This Stunning Coastal European Town Is the Perfect Alternative to Croatia — With Far Fewer Crowds

The teeny, tiny nation of Croatia is on everyone’s radar. More than 20 million people paid a visit to Croatia throughout 2023, all of whom came to enjoy its historic sites, its “Game of Thrones” filming locations, and its stunning azure waters. But, with all those people have come higher hotel rates and harder-to-find reservations for tours and restaurants, particularly during the peak season. If you’re hoping to experience that magic without all the crowds, there is a simple answer: Keep going south. Specifically, keep going until you hit Tivat, Montenegro. 

Nestled along the Adriatic coast, the town of Tivat offers much of the same natural beauty, luxury, and culture you’d find in locations across its more popular neighboring nation. (By comparison, Montenegro only welcomed 2,613,306 visitors in 2023.)

Travelers can explore Porto Montenegro, a gorgeous marina where you can gawk at super yacht after super yacht and dream of scoring a coveted invite to step aboard. But that’s not all. Here, travelers can also shop in the designer boutiques like Dior and Bvlgari that line the marina, snag a table for a gourmet meal at spots like Il Pescatore, or get a drink just in time for sunset. 

For those looking to dive into the sea rather than just view it, there’s the nearby Plavi Horizonti beach, home to a sandy shoreline dotted with craggy caves to explore and gin-clear waters that are calling your name. Naturally, there are plenty of operators who are happy to take you out onto the same waters too, including both group and individual charter options. 

The town has plenty to do for history and culture lovers as well, including the Buca-Lukovic Museum and Gallery, the 14th-century home owned by the Buca family, which guests can tour to get a rich sense of Tivat’s history. 

And, like every destination in this region, a seafood dining experience is an absolute must. In Tivat, travelers can order plates of fish plucked from the sea just minutes before making their way to the table. Destinations like Ponta Veranda and Babi—Resto Bar are particularly well regarded by previous travelers for their fantastic Mediterranean meals and for highlighting local wines made throughout Montenegro. 

Best of all, a visit here will cost you about the same as one to Croatia — $112 a day for Montenegro vs. $103 for Croatia, according to Budget Your Trip. But still, the area’s greatest charm is the fact that you can explore it further without elbowing your way through a crowd, waiting in an endlessly long line, or being left out in the cold for a dinner reservation, making it a fantastic place to spread the tourism wealth on your next trip to Southeast Europe.