By air
Tivat Airport (TIV), ~8 km by road
Europe · Montenegro
Kotor, Montenegro
A walled Venetian town at the head of a mountain bay
Getting there
Best time to visit
May to June or September to October — warm without the summer crowds
Don't miss
Kotor Old Town
Kotor Fortifications
Cathedral of Saint Tryphon
Our Lady of the Rocks
Things to do
Climbing the town walls
Wandering the old lanes
Boat trips around the bay
Swimming at nearby villages
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Ggia · CC BY-SA 3.0
What to pack
Comfortable walking shoes, water bottle, sun hat
A quieter corner
The Ladder of Kotor, an old zigzag mule path climbing the mountain behind the town
Questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Kotor?
May to June or September to October — warm without the summer crowds. What to pack: Comfortable walking shoes, water bottle, sun hat.
How do I get to Kotor?
Fly into Tivat Airport (TIV), ~8 km by road.
What is there to do in Kotor?
Climbing the town walls, wandering the old lanes, boat trips around the bay, swimming at nearby villages. A quieter find: The Ladder of Kotor, an old zigzag mule path climbing the mountain behind the town.
What should I eat in Kotor?
Grilled fish and seafood risotto, Njeguši ham and cheese, black risotto with cuttlefish ink.
About Kotor
- Coastal
- Mountains
Where it is
Kotor sits at the innermost corner of the Bay of Kotor on the Adriatic coast of Montenegro, with steep limestone mountains rising straight behind its walls.
History
Kotor was an important medieval trading port and was ruled by the Republic of Venice from 1420 to 1797, when much of its fortification system took shape. Later it passed to Austrian rule before becoming part of Yugoslavia in the 20th century. The old town was badly damaged by an earthquake in 1979 and carefully restored afterwards.
People
Kotor's residents speak Montenegrin, and the town has a long seafaring tradition, with old captains' houses and maritime festivals still part of life around the bay.
Known for
- Venetian town walls climbing the mountainside
- A maze of stone lanes and small squares
- The deep, winding Bay of Kotor
- The town's many cats
Did you know?
The Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.