Ultimate Kotor Travel Guide & Map
TL;DR
Kotor is the kind of place that looks like a postcard but feels even better in real life – and with the right plan, you can turn it into one of the highlights of your entire Montenegro trip.
If you’re wondering whether Kotor is worth a visit, you’re not alone. Planning a trip to Montenegro can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re short on time and don’t want to get it wrong.
After exploring Kotor in depth – from hiking the fortress and wandering the old town to taking a boat across the Bay of Kotor – we can say: Kotor is absolutely worth it, but having a smart plan makes all the difference.
Our guide will show you exactly what to do, where to stay, how to get around, and how to make the most of your time in Kotor.
Kotor Travel Guide
Kotor Montenegro Map
Is Kotor Worth Visiting?
Yes, absolutely. Kotor has all the walled-city charm and Adriatic beauty you’d expect from the Croatian Riviera, but without the hefty price tag. The dramatic, fjord-like Bay of Kotor is genuinely breathtaking, with mountains rising straight from the water, and the Old Town is compact, atmospheric, and easy to explore.
The food is another highlight: a delicious mix of Balkan and Mediterranean flavours, from fresh seafood to grilled meats and local wines.
On top of that, Kotor makes a fantastic base for day trips around the bay and beyond, so you can see a lot without constantly changing accommodation.
Where We Stayed in Kotor
We stayed at Old Town Youth Hostel and can highly recommend it! They have dorms and private rooms. The location right in the heart of the old town of Kotor is what we liked best. Additionally, the bathrooms and kitchen were clean, the staff was lovely, and the vibes were great – even for over 30-year-olds.
How to Get to Kotor
Kotor is well connected by bus to other Montenegrin destinations like the capital Podgorica (with the international airport) or Budva.
We have written a full Podgorica travel guide in case that’s where you’ll land, and wondering whether you should stay or move on directly:
There are also international bus routes, e.g. to Mostar (Bosnia & Herzegovina) or Dubrovnik (Croatia), whose airport also offers many international flight connections.
You can check bus schedules online, e.g. at BusTicket4.me.
How to Get Around Kotor
Kotor is very walkable – so much so that you don’t have other options in the old town.
Things to Do in Kotor
1. Join a Free Walking
We recommend a free walking tour everywhere we go (and everywhere they are offered) because most of them simply deliver. We absolutely loved the Kotor free walking tour. It brought us to all of the highlights of the old town, like the Sea Gate, the Square of Weapons with the Clock Tower, and St. Tryphon's Cathedral. We also visited hidden gems like Palata Bizanti.
2. San Giovanni Fortress and the Ladder of Kotor
San Giovanni or St. John’s Fortress is one of the highlights of Kotor. Here, you can kill two birds with one stone: You get to visit a fort which dates back to Illyrian times, and you’ll get amazing views of Kotor and its fjord-like bay.
- The “official” path, which starts at the Square of Wood. Here, you have to pay a (constantly rising) entrance fee.
- The “Ladder of Kotor”. This hike will bring you to a back entrance of the fort where you can climb through a window. The hike itself is beautiful – with a random but lovely cheese shop as well as an old church on the way – and the window climb felt manageable with the help of other hikers. We have marked the starting point on our map.
3. Kotor Old Town and City Walls
We recommend setting aside some time to get lost in the alleys of Kotor’s old town. Marvel at the countless squares, churches, palaces, and cats! We highly recommend circling (at least parts of) the city wall while it’s still free. It not only incorporates the architecture of Illyria, the Byzantine Empire, Venice, and Austria, but it also offers amazing views!
There are some museums in Kotor, first and foremost the Maritime Museum.
4. Bay of Kotor Boat Tour
A boat tour around the Bay of Kotor will be a highlight of your trip:
- Visit the super picturesque Lady of the Rocks Island close to Perast.
- Enter an old submarine tunnel.
- Drive past Mamula Island.
- Enter the Blue Cave, the largest cave in the Adriatic Sea, where you have the opportunity to swim.
We have written a full review of our boat tour:
5. Perast and other Towns around the Bay of Kotor
If you have more time on your hands, Kotor is a nice base for some day trips around the Bay of Kotor.
Arguably, the nicest (and closest) town is Perast, a baroque town with Venetian charm. Admire the palaces, the fort, and Saint Nicholas’ Church.
Other nice places around the bay (which we didn’t visit ourselves) are Herzeg Novi and Tivat.
6. North Montenegro Tour
While a North Montenegro Tour is not the most thorough way to see this part of the country, it is definitely the easiest and most time-efficient – especially if you don’t want to drive on these crazy mountain roads. Trust us, we have been on them, and we would not recommend them.
The highlights of this tour are:
- Tara Bridge and Tara River Canyon, one of the deepest river canyons in Europe.
- Black Lake in Durmitor National Park.
- Ostrog Monastery.
We have written a whole review about our North Montenegro tour:
Where to Eat in Kotor
Restaurant prices in Kotor are rather high, especially in the old town.
Some affordable restaurant options outside of the old town that we liked are BBQ Tanjga, Bastion 3 and Resto Bar Taraca.
In the old town, we liked Restoran Cesarica and Konoba Scala Santa.
How Many Days in Kotor Do You Need
In our opinion, two days is the minimum amount of time you need in Kotor: One day to explore the city and the Bay of Kotor and one day for a day trip.
Here’s a full Montenegro itinerary including 2 days in Kotor:
Kotor Itinerary
Day 1 – Old Town, Fortress & Bay of Kotor Boat Tour
Morning: Start your morning while it’s still cool by hiking up to Kotor Fortress. Afterwards, take some time strolling the alleys of Kotor Old Town – we highly recommend taking the Kotor free walking tour. Don’t miss out on circling Kotor on its city walls while it’s still free.
Afternoon: A boat tour of the Bay of Kotor has the potential to be the highlight of your trip.
Evening: Konoba Scala Santa is great for some Italian-inspired Kotor cuisine. Bastion 3 satisfies your cravings for Balkan cuisine.
Day 2 – North Montenegro Tour
We highly recommend taking a North Montenegro Tour, especially if you don’t travel with a car or you have a limited amount of time.
Kotor Tips
ATMs in Kotor
There are many ATMs on the Square of Weapons. We highly recommend the Erste Bank one as it doesn’t charge fees for many cards.
Supermarkets in Kotor
We used the IDEA supermarket between the bus station and our hostel and were really happy with their offer.
Internet in Kotor
The internet in our accommodation worked well. For mobile data, we used an Airalo eSIM card.
Is Kotor Safe
Kotor is generally considered safe, and violent crime is rare. We still advise you to keep your street smarts.
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