Best Things to Do in Kotor in One Day

Montenegro makes for a fantastic side trip if you are heading to Croatia. In 24-hours you can see the beautiful coastline of Montenegro and visit the adorable walled towns of Kotor and Budva. The best part is, if you stay overnight, you can avoid the crowds from cruise ships and daytrippers.

I visited by renting a car and driving from the Dubrovnik Airport to Kotor. I stayed the night and then explored Montenegro for the day before driving back to Dubrovnik to start my trip in Croatia. There are many small towns with historic centres you can stop at if you have the freedom of your own car.

I only had room in my itinerary for one night in Kotor, however, I would have gladly spent more time in Montenegro. If you have more time, spend a couple days in Kotor and explore more of the sights of Montenegro. Dumitor National Park is one place I would love to explore on future trips to Montenegro.

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Driving from Dubrovnik to Kotor

Montenegro neighbours Croatia and it takes about 2- 3 hours from Dubrovnik to Kotor. I rented a car using Discover Cars from the airport in Dubrovnik as it was very convenient. I used the car company Sixt and was very happy with the service and price.

Keep in mind that you do have to cross a border so during the summer or at peak times there may be long waits. Peak times to cross the border from Dubrovnik to Montenegro are heading into Montenegro at the beginning of the day or back towards Dubrovnik at the end of the day.

The roads to Kotor are very curvy so it makes for a nice drive in the daylight but on a rainy night, it’s very dark and kind of scary. If your flight arrives later in the day, you may want to spend the night in Dubrovnik first to avoid driving in the dark.

The main roads are well maintained and there is a good amount of signage to help you navigate to Kotor. Budva was a bit more difficult to navigate within the city as it is larger and I recommend saving a map to your phone or using your cars GPS. 

Dubrovnik to Kotor Without a Rental Car

If you don’t enjoy driving or want a rental car, there are tour bus options for day trips that would be a better fit. This tour to Kotor and Budva from Dubrovnik takes in many of the sights that I have mentioned below and would be my pick for a day trip to Montenegro.

Where to Stay in Kotor

If you have a car, it is easier to stay just outside of the old town of Kotor and walk to the historic area. The old historic part of Kotor is pedestrian only so if you do end up sleeping within the city walls, you will have to cart your luggage and find parking elsewhere. The place I rented was up several flights of stairs and I suspect this is common so try to pack light.

Boutique Hotel Astoria– If you want to stay in a 13th-century palace, this is the place to stay. The rooms are beautifully decorated and it is located in the heart of the old town.

Apartments Parteli – This studio apartment is located in the old town and is in a historic building. It would be perfect for exploring Kotor.

Currency in Kotor

Montenegro uses the Euro as currency. You are going to want to have some cash available and maybe some small change. For example, the walls of Kotor are cash only.  Luckily because it’s Euros, you should be able to use these elsewhere in Europe.

Best Things to Do in Kotor in One Day

Kotor is a fantastic base if you only have a short time in Montenegro. It’s a small historic city that can become absolutely packed with day trippers and people from cruise ships. Stay overnight and you will get to soak up some more of the fantastic vibes this small town has.

Explore the Old Town of Kotor

This is a great way to start your day in Kotor as it will make you appreciate the streets when you get a view from above at the next thing to do in Kotor.

Kotor is a World Heritage Site and has a beautifully preserved centre with marble streets. With all the marble and tiny alleyways, it really feels like stepping back in time. You enter the Old Town of Kotor through one of the old town gates.

The old town is quite small so with a little bit of wandering time you will end up seeing all of the main sights and stumble upon some very secluded alleyways. It’s a bit of a maze here so it is easy to get lost, luckily it’s small enough that you won’t be lost for long. It really adds to the charm of Kotor. There’s nothing quite like getting lost in a charming European town.

Check Out Kotor’s Churches

Kotor has quite a few interesting churches to explore. Two not to miss are St. Lukes Church which dates all the way back to 1195, and the Cathedral of Saint Tryphon. The cathedral is even older than St. Lukes Church as it was built in 1166. With two bell towers, it is probably the prettiest church in Kotor. St. Tryphon’s Cathedral also holds a relic of the patron saint of Kotor, St. Tryphon’s head.

Hike the Walls Above Kotor to the Fortress

Hiking the walls above Kotor was easily one of the highlights of my time in the Balkans. The ancient walls above Kotor are fun to hike and give you a glimpse into the past, when a wall on such a large mountain would be needed.

This is the number one thing you should not miss doing while in Kotor. The hike up the walls to San Giovanni Fortress gives you fantastic views of Kotor Bay. On the way up to the castle, there is the Church of Our Lady of Remedy, which dates from 1518. It also is built over the oldest known building in Montenegro, dating from the 6th century.

There is an entry fee if you enter through the main entrance. At 1350 steps each way, you get your workout in. There is little to no shade so make sure that you pack water and sunscreen. It’s a short walk but you will want to budget about 2 hours to this activity as there are tons of photo opportunities.

Drive Up the Kotor Serpentine Road

Above Kotor on the P1 road is an area known as the Kotor Serpentine. This stretch of road has many tight switchbacks so be prepared for some intense driving. The views over Kotor Bay from here are absolutely phenomenal. It’s the same road that you would take if you have more time in Montenegro and want to visit Lovcen National Park.

From up here you can really appreciate the fjord-like looks of Kotor Bay and get a fantastic viewpoint overlooking the mountains. While Kotor Bay looks like a fjord and has been called Europe’s southern-most fjord, it’s actually a ria. To a non-geologists, a fjord and ria look the exact same but the difference lies in how they were formed. A ria is formed by the sea submerging an area that was previously a river, while a fjord is the sea submerging an area that was previously a glacier that carved out area. Either way, Kotor Bay is beautiful.

Drive from Kotor to Budva

The scenic drive from Dubrovnik to Kotor and Budva takes you along the Dalmatian coastline with mountains everywhere. The drive doesn’t take too long as it is only about 30 minutes. Just staying on the main road you will get nice mountain scenery and then some great views of the sea as you approach Budva. If you’re using a GPS make sure to set the destination as Budva Old Town as otherwise it will take you to the centre of Budva, which will cause you to have to backtrack.

Explore the Walled Town of Budva

Budva is one of the oldest Adriatic settlements, at 2,500 years old, and has the walled old town to prove it. The old town is full of medieval buildings and is right on the coast. The old town of Budva is very small so you only need an hour or two to explore it. One of the nice features is that it is right on the water so there is a beach right next to the old town.

I didn’t find Budva quite as charming as Kotor but, when I visited, there were less tourists here as there wasn’t cruise ships. It’s a very relaxing town to walk around in and is the perfect place to have lunch. I ate at Juice Bar in Budva and it has some seriously yummy sandwiches and juice and is vegetarian friendly.

With More than One Day in Kotor

Ideally, I would have spent three days in Kotor and budgeted one day to rafting the Tara River and another day exploring more towns and boating Kotor Bay.

Depending on how your time it, you may be able to fit in a visit to Perast on your one day in Montenegro as it is between Kotor and Dubrovnik.

Take a Boat Tour of the Bay and Blue Cave

This is one thing I really missed out on while visiting Kotor. The bay is beautiful and it would be amazing to see it by boat. It also takes in a blue cave as well as sites that were important to WWII. You need three hours to do this boat tour in Kotor Bay so if you cut out Budva and driving above Kotor, you should have time to do this if you only have a single day in Montenegro.

Visit the National Parks

Montenegro has two National Parks that can be done as day trips from Kotor.

Lovcen National Park is very close to Kotor, it’s only about an hour drive. Lovcen is known for its views of the Dinara Alps and being home to the black mountain that gives Montenegro its name. If you aren’t driving, there are tours from Kotor to Lovcen.

Durmitor National Park is further, as it is about a 3 hour drive from Kotor but it is consistently ranked as one of the most beautiful national parks in Europe. It’s best known for the Tara River canyon, the deepest gorges in Europe. You can join tours from Kotor to Durmitor and Ostrog Monastery.

Go White Water Rafting on the Tara River

Not only can you see the deepest canyon in Europe, but you can also join a group to go white water rafting through it. Sure to be an unforgettable experience, this would be a fantastic way to see Durmitor National Park and raft through the second deepest canyon in the world after the Grand Canyon.

Visit the Ostrog Monastery

The Ostrog Monastery is one of Montenegro’s most visited pilgrimage sites. It’s a monastery built into the side of a cliff. You can visit it as part of a trip to Durmitor National Park.

Drive Back to Dubrovnik from Kotor

After spending a day in Kotor, get on the highway and head back to Dubrovnik. You’ll want to budget at least 2 days in Dubrovnik to explore this next walled city. After visiting Montenegro, I am so glad that I was able to make room in my itinerary for it as it was worth the extra driving. Viewing the Bay of Kotor after hiking up to the fortress above the town is one of my favourite memories from my time in the Balkans.

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