Perhaps the most important information for any tourist before planning their vacation is knowing when the best season for travel is, what the weather in Montenegro is like, and the monthly sea temperatures. This article will provide all the details you need to choose the perfect month for your trip.

Table of contents:

It will be difficult for you to plan your dream trip to Montenegro without these websites
air tickets to montenegro cheap
Cheap Flights
car rent in montenegro cheap
Car Rental
excursions montenegro cheap
Excursions and tours
Package tours montenegro cheap
eSIM mobile data
Insurance montenegro cheap
Travel Insurance
hotels and apartments montenegro cheap
Accommodation
seasons in montenegro
Montenegro enjoys over 300 sunny days a year. Almost every day, you can witness a sunset like this.

Weather in Montenegro: General Information

Let’s go over the key points so you can get a full picture of the climate and weather conditions in Montenegro:

  • Montenegro is a small country located on the Balkan Peninsula.
  • It has a coastline along the Adriatic Sea.
  • Its coastal neighbors are Albania and Croatia, while across the Adriatic lies Italy.
  • Broadly speaking, Montenegro has two main climate zones: the coast and the mountains. In reality, there are more climatic variations, but for general purposes, we focus on these two.
  • Mountains cover more than 80% of the country’s territory.
  • For the pros and cons of visiting Montenegro, check out the related article.

When it comes to the coastal region, the summers are hot and dry, while the winters are mild and humid. Temperatures here rarely drop below freezing, and snow is extremely rare. In fact, the temperature rarely falls below 10°C (50°F) for more than a week or two each year.

However, in Montenegro’s mountainous areas, winters bring heavy snowfall, often reaching the rooftops of houses. Summers in the mountains are also dry but generally cooler than on the coast.

For more details on winter in Montenegro, including helpful tips and insights, check out our dedicated article.

Now that you have a general idea about Montenegro’s climate, let’s dive deeper into the weather patterns for each month, what to expect as a tourist, and the best destinations to visit in the off-season.

Weather in Montenegro: Precipitation, Air, and Sea Temperatures by Month

Below, you will find three highly informative graphs showing air temperature, precipitation levels, and sea temperature by month for Montenegro’s main and most central resort town—Budva. The weather in other coastal resorts differs by just 1–2°C, so Budva can be taken as a reference point.

weather in Montenegro monthly
On the graph you will find the temperature of air, water and precipitation throughout the year on the coast of Montenegro

From the graphs, you can see that:

  • The hottest months on the Montenegrin coast are June, July, August, and September. Even at night, temperatures rarely drop below 20°C (68°F).
  • The warmest sea temperatures are also from June to September, with August being the peak when the water reaches 26°C (79°F). In shallow urban beaches, it can even heat up to 30°C (86°F).
  • The rainiest months of the year are from November to March.

When is the Tourist Season in Montenegro?

Now, let’s address the main question: when is the best season to visit Montenegro for a vacation?

Tourists come here all year round. If you are not interested in a beach vacation and prefer exploring architecture, old towns like Budva or Kotor, or simply driving along the coastline, you can easily do so even in January. Prices are significantly lower, and there are very few tourists.

The only downside of visiting Montenegro in winter is

the limited infrastructure. Many cafes, restaurants, excursions, and hotels shut down during the off-season.

Montenegro also has ski resorts, which are covered in detail in our article on winter travel (link provided earlier in the article).

Starting in April, everything begins to reopen, and the number of tourists steadily increases. May and October are considered the shoulder seasons. Most establishments are open, but prices are lower than in peak season, and there are fewer tourists. The weather remains dry, with daytime temperatures around 25°C (77°F), making it ideal for sunbathing. However, the sea is still quite cool for swimming, though many visitors still take the plunge.

montenegro water temperature
Ulcinj Beach in August. In September, the number of visitors drops by five times.

High season in Montenegro:

The peak tourist season in Montenegro spans the three summer months plus September. The absolute peak, when the beaches are crowded and finding a free spot can be a challenge, is in July and August.
The best month to visit Montenegro is September. If you have the flexibility to take your vacation in September, it is the perfect time. The weather remains summery, with no rain and warm sea temperatures. However, by August 30, most families with children leave as school starts on September 1, making the beaches much less crowded.

Climate Features of the Bay of Kotor and the Adriatic Coast

At the beginning of this article, we mentioned that Montenegro consists of two main climate zones: the mountains and the coast. However, the Montenegrin coastline itself is further divided into two distinct climatic subregions:

  • Bay of Kotor
  • Adriatic Coast from Budva to Ulcinj

Only detail-oriented travelers might notice the difference in weather between these two areas, but it does exist.

Important:

All settlements of the Bay of Kotor (Kotor, Perast, Tivat and even Herceg Novi) are surrounded by mountains on all sides. The bay itself is located between the rocks, it is a real fjord.
when is the high season in montenegro and the weather
Kotor, view of the mountains from the city
weather in montenegro
All the towns in the Bay of Kotor (Kotor, Perast, Herceg Novi) are surrounded by mountains. The bay itself is nestled between cliffs, resembling a fjord.

Because the mountains closely encircle the bay and the towns are built on their slopes, there is significantly less sunlight compared to the open coastline. The sun rises about an hour later in the morning and sets an hour earlier in the evening. As a result, the temperature in the bay is generally 1–2°C lower than in Budva.

Despite being only 30 km from Budva, this difference is noticeable, especially in May and October.

The sea temperature in the Bay of Kotor is also lower. The water does not warm up as quickly due to limited sun exposure, and cold mountain streams flow into the bay, making the water significantly cooler than the open sea.

I advise you to read a great article: where is the best vacation in Montenegro and everything about the resorts of this country.

Weather Tips for Tourists

For those who skimmed through the article, here are the key takeaways:

  • The beach season in Montenegro lasts from June to September.
  • May and October are great for travel—warm, dry, with fewer tourists and lower prices.
  • September is the best month for a vacation: summer weather, warm sea, and fewer crowds.
  • Montenegro is also worth visiting in winter. Coastal temperatures stay around 10°C (50°F), perfect for exploring historic towns without the crowds.
  • Even in summer, the mountains are 10–15°C cooler than the coast, including Durmitor, Prokletije, and Lovćen National Parks.
Remember: any trip is an adventure, even in January or to the North Sea—better than staying on the couch!

For a dynamic ranking of good and budget-friendly hotels and apartments in Montenegro, follow the provided link.

In conclusion: Montenegro’s weather is much milder and more pleasant than in most of Europe. Summers are dry and warm, while winters on the coast are mild, snow-free, and always above freezing. With over 300 sunny days per year, Montenegro is an incredible travel destination!

Resources to help you plan your dream trip to Montenegro

  • WayAway: Cheap flights and best deals.
  • Car rental in Montenegro:
    • LocalRent – works with local rental companies. Leader in car rental in Montenegro.
    • DiscoverCars – a large international platform.
  • Budget-friendly vacation packages to Montenegro: CheapOair.
  • Hotels and apartments all over the country:
    • Trip.com – the most popular accommodation booking platform
    • TripAdvisor compares the prices among dozens of other booking services and offer the best price
  • Tours, excursions and activities (including extreme ones):
    • GetYourGuide – more than 800 tours
    • Viator – 1000+ excursions and activities throughout the country
  • Comprehensive travel insurance: EKTA
  • Internet and Calls:
  • Taxi and airport transfers: Intui.Travel