Why Montenegro is a perfect destination for your family holiday
We’ve helped 1000+ families experience #CrazyGoodTravel in Montenegro. Contact us via Whatsapp, Facebook Messenger or email for free trip planning.
Whether you’re looking to have some bonding time over a bonfire up in the mountains of Montenegro or an active family holiday with plenty of adrenaline-inducing activities, one of the tiniest countries in Europe has it all.
Montenegro has been recognized as one of the 4 countries to visit in 2020 by The Rough Guide, one of the 10 up-and-coming destinations to know for 2020 by Evening Standard, one of the top 10 beach destinations in 2020 by Expedia, one of the top trending destinations for 2020 by TravelPulse, and Forbes placed it at number 13 of 20 best places to visit in 2020.
Meanderbug makes Montenegro easily accessible for families. In fact, most of our clients are families who want a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Using our local expertise, we help you in crafting your dream holiday and we handle all the annoying details, leaving you to think about fun, culture and exploring the unknown with your family.
When Meanderbug was born, we wanted to do things in a different way.
We are a community that brings together culture, nature, organic food, and adventure in a concept we call farm stays. All along the way, we help the locals–though we just refer to them as neighbors and friends.
The idea is to provide a wide array of listings for Montenegro so that anyone can come in and book farm stays, organic meals, and adventures that appeal to them. Each adventure should fit a family’s needs and preferred travel style.
We have developed a variety of unique accommodation and adventure options you can choose from in order to create your family holiday in Montenegro. All of these options are with partners that we visit, consult, encourage, and share a cup of coffee or a meal with as time permits. These partners more than understand the Meanderbug ethos, they are part of the experience that makes the travel so special.
We have always been there for travelers who need assistance and our local expertise. Based on our experience, we are breaking down a list of suggested places and adventures, and tips specifically for families.
Family holiday with children
Montenegro invites children of all ages as well as those that are young at heart. It is a land of adventures and wonder. A place for kids of all ages to be in awe of a nature-setting, an enounter, or an experience.
You may be concerned about safety, comfort, and logistics when it comes to your family holiday in Montenegro, especially if you have small children. However, Montenegro is, in fact, one of the best places to visit with the young ones.
When I was a small child, everyone in the village I grew up in took care of me. It felt like I had one big family, and to this day, I still keep calling my grandma’s neighbors aunts and uncles even though I have no blood relation with them.
That’s why villages are perfect for families looking to get to know the culture and explore nature. Villagers in Montenegro are super attentive to children and will go out of their way to make sure they are enjoying every bit of the holiday. They will provide them with fresh organic fruits, make them laugh, and genuinely seek to befriend them.
If your children are older, then hiking and other adrenaline-inducing adventures may appeal to them. There is so much to do and see that every family member will be excited about the 2020 travel holiday here!
Overall, Montenegro can be perfect for disconnecting from technology and taking time to appreciate your family and connect with them better.
Farm stays – ideal for family holidays
Family travelers usually look to immerse themselves in the culture of the place where they’re staying. Montenegro has so much history and its cultural heritage was born in the villages where some old traditions are still kept alive.
By implementing the concept of farm stays, we help preserve villages that are, unfortunately, dying out. Farm stays or Montenegro’s agritourism have a positive impact on local communities by creating jobs and new skills. Simultaneously, farm stays help travelers get to know the traditions, local cuisine, and wild beauty of Montenegro. Usually shielded from the tourist hotspots, they provide not only adventures but also tranquility.
Meanderbug distinguishes three types of farm stay accommodations:
- Cabins
- Katuns and mountain huts
- Camping and Glamping sites
From budget to high-end variations, cabins provide privacy and comfort. They are often built by our partners themselves and have a story to tell. Lake cabins, family vineyard cabins, and more can be found on our cabin listings.
Katuns are huts located high up in the mountains and they are unique to Montenegro. In the past, villagers would leave for katuns to feed their cattle through the summer months as the grass would grow tall and there were many herbs and fruits to collect. Katuns are rustic and provide one of the most unique experiences you can have as they are located in some of the most unexplored areas in the country. Learn more about katuns or check out our katun listings here.
For adventurers, camping is a must on the to-do list. When it comes to Montenegro, nothing beats the feeling of sleeping in the open, and breathing in the fresh mountain air.
For those who are adventurous and still want lots of comfort, glamping exists. There has been an increase in glamping sites in Montenegro recently. Find the camping and glamping listings here.
Montenegro holiday villas you must book now for 2020 lists out the most popular high-end villas that are a perfect fit for families who are looking for comfort and an authentic experience.
Farm stays embody the wild beauty of Montenegro, which also happens to be the slogan of our national tourism strategy.
While we work to create farm stay possibilities throughout the whole country, there are some other options to consider when visiting Bar and Kotor. These are the places we have been to, and we wholeheartedly recommend them. Old town Kotor Hostel is located in the heart of Kotor, and The Grove Montenegro is an impressive hostel in Bar made out of an old olive mill.
Family-friendly adventures in Montenegro
Montenegro boasts 5 national parks, impressive mountain ranges, and great beaches, which means there are countless adventure options everywhere. Here’s a list of family favorites.
Hiking…everywhere in Montenegro
Hiking is absolutely a must in Montenegro. There are so many places to discover that offer picturesque hikes. We created hut to hut–multi-day hiking options for families that are really into hiking and also want to stay in katuns and cabins.
Hiking favorites also include Durmitor, Prokletije, and Lovcen national parks.
Zipline across Tara Canyon
The Longest zipline across the deepest canyon in Europe may sound terrifying and not family-friendly at all, but in fact, it is a perfectly safe experience that families absolutely enjoy.
Rafting the Tara river
Rafting Tara river in the canyon is a family-friendly option suitable for younger children as well. If you’re looking for a higher kick of adrenaline and more rapids, whitewater rafting may be perfect for you.
Family Canyoning at Old Town Bar
There are several options for canyoning in Montenegro, two of which we recommend for family travelers. Family canyoning for a range of skill ages and adventure levels is challenging and a ton of fun. A more advanced canyoning option is for older teens and adults that are looking for more challenge with a high-adrenaline adventure.
Boating in Kotor Bay
We consider boating the best way to experience the beauty of Kotor bay. You can go for a shorter tour around Perast and Kotor, or get to know the whole bay on a day-long tour.
Other family-friendly adventures in Montenegro include:
- Horseback riding
- Fly Fishing
- Kitesurfing
- Bushcraft
- Foraging
- Off-roading
Steps to plan your family holiday in Montenegro
We created many resources to help travelers plan their holidays. Here are 3 steps with multiple tools and resources included. Choose what fits your family best.
- Dream and discover
- Download and review this free Montenegro travel guide.
- Look at the different terrains and settings through the video and pics from the 15 most scenic roads in Montenegro.
- Learn about Authentic Foods of Montenegro to help you determine if you want to dive into a local experience.
- Plan your adventure. You can personally look through the farm stay and adventure listings to choose your own or we are ready to consult with you to do the trip planning for you.
- Prepare for your travel.
- Learn the 5 culture keys for understanding Montenegro.
- Start a packing list for your adventure (here’s the Montenegro hut-to-hut packing list)
- Download a translation app like Google Translate.
- Download a navigation system. We recommend maps.me for travelers looking to venture beyond the major towns.
If at any point you feel overwhelmed by the amount of information (we realize there’s a LOT), you can always reach out to us via info@meanderbug.com or via Messenger or WhatsApp.
And feel free to take advantage of the trip planning service we offer.
We absolutely love crafting perfect family holidays and helping you experience something we call #CrazyGoodTravel!
Reviews of Family Adventures in Montenegro
If you are wondering what a family holiday in Montenegro looks like, here is what some families said about Montenegro and their experience with Meanderbug.
We booked accommodation in Biogradska Gora National Park with Meanderbug. They were extremely helpful, providing us with all the information we needed, helping us arranging a meeting with the host to guide us to the place, even calling us upon arrival to hear if everything was fine. On top, the accommodation and the hosts were amazing!
Leen S, Belgium
Had a blast of a trip in Montenegro National Parks thanks to Meanderbug. We discovered the outstanding Suvodo Katun and its amazingly welcoming family we won’t forget!
Stephane H, France
Thank you Meanderbug team for giving us the opportunity to experience such a great journey.
We stumbled upon Meanderbug when we were booking a month long travel through Montenegro and Croatia—and we are so thankful we did. Our farm stay in the Durmitor Mountains was one of the highlights of our whole trip. Our boys (3.5 and 10 months) loved their time in the rugged and rural mountains. The host stole our heart in every way. The food was unforgettable and the evening chats were the best. The Meanderbug team was extremely helpful in booking and deciding where to stay and answering questions along the way. Can’t recommend this service and type of travel enough!!
Natalie P, United Kingdom
Thank you Meanderbug for an amazing family vacation that will be forever cherished. Your passion for Montenegro, its people and for creating more than just a vacation but an experience in culture, compassion and travel shines through everything you do. I also appreciate your patience and prompt replies to my never ending string of emails.
Angela T, USA
They organized our trip to Montenegro from A to Z. We were looking to do some hiking and found their website, from there on we got excellent support from choosing the trails, using our guidelines to set up the stays at the katuns and getting our gear from one place to the other.
Yaron E, Israel
Everything was like clock work, always on time and dependable even when things were unexpected.
Frequently asked questions
Montenegro is located in Southeast Europe, in the Balkan peninsula and it borders Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, and Albania.
The country has two airports, in Podgorica and Tivat.
Montenegro has a 293 km long coastline, and beaches make up 73 km of that. Mountains are scattered around the coastline and continue through the northern part of the country.
About 11% of the territory of Montenegro is covered with 5 national parks.
The official language in use is Montenegrin. Montenegrin language comes from the Serbo-Croatian language which dates back to when Montenegro was part of Yugoslavia.
Google Translate does not have an option for Montenegrin yet, so in case you need help with an unknown word, you can use Bosnian, Croatian, or Serbian settings for translation.
Absolutely! Montenegro is perfect for family holidays as it offers unique nature, rich culture, and all types of adventures.
Montenegrins, especially those in rural areas, are kind to tourists and will be extra careful to tend to the needs of children.
Montenegro has a low crime rate and is considered a safe country to visit. In the past, many celebrities and influential figures have visited Montenegro, including the families of Bill Gates, David and Victoria Beckham, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Harrison Ford, and more.
The question isn’t why, but who should book with Meanderbug.
Our goal has always been to unlock the potential of villages and make them accessible to travelers while creating a positive impact on the local communities. That’s why we continue to invest time in creating free resources for everyone who wants unique experiences in areas they have never heard of before.
If you are a responsible traveler, then we are a great fit for you!
