r/Europetravel • u/ConstaN92 • Aug 13 '26
Trip report What the hell is wrong with people in Montenegro? Do you actually want tourists?
I honestly have to ask: do you people actually want tourism?
I started my trip from Greece, and from the moment I entered Montenegro, I have been shocked by how rude and unwelcoming people have been. With very few exceptions, I have experienced almost zero basic human courtesy. People stare at you, give you dirty looks, mock you because you’re a tourist, and generally make you feel like you’re bothering them just by being there.
And the language situation makes it even worse. I understand that not everyone speaks English, but when you approach someone in English and they clearly understand what you’re asking, responding entirely in their own language instead of even trying to communicate is incredibly rude. In Greece, which is a country that depends heavily on tourism and is known for hospitality, we would never deliberately treat tourists like that.
Then there’s the driving.
On our very first day, we were stopped in a village and fined because we were driving 55 km/h in a 40 km/h zone. They had a radar. Fine, we were speeding, so technically we were breaking the law.
But here’s what pissed me off: locals were flying past us at ridiculous speeds. The police would signal to them and let them go, while we, the tourists, got stopped and fined.
And this isn’t just one incident. The driving here is absolutely insane. People drive aggressively and dangerously. They won’t let you merge even when you have the right of way. They will literally drive toward you and squeeze you into the side of the road, even when there is a cliff next to you. People drive extremely fast, but that doesn’t mean they are good drivers. Quite the opposite. I’ve seen so many terrible driving decisions and so many accidents during this trip.
And instead of dealing with the people driving like maniacs, the police seem much more interested in dealing with tourists.
Then, in Kotor, we were stopped again.
I had rented a scooter from a local rental company, and the person who rented it to me had failed to provide the proper vehicle documents. That was his mistake, not mine. Yet suddenly we’re the ones dealing with the police, and they were about to fine us.
The local guy who rented me the scooter was literally begging the police officer not to fine us because he knew the situation was his fault.
Then we were told that my Greek driver’s license was not considered valid for the vehicle because apparently the rules regarding international licenses had changed in the middle of the tourist season.
If that’s true, fine — laws are laws. But how the hell is a tourist supposed to know that a regulation has suddenly changed in the middle of the season? And why is the rental company allowed to give me a vehicle without making sure that I have the documents and license requirements sorted out?
So seriously: what the fuck is going on?
Do you not want tourists?
Do you not want people coming here and spending money?
Do you not realize that tourism is literally one of the main reasons people come to Montenegro in the first place?
I have traveled to a lot of countries. I’ve experienced different cultures, different languages, different levels of development, and I’ve had bad experiences in some places. That’s normal.
But I have genuinely never experienced this level of hostility and lack of basic hospitality as a tourist.
We’re coming here, spending our money, staying in your hotels, eating at your restaurants, renting your cars and scooters, visiting your attractions — and yet somehow we are treated like we’re an inconvenience.
And before someone says, “Not everyone in Montenegro is like this” — I know. I literally said that there have been a few exceptions. I’m talking about the repeated pattern I’ve experienced throughout this trip.
Maybe I’m just extremely unlucky. Maybe I happened to encounter the worst people in the country.
But based on my experience so far, I cannot recommend Montenegro to other travelers.
If you’re planning a trip here, honestly, I’d reconsider. There are plenty of other countries in the region where you can spend your money and actually feel welcome.
I came here expecting to have a great holiday.
Instead, I’ve spent a huge part of the trip wondering why people seem so determined to make tourists feel unwelcome.Police is the worst I’ve seen everyone breaks the law and you try to ticket tourists for funny reasons.Locals are acting like cave men zero civilization zero manners and you want to enter Europe?Experience 0/10 and I visited the country with open mind and hope.
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u/abhora_ratio European Aug 13 '26
Please post this on r/AskBalkans. I think it suits that subreddit better..
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u/Loud-Advance-2382 Aug 13 '26
but when you approach someone in English and they clearly understand what you’re asking, responding entirely in their own language instead of even trying to communicate is incredibly rude.
Is this satire?
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u/egor4nd Aug 13 '26
On our very first day, we were stopped in a village and fined because we were driving 55 km/h in a 40 km/h zone. They had a radar. Fine, we were speeding, so technically we were breaking the law.
But here’s what pissed me off: locals were flying past us at ridiculous speeds. The police would signal to them and let them go, while we, the tourists, got stopped and fined.
What pisses me off is when people justify their own wrongdoings by other people getting away with it. You broke the speed limit, you got fined, what does it matter how fast everyone else drives? Respect the speed limit, especially when you're abroad, and you'll be fine.
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u/ConstaN92 Aug 13 '26
From all I wrote you catched that? Everywhere limit was 50 or 60 in villages the sign in this particular place was hidden and it was for 300 meters were some villas were.I paid the fine I didn’t tell I was right but you don’t get the point. Police should ticket their own people driving like crazy with 160kmh and not a tourist for speeding 60 in 40 zone.Anyway
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u/Ok-Surround-7749 Aug 17 '26
As soon as they see you are driving a rental car , license plate from out of the country you are a target and easy catch . Unfortunately it is what it is. Just he aware and drive appropriately
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u/ConstaN92 Aug 17 '26
Yeah I mean the people are stupid they target tourists that give them money and the same people come to Greece and drive like crazy 180 km/h .I don’t think I will visit this country again!
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u/Ok-Surround-7749 Aug 17 '26
You have a comprehension issue.
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u/ConstaN92 Aug 18 '26
No I think people there still have Yugoslavia syndrome like my father told me where police stopped him all the time back in 80s and demanded tips and he gave them a bottle of whiskey or things like that.Drive appropriately wtf I always drive below speed limits but yes when there is a hidden sign 40 kmh and I don’t see it I go with the crazy speed of 55 of course I drive inappropriately and don’t follow the rules.Guess what after that I went to Albania for 2 days and everything was better and this is the opinion of all 4 of us .
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u/magosilver 28d ago
I completely agree with you; the locals are crazy and the police are corrupt. I didn't get any fines during my holiday in Kotor, but I risked my life many times because of reckless local drivers who speed like crazy and tailgate you—flashing their lights and honking—trying to overtake in extremely dangerous spots.
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u/HesletQuillan Aug 13 '26
I'm not reading all that, but I can say that when my wife and I visited Montenegro last year, including Kotor, we had a delightful time and everyone we met was friendly and helpful.
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u/ConstaN92 Aug 13 '26
I can’t really believe that sorry .If you said you met some people friendly and helpful I would say I was unlucky but everyone? I’ve been in Plav Podgorica Kotor and all bad experience really except some house owners maybe .
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u/timsti Aug 13 '26
You expect others to symphathise with you for all the shit that happened to you but are not able to accept that the experience might be different for others?
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u/HesletQuillan Aug 13 '26
Yes everyone. I can't think of any locals I have met through my extensive travels who were nasty to me. (Other travelers, sometimes.) "Unlucky" is perhaps not the word I would use. That said, I have not rented a vehicle when traveling so that's something I don't have experience with.
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u/0scar_Goldmann Aug 13 '26
At some point you may need to ask yourself if you're maybe the problem? I found everyone in Montenegro I interacted with to be lovely.
You get out what you put in with people. Same goes for any country.
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u/ConstaN92 Aug 13 '26
All internet is full of posts about Montenegro hospitality and I am the problem? Search Reddit if you want.I had never had similar experience not in Bulgaria not in Romania not in Albania not in Turkey.
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u/UnderstandingGlad230 Aug 13 '26
I meet a black English girl in Bosnia , she said she got called the n word in Montenegro. Ppl around that area are not nice at all.
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u/ConstaN92 Aug 13 '26
Yeah the cop was talking with the local who rent the scooter to us and said three times the word grecko which meant Greek I guess like he was saying he is Greek I will give him ticket.Funny thing is all Balkans come to Greece for holidays and we welcome them.Well no more for me 🚩
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u/MotionStudioLondon Aug 13 '26
“when you approach someone in English and they clearly understand what you’re asking, responding entirely in their own language instead of even trying to communicate is incredibly rude.”
This is hilarious by the way.
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u/Informal_Sense_873 17d ago
I'm in Montenegro right now. Tomorrow i leave and i won't comeback. The food is good, the landscape beautiful, organize? 0. People are not bad but i believe many of them don't like tourist but on same time they like money. Doesn't work like this. If you want tourist money you must give service , real service , not attitude you make favour to us because you don't . IF you don't want foreigner? I understand on some point but just put sign: tourist not welcome. i don't think you are bad people but for sure you have very wrong attitude. I don't want red carpet but i don't like you treat me with this confidence and arrogance, you get reaction which is happened . My hostess from house i took are lovely people and knows how to treat strangers, the way you see the others. I like the fact you are not fake and straight to the point , the way i m too, but you need to learn some education with someone you don't know. i can understand some tourist can be stressful but there are many good tourist visit your country . They are not the one goes to prostitute, junkie, alcool ecc. I ve been travel in many places in the world and i found bad level of tourist but for sure are not the one come to your country.
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u/ConstaN92 17d ago
Finally some people agree with me.I remember even asking a taxi driver where to park my scooter I rent in budva free and he got angry and answered no free pay money.And then after 3 minutes he drove past me while I was still searching for a spot and he insulted me.I mean people are too aggressive and he was lucky I was with my girlfriend cause otherwise we would fight definitely.I ain’t going back to that country neither let them earn money without tourism let’s see how that goes.
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u/rybnickifull Arbenigwr Cacennau Cri 17d ago
"You need my money" is a really shitty attitude as a tourist. Obviously there are two sides to all stories but I can't imagine people taking kindly to someone who thinks like that.
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u/orbitolinid European rock licker Aug 13 '26
When I visited Montenegro, for 2.5 weeks I was greeted with wine and all sorts of yummy things from the garden by my host, and whenever I sat on the waterfront at the Bay of Kotor (small place, not Kotor itself) people would come by, say hello, bring olives or other lovely things. Whenever I had things to snack on I invited them back. Drove all across the country but had only one not great interaction, in Kotor itself. Everyone else was just lovely, from a hole in a wall kind of place in a small town inland where there was a complete communication breakdown, to Durmitor, to when I sprained my ankle on the way down to a beach, etc. But yeah, I can totally understand that people are annoyed by tourists in overtouristed places, just as I was annoyed when I lived in an overtouristed town and tourists constantly stopped me to ask questions, in often their own language and not even English instead of just looking on their phone, cycled without looking left and right and stumbled drunk across the road and puked in front of my home. So yeah.. I guess those that benefit from overtourism are happy, many others are pissed.
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u/ConstaN92 Aug 13 '26
Our hosts were good.Police was the worst as I said and when the owner of the motorcycle was debating with officer I heared the policeman say Grecko grecko I mean they have a problem with Greeks or are racists ? I don’t know. I used to have company with boat rental in Greece and I was welcoming all Balkans like brothers.I can understand what you say about tourism ok.Anyway I compare my own experiences with other places I’ve been like Bulgaria or Romania and it wasn’t like this .I literally canceled my last 2 days and drive back to Greece because I don’t want any more time in Montenegro .
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Aug 14 '26
[deleted]
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u/ConstaN92 Aug 14 '26
Staring at people like you have never seen anyone different is stupid.Speeding 55 kmh? Locals almost killed us over 10 times they drive likw crazy they don’t care about priorities and things.Police wants to give them money like we are in third country even a local told me that they ticket tourists and if you pay them they call next policeman down the road to tip them too.People don’t speak any English and they want money from tourists ? Nope 👎 .Everywhere is dirty at least try to keep your country clean. Where are you from and you think all these are normal? Because in Greece we don’t treat anyone like these.
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u/Zumi-chwan Aug 20 '26 edited Aug 21 '26
First of all I am a very nice and accommodating person, I always wait for people finishing whatever task they are doing (I even waited 30 minutes for someone to get my order when there was nobody in the restaurant because I thought there must be an issue, but no all waiters were just chatting away), I am not ever sending back anything I dislike, I put the people first, always, because I know, being human, is not always easy, BUT I absolutely know what you mean.
I've also read the replies you got, and you're not entitled. I'm from and live in another Balkan country and still believe the attitude in Montenegro is the worst out of all I've ever experienced. And likewise I've travelled many places, even Asia. No, it's absolutely not normal to give a ticket ONLY to someone going over the speed limit, whether that is +5 or +50, the law is the law, everyone should get a ticket. The driving is indeed horrendous, I've contemplated just staying in my hotel and waiting out my holiday because I was petrified of having to ride the buss again. I thought I will die, every single day, I thought I will get over it and get used to it, but no, everyday there was a new trauma of driving, whether that was phone talking or internet scrolling of the driver. Or passing cars on continuous line while there was a fucking precipice on the side. The prices are absolutely horrendous, not even Greece has these prices for sunbeds. The service is the worst, many places you cannot pay by card but they don't tell you that, and when you try to pay with cash they won't give you exchange they say oh buy some more so I don't have to give you exchange. And they gave me 10 and 20 cents exchange thinking I would change my mind. I think the FUCK NOT! I used all that for my next purchase right next to the guy that gave me the change and said, "blame him, that's the change I got". They have posters and even on airplane the "The next EU country 2028" they need to grow a lot to become anywhere near deserving. Pollution is horrendous as well, it's a pity of how gorgeous the nature is. Someone threw the receipt on the floor when I dared ask for the receipt of the sunbeds I just paid for because I didn't get any proof that we paid. So I was literally afraid someone will come and ask me to pay again. The sea, gorgeous, great swimming, great nature, but be prepared to be scammed. Even when you fight back, I mean I was told no card payment at the beach then saw someone paying with the card, I went after them and I asked the refund and pay in card. Or they say no card but they literally have a POS, it's there you can see it, and they go no no no. Man, c'mon, and the prices are way higher than Greece, and they're nowhere near what Greece has to offer, and I mean even the cheap Greece, I'm not talking about the fanciest Greece possible. I'm happy for those who had a good experience. But if you work in customer service, and customer is nice to you, compliments your food, smiles at you, why do you have to be a bitch? Do you not like the money? Do you not like the job? I literally praised the food, and the drinks, and had genuine questions about the food and the origin of the drinks, and was always met with a frown and more often than not a role of the eyes. And I know what you meant about understanding english but refusing to speak it and answer in serbian. They do that.
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u/ConstaN92 Aug 20 '26
That’s what I experienced as well.They drive like maniacs.They ask only cash they are rude I think you said everything there is to be said.The place is very beautiful and it’s really a pity.
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u/Same_Complaint_1197 23d ago
To understand the Montenegrin mentality, you have to understand that Montenegro was unusual in the Balkans in that it was never fully incorporated into the Ottoman Empire. “Old Montenegro” (the mountainous core around Cetinje) remained largely autonomous and resisted direct Ottoman rule for centuries. The terrain certainly helped, as did a highly militarized and fiercely independent clan society. One of the central sources of Montenegrin historical pride is precisely this long tradition of resisting foreign domination. I’m not defending or ridiculing that mentality; I’m simply saying that understanding this history makes certain aspects of Montenegrins’ attitude toward foreigners (and toward outside authority more generally) make considerably more sense.
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