An article for those who are just planning their vacation and cannot decide: Croatia or Montenegro, where is better. I will tell you all the details of a vacation in each country, and you will make a choice. But in fact, the choice is obvious. Read on and find out.
Table of contents:
- Croatia or Montenegro: sea, beaches, weather
- Croatia or Montenegro: people and cities
- Money, prices, visas
- Comparison table of Croatia and Montenegro: where is better?
It will be difficult for you to plan your dream trip to Montenegro without these websites
Croatia or Montenegro: sea, beaches, weather
This part of the article is very simple. If you look at the map, here’s what you’ll see:
- Montenegro and Croatia are neighbors. They border each other by land and by sea.
- Both countries are washed only by the waters of the Adriatic Sea.
- In general, these are countries of the same climatic zone and one region. This is all the Balkan Peninsula.
- Read more about the weather and seasons in Montenegro. It’s the same in Croatia. The only difference is that Montenegro is a little to the south and the high season is 1 week longer. It starts to get cold on the coast at the end of October.
- Since the sea is the same and the climate is almost the same, the temperature of the water is generally similar, and the transparency and its color.
- You can read more about the sea in Montenegro in the article at the link.
Good to know:
As for the climate and nature: you most likely will not notice the difference, everything is the same.
The same goes for the beaches. The beaches in both countries are mostly pebbly or just concrete platforms. There are no long white sand beaches. All the beaches in Montenegro and Croatia are small patches of land in rocks from 10 meters to 500 meters long. Only in the very south of Montenegro there is a beach 13 km long, it is called Velika Plaža.
Croatia or Montenegro: people and cities
And since for a long time it was a single country in this region, then:
- People are very similar in character, hospitality, good nature.
- The language is also indistinguishable. In Montenegro, the language is Montenegrin, and in Croatia – Croatian, but these are all languages ​​of the Serbian group. And in fact, the languages are similar to Serbian with some differences.
- All about the language of Montenegro for tourists, what you need to know for basic communication
- The cities are very similar in their architecture and style. But in my personal opinion, the architecture is a little bit more interesting in Croatia. For example the beautiful architecture of Dubrovnik’s old town. But again, there is not much difference.
The only major difference when choosing Croatia or Montenegro is the size of the countries. Croatia is a much larger country and has a large number of islands. Traveling around Croatia is not easy, as it takes a lot of time to travel.
But in Montenegro there will be about 200 kilometers from the coast to the most remote point in the mountains. You can have time to go on an excursion to anywhere in the country and return during the day by car.
Croatia or Montenegro: prices, money and visas
There are important differences here.
- In Croatia, the currency is the Croatian kuna. Therefore, you always need to go look for an exchanger upon arrival to exchange money.
- In Montenegro, the currency is the euro. It is very comfortable. Especially when you arrive with euros in your pocket.
- Croatia is part of the Schengen area, which means that you need a Schengen visa (or national Croatian visa) to visit it. The only exception is citizens of countries who do not need a visa to visit Europe, such as the USA, Canada and others.
- But Montenegro is a visa-free country for citizens of 100+ countries. Read the full conditions for visa-free travel and the entry requirements at the link.
And now about the prices.
Here is a detailed article about food prices, services, excursions and more in Montenegro: Prices in Montenegro.
At the same time, if you love seafood, then the choice of fish dishes is more in Croatian restaurants, and there are more fish markets. Montenegrins love meat more, there are very few fish dishes on their menu.
Comparison of holidays in Montenegro and Croatia: where is better
Below you will find a large comparison table to help you make the right choice. Keywords:
- + advantage
- – disadvantage
- = no difference (equal)
| Montenegro | Croatia | |
| Currency is EURO | + | – |
| Prices | + | – |
| Visa | + | – |
| People | = | = |
| Language | = | = |
| Sea | = | = |
| Beaches | = | = |
| National cuisine | = | = |
| Seafood | – | + |
| Weather | = | = |
| Distances across the country | + | – |
| Roads | = | = |
| Alcohol | = | = |
| Architecture | – | + |
| Attractions | = | = |
| Excursions and entertainment | = | = |
| Qty of tourists during high season | = | = |
| Safety of tourists | = | = |
| Vacation with kids | = | = |
The table shows that more than half of the points are equal. Croatia or Montenegro, you probably won’t notice the difference. But there are two critically important points for many that tip the scales in favor of Montenegro: these are prices and a visa. According to them, Montenegro is better than its neighbor Croatia.
In conclusion: which country to choose for a vacation is up to you. Croatia or Montenegro – they are very similar, but at the same time there are differences. In any case, these are two beautiful countries of the Adriatic Sea, the holidays in which will remain in your memory for a long time.
Resources to help you plan your dream trip to Montenegro
- Aviasales – Cheap Flights and best deals.
- Car rental in Montenegro:
- DiscoverCars – a large international platform.
- LocalRent – works with local rental companies. Leader in car rental in Montenegro.
- Hotels and apartments all over the country:
- Tours, excursions and activities (including extreme ones):
- GetYourGuide – more than 430 tours
- Viator – 780+ excursions and activities throughout the country
- Comprehensive travel insurance: EKTA
- Internet and Calls:
- Airalo eSIM in Montenegro
- Drimsim – universal sim card for frequent traveler
- Taxi and airport transfers: Intui.Travel