Today I want to share my travel itinerary for 1 day in Kotor with you. This coastal gem in Montenegro is home to a beautiful walled old town and a hill with great views over the Adriatic Sea. It’s a great place to visit in the Balkans.
1 Day in Kotor
Kotor is the new Dubrovnik. Or so it seems. The seaside town is located deep in the Gulf of Kotor on Montenegro’s coast, and boasts of a stunning walled city that rivals that of its Croatian neighbor.
With all the natural beauty and a fraction of the tourists, Kotor is a great alternative to its northern counterpart. Or—at just two-and-a-half hours away—a great addition to a Balkans travel itinerary.
How to Get to Kotor
I traveled to the town by bus from Dubrovnik late on Saturday night. It was my first trip to Montenegro, and I was excited to spend 1 day in Kotor.
Where to Stay in Kotor
When I arrived, I walked the short distance to the walled city. There I met the owner of my accommodation, D & Sons Apartments in Kotor. He took me through the maze of streets in the old town to get to the apartment building.
On the way there, we walked through some of the best nightlife I’ve seen in a while.
All the bars in Kotor were packed, and there was a concert in the main square in front of the Maritime Museum. I was too exhausted from traveling to go out, but it looked like a lot of fun.
My apartment in Kotor was right in the heart of the old town on the top floor of a building on one of the city’s narrow streets.
It had a big bedroom, a kitchen and living room, and a bathroom. I could hear a little bit of noise from outside, but not much considering how loud the concert was.
Things to Do in 1 Day in Kotor
I got a good night’s sleep in the air conditioned apartment and woke up early to spend my 1 day in Kotor exploring. First I spent some time getting lost in the winding streets of the old town.
In doing so, I came across beautiful Orthodox and Catholic churches, a vegetable market, pretty fountains, lots of cafes with tables spilling out into plazas, and several clock towers.
The backdrop to this scene was the mountains in Montenegro.
They grew up right out of the back of the old town, such that some of the streets were up steep steps and the city walls grew high along the ridges as if they’d been stretched out when the peaks suddenly erupted from the sea.
Climbing the steps, I walked right up to the crumbling old fortress at the top. It took a grueling 35 minutes, but the pretty chapels along the way and the views of the town below were well worth it.
Back at the bottom, I continued my 1 day in Kotor by walking out of the city walls and along the waterfront.
Unlike Dubrovnik, Kotor doesn’t have much to explore outside the ramparts of the old town, but I saw a small park and a marina with several yachts moored for the day.
One such yacht was a vessel on which the guy sitting behind me on the bus from Dubrovnik to Kotor worked. We’d exchanged contact information when we arrived, and he invited me to a barbecue on board the boat that evening.
I took him up on it, and I spent a starry evening under the floodlit mountain with the whole crew.
1 Day in Kotor
I got another good night’s sleep in my apartment that night, and the next morning I woke up early and checked out. I was traveling to the nearby city of Budva, Montenegro, which was also home to a walled old town.
I was excited to see another part of the country, but I couldn’t imagine anywhere could be quite as picturesque as Kotor. Well, except maybe for Dubrovnik.
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It even has those same red roofs – sounds like it’ll be the next European hot spot between pretty sights and good nightlife.
Hi Emily – Yeah, it is really similar in those respects! It was such a beautiful place that I can’t imagine it will take long for more people to start visiting!
Love the pink beds! What a gorgeous place…
Thanks Andi! The pink beds were fun 🙂
Thank you Lady, for the beautiful photos and warm account! It made me lose myself in the old world amidst my busy day in a busy zone. I hope to have the chance to visit a place like that in my lifetime.
I’m glad you liked it, bluepop! I hope you get a chance to visit someday, too!
A very endearing account of your stay in Kotor. The tiring trip to the top of the mountain to the old fort is challenging, but the views incredible. Your photos are great. Glad you enjoyed it!
If you get chance, Przno,Milocer and Sveti Stefan are superb, and only a short drive away. if you loved Kotor, you would also adore Perast which is also on the Boka Kotorsks and just round a few corners.
Warm regards,
Jon
Thanks Jon!
Great pictures of Kotor. I agree that it’s beauty rivals Dubrovnik. I loved all of Montenegro. It’s a fantastic country.
Thanks! I loved Montenegro, too!