Best time to visit Montenegro

People think Montenegro is all Med and no mountains. In fact, it has the perfect climate concoction
Montenegro is so small that its coastline can feel very crowded in the summer months. Peak season (June and July) is a great time to enjoy the mountainous national parks, however - Kotor on the coast can reach 30°C in summer, whereas inland Cetinje averages a pleasant 22 °C. Lake Skadar has its own microclimate as it is surrounded by mountains, so it's not quite as baking in summer but definitely warm enough for swimming. Hikers can ramble happily in Montenegro until November. Cyclists and kayakers will find the perfect weather for their pursuits in autumn, too.

When to visit Montenegro, month by month

Hikers can ramble happily in Montenegro until November. July and August are very hot for coastal hiking, but the inland mountains offer welcome relief during this time. They are also empty. Unlike the beaches. Note however that ,even in the mountains, the plain around Podgorica is still baking in summer. If you want to swim along the coast, the water doesn’t really start warming up until May, but gets to a lovely 25°C by the end of the month, staying warm until October. Montenegro's mountainous regions receive the highest amounts of rainfall in Europe. There can be rain all year round, so always have a raincoat in your daypack. Thunderstorms are frequent in summer. White water rafting doesn’t really kick in until May, as the snow melt in the mountains means that the rivers are too strong before then. Orthodox Easter is usually a week or two later than Catholic and Protestant countries. With open air services and processions, this is wonderful to watch, but many businesses close for this period, falling in either March, April or May depending on the year. For coastal fun, June and September are best, as the beaches get very crowded. Temperatures are also perfect for activity holidays during these months. If you want to avoid snow, December, January and February are the months when it is most likely. However, snowshoeing in Biogradsko and Durmitor National Parks at this time is other worldly. And flights can be cheap as chips.

Kotor Weather Chart

 
MIN °C
MAX °C
RAIN (mm)
JAN
-1
7
157
FEB
1
8
139
MAR
3
12
128
APR
7
16
119
MAY
11
21
88
JUN
14
25
70
JUL
17
28
51
AUG
16
28
63
SEP
13
24
100
OCT
9
18
139
NOV
5
13
190
DEC
1
8
175

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Responsible Travel recommends

Adam Jarvis from our leading walking holiday supplier, Headwater shares his thoughts on the best time to visit Montenegro: "Montenegro experiences each season in all of its glory, from snowy winters in the mountains to sun-baked coastal summers. To get the best out of this for our walkers, we run our guided walking tours from May to September with one offering each for July and August at the beginning and end respectively (as the temperature can be very high during this period).”

Festivals & events

Boka Night

Taking place on the third Saturday in August every year, think fjord, flotillas and fireworks. The Bay of Kotor becomes a floating carnival on Boka Night, or Bokeska noc, with hundreds of decorated and illuminated boats parading in front of Kotor’s old town, Stari Grad. The party only begins when the last firework dims.
Written by Catherine Mack
Photo credits: [Page banner: Oleg_P] [Intro: Fabien Rousselot] [Boka night – fireworks: George N]