Bokeski Marathon in Montenegro — route, my review of the race and tips for runners

The Bokeski maraton or Boka Marathon in Montenegro is one of the main events of December in Tivat and Kotor. I ran a half marathon and in my review I tell you what to expect from the organization and the route, how much it costs and where to buy a slot, the dates of the Brussels Marathon and what the weather is like. I am sharing useful tips and thoughts on how to organize a trip to the most famous marathon in Montenegro in 2025.

Bokeshki marathon in Montenegro — home information

The Bokeski marathon (Bokeski maraton or Boka marathon) is held in Montenegro every year in December. Every year, this sporting event gathers more and more participants, setting new records. In 2024, the marathon attracted more than 3,500 people, with 2,700 people running the marathon and half marathon.

Official website: bokamarathon.com

Bokeski Marathon (Bokeski maraton) — dates in 2025

The Boca Marathon is usually held on the second weekend of December: Saturday and Sunday. In 2025, it falls on December 13 and 14 (Saturday and Sunday).

Bokele Marathon distances in 2025

In 2025, there are the following distances and disciplines:

The pleasure race and the Ten races are held in Tivat the day before the start of the main races.

According to official data, the climb at the half marathon distance is 26 m, and in the marathon it is 57 m.

5 km and 10 km races are held in Tivat.

The half marathon and marathon start from Tivat and end in the old town of Kotor, with the difference that the marathon makes a U-turn near the old town of Kotor and returns towards Tivat to turn around again halfway and return to the finish line in Kotor. Here is a map with the official routes of the marathon and half marathon in the Bay of Kotor (maps taken from the official website):

The highway passes through the most beautiful villages of Boki — Donja Lastva, Stoliv, Prcanj, which have preserved the charm of their Venetian past. The route is not just scenic, it is one of the most beautiful trails in the region! The only thing that can compete is the Split Marathon and the Ohrid Marathon on Lake Ohrid in Macedonia.

Bokele Marathon Slots — where to buy, how much do they cost?

The slot is purchased on the official website https://live .3hercegnovi.me/event/BM25/register (there is a link to this page from the official website bokamarathon.com ). Payment is possible only by card.

The price for participation in the Boko Kotor marathon depends on the distance and time of registration. I’ve compiled this year’s distances and prices into a table. The slots are priced in euros (€).

What is the weather like in December — cold or warm?

In the Boko Kotor Bay of Montenegro in December, the ideal temperature for running is 10-12 degrees. But there are nuances.:

1. It rains a lot in Montenegro in winter.
2. One of the strong winds may blow — the south or the storm.
3. It can be sunny and very warm +15-17C.
4. It can be viciously cold with wind, snow and temperatures near freezing. This option has a small probability, but it is there.

It is impossible to predict the weather in advance. And a week before the race, everything can change. I took two sets of clothes with me — one in case of rain, the other for sunny weather.

My experience

The wind was blowing and it was raining all week before Boka Maraton. The night before the marathon, it was so heavy that I couldn’t get out of the car to go back to the hotel. Three hours before the marathon, it started to rain. But the sun came out an hour before the marathon. The photo below shows how wet the road is, that there are puddles everywhere, and the sky is still cloudy at the start.

On the morning of the marathon, when the rain stopped, Mount Lovcen was covered with snow

It was just raining on the coast of Montenegro. And it snowed in the mountains.

My experience and feedback about the Brussels Marathon — photo

I’m not going to be philosophical about “Why run a half marathon/marathon?” Everyone has their own reasons. I just want to share my impressions of the Bokeh marathon and tell you what to expect from the track for those who are going to run the marathon in Bokeh for the first time.

Start in Tivat: organization and atmosphere

Start of the race in Tivat on the Pina embankment. The starting corridor is set up on the evening before the race, blocking the entire embankment. They also bring Toi Toi toilets. In 2024, there was a record number of participants. The organizers clearly did not take this into account.

The starting corridor was not pleasant — the zones allocated for runners of different levels turned out to be too small. Those who came in advance took up their positions. And those who arrived 5-10 minutes before the start of the race, regardless of their level, started last. A lot of runners just couldn’t fit into the starting corridor. Look at the photo of what it looked like.

People with red and blue balls are pacers

I’m already close to the intersection of the starting line.

Since the Boko Kotor Half Marathon is my first half marathon, I started from the extreme zone. It took me three minutes (The difference between chip time and gun time is 3 minutes and 3 seconds) to exit the corridor and finally cross the start line.

By the way, the Pacers were not with flags, but with balls.

First kilometers: through Tivat, Porto Montenegro and Selyanovo

The first five kilometers are a detour through Tivat, Porto Montenegro and Selyanovo. Then the track opens onto the Adriatic Highway (Jadranska magistrala) and runs along the bay for the rest of the time until the finish line.

One of the symbols of Tivat is an old crane

Part of the Boka Maraton route goes to Porto Montenegro

It’s beautiful, isn’t it? The masts of the yachts ahead are the Marina Porto In Selyanovo

The mountain behind the runners is Lovcen

In Tivat, the runners were supported by an orchestra and local residents, and majorettes performed before the start. Of course, only the runners from the first zone and the spectators on the sides of the starting corridor saw them. But despite this, it was very cool, the atmosphere itself was energizing. Then there were significantly fewer people, but at times the fans were very happy. For example, Grandma in Prcani, who greeted everyone from the balcony of her villa.

Majorettes

A woman with an encouraging poster in Porto Montenegro

A dog ran with us for a while.

The highway along the Bay of Kotor — food points, support for the audience

There were supposed to be food outlets every 5 km, but I felt like they were a little less frequent. There was water, isotonic and sliced fruits at the food points. I don’t have any photos from this part of the race. I ran without a phone and didn’t take any pictures.

Finish in the old town of Kotor: medal, cats, victory!

The finish in the old town of Kotor was both amazing and disappointing. At first, I was disappointed: there was no finish line, where you accelerate with all your might. There was a finishing curve, when it was not clear how much more was left. Now about the good thing — what delighted the finish: of course, the atmosphere! There were a lot of people along the finish corridor. People met the runners outside the courtyard of the old town of Kotor, and there was a crowd waiting inside!

I’m trying my best to reach the finish line.

The last few meters before turning into the Old Town

After the finish, I received a medal, water, and a foil thermal blanket (astrofolia) to avoid hypothermia. All the finishers gathered in one of the squares in the old town. Kotor seals have already organized support there.:

The cat was the first to sniff the medal — is it real?

In foil rescue blankets, all the runners looked like astronauts.

I ran my first half marathon in 1:59:31 chip time. In my opinion, the Bokele Marathon track is ideal for the first half marathon — it is practically without climbing, at the ideal time for running (if you are lucky :D) and so beautiful that you just don’t notice the kilometers.

My verdict: despite minor flaws, the Boko Kotor Marathon left a great impression. I’d love to run this race again.

Going to the Bokel Marathon on our own — how to organize a trip

I have prepared a guide for everyone who is going to the Bokela Marathon in Montenegro on their own.

Logistics of a trip to the Brussels Marathon: how, how and where to get there

I will not describe how to get to Montenegro, because I did it in two detailed articles.:

1. How to get to Montenegro now — all flight and transfer options.
2. How to get to Montenegro from Serbia — I told you about the train, bus and plane from Belgrade and other cities of Serbia. I shared my experience of traveling to Montenegro from Belgrade by car.: what is needed for rent and what documents are checked at the border. In my experience, it is most convenient to fly.

Most of the participants of the Bokela Marathon arrive at one of the two international airports in Montenegro:

• Tivat Airport (TIV): The closest airport to the race venue (Tivat and Kotor). It is about 10 minutes away. from Tivat and 15 min. from the Cat. It is convenient to fly to this airport from Serbia (Belgrade). How to get from Tivat airport to the hotel?

• Podgorica Airport (TGD): Located about 90 km from Tivat and Kotor. It’s a 1.5-hour journey. Go further, but low-cost airlines fly here, which means cheaper flights. Flights from Turkey, Dubai (Pegasus, Fly Dubai, etc.) usually arrive at this airport. How to get from Podgorica Airport to Tivat and Kotor?

It is convenient to search for flights on the website Trip.com or Aviasales.

Where to stay: convenient locations and the best accommodation options in Tivat and Kotor

My main criterion when choosing a hotel/apartment location is to make it easy to get to the start. It’s easy — it’s on foot or by organized transfer. Taking into account the fact that Tivat and Kotor are blocked on the day of the marathon, the cities of Budva, Bar, Becici, Petrovac, Herceg Novi, Baosici, etc. disappeared immediately.

1. Tivat, Porto Montenegro, Selyanovo, Dona Lastva — you can walk from these places to the start.
2. Kotor, Dobrota, Muo — from here you can easily get to the start with a free transfer. I’ll tell you about transfers below.

I booked accommodation on Booking, you can also book on Trip.com. I advise you to look for accommodation and book it in advance — at least a month in advance.

Tips on choosing a home:

• In Tivat and Selyanovo, more budget options are located across the Adriatic Highway from the sea. On the other side, you can find high—quality housing about 1.5 – 2 times cheaper than in the “first line”.
• In Kotor, housing outside the walls of the Old Town will be cheaper.
• I would not stay in Kotor/Muo/Dobrota, so that on race day I would not waste time on a transfer to the start.

I stayed at the Moderna Luxury Apartments in Selyanovo. A very comfortable studio apartment with its own Parking. The location is about a 10—minute walk from the start. Among the advantages: near the center of Tivat, Porto Montenegro with lots of cafes and restaurants. Grocery stores are also nearby. You can run along the embankment from Selyanovo to Donya Lastva and further along the bay. I love this location. I didn’t find any disadvantages.

More accommodation with a convenient location:

• Hera City Apartment is a budget apartment across the street from the center of Tivat and Porto Montenegro. The strata is 7-10 minutes on foot. Booking page →
• Apartman Katica is an apartment in the center of Tivat, 2 minutes from the start. Very convenient location. Booking page →
• Venice Apartments is a new comfortable apartment across the street from the center of Tivat. It is located 5-7 minutes away. from the embankment. Booking page →

How to get to the start: there are transfers between start and finish

As I mentioned above, the road in Tivat and Kotor is blocked on the day of the marathon. Only if the road in Tivat is opened quickly enough after the start, then the road from the Kotor tunnel to the Muo — Kotor ring remains closed until the end of the marathon (up to about 3 hours).

The organizers have provided:

• Transfers from Kotor to the start in Tivat by bus are for all runners who decide to stay in Kotor.
• Transfers from Kotor to Tivat after the finish are also by bus, for runners who want to return to the hotel in Tivat, Donje Lastva, Selyanovo after the finish.
• There are also ferries for runners.

The date and location of the transfer are sent in a letter from the organizers after paying for participation in the marathon.

Where to get the starter package

Starter packages are issued 1-2 days before the start of the marathon and a few hours before the start on the morning of the marathon. The organizers send the time and place of the pick-up in one of the letters after paying for participation in the race.

Last year, starter packages were distributed in the building of the Tivat Airport on Magnolia Square (location) in the city center.

Things to do in Tivat and Kotor before and after the marathon (attractions, restaurants)

Tivat and Kotor are interesting in themselves, but there are many sights and interesting places in the vicinity of the cities and in the Bay of Kotor in general. I talk about them in a series of articles as part of my guide to Montenegro.:

• Boko Kotor Bay Guide
• The main sights of Montenegro are some of the places, unfortunately, inaccessible in winter, but you can learn a lot from the list. For example, the cable car no longer works in December, but you can always take a car and go to Lovcen on your own.
• Top dishes of Montenegrin cuisine that are worth a try
• What to see in and around Tivat
• Vrmac Mountain Hiking Trails
• What to see in the old town of Kotor
• The Fortress of St. And the one over which

I advise you to rent a car (in this article I tell you what documents you need and where to look for reliable car rentals) and drive around the bay and its small towns.

Terracotta roofs of the old town in Kotor

Skydiving in the Machalov breg cafe on Skadar Lake

In winter, the Bay of Kotor is like a mirror

Additional useful tips (insurance, visa, currency, etc.)

At the end of the article, I want to remind you of a few things:

1. Montenegro’s currency is the euro. It is better to go with euro cash. The banks here work according to their own schedule, and I prefer not to depend on it. You can pay with a Visa/Mastercard card in shops and cafes.
2. Take with you the gels and isotonics that you are used to. It is not a fact that you will find them in Montenegro.
3. Take two clothing options with you — one for bad weather with rain and wind, the other for good weather.
4. Just in case, make honey. insurance. It is inexpensive, and medicine for tourists in Montenegro is very expensive. I make insurance for myself on the Tripinshurance website.
5. It will be cold in the morning before the start. If none of your friends are traveling with you as support, take some warm clothes that you don’t mind leaving.

That’s all.

Easy legs for you and personal bests at the Boko Kotor Marathon!

Источник: life-thai.com