Kotor Old Town

The basics

Shaped by Byzantine, Ottoman, Venetian, Austrian, and French rulers from the 9th to the 18th centuries, Kotor Old Town is a patchwork of everything from Romanesque churches to Venetian mansions. Usually entering through the harbor-facing Sea Gate, visitors wander the pedestrian lanes to see landmarks like St. Tryphon’s Cathedral, the Clock Tower, and the Square of Arms, together with the town’s tiny museums, smaller churches, and mountainside walls. The restaurants and cafés along the alleyways make perfect places to relax between sights.

Visitors can book walking tours to view the Old Town’s highlights. Some day trips, meanwhile, provide a wider perspective, combining the town with other Bay of Kotor sights like Perast and the Our Lady of the Rocks church. Other options include full-day excursions that stop at Kotor before taking in the seaside Montenegrin gems of Budva and Sveti Stefan. Cycling and walking tours into Kotor’s mountains also make it easy to immerse yourself in the wild landscapes and bird’s-eye bay views.

Things to know before you go

• Kotor Old Town will delight history, photography, architecture, and café-culture lovers.
• The town’s cobbled lanes are flat, so they’re relatively navigable by wheelchair users.
• Kotor is hot in summer: wear a sunhat, sunscreen, and shades.
• The old town gets busy when cruise ships visit, so check cruise schedules and plan your visit for other times.

How to get there

Most day-trippers to Kotor come by boat or cruise ship, or by driving or taking a taxi or bus from other Montenegro or Croatia destinations. Those staying in Kotor, meanwhile, often fly into Montenegro’s Tivat Airport, a 10-minute cab ride away, or make the 2-hour road trip to the town from Dubrovnik Airport. Regular public buses run between the two cities, taking about 3.5 hours each way.

When to get there

Sightseers pack Kotor Old Town during July and August, when most cruise ships arrive, so plan to visit early morning or late afternoon to bypass crowds. Alternatively, spring and fall bring mild weather and pleasantly long days, as well as comfortable temperatures and fewer tourists.

Climbing Kotor’s walls

Kotor’s walls mostly date from the 15th to 17th centuries, when the Venetians completed a full loop above the town. Visitors can pay an entry fee to climb the steep, challenging 1,350 steps to St. John’s Fortress at the top, where they’re treated to phenomenal views over the bay. The walls are open daily, with the main entrance near Kotor’s North Gate.