Places to visit when traveling to Kotor, Montenegro

Kotor may be a small town, but it is one of the most picturesque places in Montenegro. The city is located right by the side of the bay and surrounded by mountains, leading to incredible views all around. Kotor is also home to a number of historical and cultural landmarks, making it an ideal destination for those interested in history and culture, making it the perfect place to spend a day or two.

In this guide, we will help you put together the perfect itinerary for visiting Kotor Old Town in one day, with a list of the best things to do in the city and important tips to help you plan the trip.

Visiting Kotor Old Town: What to do in 1 day

If you’re looking for a jam-packed itinerary that will let you see the best of Kotor Old Town in just one day, then you’ve found it! This guide will walk you through what to see in Kotor in a day, taking you on a whirlwind tour of the city’s most important landmarks and attractions. 

Keep in mind that this itinerary can easily be split into more days if needed.

1. Explore Kotor’s Old Town on foot

Start the day by taking a stroll around Kotor’s Old Town and soak in all the local culture. Explore the narrow, cobblestone streets of the old town, taking in all the sights.

Kotor Old Town is quite small and can easily be explored within one day only. The streets are full of interesting churches, museums, galleries, souvenir shops, small bars… and cats. Lots of cats.

Kotor is a walled city and there are three main gates you can use to enter the Old Town: the Sea Gate, the South Gate, and the North Gate. The Sea Gate is what is considered the main one, as just inside you have the Kotor Old Town Square, with the Clock Tower watching over it.

2. Take a walk along the Kotor city walls

The Kotor City Walls are one of the most popular attractions in the city, and for good reason – they offer some of the best views of Kotor. 

The walls were built as a means of defense for the city. Today, they are open to visitors and provide a great way to see all of Kotor. You can visit the part of the city walls that protect the city and also walk all the way up to the San Giovanni Fortress – but more on this hike later. For this part, we are just recommending you check out the part that is on the city level, which is easily accessible to anyone.

The walls are located just outside of the old town, so they are easy to find. You can access the walls by turning left after you enter the Old Town via the Sea Gate. Access is very easy and the walls are free to visit.

3. Check the Cathedral of Saint Tryphon, aka the Kotor Cathedral

The Kotor Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of Saint Tryphon, is one of the most important landmarks in the city of Kotor. The cathedral is a beautiful example of renascence baroque architecture and one of the main tourist attractions in town. 

The cathedral was rebuilt a few times because it was damaged during an earthquake. The current building was built between the XVI and XVII centuries and is dedicated to Saint Tryphon, who is considered the patron saint of Kotor. The cathedral features a number of interesting religious artifacts and paintings, as well as a large bell tower that offers great views over the city. 

If you’re visiting Kotor Old Town, checking out the Cathedral of Saint Tryphon is one of those things that needs to be on your list.

4. Visiting the other churches in Kotor

The Kotor Cathedral is only one of the many churches you will find within the walls of Kotor Old Town. 

Another church that definitely deserves mention is the Church of Saint Nicholas, which is a local Serbian Orthodox Church. The Church of Saint Nicholas is beautiful from the outside, but if you have the chance, check out the inside and you will be truly marveled.

When strolling around the streets of Kotor Old Town, you will definitely come across other churches. There is no need to follow any strict guide, but if you want, you can also join a Free Walking Tour to get more information about each of the city’s landmarks.

5. Hike up to San Giovanni Fortress, aka the Kotor Fortress

The hike up to the Kotor Fortress, also known as the San Giovanni Fortress, is one of the most popular attractions in Kotor. The hike is uphill and takes about an hour each way (plus the time for breaks and photos), but it’s definitely worth it for the views you get along the way. 

The fortress is located on a hill overlooking the city and the bay of Kotor and offers some of the best views in the city. Once you reach the fortress, you can explore the ruins and learn more about its history. 

The walls that connect Kotor to the fortress are open 24h a day, but if you go up between 8 am and 8 pm, you will have to pay a ticket that costs € 8 per person. You can avoid the fee by going up earlier or later than this time.

Now, I have to be honest… while the hike to San Giovanni Fortress may be one of the best things to do in Kotor, it is time-consuming so if you only have one day in the city, just know that you will probably leave some other things out of the list. I do think the hike is definitely worth it for the views of the bay, but if you have limited time and are visiting Kotor for the first time, I would give preference to going on a boat tour for half of the day instead.

6. Visit the Kotor Bazaar and the local food market

Even though the Kotor Old Town has many options of stores and shopping places, I want to take the time to call attention to two of my favorite: the Kotor Bazaar and the Kotor food market.

The Kotor Bazaar is a bit touristy but still has a great vibe and you will find a lot of local souvenirs and decoration items. It is not very well signaled, so make sure you look for it.

The Kotor food market is where the locals sell fruits, sweets, veggies, etc. Going to food markets is one of my favorite things to do every time I arrive in a new city and in Kotor it wasn’t any different. We bought some amazing dry figs and craved several of the other goodies.

7. Try typical Montenegrin dishes and wines

What Montenegro lacks in size, it makes up for in its amazing food and wine. 

Montenegrin cuisine is heavily influenced by Mediterranean and Turkish cuisine, so you can expect to find a lot of seafood dishes as well as some delicious Turkish-style desserts. One of our favorite restaurants in town was Scala Santa – it is quite small so make a reservation! 

Besides experiencing Montenegrin food, you should also try one of the local wines. Montenegro has a long history of winemaking, and today there are over 20 different grape varieties grown in the country. If you like red wine, we recommend trying a Vranac. It was our favorite.

8. Enjoy the beaches in Kotor Bay

Now that you have gone around and enjoyed the best things to do within the walls of Kotor Old Town, it is time to explore the surroundings, starting with the amazing beaches located by the bay.

Just outside the city walls, you have Kotor Beach, but this is not the best area to spend the day by the water in our opinion. If you want to find a more empty spot with better water conditions, walk in the direction of Dobrota (check on Maps). Once you make your way out of the city you will immediately notice how the beaches already look nicer.

The water of Kotor Bay is simply amazing – incredibly transparent and not freezing at all. It is perfect for spending some time by the beach if you’ve got the time for it.

9. Hop on a boat tour of the Kotor Bay

When exploring the best things to do in Kotor, make sure to include a boat tour of Kotor Bay. There are many companies that offer this tour and it typically takes about 3-4 hours. The tour will take you to some of the most popular destinations in the bay, including Perast and Our Lady of the Rocks.

Most boat tours start at the Kotor Marina, very close to the port where the cruise ships dock. Read our post about our boat trip in Kotor Bay, where we went all the way to the Blue Cave, with several stops along the way.

10. (Bonus tip) Check out the Kotor city walls at night

In the evening, the Kotor city walls light up and it is one of the most beautiful parts of spending a full day in Kotor. If you have enough time in the city, you can go for a drive or for dinner in the opposite village called Muo. From there, you can see the entire loop of the city walls and, with any luck, even its reflection in the water.

It is one of the most beautiful views of Kotor.

Check more options to do in Kotor on Get Your Guide:

Best day trips: Places to visit from Kotor

Will you have more days to spare? Then make sure you also check out some of the destinations located near Kotor. These are the places we recommend visiting as a day trip from Kotor:

• Budva: Located only 30 min away, Budva is a must-see destination in Montenegro. Budva is located by the seaside so you will also find many incredible beaches by the Adriatic Sea, along with the Old Town that is definitely worth a visit.
• Perast: One of the most picturesque cities of the Kotor Bay, Perast is easily accessible from Kotor by boat, car, or by bus. Perast is small so you can choose to spend only a couple of hours there if you have limited time.
• Our Lady of the Rocks: A little church on an island – it does not get more picturesque than this. Our Lady of the Rocks is located right in front of Perast and you book a combined trip if you get a boat tour.
• Herceg Novi: Located a bit further down Kotor Bay, Herceg Novi is a destination that is often overlooked by tourists but it has a very charming Old Town and very good beaches.
• Blue Cave: The most famous day trip from Kotor is to visit the beautiful Blue Cave, which is located in the open sea, just when you leave the Bay. The Blue Cave is only accessible by boat but it is definitely worth the trip.
• Tivat: The only city by the Kotor Bay that has its own airport. Tivat is an important starting point for travelers coming from abroad by plane.

How to get to Kotor?

Most people who plan a visit to Kotor are either coming from Dubrovnik, in Croatia, or from other parts of Montenegro. To help you plan your trip, we have made a summary of the best ways to get to Kotor:

Going to Kotor by bus

Whether you are located in Montenegro or in Dubrovnik, you will find regular daily routes going to Kotor. The schedule varies a lot during the year based on the season, with more daily departures during the summer months as they are the most popular time of the year to visit Kotor.

Bus tickets are fairly affordable but make sure to plan ahead based on the schedule. From Podgorica to Kotor, for instance, the bus ride takes 2h and 30min.

Going to Kotor by car

If you are located in Montenegro or Croatia, it is very easy to drive to Kotor. The roads are good and it only takes a couple of hours from most locations. There is parking available in the city but it can be expensive if your accommodation does not offer parking places.

If you will be driving, check our tips on how is it to drive in Montenegro as a foreigner.

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Going to Kotor by boat

Going to Kotor by boat is one of the most popular ways of visiting the city as many cruise ships with itineraries along the Adriatic Sea include a stop in Kotor. The most popular route is the one that comes from Dubrovnik, in Croatia, and then makes a stop in Kotor Montenegro.

The cruise ships are especially popular among American tourists who end up having one day to visit Kotor Old town during a stop on the cruise tour. We were impressed by the number of American tourists in Kotor when we visited in late summer this year.

What is the best time of the year to visit Kotor

The best time of the year to visit Kotor is during the summer months. The weather is warm and sunny and there are plenty of activities and events taking place in the city.

We have decided to visit Kotor in late summer, during September, and found it to be the perfect timing. The cities were not very full, even though all the tourist activities and attractions were still fully functional. Prices were more affordable than in July/August and the roads were a bit quieter, which was great, especially when crossing the borders between Croatia and Montenegro.

How many days do you need to visit Kotor

Kotor Old Town is very small and you can easily see everything if you only have one day to visit Kotor. From this point of view, Kotor is an excellent destination for a one-day stop during a cruise tour.

However, if you have extra time available, I strongly recommend spending at least 2-3 days in Kotor because we simply ADORED our time in the city. Besides the old town, there are many day trips you can make and places close by that you can visit.

We stayed in Kotor for 2,5 days and had an amazing time, we did almost everything we wanted. But if I were to plan another trip to Kotor, I would save at least 3 full days in the city so I would have enough time to really enjoy some time off relaxing at the beach or going for a morning run along the promenade.

Where to stay in Kotor?

If you will be sleeping in Kotor, you can choose between a place inside the city walls or in the neighboring areas. The advantage of sleeping inside the city walls is that you have easy access to all of the attractions and the best things to do. 

But I have to point out that most guests that choose this option complain that it gets quite noisy during the evening. The reason for this is that the streets of Kotor Old Town are so narrow, that even people just chatting makes a big echo, let alone all the bars and busier places.

During our trip, we decided to stay outside the city walls in the area called Dobrota. It was the best choice we could have made because our apartment was literally beachfront and we had a free parking place included. The apartment we stayed in is called Promenade Rose and we can’t recommend it enough!

Read more: Best areas to stay in Kotor

If you are looking for other options, here are a few good alternatives:

1. Boutique Hotel Hippocampus – Beautiful boutique hotels located within the city walls. A great option for a place to stay for travelers who look for comfort and seek centrally located accommodation.
2. Hotel Monte Cristo – Themed decorated rooms in a hotel located in the heart of Kotor Old Town. This accommodation has really good reviews and it is rated as a very good option for a place to stay in Kotor.