Where to stay in Kotor
Kotor is a small walled town at the head of a deep bay, with a fortress path climbing the mountain behind it and a string of old villages along the shore. Stay in the old town for stone lanes and the evenings, in Dobrota or Muo for a room on the water and a calmer night, or further along the bay in Prčanj or Perast for quiet and a slower pace, with a bus, a taxi or a car to get back. The thing to think twice about is the old town itself on cruise-ship days: from mid-morning the lanes fill, and a room inside the walls is best for people who plan to be out early and late.
The short answer
- First trip
- The old town if you want it all on foot, or Dobrota for a walk of 20 to 40 minutes along the water.
- Couples
- The old town for lanes at night, or Perast for a very quiet village on the bay.
- Families
- Dobrota or Muo, with a promenade and the water beside the door.
- Tight budget
- Škaljari, on the hill behind the old town, or Muo.
- Quiet
- Prčanj or Perast, both small villages with few evenings out.
How we judge an area of Kotor: distance to the old town, noise at night, transport, and price. Nothing on this page is paid for, and the hotels we choose will say who chose them and when they last stayed.
Kotor's neighborhoods, side by side
| Area | Best for | At night | Sea Gate | Cathedral of St Tryphon | Kotor bus station | Getting around | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The old town, inside the walls | Atmosphere on foot | Lively, then loud on warm nights | 5 min | 5 min | 10 min | On foot; no cars inside | €€€ |
| Škaljari | Price, apartments | Quiet | 10 min | 10 min | 15 min | On foot; buses on the main road | € |
| Muo | Views, quiet | Quiet | 25 min | 25 min | 20 min | Taxi or local bus | €€ |
| Dobrota | Waterfront, value | Quiet to lively | 30 min | 35 min | 30 min | Promenade, bus or taxi to town | €€ |
| Stoliv | Quiet, water | Very quiet | 50 min | 55 min | 45 min | Car or taxi | €€ |
| Prčanj | Quiet village | Very quiet | over an hour | over an hour | over an hour | Car, taxi or local bus | €€ |
| Perast | Village, quiet | Very quiet | over an hour | over an hour | over an hour | Car, taxi or bus; boat to the islands | €€€ |
Walking times are the straight line between two points plus a third for real streets, at an easy pace, rounded to five minutes. They are measured from the middle of each area, so a hotel at its edge will be a few minutes either way. Kotor is steep behind the walls and the bay villages are strung out along one road: the times do not include the stairs, and the villages further from the old town are a drive, not a walk. Price is our read of a standard double in the same week, from € (cheapest) to €€€€ (dearest), until booking-site prices replace it.
Where the neighborhoods are
The old town, for stone lanes at night
The walled town itself: no cars, small squares and churches, and the fortress path starting at the back.
Inside the walls, Kotor is a tight maze of stone lanes and small squares, with the cathedral, the Maritime Museum and the Sea Gate all within a few minutes of each other. The fortress path starts at the back of the town, so a climb before breakfast is an easy habit. In the evening, once the day visitors have gone, it is a pleasure to wander.
It is also very small for the number of people it holds. Cruise passengers fill the lanes from mid-morning, bars and restaurants stay open late on warm nights, and sound carries between the stone walls. No cars are allowed in, so you will pull your luggage over stone from the gate: ask the host exactly where the room is and how many steps. A room on a side lane is quieter than one on a square.
Good for
- Atmosphere and evening walks once the groups have gone
- Fortress, cathedral and restaurants all on foot
- A short stay of one or two nights
Think twice if
- You sleep lightly: lane noise and late bars carry
- Stairs or heavy luggage are a problem
- Cruise ships are in port and you want a calm morning
Staying in The old town, inside the walls: nearby sights, food and getting around
Škaljari, for lower prices on the hill
The residential slope south of the walls: apartments, a few minutes on foot to the town and noticeably cheaper.
Škaljari is the neighborhood on the slope behind and beside the old town, mostly apartments and small guesthouses. It is ten to fifteen minutes on foot to the walls, and prices are noticeably lower than inside the old town. It is also a useful base if you are driving or want a short walk to the fortress path.
It is a residential area rather than a pretty one. The roads are steep, traffic uses the main road below, and there is little to do in the evening besides walk down. It works for a budget or for a plain bed close to the sights; it is not where you will stay for the setting.
Good for
- A lower price within walking distance of the old town
- Short walk to the fortress path
- Apartments with a kitchen
Think twice if
- Steep streets are hard for you
- You want evenings out on your doorstep
- You want a view of the bay
Muo, for a view back at Kotor
A quiet shore village across the water from the old town, with rooms facing it and a longer way round by road.
Muo sits on the opposite shore of the inner bay, so its rooms and restaurants look straight across at the lit walls and the mountain. It has a pebble shore, a few cafes and a narrow waterfront strip.
The catch is the way round. By road it is a drive or a taxi of about ten minutes from the old town. It suits people who want a calm base and a good view, and who are happy to travel into town once or twice a day.
Good for
- A view of the old town from the water
- A calm night
- Short taxi to the old town
Think twice if
- You want to walk to the old town: you cannot, easily
- You want a choice of restaurants beside you
Dobrota, for the waterfront
A long strip of old stone houses and hotels along the shore, with a promenade to the old town and restaurants on the water.
Dobrota stretches along the eastern shore of the bay, a few kilometers north of the old town, with a promenade, old captains' houses and a run of waterfront restaurants. Hotels and apartments here face the water and are generally better value than inside the walls. The old town is a walk of 20 to 40 minutes along the shore, depending on where you start.
It is a village strung out along a main road, so noise from traffic depends on how close to it you are. In the evening, the walk home from dinner in the old town is long, and a taxi or the local bus is the answer. For a first visit, it is the best compromise between space and being close.
Good for
- A room on the water
- A flat promenade for walking to town
- Restaurants on the waterfront
Think twice if
- You want to be inside the walls at night
- The main coast road is noisy on the side you choose
Stoliv, for a quiet far shore
A small village on the far side of the bay, with a waterfront and little else.
Stoliv is a tiny stone village on the western shore, below the Vrmac ridge. It has a pebble shore, a few apartments and guesthouses and very little traffic.
It is about 9 km from the old town by road, so a car or taxi is part of the plan, and few shops or restaurants are nearby. It suits people who want to do very little by the water, with the old town as an occasional visit.
Good for
- Very quiet nights
- Swimming off the shore
- A cheap, simple stay
Think twice if
- You do not have a car
- You want a choice of restaurants
Prčanj, for a quiet village
A seafaring village on the western shore with a large baroque church and a waterfront, about 6 km round the bay from Kotor.
Prčanj is a village on the western shore, once home to sea captains, with a waterfront promenade, a few restaurants and a big baroque church. The rooms here are in old stone houses and small guesthouses, many with views across the bay.
It is about 6 km from the old town by road, around fifteen minutes in a taxi or on the local bus when it runs, and quiet after dark. It is a good base if you have a car or want a slower trip, and a poor one if you want to stay out late in Kotor.
Good for
- A slow village stay with a view
- Swimming from the waterfront
- Short drive to Kotor and Tivat
Think twice if
- You do not have a car and want evenings in the old town
- You want a lot of restaurants nearby
Perast, for a very quiet village
A tiny baroque town with two small islands facing it: lovely early and late, very small at night.
Perast is a small baroque town on the bay, with stone palaces along the water, a bell tower and two small islands just off the shore. Boats run from the waterfront to the island church of Our Lady of the Rocks. In the early morning and evening, when the day trips have left, it is very peaceful.
It is about 12 km from Kotor, 20 to 25 minutes by road, and it is a village, so there are few restaurants and shops, and day visitors fill it by late morning. Stay here for the calm, with Kotor as a day out.
Good for
- A quiet base with a view of the islands
- Early mornings and evenings on the water
- A short boat to Our Lady of the Rocks
Think twice if
- You want a choice of restaurants and evenings out
- You do not have a car or want to rely on taxis
Where not to stay in Kotor, and what to do instead
Every booking site lists these places to stay in Kotor. We would skip them, or at least choose with care. Nobody pays a commission on a warning.
- A room in the old town on cruise-ship days, if you want a calm morning
When ships are in port, the lanes fill from about mid-morning to mid-afternoon. Climb to the fortress at opening time, and keep the middle of the day for the water or a trip to Perast.
- A room on a main square in the old town, if you sleep lightly
Footsteps, music and late bars carry between the stone walls. Ask for a side lane or a courtyard room, and check the floor, because there are rarely lifts.
- An apartment up many steps, with luggage
Listings say 'old town' and leave out the stairs. Ask how many steps from the gate, and whether anyone can help with luggage.
- A cheap room in a village without a car or a bus plan
Prčanj, Stoliv and Perast are lovely and a long way out at night. Check how you will get back from a late dinner, and what a taxi costs.
- A room with no air conditioning in July or August
Thick stone helps less than it sounds, and the bay holds the heat. Check that the room has air conditioning, and that it works quietly.
Before you book a room in Kotor
The practical things that decide whether a good room makes a good stay.
- The tourist taxKotor charges a residence tax of about €1 per person per night, with children under 12 exempt and ages 12 to 18 paying half, according to the sources we found. Montenegro also asks visitors to register with the local tourist organization, which hosts normally do for you. It is paid at the accommodation and may not be in the price shown on booking sites, so check the total before you book.
- From Tivat airportTivat airport is about 10 km from Kotor, across the Vrmac ridge. A taxi takes roughly 15 minutes; agree the fare first or book a transfer. There are local buses between Tivat and Kotor, but they are infrequent, so check the times before you plan around one.
- From Podgorica and DubrovnikPodgorica airport is about 75 km away, around 1.5 hours by road. Dubrovnik airport is about 60 to 70 km, also around 1.5 hours, and includes a border crossing that can be slow in summer. Montenegro is outside the EU: carry your passport. It uses the euro.
- Cruise-ship daysCruise ships call at the town's port and passengers walk or are bussed to the old town, which fills the lanes from about mid-morning. The port publishes its schedule: check your dates, and plan the fortress for opening time.
- Cars and parkingNo cars are allowed inside the walls and parking beside the old town is limited and dear. If you are driving, choose a place with its own parking in Škaljari, Dobrota or one of the villages, and ask what it costs.
- Stairs and luggageInside the walls, and on the slopes above the town, many rooms are up flights of stone steps and hotels have no lift. If stairs are hard for you, ask the exact number before you book.
- Summer heat and crowdsJuly and August are hot and crowded, and rooms cost the most. May, June, September and early October are easier on both counts.
Where to stay in Kotor: questions people ask
What is the best area to stay in Kotor for a first visit?
The old town if you want to walk everywhere and can live with noise and steps. Dobrota is the best compromise: a room on the water and a long walk or short taxi to the old town.
Is it worth staying inside Kotor's old town?
For atmosphere, yes: the lanes empty after the day visitors leave. The drawbacks are the stairs, no cars, late noise, and the highest prices in the area.
Is Dobrota a good place to stay in Kotor?
Yes for a room on the water, a flat promenade and restaurants on the shore, at lower prices than inside the walls. It is a walk of 20 to 40 minutes to the old town, depending on where you start.
Is Perast a good base for visiting Kotor?
It is a lovely base for calm, about 12 km from Kotor, with few restaurants and quiet nights. You will want a car, or a plan for taxis and buses, to get to Kotor for the day.
How do I get from Tivat airport to Kotor?
By taxi in roughly 15 minutes, or by a pre-booked transfer. Local buses exist but are infrequent, so check times first.
How much is the tourist tax in Kotor?
About €1 per person per night according to the sources we found, with children under 12 exempt and ages 12 to 18 paying half. It is paid at the accommodation and often not included in the online price.
Is Kotor too crowded on cruise days?
From mid-morning to mid-afternoon the old town can be very full. Climb the fortress at opening time, and keep the middle of the day for a swim or a trip to Perast.
Can I walk everywhere in Kotor?
Inside the old town and to Škaljari, yes. Dobrota is a long shoreline walk, and Muo, Prčanj, Stoliv and Perast need a car, taxi or bus.
