Kotor is small, but the bay around it is not, and the best trips mix the walled Old Town with boats, mountain roads and the coast. A little planning around the cruise ships and the seasons makes all the difference. Here is how to shape a first visit.
How many days
Two full days cover the Old Town, the City Walls and Perast with Our Lady of the Rocks. Three days let you add a boat trip to the Blue Cave or a mountain day at Lovćen. Four or five days give time for Budva and Sveti Stefan and a slower pace, which the bay deserves.
What to book ahead
Very little sells out, but a few things are worth securing in summer. Official City Walls tickets can be bought online, which helps on busy cruise days. Boat trips to the Blue Cave fill up in July and August, and small-group or private boats are worth reserving. Book hotels inside the Old Town early for the high season, and reserve dinner in Perast if you want a waterfront table.
Watch the cruise schedule
Kotor is a major cruise port, and on days with several big ships the Old Town is packed from mid-morning to late afternoon. Check the port schedule, then do the walls at opening, the Old Town in the evening and the bay trips in the middle of the day.
Getting in
Tivat Airport is the closest, a short taxi ride away along the bay. Podgorica Airport, the capital’s airport, is further inland. Many visitors also arrive from Dubrovnik in Croatia, crossing the border; Montenegro is outside the EU and Schengen, so bring your passport and allow time for the crossing in summer. Montenegro uses the euro.
Getting around
Walk in the Old Town, which is car-free. Local buses run along the bay road to Perast and over to Budva, and taxis and apps are reasonably priced. For Lovćen, the hairpin road is best done by tour or taxi unless you are a confident driver. Boats link the bay towns in season.
Day one: Kotor
Climb the City Walls to St John Fortress at opening, before the heat and crowds. Come down to the Old Town, visit St Tryphon Cathedral and the Maritime Museum, and spend the afternoon wandering the squares. Eat in the Old Town in the evening when it is quiet.
Day two: Perast and the islands
Take the bus or a taxi to Perast, cross by boat to Our Lady of the Rocks, climb the bell tower of St Nicholas and have lunch on the water. In season, return by boat or combine it with a Blue Cave tour.
Day three: mountains or coast
Either drive up the switchbacks to Lovćen, stopping in Njeguši for smoked ham, and climb the 461 steps to the Njegoš Mausoleum, or head down the coast to Budva Old Town and the Sveti Stefan viewpoint. Hikers can tackle the Ladder of Kotor instead.
Seasons
Late spring and early autumn are ideal: warm enough to swim, cool enough to climb, and quieter than July and August, when the heat is intense and the cruise crowds peak. Winter is mild and quiet, with many boats and beach businesses closed, but the Old Town and the walls are lovely without the crowds.
Money and manners
Cards are widely accepted, but carry cash for small boats, bell towers and cafés. Dress modestly in churches. The Old Town’s cats are cared for by locals, so admire rather than feed them.
