Montenegro has a long history, and every town has a story written in its stone walls and streets. You can walk through places that Romans, Venetians, Ottomans, and local kings once ruled. It is best to rent a car in Montenegro to see all of this at your own pace. Driving gives you the freedom to stop in villages, visit hidden fortresses, and explore towns that buses and tours often miss. Our travel guide will help you explore UNESCO sites, abandoned castles, pirate legends, and medieval monasteries. By the end, you will know the best towns to visit in Montenegro and how to plan a smooth road trip.
Kotor is one of the best historic towns in Montenegro and a UNESCO World Heritage site. The town lies at the end of the Bay of Kotor, protected by mountains and stone walls that rise above the sea. When you arrive here on your self-drive trip, you can see why it is called a living museum. It is filled with fortifications, the old squares, and the mix of Venetian, Romanesque, and Gothic designs.
The Old Town of Kotor is a maze of narrow streets, stone houses, and hidden squares that keep their medieval charm. You will walk past the Cathedral of Saint Tryphon, first built in 1166, which is one of the most important Romanesque monuments in the Adriatic. There are also churches such as Saint Luke, from 1195, and palaces built by wealthy Venetian families. The walls stretch for 4.5 kilometres, climbing steeply up the hill of San Giovanni. Inside the walls, you find cafés, restaurants, and family shops, giving life to this historic centre.
Above Kotor is the San Giovanni Fortress, which can be reached by taking 1,350 stone steps. The path takes you past the Church of Our Lady of Remedy from 1518 and leads up to the top, where the fortress once defended the town. From here, you can see the blue bay, the rooftops of Kotor, and the surrounding mountains. The climb is challenging but rewarding, and it gives you a sense of how Kotor’s fortifications protected the city for centuries.
Kotor’s past is tied to the sea; you can learn about it at the Maritime Museum. This museum is housed in a Baroque palace and tells the story of sailors, battles, and trade that shaped the city. Inside, you will find models of ships, uniforms, and maps that explain Kotor’s place in Adriatic history. Walking outside, you can see more evidence of its past in the old gates: the Sea Gate, River Gate, and Gurdic Gate, each from a different period. These entrances remind you that Kotor was once a strong maritime and commercial centre.
Budva is one of the oldest urban settlements on the Adriatic coast. It has more than 2,500 years of history, shaped by Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Slavs, and Venetians. Today, you can still see the medieval walls and citadel while enjoying the lively modern side of the city. When you visit Budva on your self-drive trip, you experience both a historic fortress town and a coastal resort in one place.
The Old Town of Budva is enclosed by Venetian walls that date back to the Middle Ages. Walking inside feels like entering a small fortified city, with narrow stone streets, small churches, and the impressive Citadel. The Citadel, also known as the Castle of St. Mary, was first built to defend against pirate attacks. Today, it is a cultural centre with a maritime museum, a summer theatre, and terraces with views of the Adriatic Sea. Exploring these walls helps you understand Budva’s role as a trading port and a stronghold.
Budva's Old Town is situated in the centre of the modern city, in contrast to some other old towns that are cut off from it. You can enter peaceful alleys from bustling streets where the sound of old church bells and cafés mingles. Among the most prominent are the three-domed Church of the Holy Trinity, constructed in 1804, and the Catholic Church of St. John the Baptist, which is still in operation.
Bar is a coastal city, but the heart of its history lies in Stari Bar, the Old Town, set on the slopes of Mount Rumija. This site is one of the most important archaeological areas in the Balkans, with more than 600 structures remaining. Walking through its ruins, you see traces of Illyrian, Roman, Byzantine, Venetian, and Ottoman influence.
The Old Town of Bar was first mentioned in the 10th century. In Latin records, it was called Antibarum or Antivari. The town grew into a centre of trade and religion, with churches, fortifications, and residential quarters. Its ramparts, bastions, towers, and citadel were once strong, but the town was abandoned after an earthquake in 1979. Even so, you can still see landmarks like the Main Gate from the 14th–16th century, Saint George’s Cathedral, the Clock Tower, and the aqueduct built in the 17th century.
Near Stari Bar stands the Stara Maslina, believed to be the oldest olive tree in Europe, more than 2,000 years old. This tree symbolizes longevity and resilience. Within the old walls, you will find remains of the Customs House, Turkish Baths, and the Tatarovića Citadel, alongside squares and bastions. Stari Bar is also linked to culture and literature, as it is where the first historical and literary work of the southern Slavs was written. Today, the site is one of the best towns to visit in Montenegro if you want to combine archaeology, history, and a quiet atmosphere away from the coast.
Ulcinj is one of the oldest towns in the Adriatic, with roots dating back to the 5th century BC. Over centuries, it was shaped by Illyrians, Romans, Venetians, and Ottomans. Its strong walls and elevated position above the sea made it a natural fortress and a centre for trade and piracy.
The Old Town of Ulcinj is enclosed by thick stone walls, built to defend the town from the many invaders who tried to control it. Inside, you will find squares, churches, and the Balšić Tower, once the seat of local rulers. One of the most notable sites is Trg Robova. Ulcinj is known for its blend of Ottoman and Venetian stles, seen in its mosques, minarets, and old palaces. It was once the third fleet on the Adriatic, after Venice and Dubrovnik, and a favourite base for pirates. Today, Ulcinj also offers sandy beaches and sunny weather.
Herceg Novi is at the entrance to the Bay of Kotor and was founded in the 14th century by Bosnian King Tvrtko I. His goal was to build a port strong enough to rival Dubrovnik in the trade of salt, one of the most valuable goods at the time. Over the centuries, the town changed rulers many times, from Venetians to Ottomans, and each left its mark in fortresses, towers, and churches.
The Old Town is enclosed by stone walls built between the 14th and 19th centuries. Inside, you find some of the city’s most important landmarks: the Forte Mare Fortress from the 14th century, the Kanli Kula Fortress from the 15th century, and the 19th-century Clock Tower known as Tora. These sites have preserved the spirit of their times, from medieval battles to Ottoman rule. The town has long staircases called Skaline. It links the city's different levels, so you can walk through the old part of town.
Herceg Novi is sometimes called the city of flowers and festivals. Kanli Kula, once a prison, is now used as an open-air theatre for concerts and cultural events. Around the old quarter, you will find cafés, restaurants, and small shops that give energy to the streets. Whether you are drawn by the historic towers or the festive events, Herceg Novi is one of the best towns to visit in Montenegro for both history and entertainment.
Perast is a small but elegant town famous for its Baroque architecture and maritime history. It was once a place of wealthy captains and noble families who built palaces that still stand today.
One of the most famous attractions near Perast is Our Lady of the Rocks, an artificial island created by sinking old ships and adding rocks around them. At its centre stands a blue-domed church built in 1630, decorated with 17th-century frescoes and art from local painters. Every year on 22nd of July, locals celebrate by throwing new stones into the sea to maintain the island. You can reach it by boat from the town, and visiting combines cultural heritage and natural beauty.
Perast is often called the “town of a thousand palaces” because of the many Baroque palaces built by shipowners and aristocrats. Walking through the quiet streets, you pass elegant stone houses, old churches, and small squares that reflect the town’s former wealth. Unlike Budva or Kotor, Perast has no large fortifications. Instead, it shows its history through its refined architecture. With views of the bay and the two nearby islets, Perast is a peaceful place to explore Montenegro's towns at a slower pace.
When you leave the coast and drive inland, you discover another layer of Montenegro’s history. Here, the landscape changes from the blue Adriatic Sea to mountains, rivers, and valleys. Inland towns are less crowded than coastal ones, but have memories of Roman, Ottoman, and medieval times.
A road trip to Cetinje takes you to Montenegro’s royal and cultural heart. Cetinje was the country's capital during the time of the Petrović dynasty. Here you find palaces of former rulers, such as King Nikola’s Palace, which is now a museum. The town also has old monasteries that show its role in keeping national identity alive during centuries of Ottoman rule. Today, Cetinje is the spiritual centre of the country, making it one of the best towns to visit in Montenegro for history lovers.
Podgorica, the modern capital, hides a historic gem nearby: Doclea, a Roman settlement founded in the 1st century. You can still see the ruins of temples, a forum, and ancient stone walls that once protected the city. Podgorica has traces of Ottoman influence, especially in the Stara Varoš quarter with its mosques and Clock Tower.
Nikšić is another important inland town, known for the Bedem Fortress, built on older Roman foundations and later expanded by Ottomans and Venetians. The fortress has thick walls and towers that dominate the town’s skyline. Today, Bedem is also a cultural space where festivals and concerts are held, bringing life back to its historic stones. In Nikšić, you experience both the military history of Montenegro and the energy of a town that remains an active cultural hub.
Driving through the historic towns of Montenegro gives you the perfect balance of freedom and exploration. Inland towns like Cetinje and Nikšić bring you closer to Montenegro’s royal and cultural roots, while coastal gems such as Budva and Perast showcase centuries of seafaring history. To make your trip smooth and flexible, rent a car in Montenegro with Final Rentals. Enjoy affordable deals, instant online booking, and a wide range of vehicles from compact cars to SUVs. Final Rentals makes it easy to start your journey when you arrive at Tivat or Podgorica Airport.
