Sunday, March 26, 2006; P05

GETTING THERE: Getting to Montenegro isn't easy. Northwest and United have flights from D.C. for about $975 via Amsterdam or Zurich, continuing on Yugoslav Airlines through Belgrade. Or you can fly from Europe on Montenegro Airlines ( http://www.montenegro-airlines.cg.yu/ ), which serves Paris, Frankfurt, Rome, Vienna and Zurich, among other cities. It's also possible to take an overnight ferry across the Adriatic Sea from Italy; Montenegro Lines ( http://www.montenegrolines.net/ ) serves the southern coastal town Bar from the Italian towns of Ancona and Bari.

WHERE TO STAY: Hotel Marija (449 Stari Grad, 011-381- 82-325-062; doubles from $85), in Kotor's Old Town, is the most comfortable hotel in town. In Budva, Hotel Mogren (1 Mediteranska, 011-381-86-451-780; doubles from $56) has great breakfasts and even better views of the Old Town and ocean. For a luxury hotel -- albeit a faded one -- Sveti Stefan (011-381-86-420-000, www.budvanska-rivijera.co.yu ; doubles from $104) is reasonably priced. An outdoor pool (with poolside bar), pub, cafe, restaurant and casino make it one of the most alluring places to stay in the region.

WHERE TO EAT: Not surprisingly, seafood rules along the coast, the most common dishes being seafood risotto, grilled calamari, red mullet and the Mediterranean fish dentex. One of the country's most famous restaurants is Kotor's Bastion (517 Stari Grad, 011-381 82-322-116; average entree, $20), in the historic center; it serves above-average seafood at above-average prices. Konoba Demizana (3 Slovenska Obala, 011-381-86-455-028; average entree, $13), in Budva, also serves excellent seafood dishes.

INFORMATION: Visit-Montenegro.com , http://www.visit-montenegro.com/ .

-- David Farley