Montenegro

Our Guide To Montenegro

The Montenegrin bar scene? Think what else is up and down the Dalmatian coast – Caffe bars! It doesn’t deviate much so try to find the slices of local life and steer clear of the cookie cutter corporate options. In a touristy area like Kotor be prepared for prices to take a leap up.

In the capital Podgorica you stand the best chance of a diverse selection, ranging from a Western style brew pub, German theme venues, a converted Turkish bath house and Konoba Avlija, Montenegro’s answer to ruin bars. 

Ratings Key (0-10)

Bars marked (*) will take you to our full profile write-up!

 

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Klub Invalida * Kotor 7 6 10 5 9 8.6
Nitrox Kotor 9 7 8 7 4 7.6
Bandiera Kotor 6 8 8 6 6 7.6
Evergreen Jazz Club Kotor 4 6 8 8 4 7.5
Konoba Avlija Podgorica 6 9 8 8 6 8.7
BIRO Podgorica 7 8 8 7 7 7.9
Haustor Podgorica 6 8 8 7 7 7.7
Itaka Library Bar Podgorica 8 7 7 8 6 7.6
Munich Zentrum Podgorica 7 8 7 7 6 7.5
Bulevar Džada Podgorica 7 7 8 6 7 7.5
PG Akademija Podgorica 9 7 6 7 7 7.5

pop. 13, 510

You could not wish for a more stunning backdrop. While approaching from the west, the bay of Kotor suddenly unfurls to present what seems to be a sheer wall of rock rising from the water. This small town has a disproportionate importance in what is, after all, a small country, and its old town is forced to absorb then purge thousands of day-trippers arriving by Ferry in the summer. Unlike Dubrovnik, this has not totally ruined the town, but there are signs that whatever money is coming in is not being directed towards maintaining the facilities very well.

Prone to violent thunderstorms, the stone of the old town cannot shift the water fast enough – to be caught in a rain show in Kotor is to know what a flood feels like. The locals remain calm, having seen it all before, and rock back in their seats with another glass of the tolerable, though hardly impressive Niksicko pivo. Our favourite venue, Klub Invalida is the antithesis of the pretentious tapas or caffe bar, it’s a no nonsense retired sportsmen’s bar with cheaper prices and a gruff, but authentic welcome.

pop. 156,000

Known for its anonymity and dullness, Podgorica is lacking the typical showy sights of a major capital. Don’t look for towering skyscrapers or vast monuments, instead you’ll find a clean, organised and largely civilised town that is easy to get around, very affordable and fairly friendly too. The nightlife is reasonable, with a varied selection of bars ranging from a well-financed brew pub to a ruin bar, to some more down n’ dirty options. Be prepared to walk around and explore a little and steer clear of the typical bland conservatory lounge bars that are all over this part of Europe.