A medieval hilltop fortress above an ancient olive grove, the oldest olive tree in Europe, and the ferry that connects Montenegro to Bari overnight. Taxi Podgorica to Bar from 50€ — just 50 km from the airport.
Bar is Montenegro's most important southern city — a working port, a rail terminus, a market town, and a place of genuine historical depth that rewards visitors who look beyond the marina and the modern waterfront. The taxi Podgorica to Bar — the private taxi from Podgorica Airport (TGD) to Bar — is one of the shortest airport transfers on the Montenegrin coast — approximately 50 km via the Sozina tunnel, taking around 60 to 75 minutes. It is a route TTM has been driving since 2003, and for guests combining a Podgorica airport arrival with onward travel to Ulcinj, Sutomore, Buljarica, or even Tirana by road, Bar is a natural staging point. The taxi from Podgorica to Bar at 50€ per vehicle remains one of the best-value airport transfers in the country.
The character of Bar is shaped by two very different worlds sitting in close proximity. The modern city — the port, the marina, the promenade, the market — operates at the pace of a busy Adriatic town, with the Bar–Bari overnight ferry bringing a constant flow of passengers in both directions and connecting Montenegro to southern Italy in a way that no other route does. Above and behind this modern city, the ruins of Stari Bar — the medieval hilltop fortress town that was the original settlement — occupy a dramatic ridge position overlooking olive groves and the sea. And between the two, in the village of Šušanj just outside the modern town, the extraordinary Stara Maslina grows in the courtyard of a private house — an olive tree estimated to be over 2,000 years old, making it one of the oldest living trees in Europe.
Bar has for decades been a popular destination for visitors from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland — drawn by a combination of honest hospitality, good value, and a southern character that differs meaningfully from the more commercialised northern Riviera. Many return year after year to the same hotels and apartments, to the same fish restaurants and local markets. There is a quality of loyalty in Bar's relationship with its returning visitors that speaks to something genuine about the place — it has not chased the premium market and has retained, as a result, an authenticity that more developed destinations have lost.
The ruins of the original Bar — a fortified hilltop city abandoned after an Austro-Hungarian bombardment in 1878 — occupy a ridge above the modern town surrounded by ancient olive groves. The ruins are extensive and atmospheric: churches, mosques, wells, gates, and the remains of hundreds of stone buildings within medieval walls, with views stretching to the sea. One of the most dramatic archaeological sites in Montenegro.
The Stara Maslina (Old Olive Tree) in the village of Šušanj near Bar is estimated to be over 2,000 years old — one of the oldest known living olive trees in the world and a protected natural monument of Montenegro. Still producing olives every year from a trunk of extraordinary gnarled beauty, it is a living connection to the ancient Mediterranean world that preceded all of Bar's recorded history.
The overnight ferry from Bar to Bari — operated by Montenegro Lines — is the only direct sea connection between Montenegro and Italy, departing Bar in the evening and arriving in Bari the following morning. TTM arranges private taxi transfers to Bar ferry port from Podgorica Airport and from anywhere in Montenegro, timed to connect with ferry departures. A natural gateway for travellers entering or leaving Montenegro from Italy.
Bar is the southern terminus of the Bar–Belgrade railway — one of the most celebrated engineering achievements in Yugoslav history, crossing the Morača and Tara canyon terrain on a series of extraordinary viaducts and through mountain tunnels. The train journey from Bar to Podgorica and on toward Belgrade is genuinely remarkable. TTM covers transfers between Bar railway station and Podgorica Airport at the same fixed price.
The Church of St. John Vladimir in Bar — dedicated to the Serbian medieval ruler canonised as a saint — is one of the most important religious sites in Montenegro, drawing pilgrims and visitors particularly on St. John Vladimir's feast day. The church is located in the centre of Bar near the Topolica stadium and is a significant site of both religious and cultural heritage.
Bar's marina and waterfront have developed considerably in recent years, with a promenade, restaurants, and café terraces that make the most of the town's position between the mountains and the sea. The beaches immediately around Bar — at Šušanj and Topolica — are accessible and popular with local residents; Sutomore (10 km north) and Ulcinj (30 km south) extend the beach options significantly.
Bar's accommodation and dining reflect the character of the town — solid quality, honest prices, and a local hospitality that prioritises returning guests over one-time visitors. TTM provides private taxi to Bar hotels from Podgorica Airport at fixed prices, delivering guests directly to the hotel entrance.
🏨 Hotels
Bar's most prominent hotel — a large beachfront property at Topolica with conference facilities, a pool, and a private beach. The largest and best-equipped hotel in the town, popular with business travellers, conference groups, and families looking for a self-contained base. TTM provides dedicated airport transfer to Princess Hotel Bar from TGD at a fixed price.
A boutique stone house property in the olive groves above Bar — one of the most characterful accommodation options in the area. Restored traditional buildings surrounded by ancient olive trees, with a quality of peace and authenticity that the waterfront hotels cannot offer. An ideal choice for guests who want to be near Bar without being in it.
Three well-regarded mid-range hotels in the Bar area — each with its own character and a loyal base of returning guests. XIO and Mediteran sit close to the waterfront; Forest takes advantage of the green hillside setting above the town. All are covered by TTM transfers from Podgorica Airport at the same fixed price.
🍽️ Restaurants
Two of Bar's most respected fish restaurants — Sword on the waterfront for fresh catch and Montenegrin coastal cooking in a setting that makes the most of its marina position; Pino del Mar for a more intimate experience with serious attention to the quality of the fish and the preparation. Both draw on the direct local catch.
Vila Antivari is a well-regarded restaurant in a historic building near the old town, serving Montenegrin cuisine with a focus on local produce and wine from the Crmnica wine region immediately north of Bar — one of the finest wine-growing areas in Montenegro. Rabrenović provides honest, reliable cooking for those who want a local restaurant without ceremony.
Two konobas in the Stari Bar area that combine the atmosphere of the medieval ruins with the food of the Montenegrin south — grilled meats, fresh cheese, lamb, and the local olive oil that the Bar area has been producing for millennia. Eating dinner below the walls of Stari Bar as the light fades on the ruins is an experience that belongs to this town alone.
* Recommendations are provided as a courtesy based on guest feedback. TTM has no commercial affiliation with any of the above establishments.
Bar's central position on the southern Montenegrin coast makes it one of the most practical bases for exploring the region. The surrounding area contains some of Montenegro's most varied attractions — from wine country and lake scenery to wild beaches and the Albanian border. TTM covers all of the following destinations from Bar at fixed prices.
The Crmnica valley north of Bar — between the Sozina tunnel and Virpazar — is Montenegro's most important wine-growing region. The indigenous Vranac grape produces full-bodied red wines of genuine quality, and the villages along the hillside above Skadar Lake have a slow, agricultural character entirely different from the coastal towns below. A short private taxi ride from Bar.
The largest lake in the Balkans and a national park of extraordinary natural richness — pelicans, cormorants, herons, and dozens of other species in the reed beds and open water. Boat tours from Virpazar explore the lake and its island monasteries. Virpazar is approximately 25 km from Bar by private taxi.
The taxi from Podgorica Airport (TGD) to Bar is one of the shortest coastal airport transfers in Montenegro — approximately 50 km via the Sozina tunnel, taking around 60 to 75 minutes. There is no direct public bus from Podgorica Airport to Bar. TTM drops guests directly at their hotel, at the ferry port, or at Bar railway station — 24/7 at a fixed price. For onward connections to Ulcinj, Sutomore, or Tirana, contact us via WhatsApp and we will arrange the full route at a fixed price.
~50 km · ~60-75 min · Fixed price · Hotel, ferry port & railway station drop-off · Luggage included · 24/7
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