OCTOBER 2023
If you are visiting Montenegro, Kotor is probably on your list. Kotor has a beautiful UNESCO recognized old city center and I would highly recommend to visit it. However, as it is a cruise destination you have to be smart about your visit. Kotor is not a hidden gem anymore and visiting it requires the right attitude and a good planning. In this blogpost I will give my practical recommendations on how to make the most out of your visit.
Practical information
Though not the capital city of Montenegro, Kotor is arguably the most known destination. Kotor is directly located at the Bay of Kotor, making it an interesting destination for history, culture, nature and beach lovers. In Kotor/Montenegro you can pay with euros, it has informally adopted the euro as its currency, because it doesn’t have a currency itself. Though Kotor is touristy, it still is a relatively affordable destination in Europe. We paid € 100 per night for a beautiful apartment, within walking distance of Kotor’s historical city center, with private parking during the high season. If you venture just a little bit out of the tourist areas, you will see that meals are very affordable (under € 10 for a dinner).
How to enjoy Kotor
Kotor has become a victim of its own success. It has a very beautiful, but small, old town and it is located at the bay of Kotor. Several Mediterranean/Adriatic cruises stop at Kotor, causing an overload of visitors during the day. The old town is just too small to accommodate tour groups and this can make your day unpleasant.
To escape the crowds, I have some recommendations for your visit:
Visit during the evening: Kotor doesn’t have a lot of typical tourist attractions, besides its beautiful city center, so this means that lots of people will gather in one place during the day. However, the cruise visitors/day tourists will have left in the evening, making it a much better destination in the evening. We had dinner at a very cozy square, where we could do people watching, without being overrun by people. The shops and souk are still open at night, so there are plenty of things to do. We found that several cafes had interesting cocktails and live music, the city had a completely different vibe at night.
Get up early for the Kotor fortress: The number one must visit activity in Kotor is the Kotor Fortress. You will get breathtaking views from these city walls and you don’t want to visit too late because of the heat. We didn’t climb all the way to the top of the Fortress, I mainly did the climb to take pictures of the church which you will find halfway. We visited just after 9AM in July and the heat was already scorching. The hike is still in the shade at this time, so I can’t imagine what it is like in the sun. The entrance fee is € 8, but if you visit super early there probably isn’t anybody at the ticket booth and you can do it for free.
Visit the Bay of Kotor during the day: During the day, the best thing you can do to escape the heat is to swim in the Bay of Kotor. We visited Kotor’s natural beach, as this was only a short walk from our apartment. Because lots of boats come here, it isn’t the cleanest part of the bay, but it is a good option if you are not with a car. The water temperature is heavenly! If you are with a car, I would recommend to drive a little bit out of Kotor and take a dip between Kotor and Tivat, which I found the prettiest area for a dip.
Don’t forget about Perast: Perast is Kotor’s more relaxed “sister”. Perast is only a 20 minute drive from Kotor, but it is much more quiet and more chique. In Perast you will find that Riviera vibe and promenade. If you have some money to splurge, you’d better spend it at a good hotel in Perast. The ultimate holiday feeling beach bars are located in Perast. Kotor is more interesting for its historic sights, but Perast is much cleaner and better for swimming. I will do a separate blogpost on Perast.