Croatia, Montenegro – two victims of overtourism? (page 1 of 11)

Mid-June, two Auvergnats on the starting blocks—off we go to the former Yugoslavia! We’d already explored some nooks and crannies of northern Croatia back in 2019, so we’re keeping the momentum going by planning a trip to the south of the country and then Montenegro.

On the way back, we’ll drift into Bosnia-Herzegovina just to mix things up a bit!

We’re a little unsure about what to expect in terms of tourist crowds.

Dubrovnik has a reputation for being the hardest-hit city by overtourism, and Kotor and the whole Dalmatian coast aren’t exactly empty...

Luckily, most European countries haven’t started school holidays yet, and some measures seem to have been put in place to limit the flow (like restrictions on the number of cruise ships allowed to dock at the same time).

Maybe we’ll manage to escape the promised hell?

For now, we’re slamming the doors of the Scirocco and heading off to our first stop: northern Italy!

Curious, I’ll follow your post – it’s off to a great start! Tourism, hell, crowds, tourism, hell, crowds 😛😉 You know what I think about it! There’s always a way to adapt, work around things, make do... because we can’t change that massive flow (and we’re part of it), and we’ve got to see the bright side—like being able to travel in the first place.

I won’t clutter your travel journal with a photo, but I took one at Sérignan beach this morning. It’s July 11th, and the beaches are packed—except for some spots. Just walk a little and accept the driftwood scattered on the sand...

Tell us soon what you thought of these two little countries 🙂

There’s always a way to adapt, work around, or make do...

You can’t do anything about the consequences of an overwhelming tourist flow.

Unless you bring construction equipment to remove the concrete, tear down the buildings... Get rid of the beach bars, the sun loungers...

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves! 🙂

because we can’t change that crowd (which we’re part of)

As mentioned in the intro, Croatians have still managed to partially redirect that crowd—which we’re not part of—by regulating cruise ship traffic. 😎

They’ve also partly diverted the crowd we *are* part of by hitting us in the wallet (effective, but it makes people grumble in other travel journals... ) or by setting quotas.

Tell us quickly what you thought of these two little countries

For now, I’ll just mention the negative points often noted by other travelers (points I don’t necessarily agree with):

- The welcome: Croatians and Montenegrins aren’t very friendly toward tourists—kind of cold. Yeah, it’s not Morocco! But personally, it doesn’t bother me much, even though I noticed it too.

- The omnipresence of paid parking (plan a hefty budget...) Well, it’s not worse than in Italy or even southern France. And at least there are hourly parking options, so you don’t have to pay 10 euros when you’re only staying a couple of hours because of a daily rate! Plus, everything else (accommodation, restaurants) is cheaper (coastal areas) than the same thing in the same place in France. So... We spent 2320 € per person all-inclusive for 3 weeks.

(Small? Yes and no. The terrain is very rugged, so even if it’s only 20 kilometers as the crow flies, it can take quite a while... )

Hello Agnès

I’ve often thought about Croatia as a destination... but always dropped the idea because I was afraid of overcrowding (mainly, and secondarily because the hospitality and food didn’t seem top-notch).

So I’ll be following this thread closely to see if, like in the Cyclades, it’s possible to find some beautiful spots that aren’t too crowded (off-season, of course!) 😎.

Hey Muriel,

fear of overcrowding

Definitely better to avoid the summer season! 😉 Even September, in my opinion (Italians).

A lovely October like I had in Albania—must be amazing.

food didn’t seem top-notch

It’s not the country’s strong point, but compared to the US, Norway, Iceland, Ireland, or England, it’s paradise!

Hello Agnès, finally back! We (almost) missed you! 😉

Okay, the "vacation excuse" for not coming here doesn’t hold up (I’m living proof of that) in 2025, in the age of Wi-Fi and smartphones. Plus, who doesn’t have a little tablet to stay in touch? 😏

Comparisons aren’t always fair. I *loved* Croatia and Montenegro back in 2011, during my first trip there.

Authentic, lots of tourists but mostly Italians or Croatians, bills in kuna, waking up at 7 AM in the empty streets of Dubrovnik, grandmas at the village exits with their "Zimmer" signs, the house wine at the table… I loved it so much that for a few years, it became my favorite summer getaway spot—Split was "only" 1,000 km from home…

And I’ve seen Croatia change… Especially since adopting the euro. My last trip was in 2022, and I still managed to enjoy it by getting lost in a small village on the island of Hvar, but disappointment took over…

Eager to hear your thoughts, but for me, the deal’s done with these two countries… Not a tragedy—there are others—but a regret, since they were once so beautiful…

So, I’m hopping into the Scirocco even if the back seats are a bit tight (seriously, you drive that? I loooove it!!!)

Hey Bruno,

Yeah, Croatia has caught up tourism-wise with other Mediterranean destinations these days, and even the Croatians have felt the switch to the euro.

(Weirdly, you also pay in euros in Montenegro even though it’s outside the eurozone.)

Plus, who doesn’t have a little tablet to communicate these days?

Me... Just my smartphone!

There are spots where reception wasn’t exactly great, far from it!

Is that really what you’re driving? I loooove it!!!

That’s the boss’s car. It’s on its last legs with 230,000 km on the clock...

Maybe not the best ride for the former Yugoslavia!

The road surfaces aren’t always top-notch...

My car also has a name that starts with an S and ends with an O, but it’s way more basic.

Better suited for Eastern European roads, but it’s missing one essential feature for traveling during a heatwave: AC!

Hence the choice of the sporty one!

Thanks again for sharing your thoughts, experiences, and photos.

Yep, another spot where we’re all thinking we should’ve gone right away when we first heard about it—or better yet, *before* we heard about it. With all these things that make it not as great now as it used to be, we’re really starting to believe that the past was better

I went there before... But it was in the summer of '68, in my mom’s belly—I don’t remember any of it! 😮

For Dubrovnik, it’s better now than it was in 1991–1992... Same goes for the rest of the former Yugoslavia, actually...

All roads lead to Rome, as they say. But which one to choose for a trip to Croatia starting from the heart of Auvergne?

Mont Blanc Tunnel, Fréjus Tunnel, Mont Cenis Pass, Great St. Bernard Pass, Little St. Bernard Pass, Montgenèvre Pass, or the Échelle Pass?

Let’s not forget the goal is to reach our final destination fairly quickly.

So long to the most time-consuming options!

I was thinking of taking the Mont Blanc Tunnel, which I had to go through nearly 50 years ago—just to refresh my memory...

But it’s not very pleasant driving through there when there are wonderful landscapes just a few kilometers away!

The Great St. Bernard Pass wins the round, and we leave the highway in Chamonix.

A picnic break at Planet (I’m starting an online fundraiser to buy this chalet...), and we’re at the Swiss border.

Yes, the Great St. Bernard Pass straddles Switzerland and Italy, so we have to make a quick detour through the land of the Helvetians!

A detour that makes us want to plan a trip to this country one summer.

The sight of gas prices quickly cools our enthusiasm, and this time, we won’t spend a single franc in this slightly pricey country...

The road narrows, hairpin turns follow one after another, and a few patches of snow cling to the slopes.



The temperature is quite chilly due to the combined effects of altitude and wind, and the St. Bernards are waiting for customers...

We then cross into Italy, where the price of gas drops as fast as the stock market after a duck’s re-election.



No border checks—thanks, Schengen, for making life easier for travelers!

The Aosta Valley now stretches out at the end of the ribbon of asphalt, and we quickly reach our evening stop: the not-so-touristy village of Nus.

It would have been possible to reach Split in two long stages—just one night—but we prefer not to drive more than 6 hours a day, which is why we stop right after the border.

The booked apartment has a rococo or even old-fashioned decor, as is often the case in Italy, but it has all the necessary comforts.

At 44 € per night, it won’t break the budget!

We take advantage of this late afternoon to stretch our legs and buy some supplies for tomorrow’s picnic.

The streets are deserted, but the village still has some life, as evidenced by the number of shops.



The most crowded spot turns out to be the church, where a few grandmas are already waiting for the evening mass...

Just steps from our lodging is a pizzeria.

Perfect for our first vacation dinner!

Bon appétit! 😉

A travel journal that starts with a stop at home – what a great omen!

A chalet at Planet paid for by Leetchi – you need some good friends for that!

Quick tip for the Aosta Valley if you're passing through: don’t hesitate to stop in the city center. There are lots of beautifully restored ancient sites and a big pedestrian street that’s always busy (especially on weekends with folks from Haute-Savoie looking for cheap cigarettes and *pasta al dente*!)

A chalet at Planet funded by Leetchi, you need a lot of friends for that!

I stumbled upon this while looking on Maps for a nice spot to picnic.

It seems much quieter than down below! (Chamonix, Argentière, etc.)

We didn’t have time for a hike, but it looks like it has everything you’d need.

For the chalet, the price must be seven figures—and not starting with a 1...

The same in Montenegro would definitely be more within my budget!

The booked apartment has a rococo or even outdated decor, as is often the case in Italy, but it has all the necessary comforts.

I saw the photos... Sure enough, the floral bedspread, the checkered curtains, the yellow wall decor, and the shelves perched up high... 😏

The terrace, the iPad, the coffee... and the cigarette? 😉 Sounds like me (though no more cigarettes now)

The terrace, the iPad, the coffee... and the cigarette? 😉

I admit, I had to reframe that one 😕

Sounds like me (though no more cigarettes now)

Tough but wise decision!

Given the price, we can't be picky! 😄

It's often ugly in Italy even at 100 €. Maybe you really need to go well over that amount to get more contemporary decor? And then, just the bidet being everywhere in bathrooms—it reminds a French person of the 70s-80s...

Maybe we’ll manage to escape the promised hell?

Hell as seen by a disillusioned Croatian columnist... who holds up a mirror to (us) (you). How tourism killed my island

(Below are a few excerpts – published by Courrier International – since the full article is for subscribers only)

The article answers the question: “This is how we lost our island by becoming hostages to mass tourism.” And from where I’m writing, I can see the example right in front of me…

Where are you, Bruno?

Where are you, Bruno?

I could’ve answered “at home” since our département can sometimes suffer from overtourism too, but that’s not the case here…

The answer in an upcoming Travel Journal? 😉

Let’s let Agnès tell us about her Scirocco adventure (??)