Montenegro is one of many countries that uses the euro. This is actually quite unusual because it is not part of the EU (at least not to date). It may become a member at some point in the future, and if so this would result in a very unusual situation. No country should officially be allowed to use the currency until a set of conditions have been met to do so. However for the time being the country does indeed use the euro – a choice made possible partly because the previous currency it used became defunct. Read on to find out more.
What coins and notes are available for this currency?
Every country that officially uses the euro is able to create their own design (within strict rules) for one side of each coin. However this does not apply in the case of Montenegro. As such you might come across coins from many other EU countries.
You will find coins in 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cent denominations. There is also a one euro coin and a two euro coin. The most familiar euro notes are the €10, €20 and €50 notes. You might also see €100, €200 and €500 euro notes but this is less likely. Some of these have been more prone to forgery due to their high face value, so many people prefer not to use them.
From past to present – the history of the Montenegro euro
Montenegro used the German mark until this currency was taken out of circulation owing to Germany adopting the euro. Since Montenegro does not have a central bank and cannot make its own money in this sense, it decided to swap to the euro as well. It does beg the question of what would happen if the EU did force the country to stop using the euro. What else would they use?
How to get hold of the Montenegro euro
Since this is the euro we are talking about it is incredibly easy to get it. You should however shop around because not all bureaux de change will offer you the same rate. Some will be cheaper to use than others. Even when no commission is promoted it generally means the rate to you to convert your own currency will not be as pleasing as it would normally be. As such you need to think about whether it might be better to pay a commission to get a lower rate; it might result in a better deal.
Cash is often the best way to manage in Montenegro. You can use cards to pay for items in many places, but smaller transactions are almost always better to handle with cash. If you have a debit card with you this is the best card to use if you need to get more cash from a cash machine. You shouldn’t have much difficulty in finding cash machines either, which is good news.
It isn’t worth bothering with traveller’s cheques before you go though. While some places may exchange them they are few and far between. You may find you get there and cannot exchange them at all, so they are usually better off not worrying about.
How to find out the latest exchange rate between your home currency and the Montenegro euro
You may already have a rough idea of how many euros you can get for each individual amount of your own currency. However since this currency is used in several countries it is very easy to find out what the latest exchange rate actually is. You can do this by finding a currency converter (any of them will do, even the more basic ones) and finding your own currency and the euro. Providing you get them the right way round you can easily see how many euros you can get for your own currency.
If you are thinking about travelling to this country at any point, it is wise to get the latest information about it before you do so. This can be done by visiting the official website for the UK government. The appropriate page for this country is regularly updated and can be found at https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/montenegro.
Travelling safely with the Montenegro euro
The majority of people who elect to go to this country never have any problems while they are there. Make sure you adhere to the rules though – anyone paying a visit is required to register with the local police upon arrival. You have 24 hours in which to do this. Make sure you take your passport with you; indeed this should always be kept with you as it is often used for ID purposes.
The good news is crime isn’t a particular problem in Montenegro. It does occur of course but providing you take some reasonable precautions you should be just fine. For example don’t make a show of flashing your cash around and make sure you keep it all in a zipped pocket or somewhere else that is equally safe. Crime is more of an issue in any area that is known to welcome high numbers of tourists. However if you take proper precautions as mentioned above and keep a close eye on all your valuables you should not be at any particular risk. You will be more likely to lose something by leaving it unattended or not taking the same precautions to protect yourself and your items as you would at home.
Where to spend your euros in Montenegro – and what to spend them on
Montenegro is a country in the south-eastern part of Europe. It has a border which meets several other countries, including a small section of Croatia to the west of Montenegro. The north-western border meets Bosnia and Herzegovina, while the north-eastern border faces Serbia. Kosovo is further round to the east, while the border is completed by Albania, which lies to the south-east. The final stretch of the country faces the Adriatic Sea, which has many popular spots for those looking for a beach-based holiday.
The capital of the country is Podgorica. This is situated towards the south of the country. It is also a good place to base your stay if you wish to head to the seaside locations, since it is not that far away. The country also has some northern-based ski resorts that are within relatively easy reach of the capital.
The city is a fascinating place, featuring Stara Varos, otherwise known as the Old Town. The streets here are typically narrow and wend their way in all directions, as is quite usual for older parts of many European cities. You can also explore Nova Varos, which as you might expect translates into the New Town.
Elsewhere in Montenegro you will find many other attractions worth seeing. For example there is Lake Skadar. While this also goes by several other names all of them describe a lake that is truly stunning. It is known as a wetland area and while approximately half of it is in Montenegro, the eastern side lies in Albania.
Another pleasing lake is called Black Lake, and this is actually arguably even more attractive than the one above. The Meded Peak soars into the sky in the background, with lush trees in front of it. This is known as a glacial lake and it does look cold and crisp! You will find places to sit and relax when you arrive at the lake, so you can take in some of the sights and appreciate your surroundings.
Porto Montenegro is well worth a visit too, especially if you dream of owning a yacht one day. This is a superb place for luxury yachts and there is a pleasing village here too. This provides the opportunity to enjoy some shopping or to grab a drink or perhaps a meal at one of the many fine restaurants nearby. Even if you don’t have the cash to splurge on a yacht like one of the ones included there, you may dream that one day it could be possible. Whatever time of the year it is, if you are anywhere near Porto Montenegro do make the time to pay a visit to see it for yourself.
Conclusion
Montenegro may be a country you have heard of before, but you may not have known exactly where it was or whether it was worth finding out any more about it. However as you can see, it does have a lot to offer. Indeed, if you are keen on finding out whether a holiday here would appeal to you, the best step is to use this article as a springboard to learning more about the country. The good news is you don’t have to worry about finding an obscure currency since the country uses one of the most familiar ones in the entire world. Make sure you get the most from any trip you pay to Montenegro by planning in advance and ensuring you visit some of its many highlights.