One Day in Kotor: The Best Things to Do and One Day Itinerary

This guide to one day in Kotor shares everything about the last stop of this trip including the top things to do in Kotor, where to stay, the best restaurants, and helpful travel tips.

I’ve visited Kotor two times now. The first was on an Adriatic cruise and I was blown away by the beauty of Kotor.

Although its gaining in popularity, Montenegro is still considered a hidden gem of Europe and it felt special to be in on the secret.

When I was planning my recent Balkans road trip, I knew I had to return to Kotor! The town has a lot to offer with history, amazing views, and great day trips to the surrounding area.

Keep reading for a travel guide and itinerary for one day in Kotor.

Contents hide

Kotor One Day Itinerary

Morning: Free Walking Tour

Afternoon: Fortress Hike or Boat Tour

Evening: Local Dinner

The Best Things to Do in Kotor

Where to Stay in Kotor

Where to Eat

Quick Facts about Kotor

The Best Day Trips from Kotor

Itinerary for One Day in Kotor

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Kotor One Day Itinerary

Morning: Free Walking Tour

If you’ve been reading my Europe travel guides, I might sound like a bit of a broken record when I suggest the Kotor free walking tour.

However, these tours are truly the best way to quickly get an understanding of a city. I highly recommend starting your day in Kotor with a free walking tour to get acquainted with the city and get your bearings.

Afternoon: Fortress Hike or Boat Tour

After the walking tour, there are a few top activities in Kotor depending on what you are in the mood for.

Option 1: If you want great photographs and a bit of exercise, the fortress hike is a great option.

Option 2: If you are craving relaxation and exploration, I boat tour of the Bay is amazing.

Option 3: Finally, if you are hoping for a leisurely afternoon, you can simply wander the streets and try some local foods, mentioned below.

Evening: Local Dinner

Wrap up the perfect one day in Kotor at my favorite restaurant in town, Restaurant Tanjga. Order the mixed grill to share with your group and I guarantee you won’t go hungry!

The Best Things to Do in Kotor

1. Kotor Walking Tour – To no surprise, the walking tour of Kotor is great. The tour visits the entirety of the small walled city.

Learn about the history and learn about the different squares, such as cat square, cathedral square, or salad square. You’ll have to take the tour to learn what this means!

2. Hike to San Giovanni Fortress – For eight euros per person, you can hike to the San Giovanni Fortress that overlooks the bay. ‘

The hike takes around 40 minutes to get up to the top. Alternatively, you can stop halfway at the church for (almost) equally great views.

3. Boat Tour – Explore Kotor from the water with this boat tour that visits a blue cave, a floating island church, and a couple swimming spots.

4. Climb the City Walls: Walk along the ancient city walls for more fantastic views of Kotor and the surrounding bay.

5. St. Tryphon Cathedral: Visit this Roman Catholic cathedral, which dates back to the 12th century. The architecture and interior are impressive.

6. Maritime Museum: Learn about Kotor’s maritime history, featuring exhibits on navigation, shipbuilding, and the city’s role in trade.

7. Square of Arms: Enjoy the lively atmosphere of Kotor’s main square, surrounded by historic buildings, cafes, and restaurants.

8. Church of St. Nicholas: Admire the frescoes and architecture of this Orthodox church located just outside the city walls.

9. Nightlife in Kotor: Experience Kotor’s nightlife by visiting bars and clubs in the Old Town. The atmosphere becomes vibrant, especially during the summer months.

10. Hiking Trails: Explore the surrounding mountains and hiking trails for nature lovers. The scenery is breathtaking, and you can find various trails catering to different fitness levels.

Where to Stay in Kotor

The best place to stay in Kotor is in the city walls. This will put you in the heart of the tourist district, walking distance to everything.

Currently, there aren’t any large chain hotels or luxury resorts in the area. Our tour guide shared that some are being built, but as of 2023, boutique hotels or vacation rentals are the best option.

Below are two great options for where to stay in Kotor.

Historic Boutique Hotel Cattaro – This historic hotel is built directly into the city walls of the Kotor old town. While the décor is a bit outdated, you cannot beat the location of this hotel.

Vacation Rental – A vacation rental is a great option since there are limited hotels. This penthouse with a pool or this waterfront house are both great places to stay near the Kotor Old Town.

Where to Eat

To be honest, I wasn’t blown away by the food in Kotor. I found most of the restaurants to be very touristy, with high prices and low quality.

However, the two below options are fantastic! If you are wondering where to eat in Kotor, save yourself from the headache and get a meal at Tanjga and dessert at Cattarissimo.

Restaurant Tanjga – One of the best meals of my entire 10-day trip. This restaurant is a 10-minute walk from old town Kotor and is a bit unassuming. However, the food is incredible.

When you enter the restaurant, get directly in line in front of the butcher case. You can choose any meat and a selection of platters that include mixed grill, fries, bread, rice, and/or dips.

Your chosen meal will be freshly cooked on the grill in front of you. This place looks like a bit of a dive but trust me it is a must-visit.

Cattarissimo – This restaurant is a mix of a bakery and gelateria. The top thing to order is the local dessert, called krempita, which is layered puff pastry with thick vanilla custard.

Quick Facts about Kotor

Currency – Euro

Language – There are many official languages of Montenegro – Montenegrin, Bosnian, Serbian, Albanian, and Croatian. However, English is widely spoked.

Nearest Airport – The Tivat airport is only five miles from the center of Kotor

Getting Around Montenegro – If you are only visiting Kotor, don’t bother renting a car. Everything is within easy walking distance. If you want to visit more of Montenegro or surrounding countries, a rental car is a great investment because the public transit is slow and inconvenient.

How Long to Visit Kotor – Kotor is small, so I recommend visiting 1-2 days. If you plan to take day trips from Kotor, a stay of 3-4 days is ideal.

The Best Day Trips from Kotor

If you are visiting Kotor on a cruise, or a one-day stop, the above activities will definitely fill your day.

However, if you are staying longer than a day or two, I recommend day trips to fill your time. Below are a few of the top day trips from Kotor.

Dubrovnik – One of the most popular day trips from Kotor is to Dubrovnik Croatia. You can easily drive from Kotor to Dubrovnik in a few hours with a rental car, then spend the day exploring Old Town Dubrovnik.

If you have enough time, I suggest spending more than a day trip in Dubrovnik. However, if you are short on time, my Dubrovnik one day itinerary will help plan out your day.

Montenegro – This day trip will take you to some of the top destinations in Montenegro. Start in Kotor, then visit Perast, Zabljak, and the Ostrog Monastery.

I consider this a crash-course on Montenegro which is great if you are short on time.

Lovcen National Park – Spend a day away from the coast on this day tour to see the natural beauty of Montenegro’s mountainous region.

Lovcen national park has a ton of beautiful sights and viewpoints. In addition, this tour has a few stops in some popular Montenegro towns.

Itinerary for One Day in Kotor

If you are in the region, I highly recommend a night or two in Kotor. This town has so much history with the churches, town squares, and winding alleys. In addition, there are amazing water views everywhere you look.

With one day in Kotor, be sure to take a walking tour to learn about Kotor’s history. Then, spend an afternoon at leisure exploring town, hiking to the Kotor fortress, or exploring Kotor from the water.

Kotor fits perfectly as a stop on a Balkans road trip, read my 10 day Balkans itinerary to learn how.

One Day in Kotor: The Best Things to Do and One Day Itinerary