castio fortress) and then you reach Bar. This route is available by bus and buses also make a stop in Petrovac.
Budva – Cetinje
Another road starting from Budva, but now we leave sea coast and go higher – to Cetinje. This road offers fantastic views of Budva riviera, then reaches Fort Kosmač, the southernmost fortress of Austro-Hungarian empire and finally we arrive to old royal capital of Montenegro – Cetinje. From the road near Cetinje if the weather is good you can see Lovćen, the most important mountain in Montenegro. You can go by bus as well – Budva – Cetinje or Budva – Podgorica buses go exactly this way.
Podgorica – Kolašin
OK, it’s time to leave the Adriatic coast and go to the north of Montenegro. This route starts in the capital of Montenegro – Podgorica and goes to Kolašin. It is the only paid road in our list, it is quite new (opened in 2022) and it is called A1 Princess Xenia motorway (named after Princess Xenia who is supposed to be the first female driver in Montenegro, that was in the beginning of 20th century). Mountain views you’ll see here are completely breathtaking. Also you’ll enjoy the unique water color in Tara river. If you go a little bit further after Kolašin you’ll get to Biogradska Gora national park.
If you go by Bar – Belgrade summer day train (available from mid June to mid September) the similar part of railway between Podgorica and Kolašin also suggests great views and a lot of tunnels.
Žabljak – Sedlo Pass
Now we reach Durmitor, the most famous national park in Montenegro. There are a lot of fantastic roads here but we choose Žabljak – Sedlo Pass road to get acquainted with Durmitor mountain views. The Sedlo Pass is 1907 m high and it is the highest road pass in Montenegro. This road is not very extreme but still you need to be careful and go here only in good dry weather. If the weather is bad, most probably it will be closed. It is usually closed also during the winter season.