So you are heading to Kotor, Montenegro? It’s a stunning destination with the towering mountains alongside the inviting bay. You are going to love it! I know we did. After spending a week in the Bay of Kotor area, I’ve put together an ideal Kotor itinerary just for you.
This Montenegro itinerary is only for the Kotor Bay or Boka Bay area, but I highly suggest visiting other areas of Montenegro as well if you have time. Some of these include Budva, Sveti Stefan, Durmitor National Park and Lake Skadar National Park.
Here you will find ways to explore the historic villages around the Bay of Kotor, get out on the water, see the view from high above and enjoy some delicious food.
So, let’s go explore what Kotor has to offer!
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3 Days In Kotor, Montenegro
When we visited Montenegro, our Kotor itinerary was packed full of activities. We wanted to see all the cute little towns that were scattered around the Bay of Kotor. Each one is unique and of the ones we saw, they are all charming.
Unfortunately, we got delayed a couple of days when we were arriving (plane delay issue) and sadly had to cut out a few things from our Kotor itinerary. Ultimately, we still had an amazing time and would return in a heartbeat.
Of all the places we went, I’ve put together how I would do it again if we returned to Kotor.
Day 1 – Kotor Itinerary
Let’s kick off this Montenegro trip with a little history and a view. Whenever I first arrive to a location, I like to do some exploring on foot and get a feel for it.
See Kotor From Above
If you are visiting in the summer, like most people, it gets hot in Montenegro. Start your day with either a hike up to St. John’s Fortress or by taking the cable car to the top of the nearby peaks.
St. John’s Fortress
If you can hike, climbing the upper walls of Kotor and seeing the view from the top should be on your list. The 2.5 kilometer hike takes you to St. John’s Fortress or sometimes called Giovanni Fortress.
The views from the top are spectacular, or so I’ve seen on pictures. My kids were not having it, so instead of dragging them up there, which would have been miserable for all of us, we opted for walking the lower walls only.
The hike to the fortress is not free, but costs €15 euros to enter, and it is only open from 8am to 10pm. I would do this hike first thing in the morning to beat the heat.
Cable Car
Another option for seeing panoramic views is to take the cable car. The Kotor cable car will easily take you to the top of the mountains where you can enjoy the view without breaking a sweat.
At the top there’s a fun playground for the kids, other hiking trails, restaurants and a very fun alpine slide that you can take down the mountain.
To arrive, you can either park at the base of the gondola or you can take a shuttle from Kotor.
Explore Old Town Kotor
After indulging in the spectacular views, spend the afternoon wandering old town Kotor. The town itself is a UNESCO World Heritage site filled with historic buildings and twisting alleyways.
The old town is contained within the city walls, so there’s no getting lost. Take your time and meander around and pet all the kitties. The cats of Kotor are famous and well taken care of by the residents. This kept my kids very entertained!
Be sure to get on the lower walls that stretch from the North Gate to the South Gate and along the waterfront. The views from these walls isn’t as panoramic as from high above, but it is still very nice.
One stop you must take is to get gelato at Marshall’s Gelato. The gelato there is some of the best we have ever had, and we’ve had a lot of ice cream!
We play this game with our kids sometimes when we are hiking or walking to pass the time, called the favorite game. If the question, ‘What is your favorite ice cream?’ ever comes up, they always say, the one from Montenegro!
And I agree with them. This one takes the cake! Don’t miss out!
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Boat Tour Around Boka Bay
If you are planning on taking a boat tour while on your Kotor vacation, this is the time to do it. Most of the tours go to the same locations and many at the same times, which is unfortunate in my opinion. To me this makes it busy in each of the locations.
I do love to be on a boat and exploring the areas around the bay is worth it. We look a private boat tour with the host of our hotel, which was fantastic. He has lived in the area his whole life and could easily show us around.
If you can’t find a local to take you out, I think it is best to just save money and go on a small-group boat tour. These tours will take you to the Blue Cave or Blue Grotto, through an old submarine tunnel, to our Lady of the Rocks and past Mamula Island.
Here are a few Kotor boat tour options to consider:
- Azure Paradise: Blue Cave and Kotor Bay Boat Tour – A little more expensive than the others but a 5-star rating!
- Blue Cave and Kotor Bay Luxurious Cruise Tour 3H+ – Not exactly luxury, but one of the cheapest options with good ratings!
- From Kotor: Boat to Blue Cave & Lady of the Rocks & Submarine Base – We tried to take a private tour with this company, but the seas were too high to go all the way out to the Blue Cave. They were friendly and safety is a high priority for them.
Day 2 – Kotor Itinerary
Next up on this Kotor itinerary, we are heading to one of the cutest towns in Boka Bay. Perast is a beautiful historic village just down the road from Kotor. We loved our visit to Perast so much, that we went a couple of evenings during our trip.
It is not a large village, so it won’t take much time to explore. Slow down and take your time here. Soak it all in. Here’s what to do.
Explore The Town
This once wealthy coastal town is full of history. There is really only one main street that skirts the coast with little alleyways that go up into the small village. Take your time to explore all the nooks and crannies.
Fun fact is that there are like 19 churches in this tiny little town. If you like churches, try to find them all!
Climb To The Top Of The Bell Tower At St. Nicholas Church
You will easily stumble on to more than a few churches, but make sure not to miss St. Nicholas Church. Here you can climb the bell tower for only €1 and enjoy the stunning view over the town and the water.
The clock tower is usually open between 9am and 5pm during the peak season, May – September.
Go Swimming
If you are feeling hot and want to cool down, make your way to a beach. Now beach is maybe a stretch here. Around the bay there aren’t actually many sandy beaches. Actually I know of only one, Plavi Horizonti near Tivat.
However, there are lots of spots where you can jump in the refreshing water. Perast Beach is not a beach, but more of a cement block here you can jump off and cool down.
If you go the opposite direction to Peskovita Plaža, there is a teeny, tiny pebble beach there. There are loungers there that you can rent, but they are a bit pricey in my opinion.
Visit Our Lady Of The Rocks
Your Kotor itinerary will be incomplete if you don’t visit Our Lady of the Rocks.
This stunning man-made island is just off the coast of Perast. It is very easy to get to. Most boat tours will stop at the island and allow you to explore the historic church and museum.
Our first boat tour from Kotor was somewhat canceled because of rough seas, but they did take us to Our Lady of the Rocks. We were really itching to get out on the water, so we paid far too much for a sunset visit. It was stunning, but there are much cheaper ways to go, so don’t make the same mistake we did.
If you didn’t take a boat tour from Kotor to see Our Lady of the Rocks, here are two different options to choose from to visit.
Paddle Out
Along the promenade by the sea in Perast you will find various companies that will rent kayaks. For €10 an hour, you can paddle your way out to Our Lady of the Rocks and St. George Island.
St. George Island is right next to Our Lady of the Rocks and is a natural island that holds a monastery. Unfortunately, you can’t go on the island, but you can paddle next to it.
At Our Lady of the Rocks, you can pull up your kayak and get out and explore. Unfortunately, swimming is not allowed here.
Take The Ferry
Another cheap and easy way to get to Our Lady of the Rocks is by ferry. In the middle of Perast, right be the water, you will find the ferry terminal. You can purchase your tickets right there and they only cost €5 for the short 5 minute ride.
Eat At Locanda Ristorante Pizzeria
Our first evening in Kotor, we tried out Locanda Ristorante Pizzeria in Perast. We didn’t have a reservation, so we had to wait a bit because it was very busy. It was definitely worth the wait. So worth it, that we booked a table for another evening later that week.
We loved all of the food we ordered here, but the best item on the menu was the carbonara pizza. It is to die for.
Many of the restaurants in Perast are right on the water, and so is Locanda. We loved dining and taking in the view from there. There was even a guitar player serenading us while we ate. Just perfection!
Day 3 – Kotor Itinerary
The last day in this Kotor itinerary takes you around the bay to two of the most beautiful towns in the Bay of Kotor. While Kotor and Perast are well known, these two are hidden gems that are worth exploring.
Start Your Day In Herceg Novi
Let’s take a minute to sit back and address an issue that Montenegro and especially the Bay of Kotor has. Parking and road infrastructure is still a work in progress as tourism is very young in the country. As Montenegro grows in popularity, this is only going to get worse if it is not addressed.
I mention this here because if you are traveling to Herceg Novi from Kotor, you have to do a bit of driving on a windy 2 lane road. It is beautiful but you will also sit in a few traffic jams along the way.
We found that you should always double the amount of time that Google Maps says it will take to reach a destination.
Parking In Herceg Novi
Parking is also very difficult everywhere in Kotor Bay. When we arrived in Herceg Novi, we found parking downtown on the street, which was a miracle. It was very confusing on how to pay for it, but we figured it out by talking to some folks.
I just did a google search, and there is a decent-sized parking garage in Herceg Novi, which looks like it would be the best option for parking there. It is called Parking Opština – garaža or the city garage.
Explore This Amazing Town
Now that you are there and parking is dealt with, now it is time for the good part. Walk down to the water and make your way along the promenade.
Be sure to visit Forte Mare which is the only piece of the fortress walls that remain. Climb to the top and take in the view from the rooftop.
Then, make your way into Old Town Herceg Novi and wander the cute streets. Belavista square is the main square in town.
Another must-stop is Kanli Kula, which is the bloody tower, where you fill find a large amphitheater and views for days. Both Forte Mare and Kanli Kula are €4 euros to enter.
Lunch Break
When you are ready for a break, eat lunch at Kantina65. There were some great options for kids like cheese pizza, sandwiches, chicken nuggets and pasta. It was good, cheap and the portions were huge!
Take A Boat To Rose
My favorite place in all of Kotor Bay was Rose. There is something special about this tiny little village at the tip of Lustica Peninsula that stole my heart. It won’t take much time to explore, but bring your swimsuit and your appetite.
There are a couple of pretty pebble beaches here where you can swim. The one we visited (Forte Rose Beach 3) wouldn’t be great for smaller kids as it drops off pretty quickly, but my older kids had fun splashing around.
The other two (Forte Rose Beach 1 and 2) are around the corner from the resort. We didn’t wander that way because we didn’t know if it was part of the resort or a public area.
Grab dinner in Rose at one of the small restaurants right on the water or at Forte Rose itself. We dined at Adriatic which had a lovely shaded patio right by the water where they served pasta and seafood dishes.
To reach Rose, you can take a boat taxi from Herceg Novi. The taxis leave about every 2 hours. There was a sign right on the promenade that showed the hours, so plan your trip back with enough time to catch the last water taxi. It is €5 one way or €8 for a round trip ticket.
Winery Tour
Another thing you could add to your Kotor itinerary is a winery tour in Herceg Novi. I love visiting wineries, so when I saw Savina Winery, I knew I’d want to try it out.
Savina Winery is located on a hill in Herceg Novi and easy to reach by car. There is a huge patio with tables and even a few under an awning. We started on the cliffside patio when we were there, but had to quickly retreat to another table to escape a downpour.
The wine tour included 3 wines and a local Grappa digestive. The wines were pretty good, and it was fun to taste a local wine. The digestive wasn’t for me. You also got lots of snacks to go along with the wine, which was unexpected. We were still quite full from our gigantic lunch.
The tour of the winery itself was very short and in my opinion not worth it. Book the Basic Tour and save yourself €15.
One of the best parts of the winery, besides the wine of course, is the view. It is the perfect spot to take it all in at the end of the day.
Summary
Kotor is a special destination with its stunning landscape right by the bay. We really enjoyed our trip to Kotor and hope you do too.
While I don’t have these locations in this Kotor itinerary, other worthwhile places you could check out around Kotor are Tivat, Budva, and Lovćen National Park.
Important Travel Tips For Kotor
Like I mentioned earlier, parking and road infrastructure are tough in Kotor and the bay area. There are buses you can take around the bay, but we didn’t see them often.
While it is a pain, I would recommend renting a car. We used Avis and had a very positive experience.
Look up a couple of options for parking before driving anywhere, so if the first lot is full, you can try another location.
Double the time it says in Google Maps. Traffic jams are common in Kotor in peak season and also around Budva if you make it that direction.
Water is safe to drink, which is really nice.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kotor
How Many Days Do You Need In Kotor?
In the city itself, you only need 1 day in my opinion. The whole area around Kotor is stunning, so staying for 3 or 4 days is a good amount of time to see it all.
Is Kotor Worth Visiting?
Yes! Kotor is gorgeous. The old town in Kotor can get very busy. There are soooo many cruise ships that come to Kotor and port. While the ships are cool to see, it also makes Kotor packed. We visited in the evening and it was not overwhelming, but I would imagine mid-day would be a different story during the summer.
How To Get To Kotor?
Kotor is easy to get to! Tivat is the nearest airport which is right down the road from Kotor (15km). I would recommend flying into Tivat and renting a car from the airport.
The next closest airports are Podgorica, Montenegro or Dubrovnik, Croatia. Although they are only around 40 kilometers away, it’s not worth the trouble of driving the extra distance due to traffic jams.
Buses will also take you to Kotor. There are direct buses from Podgorica, Budva, Tivat, Cetinje and Dubrovnik. I usually search for buses using Flixbus.
Or book a cruise. So many cruise ships!
