Bar, Montenegro
Bar: A Month Built Around the Sea
A month in Bar, Montenegro, shaped by beaches, coastal excursions, local buses, everyday routines, and the practical trade-offs of living by the sea.
Bar, Montenegro
4 articles
We spent a full month in Bar, a beach town on Montenegro's southern coast, based in lower Šušanj, about ten minutes from the water. Bar trades Kotor's medieval polish for easier beach access, lower costs, and a more residential daily routine. Its cultural life is more dispersed, extending from the modern port city to Stari Bar, religious landmarks, olive country, and the rail and maritime routes connecting the coast with Montenegro's interior. It suits travelers who prioritize swimming, sunsets, and practical coastal life over architectural grandeur or a dense cultural calendar.
At a Glance
- Length of stay
- One month, 30 nights
- Neighborhood
- Lower Šušanj
- Cost level
- More affordable than Kotor and the busier towns farther north along the coast
- Walkability
- About ten minutes to the beach; central Bar, the farmers market, and many restaurants require a longer walk
- Transportation
- Local buses, intercity coaches, and direct rail service from Šušanj to Podgorica; informal roadside pickups are common but not guaranteed
- Workability
- Reliable for remote work, with a gym roughly fifteen minutes away and most ordinary errands manageable without a car
- Cultural depth
- Moderate but dispersed, with Stari Bar, Orthodox, Catholic, and Muslim communities, King Nikola's Palace, the Old Olive Tree, and a working maritime identity
- Principal strength
- Easy daily access to the sea at a comparatively affordable cost
- Principal limitation
- Less architectural concentration than Kotor or Ulcinj, unreliable local bus timing, July heat, and heavy traffic along the coastal road
Practical Highlights
- Accommodation
- Lower Šušanj, $1,465 for the month, in a small one-bedroom apartment about ten minutes from the water
- Gym
- About fifteen minutes away, €40 per person for the month, cash only
- Coffee
- Espresso-based drinks generally ranged from €1.50 to €2.40; our usual large espresso with milk cost about €2.25 to €2.40
- Groceries
- The farmers market was the best source for seasonal produce and local olives; Organic by Cosmetics carried specialty products that were harder to find in typical supermarkets
- Transportation
- Local buses generally cost €1 to €2; Čanj was €2 each way; Ulcinj was €5 each way; the train from Šušanj to Podgorica cost €2.80 each way and took about ninety minutes
- Beaches
- Šušanj for everyday access, Red Beach for a small clear-water cove, Čanj for a broader public beach, Vezirova and Queen's Beach by taxi boat, and Ulcinj for long sandy shallows
- Day trips
- Stari Bar, the Blue Lagoon and Vrteljak waterfall, the Old Olive Tree, Čanj, Red Beach, Ulcinj, Lake Skadar, Podgorica, and Kotor
Bar, Montenegro
Bar: Inland Past and Adriatic Present
A week in Bar exploring Stari Bar, the Old Olive Tree, a mountain swimming hole, Red Beach, local food, and daily summer life on Montenegro’s coast.
Bar, Montenegro
Bar: A Train to the Capital and a Colder Sea
Our second week living in Bar, Montenegro: a train ride to Podgorica, Čanj Beach, practical grocery systems, farmers market produce, and the slower rhythm of the Šušanj promenade.
Bar, Montenegro
Bar: First Days on Montenegro’s Southern Coast
A first week in Bar, Montenegro, with Šušanj Beach, St. Jovan Vladimir, local coffee, shawarma, gym costs, beach bars, and ordinary summer days by the sea.