How Montenegro celebrates the New Year
In Montenegro, the New Year is celebrated outdoors. Coastal towns and Podgorica set up stages on city squares and waterfronts, and concerts last for three or four evenings in a row, usually from 30 December to 2 January. Programmes are prepared by municipalities and local tourist organisations, and performers are announced from October to December. Budva has been organising a public celebration on the square in front of the Old Town for more than two decades, and the 2026 celebration was the 26th in a row.
The first and second of January are non-working days. The holiday season does not end there: Orthodox Christmas is on 7 January, and the Orthodox New Year is celebrated on the night of 13–14 January, so many towns keep their festive decorations and programme until mid-January.
Where to celebrate the New Year: city by city
Budva has its celebration on the Square of Painters, in front of the walls of the Old Town. Last season the programme lasted seven evenings, from 29 December to 4 January, and the Budva Tourist Organisation has announced a three-day programme for the 2027 celebration, from 30 December to 1 January. Admission to the concerts on the square is free.
Kotor celebrates on the Square of Arms, below the Clock Tower, as part of the Kotor Winter Fest winter programme. The square is inside the walls of the Old Town, just behind the main gate, so space is limited.
Tivat holds concerts on the Pine waterfront, by the sea, and the town's festive programme lasts several weeks, from mid-December to the Orthodox New Year.
Herceg Novi has a three-day celebration on Nikola Đurković Square, next to the city Clock Tower, with a special programme for children.
Podgorica celebrates the New Year on Independence Square, where the Podgorica Bazaar has been operating since the second half of December – a New Year's fair with wooden huts, food and concerts.
Bar had five evenings of concerts at two locations for the 2026 celebration, and Cetinje has the festive programme "A New Year's Story in the Capital", in front of King Nikola's Palace. Municipalities and tourist organisations organise city celebrations as open-air concerts; check entry conditions on the event page.
See who is performing in which city for the 2027 celebration and what has already been confirmed in our guide to New Year's concerts, which we update as cities publish their programmes.
New Year in the snow: Kolašin and Žabljak
Those who want a New Year in the mountains choose Kolašin, below Bjelasica, or Žabljak on Durmitor. The ski season starts in December, but only if there is snow, because Montenegrin ski resorts do not have artificial snowmaking. In December 2025, Kolašin 1600 officially opened the season without snow, Savin Kuk started operating only on 12 January 2026, and in the 2023/24 season Kolašin 1600 and Savin Kuk did not operate at all.
Kolašin is in demand in winter: in January 2026 it had more hotel guests than in August 2025, so book accommodation for the holidays early. Kolašin can be reached from Podgorica by motorway or train in about one hour and twenty minutes. Before travelling, check conditions at the ski resorts and winter road conditions.
What is the weather like for New Year
According to our climate data, on the coast in December the average is 13–14 °C during the day and 7–8 °C at night, and in January 11–12 °C during the day and 5–6 °C at night. Rain falls on about 14 days per month, so also plan for a rainy New Year's Eve. The sea is around 15 °C. Podgorica in December has 12 °C during the day and 5 °C at night, Cetinje 9 and 3 °C. In the north it is a real winter: Kolašin in January has 4 °C during the day and −5 °C at night, and Žabljak 0 °C during the day and −7 °C at night.
Holiday calendar: from Christmas to Epiphany
- 25 December – Catholic Christmas; for Catholic believers 24, 25 and 26 December are non-working days.
- 31 December – 2 January – New Year's Eve and New Year; 1 and 2 January are non-working days.
- 6 January – Christmas Eve; in the evening the Yule log is lit in front of churches.
- 7 January – Orthodox Christmas; for Orthodox believers 6, 7 and 8 January are non-working days.
- 13/14 January – Orthodox New Year, according to the Julian calendar.
- 19 January – Epiphany and swimming for the Holy Cross, for example at Sastavci in Podgorica.
Transport and accommodation for the holidays
In winter there are fewer direct flights to Podgorica and Tivat than in summer, so look for holiday flight tickets early. From the region, people most often arrive by car or bus. From 15 November to 1 April, winter equipment is mandatory when winter conditions apply on the road, and some mountain roads, such as the one over Sedlo on Durmitor, are closed in winter due to snow.
For New Year's Eve, choose accommodation within walking distance of the square, because after midnight demand for taxis is high and parking in the centre fills up quickly. Book accommodation for the nights from 30 December to 2 January in Budva, Kotor, Tivat, Herceg Novi and Kolašin as early as possible.
