22 Things To Do in Kotor, Montenegro

Looking for exciting, cultural and beautiful things to do in Kotor? You’re in the right place. This charming town in Montenegro is one of my favourite places I’ve visited this year (and that’s high praise with destinations like Bled, Venice, Lisbon, and the Algarve for competition).

I didn’t know what to expect from Kotor, or Montenegro in general. Would it be similar to its northern neighbour, Croatia, or resemble the other Balkan countries like Albania and Bosnia & Herzegovina? Would it be full of cruise ships or an undiscovered paradise?

By air: the largest airport (from which you’ll get the cheapest flights) is Podgorica Airport, a 1.5-hour drive from Kotor. By public transport, catch a €1.20 train from Aerodrom Podgorica train station then from the Central Bus Station, board a cross-country bus (2 hours) for around €7 to Kotor Bus Station, a 5-minute walk from Kotor Old Town.

There’s also Tivat Airport, a 10-minute drive or bus ride from Kotor. However, expect flights to be pricier.

By bus: from Kotor Bus Station, you’re well connected to Tirana, Albania (6 hours), Shkoder, Albania (4 hours) and Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina (5 hours). Use busticket4me to buy tickets (these usually need to be printed) or buy them at the station the day before.

Tip – you need to pay a €2 bus station fee when departing Kotor. If you brought your ticket online, make sure to have cash left over and go inside the station to buy your token. There’s also a €1 luggage fee payable to the driver.

Where to stay in Kotor

There are plenty of accommodation options in Kotor and the Old Town is undoubtedly the most charming option. Waking up amidst the charming warren of golden passageways and hunting for coffee is the best way to start a day!

Things to do in Kotor, Montenegro

Now for the good stuff! Here are the best places in Kotor to explore, sightsee, eat, drink and more…

That imposing fortress towering above Kotor? Yep, I’m about to make you climb it 😉

I promise it’s worth it! The fortress hike is probably the number one thing to do in Kotor: you soak up fantastic views of the Old Town and coastline, experiencing centuries of history along the way.

I was glad I hiked to the fortress of San Giovanni (or St John to English speakers) during my first evening in Kotor because I got the hard stuff out of the way, leaving me to relax and feel accomplished for the rest of my trip.

Old Town alleyways

The alleys of the Stari Grad (Old Town) are a delight. Set aside time to meander aimlessly and see what you find. Although there are lots of lovely cafes, souvenirs and street cats to stumble upon, it’s a small city that will soon start to feel familiar. Luckily, as Google Maps is tricky to follow down the tight streets!

Browse Kotor Bazaar

Although there are beautiful stores all around town selling lanterns, chinaware and accessories, the best place in Kotor for shoppers is Kotor Bazaar. Beside St Nikolas Church, this charming market is accessed via ancient stone arches. It’s only small but will keep you busy for 15 minutes during your Kotor sightseeing.

Climb Saint Tryphon’s Cathedral

Another popular thing to do in Kotor Old Town is climb to the balcony of Saint Tryphon’s Cathedral. Explore almost a millennia of history at this Romanesque Catholic church built in 1166.

It’s worth paying the €3 to venture inside and see gold and silver relics and frescoes (religious wall paintings). The museum above the church is only small (without much explanation about the items displayed) but there are a few interesting things to see. The highlight is the view from the terrace over the ancient square.

Opening times: 9am-6pm daily.

There are only a few cat museums around the world and, luckily for feline fans, Kotor is home to one of them. From cats pictured in artwork through the ages to photographed with soldiers throughout wars, there’s plenty to browse alongside exhibits like medals and coins.

Kotor Cats Museum is a small museum with just two rooms and a corridor connecting them. What it lacks in size, it makes up for in density of exhibits: every available surface is plastered with cat imagery, memorabilia, posters and photos.

When you wander the streets of Kotor, any surprise about the existence of a cat museum will disappear. The streets are teeming with furry friends, all well-fed and notably plump.

Legend has it that rats arrived on boats and became a nuisance in the city. Cats were brought to catch them which worked for a while. But with the arrival of tourists came sympathetic snacks and morsels of restaurant dinners dropped on the ground.

Now that the cats have become a Kotor tourist attraction, they’re too pampered to catch mice!

Wander through the Sea Gate

Connecting the famed fortress, the Walls of Kotor flank the Old Town. There are a few entrance points including the well-preserved Sea Gate, built in 1555 under Venetian rule. Spot the classic Venetian lion carving above the gate.

The gate is inscribed with a star commemorating liberation from the Nazis and a quote from ex-Yugoslavian leader, Tito, reading ‘Tuđe nećemo – svoje ne damo’ (what belongs to others we don’t want, what is ours we will never surrender).

Shop at the Kotor Farmer’s Market

This fresh market close to the Sea Gate is the belly of the city, selling locally-produced meat, cheese, fish and veggies. If your accommodation has a kitchen and you plan to reduce your travel budget by cooking, why not ditch the supermarket and swing by?

Another perk of visiting is to meet the locals and see how people would have shopped in days gone by.

Note – although the market takes place in the day, there are a few crepe stands here on the street at night. They’re nothing gourmet but if you fancy a Nutella crepe for €2, you know where to go!

The Maritime Museum is one of the best places in Kotor to learn about the city’s history, largely tied to nautical events. You’ll find artefacts, traditional dress, paintings, detailed models of famous ships, bottles built for sailor’s messages, seamen’s dairies and the famous ‘Pulena’ head from Giurko ship (Dobrota, 1870-1895).

Entry is €5 including an audio guide (if you’re staying at Old Town Hostel, get a stamp from reception for €2 entry although the audio guide isn’t included).

Opening times: from 8am daily until 11pm in July and August and 6pm the rest of the year. On Sundays on public holidays, it’s open from 9am-1pm.

Bask at Kotor Beach (and take the bay walk to Dobrota)

This small beach a few minutes’ walk from the Old Town is your best bet for a dip in the ocean without having to drive or take a boat trip across the bay. Despite the painful rocks when walking barefoot into the sea, it’s a decent beach with facilities like loungers should you need them.

The beach is on the cusp of the Dobrota neighbourhood, a chilled part of Kotor with fewer crowds. For a leisurely afternoon activity, take a walk along the oceanfront to St. Matthias Church, a bright orange Catholic church with beautiful views out to sea.

Note: Kotor Beach gets crowded in peak season so you might want to avoid the middle of the day. Sunset could be your best bet: the crowds leave early as the mountain opposite causes the sun to set early.

Take a city walk at night

If you’re looking for things to do in Kotor once the sun goes down, there are of course restaurants and bars. Between the two, you might enjoy taking a walk along the old City Walls.

By this, I DON’T mean the mountainous section! That would be extremely dangerous. I refer to the section near the Sea Gate, separating the Old Town from the market area and the water. With the various ramparts and bastions lit up at night, it’s an atmospheric sight to behold.

Further afield things to do in Kotor

The Stari Grad (Old Town) is very small and can be seen in a day. As you might remember, I earlier suggested staying up to five days. So what to do in Kotor with that time?

Well, the charm of Kotor, in my opinion, is not just the charming city but the incredible surroundings. With ocean, caves, mountains and other natural and manmade points of interest, there’s plenty to keep you busy. Montenegro is small enough that you can use Kotor as a base to explore the country.

I’d suggest choosing some (or all) of the following activities around Kotor…

A quaint church with terracotta tiles, a blue domed roof and a backdrop of the Montenegrian mountains, appearing to float upon the ocean. Can you imagine anything more picturesque?

This island is made from rocks and sunken ships created when – according to legend – a group of fishermen found an image of the Virgin Mary floating upon the location. Taking it as a sign, they began the 500-year mission of building the island and church in her honour.

If you happen to visit on July 22, you’ll witness locals throwing stones into the water to celebrate this important date.

The only way to access the island is by boat; either a quick journey from Perast village just across the bay, or as part of a Boka Bay cruise from Kotor.

One of the most famous places to visit from Kotor is the Blue Cave named, not especially adventurously, after the spectacular colour of the water. It’s crystal clear and a brilliant shade of blue.

Similar to the one near Croatian island, Vis, that many people discover as a day trip from Split, the sun reflecting into the cave at certain times of day makes the sea seem even brighter than normal. Visit on a sunny day, if you can, as the effect will be even more striking.

My only complaint is that smaller boats drive right into the cave as you swim through, often shouting at you to move over. Not so relaxing!

Tivat

This luxurious town on the banks of Kotor Bay was a stop on my boat tour, however you could also visit as a day trip by car, bus or taxi from Kotor or even stay overnight (it’s close to Tivat Airport).

If you’re expecting a quaint town, think again: Tivat has a reputation for superyachts and designer stores! It’s not my scene but it might be yours. It’s an opportunity to treat yourself, eat delicious seafood for lunch and browse the fancy stores.

Go rafting

If you’re looking for fun and active things to do in Kotor, why not try river rafting? I didn’t do this myself but I spoke to several people of all ages who’d had a great time. A 12-hour return day trip including equipment, guides, lunch and a full day of adventures at Tara River Canyon will cost around €90.

This tour is a great option if you don’t have loads of time and want to see a lot of Montenegro in one day. We left at 9am and got back around 8pm.

Tour North Montenegro: Ostrog Monastery, Tara Canyon & Durmitor Nat Park

So, to the important stuff! As a self-confessed foodie, it’s no surprise my Kotor sightseeing was choc-a-bloc with restaurant and cafe breaks. Some of the best places in Kotor to go eat include:

Cafe Mone

I ate at Cafe Mone three times in five days although you won’t believe it because I forgot to take any photos. They serve coffee, cakes, salads, healthy wraps and breakfast dishes like avocado and poached eggs on toast. Prices aren’t bad; I paid €12 for breakfast, coffee and juice.

True story: I was on my way to a vegetarian restaurant when a fellow travel blogger invited me to BBQ Tanjga. What a 360 – it was the meatiest of meat feasts! Although tourists do visit, this no-frills grill house feels off-the-beaten-track due to its location outside the city walls.

Meat platters for one person start at €10 although my friend and I got the €15 platter pictured to share (it was definitely enough although we could have done with extra fries). There are also €38 ones that feed up to four.

With over 2,000 reviews and 4.8 stars on Google, it’s a must-visit in Kotor for meat lovers!

Restobar Taraca