The EU’s enlargement commissioner, Marta Kos, commended Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine, and Moldova for their advancements towards EU membership, describing expansion as a “realistic possibility within the coming years” during a session at the European Parliament.
While Montenegro is noted as the most advanced candidate, the commissioner criticized Serbia for slowing reforms and indicated that Georgia is merely a candidate “in name only.” Kos emphasized the need for the EU to prepare for enlargement.
She highlighted Albania’s “unprecedented progress” and Moldova’s rapid advancements despite challenges. Ukraine’s commitment to its EU path and essential anti-corruption reforms was also recognized, particularly against the backdrop of Russia’s invasion and Hungary’s obstacles.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy echoed this sentiment, urging the EU to take decisive action to eliminate barriers to a unified Europe.
A LITTLE-known resort with white sands, a Unesco-listed old town and beer for less than £2 tops a new listing of most affordable autumn beach breaks in Europe this year.
Nessebar, on a peninsula in Bulgaria, is No1 in budget airline easyJet’s Cheap Beach Index, thanks to its affordable hospitality and dependable deals on flights and hotels.
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The scenic Iglesia de Las Salinas beach, Costa de AlmeriaCredit: Getty
The research analysed areas within easy reach of airports that offer affordable direct routes from the UK, and the costs of a typical holiday “basket” of essentials including beer, ice cream and family meals out.
The Budva Riviera in Montenegro came second, followed by Spain’s Costa de Almeria then Costa Dorada.
Lisa Minot describes what makes these autumn breaks winners, and offers some great deals . . .
NESSEBAR, BULGARIA
THIS little gem offers the best of both worlds with golden sands on South Beach and plenty of charm in the Old Town with its Roman and Ottoman architecture, 19th-century wooden houses and cobbled streets.
It’s not all culture, though – the resort has plenty to keep visitors happy with lots of bars and restaurants and a lively nightlife.
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Nessebar, Bulgaria offers the best of both worlds with golden sands on South Beach and plenty of charm in the Old TownCredit: Getty
The report found beers would cost on average £1.60, while a three-course meal will set you back around £22 for a couple.
GO: Seven nights’ all-inclusive at the 4H Festa Panorama, Nessebar is from £477pp including flights from Manchester departing on September 30, 23kg luggage and transfers.
FOR a more authentic Spanish experience, distinct from the more crowded Costas, the Costa de Almeria is Europe’s only desert landscape, providing a dramatic backdrop.
Highlight is the Cabo de Gata-Nijar Natural Park, a protected area with volcanic geology, hidden coves like Monsul and vast, unspoiled beaches for you to set aside the pressures of life.
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The Costa de Almeria is Europe’s only desert landscape, providing a dramatic backdropCredit: Getty
Roquetas de Mar is a perfect beachfront town with lots of shops, bars and restaurants close by.
The report found beers will cost just £3 and a meal for two £36.
GO: Seven nights’ half-board at the Best Roquetas Hotel, Costa de Almeria is from £372pp including flights from Southend on September 27, 23kg luggage and transfers.
ALWAYS among the best value of the Costas, this area is known as the Golden Coast – perfect for families with its long, gently shelving golden sand beaches.
Montenegro might not be as famous as its neighbours, but its stunning coastline, clear waters and historic towns have earned it plenty of praise from British holidaymakers
There’s a hidden European gem which is cheaper than its European counterparts (Image: Getty)
Greece, Spain, and Portugal are the go-to spots for many holidaymakers, famed for their stunning landscapes and rich offerings. However, these destinations can become tourist traps in the peak of summer, leaving those in search of tranquillity a bit miffed.
But fear not, there’s a hidden gem that some seasoned travellers argue might just outshine them all. Tucked away on the Adriatic Sea and bordered by Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and Albania, Montenegro is a treasure trove yet to be overrun by mass tourism.
Its breathtaking coastline, crystal-clear waters, and time-capsule towns have garnered accolades from tourists who reckon it rivals its more illustrious neighbours, minus the throngs of visitors.
The Bay of Kotor, a UNESCO World Heritage Site reminiscent of a fjord, is a jewel in Montenegro’s crown.
Nestled among mountains, this bay boasts historical gems like Kotor and Perast, enchanting visitors with their charm, reports the Express.
Montenegro is less crowded than Croatia or Spain(Image: Getty)
TripAdvisor reviews are positive with tales of Montenegro’s allure, with many finding it a welcome respite from the bustling Greek isles or the crowded Spanish beaches.
One traveller said: “Montenegro stole my heart, even more than Greece!” praising the sublime seafood and jaw-dropping vistas.
“Greece was great, but Kotor Bay’s cliffs and medieval walls blew me away. Wandering through Kotor Old Town, I loved how peaceful Montenegro felt, far less tourist chaos than Athens or Santorini.”
Another holidaymaker who had recently explored Portugal’s Algarve posted: “Last summer, I toured Portugal’s Algarve coast. Lovely beaches, bustling towns, but Montenegro left a far bigger mark.
“Its Adriatic coastline is stunning, yet totally uncrowded compared to Portugal in summertime. Jaz and Mogren beaches felt like private retreats.”
A third globe-trotter declared that Montenegro surpassed even Spain in their estimation, explaining: “I’ve been to Spain’s Costa del Sol several times (think sun, sea, sangria), but Montenegro feels more authentic and affordable.
The Bay of Kotor is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Montenegro(Image: Getty)
“Beach days in Budva and Tivat cost a fraction of Spanish resorts, yet the scenery is just as spectacular.”
The seaside resort of Budva draws countless visitors to Montenegro, renowned for its sandy shores, vibrant nightlife, and historic Old Town quarter.
Venture further into the interior, and destinations such as Durmitor National Park present alpine vistas, walking routes, and thrilling white-water rafting adventures along the Tara River Canyon.
One explorer shared: “In just a few hours, I went from pebbled beaches on the Budva Riviera to the snow-capped peaks of Durmitor National Park.”
Many travellers highlight Montenegro’s wallet-friendly appeal compared to other European holiday favourites.
One holidaymaker said: “Beach days in Budva and Tivat cost a fraction of Spanish resorts, yet the scenery is just as spectacular.”
Montenegro’s compact dimensions make it particularly attractive for tourists, as the nation is petite and incredibly straightforward to navigate. Visitors have reported that you can enjoy a morning hike, an afternoon at the beach, and an evening meal by the water.
It’s also often cited as one of the rare spots in Europe where you can savour both mountainous landscapes and coastal views within the same day.
I wasn’t expecting the welcoming chorus of “woofs” that greet me when I arrive at FitCamp Montenegro. Then again, the name, suggestive of a 1970s-style fat farm, is misleading. Based in a rustic farmhouse in the hills north-east of Nikšić, the country’s second largest city, the Yoga getaway I’m here to sample may focus on wellness and plant-based food – the antithesis of traditional Montenegrin fare – but its friendly dogs and cats would de-stress many a frazzled urbanite.
“We especially want to take care of solo travellers, tailor stays to their needs, and help them reconnect with themselves and nature,” says co-owner Andjela Djokic, as amiable Sivi, part hunting dog, part sheepdog, trots out for a sniff.
The retreat is my first stop on a whirlwind trip exploring Central Montenegro. Unlike the overcrowded Adriatic coast (in 2024, 94% of overnight stays in the Balkans country were in coastal areas), the interior of Montenegro is virgin territory for nature lovers. Historically a battleground – the Romans and Ottomans lorded over the region – for me it’s love at first sight, a landscape brimming with pristine karst mountains, forests, lakes and rivers.
Getting here involved an 80-minute drive from Podgorica, the capital, on a panoramic road, one that on a clear day (alas, it’s gloomy when I arrive) takes you within view of Ostrog Monastery, cut high into a rock face in the Dinaric Alps. (These, I learn, stretch the length of the Balkans.) Still, as the wispy clouds trail across the peaks and ridges, I feel I’m entering a delicious hinterland.
At the farm, which Andjela runs with her husband, Matija, I settle into my en suite apartment, one of two available to guests. Once a stone barn, it has a balcony from which to soak up the rippling birdsong and mountain scenery. Over in the shared community space, a homely kitchen-cum-lounge area, I tuck into scrambled eggs and thick Montenegrin coffee. “Every day is a mission to find the eggs,” chuckles my host.
Jini Reddy hiking up to Durkovo Brdo viewpoint. Photograph: Dušan Stupar
Later, I’ll visit the chicken coop and permaculture garden, and hear about plans to transition to solar power, but right now I’m itching to unfurl my limbs.
It’s too wet for yoga, offered on a wooden platform in a meadow on the farm’s 19 acres of land. Instead, sockless, I tread gingerly on the adjacent barefoot walk, an array of beach pebbles, pine cones, moss and sharp stones. The sensory stimulus (nature’s reflexology) awakens me from my post-travel stupor. There’s just time for a snack and a glorious toast with rakija, the local spirit, before Tamara Miljanic, the serene yoga and meditation teacher, offers a pranayama (yogic breathwork) session. As the flute-like call of a cuckoo haunts the skies, I feel the tension seep out of my body. After a salad supper, made by a holistic nutritionist who joins us for the meal, I sleep like a log.
The next morning the sun is out and I try the property’s heart trail – another cue to be mindful. Wandering along the kilometre-long wooded path, I step over soft, moss-covered stones and flit from wildflower to wildflower like a butterfly. I spot carmine-hued thistle, elegant mauve lupins, ox-eye daisies and dog roses. The dogs, who have come along, plonk themselves next to me like forest sentinels when I sit quietly for a bit.
It’s hard to leave, but Vučje calls. A mountain lodge and tourist centre within the wider Nikšić region, 18 miles to the east, Vučje is a ski resort in winter and the perfect spot for hiking, horse-riding and cycling in the warmer months. Nestled in a valley, it lies south of the vaunted alpine jewel that is Durmitor national park.
FitCamp Montenegro is based in a rustic farmhouse in the hills
A slow-food culture is embraced here. After a stroll in the woods, in the company of the Vučje dogs (owner Andjahas a soft spot for strays) it’s time for a feast. “We cure our own meat,” she says, waving towards the meat-drying room. I do my best with a pork steak steeped in cream and mushrooms, kačamak (a rich, tasty concoction made of wheat and cornflour, potatoes, cheese and cream) and local wine – and silently apologise to my arteries. (Vučje caters to vegetarians too.)
The room I’m staying in is a little worn but comfortable. In the morning, after priganice (moreish fritters with rosehip jam), more cured meat and pljevaljski (a local cheese), I hike to Durkovo Brdo, a popular viewpoint and, at 1,546 metres, an easy-to-climb peak. Two charming guides, Enisa Djokovic and Dušan Stupar, lead the way. Enisa points out the wild garlic, beloved of the local ursine population, as we emerge from the forest canopy to open pastures ringed by mountains.
“We call them ‘bear onions’,” she says. “But don’t worry, we carry pepper spray.”
Later, the pair drive me eastward to Lukavica, a mountain plateau. A winding road leads us through the beautiful terrain, carpeted with meadows, and dotted with peaks and katuns, hobbity holiday homes (some still used by sheep herders).
Astonishingly, ours is the only vehicle. When I step outside, the silence feels potent. A deer bobs away in the distance, and a lone church, St Ilija, stands framed by the mountains. “There is a 2,000-year-old gravestone here,” says Dušan, before pointing to the looming peak, Mali Žurim (1,962 metres). It looks impossibly steep. “Next time you come we can hike it. It’s easier than it looks,” he says.
Jini on a bike ride to Lake Skadar
After a coffee stop at Lake Kapetanovo Jezero, where I spot wild horses, we drive back and the heavens open. Enisa tells me she is Muslim, “from a small village near Podgorica”, and that she celebrates Ramadan and Eid. Dušan, who is also her partner, is Bosnian and Orthodox Christian. “During the war, my family fled across the mountains,” he says, quietly. “I was a child and my mother was pregnant at the time.” I wonder if, for him, the mountains represent refuge, a place of sanctuary.
For my last day, I head south to Jablan Winery, in the village of Rvaši, south of Podgorica. Wine tastings are popular here, and you can rent an apartment amid the vines. I’ve spied the e-bikes and I’m off, down euphoria-inducing hairpin bends to Lake Skadar, the largest in southern Europe and a national park. Framed by forest-green slopes, the views of the serpentine Rijeka Crnojevića river and canyon, within the lake system, are ethereal, like a fairytale.
At a small resort named after the river, I park the bike and board a small boat for a ride on the lake, through narrow channels teeming with birdlife. “This is our Amazon,” says Captain Dusko, at the helm, before telling us the giant Dalmatian pelican is Skadar’s symbol. As we drift past a carpet of water lilies, I spy a jet-black pygmy cormorant diving for fish, and grey herons in flight. Back on shore, the captain whips up a meal of smoked carp, carp paté, fish soup and grilled trout at his lakeside restaurant. Then it’s back on the bike to the vineyard, where a glass of natural wine lulls me into a contented sleep, nursing a yen to return to this enchanted land.
The trip was provided by FitCamp Montenegro; its five-night yoga getaway is available May-November for €900, including breakfast, activities and a day trip. Accommodation at Vučje from €37pp a night, with hiking tours from €100 for two. At Winery Jablan the two-bedroom stonehouse costs €55a night (sleeps five) and the studio from €50a night (sleeps two); both self-catering, minimum two-night stay, 90-minute food and wine tastings from €35 per person
Scorching heat forces closure of the iconic site amid severe weather warnings and fire risks across the country.
Greece has shut the Acropolis and halted outdoor work across the country as a fierce heatwave scorches the region, pushing temperatures to above 40C (104F) and leading to fire alerts and severe weather warnings across the Balkans.
The Greek Ministry of Culture announced that the 2,500-year-old Acropolis site would remain closed until 5pm on Tuesday “for the safety of workers and visitors, owing to high temperatures”.
The landmark, perched above capital Athens with little natural shade, typically attracts tens of thousands of tourists each day.
This is Greece’s second severe heatwave since late June. Meteorologists expect temperatures to peak at 42C (107.6F) in some parts of the country, with Athens facing highs of 38C (100.4F). Similar conditions are forecast for Wednesday.
To protect labourers exposed to the sun, Greece’s Ministry of Labour has ordered a work pause from noon to 5pm in multiple regions, including popular islands. The restriction applies to outdoor jobs such as construction and food delivery.
“Days with a heatwave make my job more difficult,” 43-year-old courier Michalis Keskinidis told the AFP news agency. “We drink a lot of water, use electrolytes, and take breaks whenever possible.”
Heatwave across the Balkans
Last year, the Acropolis recorded 4.5 million visitors – up by more than 15 percent from the previous year – and authorities have been forced to close the site during previous heatwaves as well.
Fire danger remains a key concern. Civil protection officials have issued high-risk warnings for areas including greater Athens, central Greece and the Peloponnese. Greece’s fire service is already tackling up to 50 blazes daily, said senior fire officer Constantinos Tsigkas.
Elsewhere in the Balkans, extreme weather continues to batter neighbouring countries. In Serbia, meteorologists warned of elevated fire risks after 620 wildfires were reported on Monday. Simultaneously, parts of the country face threats of hail and hurricane-strength winds.
In Croatia, storms injured two people in Vinkovci when a power line collapsed onto a home. Strong winds and rain have flooded roads, knocked down trees and caused widespread power outages in Split, where a ferry broke loose and sank a tourist boat.
Hungary and Slovakia also suffered storm damage. In Budapest, wind speeds reached 137km/h (85mph), downing power lines and trees. The Hungarian Transport Ministry said rail services might take weeks to fully resume. In Slovakia, fierce winds tore roofs from buildings and disrupted transport across the east.
This Balkan country has been hailed as an ‘up-and-coming’ holiday destination, and it’s easy to see why
15:50, 16 Jun 2025Updated 15:51, 16 Jun 2025
‘Hidden gem’ country is perfect mix of private beaches and city breaks(Image: Feng Wei Photography via Getty Images)
Montenegro, a rather underappreciated jewel in the Balkans, should be on more Brits’ summer holiday shortlists. It’s an ideal spot for both beach holidays and city breaks, with direct flights from the UK to two of its cities – Tivat and Podgorica.
Touted as an ‘up and coming’ destination by Condé Nast Traveller, Montenegro caters to all sorts of holidaymakers, boasting wild beaches and hidden trails, as well as private beaches, beach clubs, and superyachts.
Plus, it’s a breathtakingly beautiful country, so you’ll have plenty of snaps to show off to your mates and social media followers.
The capital city, Podgorica, is just a direct flight away from London Gatwick, taking less than three hours.
Ideal for a city break, there’s loads to do in Podorica, from exploring the Ottoman-era neighbourhood of Stara Varoš, to taking a riverside stroll to Waterfall Niagara (not to be mixed up with the similarly named Niagara Falls on the US-Canada border).
Podgorica is the capital city of Montenegro(Image: Getty)
History enthusiasts can take pleasure in wandering through the city’s historic sites, including the stunning Saborni Hram Hristovog Vaskrsenja church, or the ancient Duklja Ruins, which hark back to the Roman era, and are just a few miles from the city centre, reports the Express.
For those seeking a tranquil beach holiday, Budva is the place to be. This stunning city boasts sandy expanses and pebbly coves, bustling tourist hotspots and secluded beaches favoured by locals.
Mogren Beach can be found in Budva(Image: Getty)
Slovenska Plaža, a popular beach near the old town, offers both public and private sections. For a more serene experience, the picturesque Mogren Beach or the somewhat secluded Ploce Beach are ideal choices.
Many of the city’s hotels and resorts also feature their own private beaches, meaning you won’t have to venture far for some sun-soaked relaxation if you’ve booked a stay in the city.
If a summer getaway isn’t your cup of tea, then consider a winter trip to the mountainous village of Kolašin for some thrilling skiing.
Visit Kolašin in the winter for some skiing(Image: Getty)
The Kolasin ski centre has received glowing reviews from visitors. One thrilled guest wrote: “It was amazing experience. We went there to snowboard, and it was awesome. Ski tracks were great! We will come again next year!”
Another visitor shared: “Will remember this place because my 5 and 7 y.o, kids learned to ski here. Great ski instructors Ksenija & Ivan – more than grateful for their patient approach and fun we had with them.”
A third reviewer enthused: ” What a great resort to go to. There was plenty of snow and many runs to go down. Exciting and some scary runs but didnt take long to get back into skiing after over 20 years of not doing it.”
In the 16th century, Montenegro emerged as a semi-autonomous region within the Ottoman Empire. A series of rebellions against Turkish control resulted in Montenegro gaining its independence in 1878 under the Treaty of Berlin.
The name ‘Montenegro’ which refers to the black mountains that cover large parts of the region (about 60% of the country is more than 1000 metres about sea level) was first used in the 15th century.
In 1918, at the end of the First World War, Montenegro became part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and then a republic within the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia after the end of the Second World War.
Following the dissolution of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1992, Montenegro and Serbia established the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, which was renamed as Serbia and Montenegro in 2003 under the Belgrade Agreement, which also contained a provision that any referendum on the independence of Montenegro would not take place for three years.
The independence referendum was held on May 21st 2006, with an 85% turnout, the percentage of votes in favour of independence was 55.5% – a result that was only just over the 55% threshold for accepting independence. The Montenegro Parliament declared independence on June 3rd 2006 and became the 192nd member of the United Nations on June 24th 2006.
Montenegro’s flag was adopted on July 13th 2004. The design is based on the flag that was in use during the reign of King Nicola I, who was king between 1910 and 1918.
After Montenegro became independent of Yugoslavia, its internet domain name changed from .yu to .me
