Among the countries located on the Adriatic coast, Montenegro is popular as a budget holiday destination. This small European country with a small population offers very affordable accommodation and food. Many travelers prefer not to contact travel agencies and organize their vacation on their own, moving around the country by car. However, in this case, you should think carefully, because the roads in Montenegro are mostly dangerous mountain serpentines.
Road network in Montenegro
Much of this small state is covered in hills and mountain slopes. Therefore, there are not so many roads here, because it is often not advisable to make paths through hard-to-reach terrain. For a traveler, this is a definite advantage - it is unlikely that you will be able to get lost in Montenegro.
However, the difficult local terrain makes the Montenegrin roads extremely difficult even for an experienced driver. Constant bends, sharp turns, driving over the very abyss of steep cliffs - these features require a strong nervous system for both the driver and passengers.
There are no expressways in the country, since the traffic here is extremely low. Also, to the great delight of travelers, there are no toll roads, with the exception of one section, which passes through the tunnel. Typically, most local roads have one lane each way.
The lack of a large traffic flow and a warm climate lead to the fact that local roads practically do not deteriorate, the quality of the road surface is very good on all sections. However, landslides and sinkholes are possible in some areas.
Rules of conduct on the roads
Those travelers who nevertheless decide on an independent trip along mountain roads should follow some rules:
- Since the roads run in mountainous areas, the driver must be extremely careful. Often, behind the next sharp turn, you can stumble upon a pile of stones that have fallen on the road.
- Driving around Montenegro at night is not recommended at all. As a rule, there is no lighting outside the cities, and locals have a habit of parking their cars right on the side of the road. In this case, trucks can act as a body on the road.
- Tunnels cut through the rocks are especially dangerous. Most of them are not illuminated, and are also winding, and sometimes even narrow to one strip.
- Due to the narrowness of the roads, violation of the speed limit, especially on narrow serpentines, can lead to sad consequences, so you should adhere to the established rules, as well as follow the signs.
- It is also possible to meet grazing cattle on the roads, which also makes driving on local roads difficult and dangerous.
The road situation in the coastal resort areas is better. It is much easier to drive here, however, the traffic density is higher here. Finding parking spots in large cities can pose a particular problem. In general, traveling around Montenegro in your own or rented car is quite possible. There are good roads here and it is difficult to get lost in them. However, driving on mountain serpentines can be a daunting task, even for an experienced driver.
