I went to Kotor, Montenegro because a friend recommended it. It ended up being one of my favorite places in the Balkans.
Kotor is surrounded by mountains and the Bay of Kotor. It’s a perfect place for hiking, kayaking, and watching the sunset. The medieval Old Town reminded me of a smaller version of Dubrovnik.
These were my favorite things to do in Kotor.
1. Explore the Old Town.
The medieval architecture of Old Town Kotor is very charming. There are lots of butik shops (pronounced like boutique) to buy clothes, shoes, or jewelry. You’ll also find a lot of casual bars and restaurants. My favorite was Old Town Pub.
2. See the cats.
Some of the best Kotor sightseeing in my opinion is to watch the cats. You’ll see them lounging in any comfy spot they can find. The cats seemed to be well-taken care of and loved by the town. Even the souvenirs are cat-themed. You can find cats everywhere in Kotor, but the best spot is this fountain.
3. Climb the Old Town walls.
There are a few areas where you can climb the Old Town walls for free. It’s not too much of a workout and you’ll get a lovely view of Kotor Bay.
4. Hike the Ladder of Kotor to San Giovanni’s Fortress.
There are two trails to hike to San Giovanni’s Fortress. The Ladder of Kotor is free and you enter outside the city walls. The Kotor Fortress Trail is paid and starts inside the walls. When I was there, they only charged when you entered. So we went up The Ladder of Kotor and come back down the paid Kotor Fortress Trail for free.
I didn’t know anything about this hike and spontaneously went with friends from my hostel. It was a little more difficult than I expected. But if you know this ahead of time and bring plenty of water, it’s not too bad. And it’s definitely worth the views.
5. Walk around the Bay of Kotor.
You can hike around the entire bay if you want, or just go for a short stroll. Either way you’ll be surrounded by gorgeous views of the mountains.
6. Swim in the Bay of Kotor.
There are a few areas of beach, but they can get crowded. You can also sunbathe and swim pretty much anywhere you can find a spot along the water. There are a lot of flat, limestone areas that are nice for tanning. You can jump into the water and use the ladders to climb out.
7. Kayak during sunset.
I did a sunset kayak tour in the Bay of Kotor and it was one of the most beautiful sunsets I’ve ever seen. Stand up paddle boards were also available.
8. Explore the Bay of Kotor by boat.
Boat tours are a popular way to see more sites around the Bay of Kotor. I did a tour that went to the Blue Cave, an old submarine tunnel, and Our Lady of the Rock.
Other things to know about Kotor
1. Montenegro’s currency is the euro.
Montenegro uses euros, even though they’re not part of the EU. Most of Old Town is cash only, but ATMs are easy to find. I use the Schwab Bank Investor Checking Account so I don’t have to worry about ATM fees.
2. There are a lot of mosquitos.
The worst mosquito bites I’ve gotten in my life were in Kotor. You might want to bring mosquito repellent and itch cream. Or just accept your fate and drink enough rakija that you don’t notice.
3. There aren’t a lot of vegetarian options.
Compared to other Balkan cities I’ve visited, there seemed to be fewer vegetarian options in Kotor. There also wasn’t as much seafood as nearby Budva.
4. How to get to Kotor.
If you’re coming from another Balkan city and not driving a car, the bus will be the easiest way to get to Kotor. There are buses from nearby Balkan cities like Dubrovnik, Mostar, and Budva.
The bus will probably have some hidden fees. Most buses in the Balkans will charge you €1 to put your luggage under the bus. Additionally in Montenegro, they’ll also charge you a €1 “platform fee.” If you need to print your ticket at the station, that’s another €1 fee. So it’s helpful to have a few euro coins on you before you get on the bus.