I loved Kotor – it being my joint favourite city of my Balkan Backpacking Trip with Skopje in North Macedonia. Many backpackers described Kotor as being the backpacker and cheaper version of Split – and I can somewhat agree. But I also think that Kotor holds it’s very own charm – home to old streets, Europe’s highest cheese shop, churches, Balkan culture and beaches.
Kotor is on the coast of Montenegro and has everything you could want from a destination: mountains, culture, beaches, amazing food and a great nightlife scene. And amazing wine at super cheap prices from the supermarket (think less than 2 euros per bottle for good, local wine). There are also plenty of other local towns nearly such as Perast with amazing beaches that you can take public buses to if you want to explore the region a little more.
Day One – Old Town and Beach
Day one in Kotor was arriving from Podgorica (with a core memory here of eating Tzatziki flavoured crisps on the bus; they sound weird but they were lovely). We had a wander round the streets of the old town – there are a few cruise ships that stop in Kotor during the day so it is a little busier but still a lovely atmosphere (and nowhere near as busy as tourist destination in Italy or Spain). As with any new city, the best way to explore is to get lost, find all of the small places you couldn’t find by searching, and then work out how to re-orientate yourself. There is also an amazing beach at Kotor, about 5 minutes walk from the gates to the old town – vibrant atmosphere, plenty of sun and crystal clear waters – that we went to on the first day.
Kotor nightlife really starts to get busy around midnight or just before, and the absolute best place to kick it off is in Letrika – a bar with live DJs that overflows onto the street so everyone ends up just dancing in the street with music and lights. After Letrika (closes at 1A.M.), the best nightclub to go to is Maximus, if you want to carry on the night.
Day Two – Fortress and Cheese Shop Hike
Day two would be a great day to go into the fortress if you have a slightly larger budget for the daytime. If not a beach day or a wander around the local area is a shout, especially grabbing some iced coffee somewhere if it is the middle of summer. There are so many different churches in the old town and looking around them all gives you the day’s cultural activity. It’s also best to stay in the old town in the shade over midday in the summer. One thing you can’t miss here is Europe’s highest cheese shop – and the best views of sunset you’ll get.
I would suggest walking up here with plenty of time to go before sunset, so you can climb to the cheese shop, enjoy cheese, bread and Rakija before making the descent while watching the sun go down over the sea. The cheese shop is entirely family run, with a very authentic feel, surrounded by goats and stunning views. It’s a tough climb, especially midsummer, but well worth it.
Day 3 – Perast Day Trip
Kotor is beautiful but if you want another beach day to explore a bit more of the Montenegrin coast, Perast is perfect. There are very frequent (and cheap) local buses to Perast that you can get on. Ask at the tourist information near the bus bay for an updated timetable as times change seasonally.
Other Recommendations for Kotor?
Although it wasn’t the one we stayed at, most of the party backpackers we met were staying at Old Town Youth Hostel, Kotor and recommended it to us several times. Even backpackers I met in Bulgaria who had been to Kotor were saying how good it was. However, if you prefer a more relaxed alternative with spacious rooms, Centrum Hostel Kotor is a great place to stay.
As there are lots of cruise ships in the day, old town Kotor can be very expensive, both for restaurants and drinks. The clubs are not nearly as bad as most cruise ships have left by nighttime. My suggestion, if you’re on a budget, is go out to the supermarket by the beach, get local produce but eat in the hostels rather than restaurants (and definitely try the local montenegrin wine!)
