Day Trip to Kotor from Dubrovnik: Croatia to Montenegro

Located on the Adriatic coast of Montenegro, Kotor is a beautiful  tourist destination. The region where it’s situated, the Bay of Kotor, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site thanks to its architecture, surrounding landscapes, rich history, and Mediterranean culture.

Kotor is also conveniently located nearby the Croatian city of Dubrovnik, another top Balkan destination and UNESCO site. Like Kotor, Dubrovnik is a beautiful place filled with historic landmarks and viewpoints.

At around just 90 kilometers (56 miles) away from each other, the short distance between the two makes Kotor one of the best day trips you can take from Dubrovnik.

Is Kotor worth visiting from Dubrovnik?

Yes! The Kotor day trip from Dubrovnik is definitely worth taking.

First of all, you’ll find that Dubrovnik is a much more prominent tourist destination compared to Kotor. Many of the Mediterranean cruise ships stop by Dubrovnik meaning that it can get very crowded during the summer months. Dubrovnik was also one of the main filming locations for Game of Thrones, adding to its popularity with tourists over the past years.

With Kotor just being a few hours away, you can easily escape the hustle and bustle for a day or two and enjoy sites just as beautiful as the ones in Dubrovnik.

Kotor boasts of natural beauty unlike any other.

The backdrop of mountains with the clear waters of the Kotor Bay make for a breathtaking landscape against the city walls and quaint villages along the bay. There’s also many different ways to take in Kotor’s sights, whether it be through boat rides by the shore or hikes up the fortresses in the mountains.

Upon entering the city walls, you’ll find Kotor Stari Grad, one of the best preserved medieval old towns.

Walking down the charming cobblestone streets, passing square after square of churches, and local restaurants and souvenir shops, is a unique experience that will bring you back in time.

How to Day Trip from Dubrovnik to Kotor Montenegro

There are three ways to day trip to Kotor from Dubrovnik:

1. Travel by bus
2. Rent a car and drive yourself
3. Go on a private or small group tour

There is no Dubrovnik to Kotor ferry or Dubrovnik to Kotor train.

1. Bus from Dubrovnik to Kotor

The distance from Dubrovnik to Kotor by bus on the most direct route is around 94 km. The bus trip usually takes between 2 to 3 hours. Keep in mind that the travel time can be affected by time spent crossing the borders.

This is because you need to stop at both the Croatia and Montenegro border. Since Montenegro is not part of the European Union, there is a mandatory border crossing where immigration will check your passports for stamping at the border with Croatia.

There’s no way to predict how much time you’ll spend at the border crossing, but expect delays during high season or if there are any passengers in your bus having issues with their travel documents.

The bus from Dubrovnik to Kotor has several departure times per day but the number of departures varies depending on the time of year. The main carrier for the trip is called Bus Croatia. It departs from the main Dubrovnik bus station (Autobusni Kolodvor) which is also next to the main ferry terminal in Gruž harbor.

It’s around 3 km away from Old Town but you can easily take public transport from there to get to the bus terminal. The bus drops you off at the Kotor Bus Station which is within walking distance from the town center.

2. Driving from Dubrovnik to Kotor by Rental Car

During our Dalmatian Coast road trip, we chose to use one of our days in Dubrovnik to take a day trip to Kotor. It takes about 2 hours to drive the 53 miles each way, depending on the wait at the border.

On the way to Kotor, we drove all the way around Kotor Bay, following E65/E80. On our return trip, we drove to the Kamenari ferry. It was a short wait and a short, scenic little ferry ride with the car to cut down on driving time.

The found that the roads were not as nicely paved in Montenegro as they were in Croatia, but driving around the bay was truly spectacular.

Renting a car in Croatia

We pre-paid an additional fee (50 euros) to our car rental company in Croatia in order to get extra paperwork allowing us to cross the border to Montenegro.

In our case, we had rented an automatic transmission car from Enterprise at Zadar airport for one week, but daily rentals are also available from Dubrovnik.

I typically search for rental cars on Priceline.com. You can often save some money by renting a manual transmission (which more common in Europe than automatic transmission) and by renting from an airport location. 

Browse rental cars on Priceline >

Most car hires include crossing the border through Bosnia in the fee (it’s a short crossing on the route from Split and Dubrovnik). However, to exit Croatia to any other country, you may need to pay an additional fee for a border crossing card when you pick up the vehicle.

Don’t forget to confirm what type of fuel the car needs.

To navigate, we used Google Maps on our phone, as we had a cheap international data plan. We made sure to download offline Google Maps beforehand, too, in case there was any trouble loading the maps as we drove.

Parking in Kotor

We used paid public parking a short walk from the historic center of Kotor. At the time of this writing, parking in the lot is 0.8 euro/hour.

We arrived in the morning and had no trouble finding space to park. However, the parking does fill up by mid-day.

Where to Stay in Kotor

If instead of a day trip, you’re planning to stay in Kotor Montenegro overnight, we think it’s a brilliant idea!

Here are some of the top rated hotels in Kotor: 

• Splurge: Historic Hotel Cattaro – deluxe suites with balconies and top amenities in the heart of Old Town
• Boutique: Palazzo Druzko – beautiful guest house rooms with stone walls and antique furniture
• Apartment: Apartmani Art Karampana – Lovely studio and 1-bed units with hospitable owners in Old Town Kotor
• Budget: Centrum Hostel – centrally located, shared bathrooms and communal kitchen, exceptional reviews

Best Things to Do in Kotor in 1 Day

Kotor, Montenegro is small enough to visit in one day. But it’s beautiful enough to justify a longer stay as well. If you’re short on time, here are the top things to do in Kotor.

Hike the Kotor Fortress to San Giovanni Castle

The famous hike to San Giovanni Castle (also known as Saint John’s Fortress) offers spectacular panoramic views of the city, especially during sunny clear days.

This was top priority on our Kotor day trip, as we love hiking as well as historic sites. We were not disappointed!

The climb starts on a steep hill next to Old Town then brings you to the Church of Our Lady of Remedy halfway through. There are approximately 1,350+ steps leading to the castle so the hike can be quite challenging.

Every step of the way, you’ll be walking through the ancient structures of the fortified city walls while taking in views of both Old Town and the Bay of Kotor. There is a fee to enter the fortress, and the hours at 8am-8pm.

Explore Kotor Old Town

The Old Town of Kotor is where you’ll find many of the city’s main attractions.

One of Kotor’s famous landmarks is the Sea Gate, one of Old Town’s main entrances. Upon entering, you’ll be greeted with charming medieval buildings and winding streets.

To the left, you’ll find the town’s main square called Trg od Oružja (Arms Square) and right across from it, the Clock Tower. As a backdrop above, you see the fortress on the mountains.

Another fun thing about Old Town Kotor is that there are cats everywhere. There are many cats in Dubrovnik as well, but Kotor is kind of known for its cat population. (If you’re not a fan of cats, don’t worry, they tend to keep to themselves!)

Shop in Kotor

Kotor Farmer’s Market offers everything from homegrown produce, to meats and cheeses, and local delicacies. Not only can you stock up on fresh fruits and vegetables at great prices, but it’s a great way to try out some local treats like cured meats, olives, ​​rakia (traditional Balkan fruit brandy), honey, and fruit wines.

The market is located near the walls of Old Town, between the Sea Gate and Southern Gate.

For gifts, art, and quirky trinkets, Kotor Bazaar is the best option. This market built into a section of an old monastery is filled with small stalls selling fun souvenirs and crafts.

We also enjoyed finding shops and galleries throughout Old Town. Compared to Croatia, it seemed that the availability of locally-made crafts was better in Kotor.

Where to Eat in Kotor

What better way of ending a long day of sightseeing than by enjoying a delicious meal in Old Town?

We highly recommend Konoba Scala Santa, the oldest restaurant in Kotor opened in 1931. The menu is mostly Mediterranean, focusing on fresh seafood dishes prepared with a homemade touch. The atmosphere is cozy and rustic, complete with a fireplace, stone walls, and wooden beams.

Every dish we had at Scala Santa, especially the seafood platter and their homemade bread rolls, was fantastic.

Other restaurants to check out: Cesarica (a family-run restaurant with outdoor seating in a quant alley of Old Town also specializing in seafood) and Tangja (a popular BBQ restaurant serving grilled meats with fresh vegetables and homemade sauces).

Final thoughts about Kotor to Dubrovnik Day Trips

Kotor is a great day trip from Dubrovnik that we highly recommend. The city is not only beautiful but you can easily make a full-day itinerary with fun activities. Explore the narrow streets of Old Town, admire the picturesque views from the hike to San Giovanni Castle, and go on a boat tour of Kotor Bay to see the coast from a new perspective!

Let us know if you visit Kotor from Dubrovnik and if you have any recommendations to add in the comments.

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