Travel tips · Kotor · Montenegro
Kotor travel tips: what to know before you go
The etiquette, money and practical details that make the first day easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: User:Ggia, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Kotor's history mixes Venetian rule (1420–1797), Austrian administration and Serbian Orthodox, Catholic and Montenegrin traditions, visible in its churches standing side by side. The bay's maritime heritage is celebrated with the Boka Navy, an ancient sailors' fraternity, and boat processions in summer.
Key facts
- Language
- Montenegrin and Serbian
- Currency
- EUR
- Plugs
- Type C and F sockets, 230 V, 50 Hz
- Tap water
- Tap water in Kotor is generally drinkable, though some visitors prefer bottled…
- Emergency
- 112 (European emergency number); police 122, ambulance 124
Things to know
- Cover shoulders and knees when visiting churches, especially Orthodox ones.
- Swimwear is for the water; put on a top in the old town and shops.
- Greet shopkeepers with 'Dobar dan' (good day).
- Do not feed or pick up the cats without care; they belong to the town and are looked after by residents.
- Be patient with service in summer; restaurants are stretched when cruise ships are in.
- The Ladder of Kotor trail gives similar views to the paid wall climb at no cost.
Tipping
Tipping is not obligatory but appreciated. Rounding up or leaving about 10% in restaurants is common; round up for taxis.
Language
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Dobar dan | Good day / hello |
| Hvala | Thank you |
| Molim | Please / you're welcome |
| Račun, molim | The bill, please |
| Živjeli | Cheers |
What to wear
Light clothes for summer, sturdy shoes with grip for the wall climb and marble lanes, and a waterproof layer from October to April, when the bay is among the wettest places in Europe.
Practical details
- Plugs and voltage
- Type C and F sockets, 230 V, 50 Hz
- Drinking water
- Tap water in Kotor is generally drinkable, though some visitors prefer bottled water; ask your host locally.
- Emergency number
- 112 (European emergency number); police 122, ambulance 124
- Phone and internet
- Montenegro is outside the EU roaming zone, so check your mobile plan; local SIM cards and eSIMs are inexpensive.
- Time zone
- Europe/Podgorica
Kotor is generally relaxed for visitors. The main risks are heat and dehydration on the wall climb, slippery marble lanes after rain, and pickpockets in cruise-day crowds. Drive carefully on the narrow bay road and the serpentine to Lovćen.
Entry requirements
Visa and passport rules depend on your nationality and change often. Check Montenegro's official government guidance and your own government's travel advice before booking.
Plan the trip
Questions travellers ask
+Do you tip in Kotor?
Tipping is not obligatory but appreciated. Rounding up or leaving about 10% in restaurants is common; round up for taxis.
+Can you drink the tap water in Kotor?
Tap water in Kotor is generally drinkable, though some visitors prefer bottled water; ask your host locally.
+What plugs are used in Kotor?
Type C and F sockets, 230 V, 50 Hz
+What language is spoken in Kotor?
Montenegrin and Serbian.