Croatia Vs Montenegro: Which One Should You Travel To?

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Croatia Vs Montenegro: which one should you travel to? If you can’t decide on where to visit between Croatia and Montenegro then this is for you!

Croatia Vs Montenegro? Now that’s the question! The other day I was going through some old photos of Croatia and Montenegro, and it got me thinking. If I could only go back to one, which country would I choose? Honestly, it is such a difficult question to answer.

I first visited Croatia in 2013, but the following year I went to Montenegro. At the time when I was researching travelling to Montenegro everyone said the same thing: “Montenegro is what Croatia was like 20 years ago. It’s beautiful but without all the tourists.” That’s why I really wanted to travel there, to see the differences between the two countries myself.

I always think it’s strange when people compare one country to another. No two places are ever the same, let alone with the passing of time. I understand it’s supposed to be evocative, reminiscent of another time, but often I think it paints the wrong picture. Montenegro isn’t trying to be like Croatia, nor vice versa. Montenegro is Montenegro, Croatia is Croatia. That’s what I think anyway.

However, having been to both places at roughly the same time (I can assure you that nothing seismic happened in the one year gap between visiting these two countries to significantly impact or sway one’s decision), there are positives and negatives to each country.

First of all, you probably just want me to choose between Croatia and Montenegro, but I’m going to be that guy. I’m going to make you read to the end before I answer that one. I will promise you I will answer it though!

Oh, I should also add another caveat. I absolutely love both countries dearly, and I think they’re among the most beautiful in the world. If you’re struggling to decide between the two then I envy you – it’s a good problem to have, trust me. So, Croatia vs Montenegro – which one should you travel to? Let’s do this.

Quick facts

Planning a trip to Croatia? Then make sure you read my guides on the best adventures in Croatia, the best day trips from Split, the best day trips from Dubrovnik and where to stay in Dubrovnik. And as a little more inspiration, here are some of my favourite photos of Croatia to really get you excited for your holiday.

If you’re travelling to Montenegro at some point, then make sure you check out my guide to the best boutique hotels in Montenegro. These are some of the best places to stay in the country!

Dubrovnik Vs Kotor

This is like a private battle between Kotor vs Dubrovnik. The two cities everyone talks about in each country are Dubrovnik in Croatia and Kotor in Montenegro. It only takes two hours driving between the two, and yet they are both so different.

Dubrovnik is a charming city of around 41,500 people where you can spend hours walking the winding streets of Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s such a beautiful place to get lost in or look out at the coastline on the ancient city walls.

By comparison, Kotor is a third of the size with about 13,000 people living there. However, the town itself (also worth noting a UNESCO World Heritage Site) is tiny. Like really tiny. The problem with this is it always seems so crowded with tourists, especially when cruise ship passengers spill out onto the streets and take over the town.

Kotor is tiny, but climb its battlements at sunrise and the Bay unfolds like a secret postcard. It’s magical, even if the cruise ships crowd the lanes a few hours later.

The same thing does happen in Dubrovnik, but because it’s a bigger town it’s much less obvious. Dubrovnik has also done something about it. Only two ships are allowed to dock a day now, at staggered times, and there’s a cap on how many visitors can be inside the Old Town at once. Kotor has no such luxury. The thing is, Kotor is the more beautiful city, but a few thousand people arriving at once in a town that size is a major negative.

What it costs to visit

Two things have changed in Kotor that catch people out. The climb to the fortress isn’t free any more, and the old sneaky routes up through the walls have been sealed off, so everyone goes through the gate. Prices do move about here, so it’s worth a quick check before you go.

If you can’t decide between the two, you can actually do a day trip from Dubrovnik to Kotor so then you get the best of both worlds. Just know that the border can add a couple of hours each way in July and August, so leave early. I’ve also written a guide all about travelling from Dubrovnik to Montenegro to help plan your trip.

Verdict – If you’re looking for somewhere quiet, especially during the day, go for Dubrovnik. However, if it’s out of the main tourist season, I would say Kotor.

Makarska Vs Žabljak

When people see images of both Montenegro and Croatia, it is usually of the beaches and the islands, yet both countries have mountains worth exploring.

In Croatia, Makarska (to the north of Dubrovnik) has the best of both worlds. The beach is overlooked by the mountains. For those brave enough, you can even drive to the top of Biokovo Nature Park. This is considered to be one of the scariest roads in the world. I’ve driven it and I can assure you it’s absolutely terrifying. You have been warned!

At the top you’ll now find the Skywalk, a glass viewing platform that hangs out over the cliff edge with the entire Makarska Riviera laid out below. It’s the sort of thing that looks incredible in photos and feels considerably less incredible when you’re standing on it.

The road is ticketed these days, so you can’t just turn up and drive. Entry to the park costs €15 in high summer and €10 in the shoulder months, and you book a timed slot online in advance because only so many cars go up each hour. Give yourself plenty of time to get to the entrance, as the drive takes longer than you think it will. If the road doesn’t appeal, and I wouldn’t blame you, there are minibus and tuk-tuk tours up from Makarska instead.

In Montenegro there’s Žabljak, an area that’ll please hikers from around the world. In the winter this place is blanketed in snow, but in the summer it is without a doubt one of the most beautiful places in the country. There are so many different hiking opportunities here and it’s an amazing place to get away from it all. There are also some really great tours in the area too if you’re looking for a guide. If you are a hiker, you will just love this place.

Žabljak is the gateway to Durmitor National Park, and entry there is about €5 a day. That’s your Black Lake, your Tara Canyon, your endless trails. It’s one of the best value hiking destinations in Europe and it always surprises me that more people don’t make the trip north.

Verdict – Žabljak, hands down. The hiking here is some of the best in Europe. It’s very quiet too which is a major bonus.

Plitvice Lakes National Park OR Krka National Park Vs River Cijevna Waterfall

One of the things Croatia has in abundance are waterfalls. In Plitvice Lakes National Park and Krka National Park, not only do they have two of the most beautiful waterfalls in Europe, but in the whole world. Saying that, both often get very busy with tourists, especially during the summer. Unfortunately the crowds are unavoidable, but it does detract from the beauty a little bit.

In comparison, the River Cijevna Waterfall (otherwise known as the Montenegrin Niagara Falls) is impressive but it’s not even in the same league. And don’t expect them to look anything like the Niagara Falls. They are a lot quieter though as not many people visit here!

Timing matters here more than anywhere else in this comparison. The Cijevna river runs off the Prokletije mountains, so the falls are at their best in March and April after the snowmelt. By August they’ve usually dried up completely, at which point you can see that a dam was built across the river bed around 150 years ago to drive a water mill. Turn up in high summer and there’s a decent chance you’ll be looking at rocks.

Over in Croatia, swimming in the waterfalls isn’t a thing any more. It’s been banned at Skradinski Buk in Krka since 2021 to protect the travertine, and it’s never been allowed at Plitvice. You can still swim at designated spots in Krka near Roški Slap between June and September, which most visitors never get to because they only see the main falls.

How much does it cost to visit Plitvice and Krka?

Book Plitvice online before you go. There’s an hourly cap of 300 people per entrance, and the early morning slots sell out days or even weeks ahead in summer. Turning up at the gate in July and hoping for the best is not a plan.

Verdict – Plitvice Lakes National Park or Krka National Park. They really are stunning.

Croatia vs Montenegro beaches and islands

Here’s the thing that nobody tells you about the Montenegrin coast: it’s short. Really short. You can drive the whole thing in an afternoon and still be back for dinner. Montenegro’s best beaches are down in the south around Budva, Sveti Stefan and Ulcinj. Ulcinj has Velika Plaža, which is a proper long stretch of sand rather than the pebbles you get everywhere else on the Adriatic. It gets busy in August but nothing like the Croatian equivalent.

Croatia has 1,000-odd islands. That’s the difference, and honestly it’s not close. You’ve got Hvar for the nightlife, Vis for the quiet, Korčula for the old town, Mljet for the lakes and pine forests, and dozens more that barely see a foreign visitor all summer. Island hopping by ferry is one of my favourite things to do anywhere in Europe.

One warning that applies to both countries: most of these beaches are pebble, not sand. Pack water shoes. I learned that the hard way, hobbling across Banje beach in Dubrovnik like a man walking on hot coals.

Verdict – Croatia, and it isn’t particularly close. If beaches and islands are the reason you’re going, this decides it.

Pula Arena Vs Ostrog Monastery

One dates back before the birth of Christ, one celebrates the birth of Christ. I feel like featuring an arena in the battle of Montenegro vs Croatia is very apt. Pula Arena dates back to 27 BC and is one of the best preserved ancient monuments in the world rivalling that of the big one in Rome. It is such a spectacular place to visit and you really get to walk around the whole complex. I’d really recommend you get queue-jump tickets for visit.

Cut into the surrounding cliffs, Ostrog Monastery is a very impressive sight. The Upper Monastery is dubbed ‘Sv Vasilije’s miracle’, because no one seems to understand how it was built. It’s almost as if the monastery was born out of the rocks.

Verdict – Pula Arena. This is another win for Croatia here.

Currency battle: Is Montenegro cheaper than Croatia?

Both countries use the euro now, which takes some of the fun out of it. Croatia switched over on 1 January 2023, so the kuna is gone and the old “Croatia is the cheap one” logic went with it.

Montenegro is the better value of the two, and the gap is real. An everyday restaurant meal runs about €10 in Montenegro against €12 in Croatia. Dinner for two in a mid-range place is around €45 against €60. A beer is €2.50 against €3.50. Across a whole trip, a mid-range budget of €80 to €120 a day in Montenegro does the work of roughly €85 to €150 in Croatia. Accommodation is where you’ll really feel it. A room in Kotor’s old town costs a fraction of the equivalent in Dubrovnik in July, and Herceg Novi or Ulcinj are cheaper again.

Croatia’s popularity has pushed prices up fast, particularly in Dubrovnik and on Hvar. Walking the Dubrovnik city walls is €40 a head now. Plitvice is €40 in peak season, and so is Krka. A family of four doing all three is looking at a serious afternoon’s spending before anyone’s eaten anything.

Verdict – Montenegro, comfortably. Your money goes further and you don’t feel like you’re being quietly fleeced.

One cost that catches people out on this trip: Croatia is in the EU and Montenegro is not. If your plan includes EU roaming it stops the moment you cross into Montenegro, and you are on international rates without noticing. Sort your data before you go rather than after the first bill, and a quick look at eSIM discount codes keeps a fortnight of data down to a few euros.

How to get to Croatia and Montenegro

Croatia is easier to reach, and that’s worth factoring in. Dubrovnik, Split, Zadar and Pula all have direct summer flights from a long list of UK airports, with easyJet, Jet2, Ryanair, TUI and British Airways all flying the routes. Croatia Airlines and others link Zagreb year round, so you can get there in winter too.

Montenegro’s main airport is Tivat, which is a 25 minute drive from Kotor and one of the more dramatic landings you’ll do in Europe. It’s seasonal and much smaller, with summer routes from London, Manchester, Birmingham and Bristol among others. Podgorica has more year-round flying, including a Wizz Air base that opened in 2026, but it’s about 90 minutes from the coast.

Plenty of people fly into Dubrovnik and drive south instead, which works well. Just read the next bit first.

So, Montenegro or Croatia?

Arguing between Croatia vs Montenegro is a bit like arguing whether you should go to a 2-star Michelin restaurant or a 1-star. The thing is, you’re still going to have an amazing meal there, much like you’re going to have an amazing time visiting either Croatia or Montenegro.

However, I’ve brought you this far and I’m not going to be one of those bloggers who sits on the fence at the end of an article.

Which country would I choose over Croatia and Montenegro? Croatia. I really would. It’s a tough choice, but if I could only go to one, it would be Croatia.

If it was just the towns and villages along the Adriatic Coast, I would say Montenegro – they are small, quieter and cuter – but it’s not, it’s everything else that makes Croatia such an amazing country to travel to.

There aren’t many places around the world where you’ve got an amphitheatre dating back 2,000 years, stunning waterfalls where you can walk between them, and idyllic islands dotted all over the place, but in Croatia you do.

That’s why you should choose Croatia over Montenegro. Hopefully this post has helped you decide too!

Top tips to avoid the crowds in Croatia

• Time it right in Dubrovnik: The Old Town is at its busiest between 10 am–2 pm when the cruise ships dock. Go early morning or late evening and you’ll feel like you’ve got the place to yourself.
• Head to the islands: Instead of sticking to Hvar or Korčula, hop over to Vis, Mljet or Šolta. They’re just as beautiful but far less crowded.
• Pick shoulder season: May, early June and late September are the sweet spot. The weather’s still gorgeous but without the wall-to-wall tourists.
• Buy tickets online: For Plitvice and Krka, pre-book entry. It saves queuing and you can pick quieter time slots.

Top tips to avoid the crowds in Montenegro

• Kotor fortress climb: Go at sunrise or just before sunset. The light is magical and you won’t be jostling with hundreds of others on the stairs.
• Stay overnight: Many people visit Kotor or Budva on day trips. Spending the night means you can enjoy the towns once the buses have gone.
• Explore beyond the bay: Head inland to Durmitor National Park or Tara Canyon—plenty of space and some of the best scenery in the Balkans.
• Try lesser-known towns: Bar and Ulcinj are brilliant alternatives to Budva if you want beaches without the crowds.

Have you ever been to Croatia and Montenegro? Which country did you prefer? Which country would you go back to? I’d love to know what you think so let me know in the comment box below!

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