Kotor.
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Overview

Not to be confused with Koror in Palau. Kotor is a coastal town in Montenegro with a population of 22,000 (2023). It is known for its beautiful architecture and natural setting in the deepest part of the Bay of Kotor. It has developed around Stari Grad ("old town"), the city's old town and best known landmark, which is listed with UNESCO World heritage sites. The city walls are separately listed together with five other Venetian city walls along the Adriatic and in Italy.

Understand

Kotor is in the secluded Boka Kotorska bay, on Montenegro's northern coast. The bay is the deepest natural fjord in the Mediterranean Sea, and the scenery around it (including the steep mountains which come almost to the waterfront) is spectacular.

The Old Town, or Stari Grad, is fully walled (the mountain functions as a rear wall). Three gates offer access to the town: The main Sea Gate along the Bay, the River Gate from the north and the Gurdić Gate from the south. There are no cars allowed in the Stari Grad, nor are there standard road names in the Stari Grad. Although all buildings are numbered, it is best to use landmarks for directions. Generally, the squares are named for the church in their center, and directions either relate to the closest square or the closest gate. The most obvious landmark is the clock tower, just inside the main gate, in the main square.

Kotor and the entire Kotor Bay have long been a vacation and second-home destination for many Europeans and British. After Serbian, English is the common language, and most waitstaff and hotel staff speak English.

Get in

By plane Tivat Airport is 8 km away. Podgorica airport is 90 km away. Dubrovnik airport in Croatia is 73 km away from Kotor, and maintains flights from many European destinations throughout the year, providing an alternative to the Montenegrin airports.

By ferry There is a direct fast ferry line from Dubrovnik to Kotor organised by Adriatic Lines. It runs daily from Dubrovnik to Kotor or Budva, mainly in the high season. The duration of the voyage is three hours and this is a good way to avoid road congestion at the border crossing and for the Kamenari ferry.

By bus Kotor is fairly well connected with neighboring countries by bus.

Buses also run between Kotor and the following cities: Podgorica hourly, (Sept. During the week you can go to Skopje via Nis, Serbia (bus from Kotor to Tivat at 15:50, from Tivat to Nis 17:30).

There are also small public buses (colored in white with blue sign "Blue Line") that run through the city connecting nearby villages and towns. You can stop them at any bus stop inside Kotor. They also go to Tivat along the coast line passing Muo, Prcanj, and they also reach the beautiful Perast.

By car All roads in Montenegro are two-lanes only, and mostly are curvy mountainous roads, so speeds over 70 km/h (43 mph) are rarely legal or safe.

The Vrmac tunnel significantly shortens the journey from Budva to Kotor. You can take the alternative road over Trojica hill above Kotor, a winding mountain road. From this hill you can enjoy beautiful views of the tiny countryside villages, and of Podgorica (when approaching from Cetinje), and Kotor Bay.

When driving from Dubrovnik via Herceg Novi, the Kamenari ferry across the narrow mouth of the Bay of Kotor significantly shortens the distance you'll have to drive. The boats are relatively small, so at busier times you'll likely have to wait for a spot. But if you do drive around the bay, it's beautiful.

When driving in Montenegro, be aware that the locals drive aggressively and think nothing of overtaking across white lines on steep bends. Be careful. There is also a great deal of road building underway and the safety considerations are a less onerous than those in more-developed countries. Don't panic.

As in many places, taxis may or may not have a meter. Taxi drivers often try to cheat tourists.

There aren't any scheduled ferries travelling to Kotor but there are services between Bar and Bari, Italy except during winter.

Get around

On foot Kotor is small, so everything is within walking distance. Enter the old town via any of the three gates, then explore the maze of narrow lanes between the stone houses.

By taxi Neither Uber nor Bolt operates in Kotor. Local taxis are available, and licensed taxis can also be requested through the BlicTaxi App and MonteGO app.

By car Parking space in the city centre is hard to find, so use your car only when you have to. Be careful where you park, sketchy tow operators target tourists around the old city. Find a free parking space away from the old city and then walk.

There are no sandy beaches in Kotor, and water is not of premium quality for swimming. Consider driving to the beautiful Jaz or Trsteno beaches on the Budva Riviera, some 20 km from Kotor.

See

St Tryphon's Cathedral. It was built in the 11th century, and reconstructed after earthquakes. Romanesque-Gothic architecture. Chapel holds the remains of St. Tryphon, the patron saint of Kotor.

St Nicolas Church. The biggest Orthodox church in the Old Town.

Maritime Museum. 3 floors of photographs, uniforms, weapons, paintings, and model ships.

Castle of San Giovanni. Ruins of a castle at the top of the trail running along the fortifications of the town. Offers panoramic views of the walled town with the Bay of Kotor in the background.

Church of Our Lady of Remedy. Church on the slopes of the mountain overlooking Kotor. Built in the 16th century by plague survivors to honor the Holy Mother. Accessed by climbing the trail up the fortifications from the old town.

Aquarium Boka. Small aquarium featuring entirely local marine species. Panel descriptions are in both Montenegrin and English.

Do

Stroll on the wall around Kotor. This is a nice evening or day walk. Take a rest, enjoy the view or bring some food and drinks.

Boat Trips. In the middle of the bay there are two islands, (St.

Climb up inside the Fortress. The fortifications are some 4.5 km away, directly above the walled city, on almost vertical cliffs. Upon reaching the fortress, you will be rewarded with a view of Kotor and the bay. Entry is advisable only for relatively physically fit people. Pay to use one of several entrances in the old city (near either the north or south gates) to climb up the 1,350 steps along switchbacks. The path is in relatively good shape, although some of the steps are broken. This 365-m ascent may take 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on your physical capabilities. Ticket gate hours are until 20:00 (earlier in shoulder or off season). They are very strict about the ticket policy. Everyone will be checked, and you must return your ticket stub at a small table upon leaving.

Climb up outside the Fortress. To find this trail (see GPS for starting point), exit the old walled city through the north gate, cross the bridge, and continue until the intersection with the main road. Then, make a right turn at the main road and continue walking until you see a small path to the left of the house at the top of the road. Then, take this small path that becomes a trail behind the abandoned power station. The easiest way to navigate this trail is using OsmAnd or Google Maps. After you have reached the cafe that is partially up the mountain using this trail, you can turn right onto a path behind that cafe that will take you to the small abandoned Church of St. George. When you reach the church, look west towards the old city of Kotor to see a small opening (large window) in the fortifications, often with a small ladder.The opening would give you free entrance to the fortifications, but it was closed in July 2023. Nevertheless, it doesn't hurt checking while you are up there. This path is more strenuous than the paid option, and takes longer, so be prepared and bring plenty of water, but you will be rewarded with two cafés up there. The window to the fortress is not closed as of June 2025.

Hike to Mausoleum of Njegoš. This is a full-day hike continuing further outside of the fortification, passing a zip-line, a nice little restaurant half-way, and into Lovćen National Park. Just 13 km, but from 0 m to 1,700 m of elevation.

Buy

Old town has many boutiques. There is an open market just outside the old town; there you can buy fresh vegetables, sunglasses and many other things.

There are abundant banks and ATMs throughout the Stari Grad. Banks are closed on Sunday or holidays. Travellers cheques are generally not accepted, not even by banks. Note that not all restaurants or shops accept credit cards, either.

Eat

At the market, try to sample local smoked ham (njeguški pršut) and cheese (njeguški sir) from the nearby village of Njeguši, which are two of the Montenegrin cuisine's most famous products.

Kotor offers a variety ranging from classy restaurants offering fresh seafood and national cuisine to fast food offering pizzas, barbecue, etc. There is a large produce market outside the city walls. Cafes and restaurants line the bay-side promenade, which stretches north through Dobrota.

Forza. The most popular pastry shop in Kotor.

Fish Grill. Fresh fish and seafood cooked to order. Take away only. Various side dishes available, such as seafood risotto and fries/chips. Highly advisable to order in advance for the next day because quantities are very limited and might not be available if you show up without an advance order.

Pizzeria "POCUO". Pizzeria attached to hotel serving various other local and Italian dishes. Very friendly service and pleasant dining area.

Tanjga. Family-run butcher and restaurant, massive amounts of grilled meats and great service

Bastion Restaurant. Busy lunchtime venue. Great fish.

Cesarica. Serves excellent and cheap Dalmatian food. Try the cuttlefish risotto.

Forza Mare. Seaside restaurant and hotel, outside of Kotor

Babilon restaurant and hotel. Affordable prices, dining on the Boka Kotorska Bay and a first-class seafood menu.

Drink

Again, the old town is the hotspot for relaxed drinking espresso in the shade of the medieval walls. There are many cafes in the old town, but still, it's hard to find a place to sit on a sunny day. Tipping is not necessary although you may leave your change by simply rounding up. Befriending the waitstaff can get you quite far.

Sample the Montenegrin wines, "Vranac", "Pro Corde", "Krstac", "Cabernet", "Chardonnay" and "Nikšićko" beer. Montenegrin brandy, called "rakija" is a good choice to "warm up" before going out in the evening, especially grape brandy "Montenegrin loza", "Prvijenac" or "Kruna".

A night out in Kotor usually begins in the open bars in the old town. Pubs in the old town are only open until 01:00.

The best club is Maximus, which is located in the old town, and closes at 05:00.

Sleep

Accommodation during low season is cheap and plentiful in Kotor.

During the high season, the old city may be very crowded due to frequent arrivals of cruise ships and visitors on day trips from other cities. For that reason, it may be preferable to stay outside of the old city, either north or south.

Private rooms Many of the homes in the Stari Grad have been turned into for-rent apartments. For groups of two or more, these are often the most affordable options. Their quality (and prices) range from luxurious to modest. Most can be reserved online, although wire-transfer down payments are expected. Most are either owned or managed by English-speaking expats foreign visitors.

Old Town Kotor Hostel. Once owned by a local noble family, Bisanti, the Old Town Hostel Kotor's careful restoration and design offer historic Kotor's rustic atmosphere.

Montenegro Hostel B&B Kotor. Accommodating hostel with communal cooking area and tours of Kotor offered.

Boutique Hotel Casa del Mare - Amfora. Hotel has 4 stars, with a private beach, sauna and fish restaurant. Open 24 hours and all 365 days a year. The hotel is on the beach in Orahovac. Quiet rooms with seaview overlooking the bay.

Cattaro Hotel. A historic hotel and a member of the Historic Hotels of Europe.

Forza Mare. A small 5-star hotel in Dobrota.

Hotel Vardar. Old Yugoslavian design.