Things to do · Kotor · Montenegro
11 best things to do in Kotor
11 sights and experiences ranked for a first visit, with honest notes on time, cost and crowds.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Geotiger18, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
The essential sights in Kotor are Kotor Old Town, City walls and San Giovanni Fortress and Cathedral of Saint Tryphon. Of the 11 picks below, 5 are free, 3 work on a rainy day and 3 suit children. Allow about 3 days to see the highlights without rushing.
Key facts
- Top sight
- Kotor Old Town
- Free sights
- 5
- Good on a rainy day
- Cathedral of Saint Tryphon
- Time to see the highlights
- 3 days
At a glance
| Sight | Area | Time needed | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kotor Old Town | Old Town (Stari Grad) | 2–3 hours | Free |
| City walls and San Giovanni Fortress | Old Town (Stari Grad) | 2–3 hours | Low cost |
| Cathedral of Saint Tryphon | Old Town (Stari Grad) | 45 minutes | Low cost |
| Perast and Our Lady of the Rocks | Perast | Half a day | Low cost |
| Ladder of Kotor trail | Old Town (Stari Grad) | Half a day | Free |
| Church of St Luke and St Nicholas Church | Old Town (Stari Grad) | 30 minutes | Free |
| Maritime Museum of Montenegro | Old Town (Stari Grad) | 1 hour | Low cost |
| Cats of Kotor and the Cats Museum | Old Town (Stari Grad) | 30 minutes | Low cost |
| Bay boat trip and Blue Cave | Bay of Kotor | 3–4 hours | Mid-priced |
| Dobrota waterfront walk | Dobrota | 1–2 hours | Free |
| Kotor green market | Old Town (Stari Grad) | 30 minutes | Free |
The 11 best things to do
Neighbourhood · Old Town (Stari Grad)
1.Kotor Old Town
Enter through the 16th-century Sea Gate onto the Square of Arms, with its clock tower and the pillar of shame in front. From there, marble lanes lead past Venetian palaces such as the Pima and Drago palaces to small squares named after flour, milk and bread. The triangular old town is small enough to wander in an hour but rewards a slow evening.
Explore before about 9am or after 6pm on days when cruise ships are docked, when the lanes are calm.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
- After dark
Castle · Old Town (Stari Grad)
2.City walls and San Giovanni Fortress
About 4.5 km of walls climb the cliff behind Kotor to the Fortress of San Giovanni, roughly 260 metres above the bay. The path of about 1,350 uneven steps passes the Church of Our Lady of Remedy halfway up and ends with a sweeping view of the old town's rooftops and the bay.
Start at sunrise or in the hour before sunset; in summer the climb is fully exposed to the sun, so carry plenty of water.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Views
- Active
- Photo spot
- History
Religious site · Old Town (Stari Grad)
3.Cathedral of Saint Tryphon
Kotor's Roman Catholic cathedral was consecrated in 1166 and repaired after several earthquakes, most recently the one of 1979. Its two bell towers frame a Romanesque façade, and inside are frescoes, a carved ciborium over the altar and a treasury with relics of the city's patron saint.
Climb to the upper-level treasury for a close look at the silver reliquaries and a view down into the nave.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Island · Perast
4.Perast and Our Lady of the Rocks
Opposite Perast, Our Lady of the Rocks is an artificial islet built up over centuries by sailors sinking ships and dropping stones, with a domed church full of votive silver plaques and Baroque paintings. Small boats cross from Perast's quay in about five minutes; the natural islet of Saint George, with its monastery and cypresses, sits beside it.
Go in the late afternoon when tour boats thin out, then have dinner on Perast's waterfront.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Couples
- Photo spot
- History
- Views
Nature · Old Town (Stari Grad)
5.Ladder of Kotor trail
The old mule track that once linked Kotor with Njeguši and Cetinje zigzags up the mountainside north of the fortress in dozens of switchbacks. It gives similar views to the walls without the entry fee, and fit walkers can continue all the way to Njeguši.
Allow two to three hours up to the higher switchbacks and wear proper shoes; the stone is loose in places.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Active
- Views
- Outdoors
- Nature
Religious site · Old Town (Stari Grad)
6.Church of St Luke and St Nicholas Church
On St Luke's Square, the small Romanesque Church of St Luke dates from 1195 and for long periods served both Catholic and Orthodox congregations. Beside it stands the much larger Serbian Orthodox Church of St Nicholas, completed in the early 20th century, with an iconostasis and dome.
Step inside both to compare the plain medieval interior with the gilded Orthodox iconostasis next door.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
Museum · Old Town (Stari Grad)
7.Maritime Museum of Montenegro
Housed in the Baroque Grgurina Palace, the museum tells the story of the Boka sailors and their navy with ship models, portraits of captains, weapons, traditional costumes and navigation instruments. It explains why such small towns produced so many wealthy sea captains.
A good stop in the midday heat or on a rainy day, and a useful introduction before visiting Perast.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
Museum · Old Town (Stari Grad)
8.Cats of Kotor and the Cats Museum
Kotor's many street cats are treated as the town's mascots, fed by residents and sold on every souvenir. The small Cats Museum displays postcards, prints and drawings of cats from around the world, with proceeds helping to look after the town's cats.
Children enjoy a 'cat hunt' through the old town; the squares near St Luke's are reliable spots.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Experience · Bay of Kotor
1.Bay boat trip and Blue Cave
Boat trips from Kotor's harbour run through the narrow Verige strait past Perast to the Luštica peninsula, where the Blue Cave glows with reflected light and you can swim inside. Many tours also pass the former submarine tunnels at Rose and the island of Mamula.
Choose a small speedboat tour in the morning, when the water in the cave is calmest and the light is best.
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Couples
- Views
Waterfront · Dobrota
2.Dobrota waterfront walk
A flat footpath runs north from the old town along the bay through Dobrota, past captains' mansions, little harbours and swimming platforms. It is the easiest way to see the bay at walking pace and to escape the crowds, with cafés and places to swim along the way.
Walk out in the late afternoon and swim from one of the platforms, then return as the walls light up after dark.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Couples
- Kids
Market · Old Town (Stari Grad)
3.Kotor green market
Just outside the Sea Gate, the covered market sells local fruit, vegetables, fish, honey, olive oil, Njeguši cheese and prosciutto. It is busiest in the morning, when villagers from around the bay bring in their produce.
Buy cheese, ham, figs and bread here for a picnic on the walls or by the water.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Food
- Shopping
Pick by interest
| Interest | Best picks |
|---|---|
| Art and museums | Maritime Museum of Montenegro and Cats of Kotor and the Cats Museum |
| History | Kotor Old Town, City walls and San Giovanni Fortress, Cathedral of Saint Tryphon and Church of St Luke and St Nicholas Church |
| Views | City walls and San Giovanni Fortress, Ladder of Kotor trail, Perast and Our Lady of the Rocks and Bay boat trip and Blue Cave |
| Outdoors and nature | Ladder of Kotor trail, Bay boat trip and Blue Cave and Dobrota waterfront walk |
| Food and markets | Kotor green market |
| After dark | Kotor Old Town |
| With children | Cats of Kotor and the Cats Museum, Bay boat trip and Blue Cave and Dobrota waterfront walk |
| On a rainy day | Cathedral of Saint Tryphon, Maritime Museum of Montenegro and Cats of Kotor and the Cats Museum |
Plan the rest of your trip
Questions travellers ask
+What is the number one thing to do in Kotor?
Kotor Old Town. Enter through the 16th-century Sea Gate onto the Square of Arms, with its clock tower and the pillar of shame in front.
+What can you do for free in Kotor?
Kotor Old Town, Ladder of Kotor trail, Church of St Luke and St Nicholas Church, Dobrota waterfront walk and Kotor green market. More free things to do.
+What is there to do in Kotor when it rains?
Head indoors to Cathedral of Saint Tryphon, Maritime Museum of Montenegro and Cats of Kotor and the Cats Museum.
+What is there to do in Kotor at night?
Kotor Old Town are best after dark.