Montenegro is not often the first country that springs to mind when planning a European trip – but this beautiful country, with its stunning nature and dramatic mountain ranges, will not disappoint. 

I visited two popular towns – Budva and Kotor – during my visit and found Kotor to be the most enchanting.

Located on a beautiful bay on the coast of Montenegro, Kotor is a city steeped in tradition and history and borded by the Adriatic Sea – one of the cleanest and clearest in the world. 

The Bay of Kotor, which is extremely rich in marine life, also contains many beautiful hidden beaches and some are even within walking distance from the charming old town. 

Apart from the beautiful beaches, the region boasts some of the most beautiful islands, including Perast where visitors can explore ‘Our Lads of the Rocks’, which is a small island containing a church built in the 1600s. 

The Mamula island, an old prison camp that operated during World War 2, can also be explored. It is located near the famous Blue Cave known for its unique blue light effect created by sunlight reflecting off the white sand on the sea bed. 

Visiting these locations with a speed boat operator is a great experience I would highly recommend when visiting Kotor. 

Despite being a slightly longer flight from the UK than to some other popular European countries – at around three hours – the flight prices to Montenegro are often very affordable. 

A quick search on Skyscanner as of Friday, returned hundreds of flights from the UK in October – some as low as £35 return on certain dates from London airports. 

Meanwhile, return flights from Manchester Airport come in at around £60 for a return flight on certain dates in October. 

As well as cheap flights, Montenegro is also on the less expensive end of European holiday destinations. 

A pint of draft beer in Montenegro costs on average around £2.10, according to Numbeo, whereas the cost of pint comes out at almost £5 on average in the UK. 

It’s also a great idea to hire a car to explore the area more easily. You can even visit the beautiful city of Dubrovnik, in Croatia, which is just a two hour drive from Kotor. 

The town just off the Croatian Adriatic coast is an ideal day trip for those wanting to visit another nearby country.