Kotor

Kotor is a coastal town in Montenegro with a population of 22,600 (2011). It is known for its beautiful architecture and natural setting in the deepest part of the Bay of Kotor.



Understand
Kotor is in the secluded Boka Kotorska bay, on Montenegro's northern coast. It has developed around Stari Grad (local language for "old town"), the city's old town and best known landmark, which is listed with UNESCO World heritage sites, and the city walls are even separately listed together with five other Venetian city walls along the Adriatic and in Italy. 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 Stari Grad is fully walled (the mountain functions as a rear wall). Four gates offer access to the town: The Main Gate, along the Bay, the North Gate, the South Gate, and a smaller New Gate. 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.

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. A taxi to Kotor costs €80.

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



From Budva buses run to Herceg Novi, stopping in Kotor, almost every 30 minutes from 07:00 to 23:00 (€2.50). Buses also run between Kotor and the following cities: Podgorica hourly, (Sept. 2022), Bar and Ulcinj (6-8 daily, approximately €5), Dubrovnik and Mostar (3 daily, 3 hours, €24 Sept. 2022), Split (3 times a week, 7 hours), Sarajevo (1x daily), Belgrade (10 hours), Skopje (night bus, 12 hours, twice a week on Friday and Saturday at 19:00). 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). The 11:00 bus to Mostar costs €26 plus a euro per bag and takes 9 hours, as it visits almost every major town in Montenegro and southern Respublika Srpska before finally arriving in Mostar.

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. Fixed price: €1 (2017).

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 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. Be warned that un-metered taxi fares can range widely, especially for English speakers. Taxi drivers often try to cheat tourists. The real taxi price within Kotor and Muo should be below €3. You should discuss the price before entering the taxi.

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

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 service the area as of April 2023.

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




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. Hamburgers there cost €1. Cafes and restaurants line the bay-side promenade, which stretches north through Dobrota.

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.

Espresso costs €1 or more. Soft drinks and juice cost €1-2.

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". Litre bottles of wine are available in the supermarkets outside of the Stari Grad for under €5.

Nightlife
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.

During summer, expect to pay about €10 per person for accommodation at a private residences in the old town, and €7-15 outside the old town and closer to beaches.

Connect
As of Sept 2021, Kotor has 4G from all Montenegro carriers, and Wifi is widely available. 5G has not rolled out in Montenegro.

Go next

 * Prčanj - a hamlet 4 km away.
 * Budva - a popular tourist destination
 * Bar - a city and biggest port of Montenegro
 * Tivat - home to a marina for the elite's yachts
 * Herceg Novi
 * Cetinje, interior old capital of Montenegro
 * Lovćen National Park
 * Daytrip to bay-side towns, like Perast (18 km away) or Risan.
 * Visit beaches a half hour's drive from Kotor (Jaz, Trsteno, Plavi hori).