An Epic Travel Guide to Kotor, Montenegro

Looking to explore Kotor, Montenegro? This article serves as a complete travel guide to Kotor, complete with where to eat and what to do while you’re there.

After traveling the Balkans extensively, I can confidently say that this guide to Kotor will prepare you to confidently embark on an unforgettable trip to Kotor. The picturesque Montenegrin town is a maze of charming, cobblestone streets and fortifications that whisper tales of a bygone era. An underrated destination for travelers in Europe, Kotor will leave you in awe of its mountain-enveloped bay and Old Town charm.

Nestled away on the Adriatic coast, Kotor feels like a bit of a hidden gem of the Balkans. This enchanting town is a harmonious blend of rich history, stunning natural beauty, and authentic Mediterranean charm. Whether you're an avid traveler seeking unspoiled landscapes or a history enthusiast yearning to delve into the past, Kotor offers a unique tapestry of experiences that will leave you awe-inspired. Consider this your ultimate travel guide to Kotor, complete with all the information you need to plan your stay in this underrated destination.

Stroll around Old Town, Kotor, Montenegro

how to get to Kotor ↴

You can get to Kotor via plane, car, bus, or ferry. If you're arriving to Kotor by air, the nearest international airport is Tivat Airport, located roughly 10 kilometers from the city’s charming Old Town. From the airport, you can take a local bus or a car to the main city. It’s approximately a 15-minute drive. The airport is well-connected to several major European cities. Podgorica Airport is approximately 90 kilometers away and provides another accessible entry point to the region.

Those driving are usually coming from Dubrovnik, Croatia, a mere 3 hours from Kotor. You’ll need to take your car across the water via ferry boat. The ferry is free for pedestrians, and is incredibly cheap for vehicles, which makes sense given its 10 minute trip time.

An economical way to get to Kotor from neighboring countries is to book a bus. There are buses from nearly every major city in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, and Serbia. We took a bus booked through Flixbus from Dubrovnik to Kotor during our trip across Europe. The Flixbus was clean, comfortable, and, most importantly, air-conditioned. If this is your preferred method of travel, I recommend booking in advance online through the Flixbus website.

Many people actually take a day trip from Dubrovnik to Kotor, but I believe that Kotor deserves more than a day. The journey isn’t very long, but getting to explore the city at sunrise and sunset is extra special.

where to eat in Kotor ↴

Kotor is small, but there is plenty of fresh seafood restaurants, pizzerias, and bakeries throughout Kotor and its nearby villages to keep you satiated during your Montenegro adventure.

Pizzeria Pronto | a chain pizza restaurant that serves full-size pizzas for less than USD $10, as well as pizza by the slice
Ladovina Kitchen | airy restaurant serving modern takes on traditional local cuisine inclusive of a beautiful outdoor patio
Bakery Mamma Mia | great for a grab-and-go lunch and casual baked goods
Restoran Cesarica | a traditional seafood restaurant set in a tavern-style atmosphere serving traditional Montenegrin food

where to stay in Kotor ↴

Accommodation can be the bank breaker for travelers in Europe. However, accommodation in Kotor isn’t completely unaffordable. In fact, staying in Kotor Old Town, known as Stari Grad, puts you in walking distance of the city’s best restaurants, main attractions, and iconic coastline. If you’d rather stay in a quieter area, there are a number of villages around the bay with stunning scenery that are only a short distance from Kotor.

For accommodation in Kotor, I recommend:

For accommodation in Kotor’s surrounding villages, consider:

We love using Booking.com to book the best places to stay around the world.

views from the top of Giovanni Fortress, Kotor, Montenegro

best things to do in Kotor ↴

Admittedly, I didn’t find there to be an abundant amount of things to do in Kotor, but maybe that was part of its appeal— a more relaxed destination set at a slower pace than Dubrovnik was during peak season.

hike San Giovanni Fortress

I am listing the San Giovanni fortress hike first because it was the best free activity in Kotor. This hike at sunset was the highlight of my trip to Kotor. Full on pasta, we waddled up the stone walls, dating back to medieval times. While the fortress's history is a little shaky, it is said to have been built on and off between the 9th and 19th centuries thanks to the handiwork of the Byzantines and the Venetians.

Allow yourself a minimum of 2 hours to get up and back down. I would recommend giving yourself 3 if you want to really enjoy the views from the top and if you’re hoping to snap some photos of the surrounding landscape.

The hiking trailhead is found at the back end of the old town. If you go during the day, there is said to be a €3 entrance fee to the fortress hike. When I hiked in summer at sunset, no one manned the ticket booth, so I just went ahead and trekked on without paying since there wasn’t anywhere to leave my cash.

tips for hiking san Giovanni fortress:

Avoid hiking in the middle of the day if you’re visiting in the summer since the heat can be extreme.
Bring your own water and snacks
The walk up is around 45 minutes to 1 hour, but pace yourself accordingly
Wear proper athletic shoes, because the stones can be really slippery and there are broken glass bottles along the hike.
If you are going up for sunset, you might consider bringing a flashlight with you because there isn’t any lighting and it gets dark quickly.

Old Town - Stari Grad

Old Town Kotor is included in UNESCO's World Heritage Site list. The exact date of its first settlement isn’t known, but its been mentioned as far back as 168 BC as part of Ancient Roman history. It’s considered by archeologists and historians as one of the most well-preserved old towns in the Mediterranean. The Old Town is home to a number of palaces, cathedrals, and churches. 1 hour is all you really need to see the Old Town in its entirety, and that’s moving at a leisurely pace.

Like most old towns in Europe, the tourists and cruise ship crowds swell during the summer. My advice is to stroll early or in the evening when everyone is back on board or sleeping in.

Lady of Our Rocks

The Lady of Our Rocks is an artificial island that’s open to the public. Visitors can enter the church to see the Madonna and Child, which is something of a local icon.

Perast

Perast is a tiny village a brief 15-20 minute car ride away from Kotor. The town has narrow streets and a beautiful view of the water, thanks to its nifty location right along the edge. Perast is also accessible from Kotor via the local bus.

visit the market

There is a small market that opens in the early hours of the day along the stone walls of the Old Town. Here, you’ll find fresh produce and locally-sourced groceries, which makes it a great place to grab ingredients you might need for dinner.

Kotor Bay tour

The still blue waters of Kotor Bay are mesmerizing. So, it only makes sense for travelers to add a boat tour of the bay to their itineraries. You can take a boat tour that sails around the Church of Our Lady of the Rocks and along the coast of Perast. Boat tours range widely in price and can run anywhere from one hour to a full day. Private boat tours are especially popular with luxury travelers staying at the most exclusive resorts along the water.

check out the cat museum

You read that right. There is a cat museum in Kotor that features European art centered around cats and their role in everyday life. As a strict dog person, I can’t say this should be a high priority for your time in Kotor, but it is something different to do and is donation based.