Shopping in Montenegro

The town markets in Montenegro have a variety of wares such as fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, fish and cheese. Other than food items, the markets abound with inexpensive clothes and household goods. The old town of Herceg Novi's is well known for its art galleries. It is also known for its jewellery shopping. Podgorica, the country's capital, also has a variety of shopping centres and shops selling clothes.

Budva's summer bazaar, located next to the promenade, is a great place to pick up a Montenegro souvenir!

Spending time getting to know the local cuisine, local culture and shopping in Montenegro will all create lifelong memories of your Montenegro holiday.

Montenegro Shopping Guide

The town of Bar is an important harbour in Montenegro and hence it has trading shops which are much bigger than other coastal towns. The city centre has stores which stock up quite a collection of clothes, footwear, food items and also sports equipment. The wide boulevards of Bar have shops on either side which have the choicest clothes that have been designed by top designers from Europe and other parts of the world. If you like Italian designers then Bar will offer you all the choicest fashion clothing that can be found in Milan, Bari and Rome.

To satisfy customers who are very choosy, the owners of the boutiques and stores in Bar use liners to go to Italian cities such as Bari and Ancona, so that they are the first to stock up the latest designs in clothes and footwear in their store windows. This way the storekeepers try to fulfil and keep their female clientele happy. Besides the merchandise for women, the traders also have a wide assortment of clothes, shoes and other products for children and men.

The summer season here sees the Bar boutiques well attended mainly because of the wide variety and good selection of bathing suits. Other than boutiques, bar also has other shops which sell souvenirs, jewellery, food, cosmetics, toys and many more items.

If you are not keen on branded clothes and are of the opinion that they are an unnecessary expense, then there are other options available while shopping in Bar. There are stands located near Bar's green market which sell plenty clothes and footwear. You can also look at objects d'art, handicrafts, and souvenirs which are quite interesting. Do keep some time spare for this kind of shopping.

It is true for Bar, that it is not only famous for its monuments but also for its various markets. The Bar vegetable market or the green market as it is popularly called is stocked with a variety of Mediterranean fruits, vegetables, different meats, fish, and dairy products.

On all Saturdays you will find the markets at Bar swarming with people. You can find locals, domestic and foreign tourists and people from neighbouring coastal towns here. You will be entertained by some interesting conversations if you linger in these markets - conversations between farmers and manufacturers, merchants and buyers in various languages ranging from German, English, Albanian and Italian.

For a first timer at these markets, the main attractions would be the saleswomen at the market who are dressed in their traditional Muslim attire. The women's heads are covered with a white kerchief and they are dressed in pantaloons or long skirts which are riot of colours.

The Oriental flavour that is found in the Montenegrin town of Ulcini can also be found in the town of Bar. Here you will find pastry shops stocked with famous and popular Turkish delights and pie shops known as burekdzini. In Bar you will also find many restaurants where you can indulge in famous Mediterranean fish specialties.

Shopping hours

Shops are usually open from 0900 hours to 2100 hours (Monday-Friday). On Saturdays they are open from 0800 to 1500 hours. However, there are several shops that are open all day even on Saturdays.

Grocery stores open as early as 0600 hours. There are shops in tourist resorts which stay open until midnight during peak tourist season.

The citizens of Podgorica are quite fashion-conscious and tend to be exacting in their tastes. Boutiques in Njegoseva, Hercegovacka and Sloboda stock the latest cuts and styles. Whether you are shopping for shoes and suits or just looking for a complete wardrobe makeover, you're bound to find trendy collections, featuring some of the most famous fashion designers.

The market malls have an assortment of exciting products and you'll find the hours slipping by as you look around. Where clothes are concerned, apart from the usual brands found in boutiques, you'll also find some exclusive pieces from high-end brands.

Below you will find some tips and hints for the best shopping in Podgorica. Once you have finished scouring the shops in Podgorica for the perfect Montenegro souvenir, take a break in a local Podgorica restaurant to try some tasty local cuisine. Our Montenegro Shopping Guide gives a general indication of what goods you are likely to find while on holiday in Montenegro.

Podgorica Shopping Guide

Podgorica also has all kinds of costumes for recreational games and sports. If you plan to spend time skiing in the north, you'll probably want to shop for some chic, modern ski gear. Elan's outlet in particular is highly favoured by tourists.

At the malls, you'll find some unique bookstores with a wide range of foreign titles. Apart from the books, there are also a number of daily and weekly newspapers from home and abroad. You'll also find specialised magazines catering to niche audiences. As for the music, Podgorica is quite familiar with the world music scene and has the latest picks of original titles.

If at all you intend staying for a longer period of time and you're seriously considering the possibility of setting up a home, you'll be glad to find that home appliances are available for pretty nominal costs. Choose from top-notch brands like Bosch, Siemens, Sony and Gorenje. The larger shopping centres in Podgorica offer you a wider range of choices, so you can easily find something that fits your budget.

The business centre of Palada, located on the banks of the Moraca River is a great place to spend time relaxing over a cup of coffee or munching a sandwich. With its glass finish exterior and plush, pleasant interior, it makes for an alluring hangout.

Fervent shoppers love haunting the two major markets of Podgorica - the small market of Mala pijaca in the central part of the town and the market of Tuksi put, at the exit of the town. From fashionable clothing to tools and home appliances, these markets offer quality goods at nominal rates.

If you want to shop for grocery and food, there is a huge green market that has been renovated and has been steadily assuming the proportion of a market mall. Here, you can find fruits, vegetables, fish and domestic cheese. Mala pijaca is also a great place to shop in Podgorica for food items, as are the umpteen super markets dotting the town.

Places like Mex, Carine and Voli are great Podgorica shopping destinations if you're short on time and want to find everything under one roof. They are even cheaper than many of the up-market shops in Podgorica.

Liquor

If you've ever tried the local brandy after a meal, you will definitely want to carry a bottle back home. An excellent way to drink to the memory of good times! Check Manjola Dream and pick a grape brandy or some of the local wines.

Arts & crafts

Crockery, woodwork and embroidered items found in stores and markets make perfect souvenirs.

T-shirts

T-shirts capturing the essence of Montenegro are found in many Podgorica souvenir shops. Designs range from simple logos like the national flag to typical "I love Montenegro" tags, wise cracks like "I'm famous in Montenegro" and romantic slogans such as "Someone in Montenegro loves me!"

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The Bay of Kotor Shopping Guide

In areas with tourist resorts, especially during the tourist season, all shops remain open till midnight. Most shops in the Bay of Kotor and elsewhere in Montenegro open at 9.00 a.m. and close at 9.00 p.m. Grocery stores open a few hours earlier at 6.00 a.m. and shut at 9.00 p.m. Besides the local shops, there are also many large supermarket stores where you will be able to easily find both local and international products.

The old town of Kotor has a lot of boutiques, but do be careful of counterfeits of famous brands. Just outside Kotor's old town is an open market where you can find just about anything, from fresh fruits to sunglasses.

You'll find a large number of speciality shops and boutiques in the interiors of Old Kotor. Even though many of the shops here are smaller, you will find stores offering clothes, footwear and accessories from world famous European and international designers. Most of the boutiques stock garments from Italian design firms and are generally quite exclusive. Kotor's boutiques generally have a harmony in clothing patterns and materials. The skills of the traders of the old town of Kotor are very visible here and depict how long they have been practising them. No matter how young or old you are, Kotor's shops offer something for everyone and have a clean modern look.

Shopping in Kotor you will find clothing boutiques, in the old town and numerous photo shops, souvenir shops, jewellery shops, book stores, antique stores, beauty salons and barber shops, pizzerias, restaurants, pastry shops and cafés. For more shopping ideas in Montenegro see our Montenegro Shopping guide.

At the second entrance to Kotor's old town, across from the Kotor River and its harbour, is the main bazaar of the city. This is the part of town that has seen the exchanging and bartering of goods and merchandise from ancient times. Now the market trades mostly fresh fruits and vegetables and fish, although there are a few stands for costume jewellery and other such trifles.

Several hundred metres to the right is a large modern department store where there are numerous boutiques and stores. Shops in Kotor are found throughout the town, no matter where you go, the town is well equipped with a variety of super markets and food stores.

Kotor Banks

There are several ATMs located at the northern section of the Trg od Oruzja Square. For changing money in a bank, an ID is required and you will receive a receipt for your exchange, which states that you should keep it if you need to change the dinars back, which is an interesting reference to old days of the Yugoslav dinars. Check around for the best exchange commission rate, which can be as high as 10%.

Kotor shopping is made easy, as most merchants accept international cards like MasterCard, Visa, Diners Club and the Maestro card, although cash might be required to make some payments. Some of Kotor's ATMs will also accept your MasterCard or Visa credit card, but very few are likely to accept your international debit card.

Budva Shopping Guide

The well laid out boutiques and shops in Budva's Old Town stock up on the best in fashion. They offer a wide range of creations in many hues, styles and patterns, all products of some of the world's best fashion designers. Right next to them are stores selling jewellery, the best names in cosmetics and perfumes, children's apparel, and books, not to mention the cafés, pizzerias and libraries.

The waterfront walkway along the beach or the main promenade is also a popular shopping area. There is a summer bazaar nearby that sells clothes, beach equipment, and a variety of other goods, including souvenirs for tourists.

If you are looking for boating, diving or fishing equipment, the shop to visit is "Montimare". More than ten years old, the store has a stock of very high quality products sold at moderate prices. Diving enthusiasts and divers from all over the world frequent the store to buy underwater guns, lamps, harpoons, diving masks and suits, angling sticks, fishing tackle, foot fins, bottles and regulators.

All basic necessities, local or international, are available in the large supermarkets in Budva. The local markets in town sell household goods and inexpensive clothes in addition to fish, meat, dairy products, fruits and vegetables. Other shopping options in Montenegro are Herceg Novi and Podgorica. The old town of Herceg Novi is famous for its art galleries and jewellery stores. Podgorica, on the other hand, has a wide range of shopping centres and apparel stores. Niegusi is well known for its cheese. It can be bought as an appetising gift while holidaying in Montenegro. Cheese is often sold out of the makers' homes. They usually have boards outside their homes advertising their wares.

Opening Hours

As in all other cities of Montenegro, stores in Budva operate from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm. Grocery stores operate longer hours, from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm. Shops stay open till midnight during the busy summer season.

Currency

The euro is the official currency of Montenegro (1 euro (€) = 100 cents). Currency notes are in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500. Coins used are in denominations of €1, €2 and 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cents. Visitors are advised to exchange currency at banks and official exchange offices only.

International debit and credit cards such as Diners Club, MasterCard, Maestro and Visa cards are accepted at many places although it may be necessary to pay by cash at certain establishments. MasterCard and Visa cards are usually accepted by many ATMs but international debit cards are seldom accepted. Traveller's cheques are very difficult to exchange so although they are acceptable theoretically, reality is quite different. It is best to carry credit or debit cards, and cash.

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