The Bay of Kotor is also known as Europe’s southernmost fjord. The bay is indeed reminiscent of the beautiful fjords in southern Norway (or in the Lofoten Islands), although it is not actually a fjord but a dried-up river valley.
The 28-kilometre-long bay (like the town of the same name) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a popular destination for cruise ships and other tourists. Steep limestone mountains, over 1,000 metres high, rise up along the bay, lending the whole bay a dramatic backdrop.
Most road trips through Montenegro start or end in this bay. And not just because the Bay of Kotor is conveniently situated on the border with Croatia. The landscape here is simply too beautiful to pass up.
We’ll now reveal the highlights here, the sights you should visit and some further travel tips.
Key facts at a glance
- The bay is Montenegro’s top tourist attraction. Every visitor to Montenegro (quite rightly) visits this beautiful bay
- It is just under 28 kilometres long and framed by towering limestone cliffs
- Like many places on the Adriatic, the Bay of Kotor is a destination for almost every cruise ship in the vicinity. The massive ships anchor right off the coast of Kotor
- Kotor is the most popular and most visited town in the Bay, and indeed in the whole of Montenegro
Highlights of the Bay of Kotor
What can you get up to in the Bay of Kotor? We’ll tell you now!
The Old Town of Kotor
The biggest highlight in the Bay is, of course, Kotor’s Old Town. It’s tucked away in the bay and is a real tourist magnet. The town, with a population of just 24,000, has existed since the Middle Ages, was once occupied by the Venetians and the Romans, and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999.
Nowadays, it attracts up to 1.3 million visitors a year. In peak season, this figure can reach up to 15,000 per day, particularly when a cruise ship is moored in the bay. You can check on this website whether a cruise ship is due to dock on the day of your visit. If so, you should, if possible, postpone your visit by a day.
With its narrow, cobbled streets and old buildings, the town’s architecture is very reminiscent of Croatian cities such as Split or Dubrovnik. The old town is enclosed by high city walls and, within, offers a wealth of sights, none of which really stands out in particular.
That’s not meant as a criticism, though, as it’s simply wonderful to explore the old town on foot.
In just 2–3 hours, you’ll have walked through most of the alleys and should have seen the bulk of the sights. You can then sit down in a nice café or venture up the arduous but rewarding climb to San Giovanni Castle.
A steep path of 1,300 steps, also known as the ‘Stairway to Kotor’, leads up to the medieval castle and offers a breathtaking view of the old town and the Bay of Kotor.
The coastal road
The Jadranska Magistrala coastal road runs, with a few exceptions, right alongside the water and therefore offers particularly stunning views of the bay, especially on the western shore. However, the traffic is actually too heavy to allow for a relaxed drive around the bay.
We’d recommend that you enjoy the drive along the bay if you’re travelling from place to place anyway and so won’t be adding any unnecessary travel time.
Here’s another little tip if you want to drive round the bay. Between Lepetane and Kamenari, you’ll cross a narrow stretch of the bay by ferry, giving you a very affordable boat trip with a truly special panoramic view.
The Kotor Serpentines
If you enjoy driving along special routes and aren’t put off by a bit of a challenge behind the wheel, then we have the following highlight for you:
At the southern end of the Bay of Kotor lies a spectacular winding road that spirals upwards over 1,000 metres in 21 bends. The road is extremely narrow and there aren’t many places to pull over if there’s oncoming traffic.
Nevertheless, the view – and not just from the very top – is simply phenomenal. Once you reach the top, you can not only get a sense of the sheer scale of the Bay of Kotor, but also see the Bay of Tivat right next to it.
As I said, the drive isn’t exactly a walk in the park and can be quite nerve-wracking. The road is only 1.5 lanes wide, and if a large coach comes towards you or there are simply a lot of cars on the road, the journey can become very stressful. It’s therefore best to tackle this route early in the morning or late in the evening.
Perast
There are many beautiful places along the Bay of Kotor (such as Risan, Herceg Novi and Tivat) that are well worth a visit. The most interesting (apart from Kotor itself) is the small village of Perast on the western shore of the bay.
The nameless alleyways of the old town form a labyrinth right by the water’s edge, whilst the coastal road runs above the village. Parking here is very difficult and extremely expensive.
There are a few public car parks, but these have been taken over by a sort of ‘car park mafia’. Parking spaces here are often only offered in conjunction with a trip to the offshore island of Maria of the Rock.
Unfortunately, this is completely overpriced. However, the remaining parking spaces, which are located almost exclusively up on the coastal road, are also very expensive (€8/hour for cars, €12/hour for vans).
You can explore the old town’s narrow streets in 1–2 hours and then take a boat to the small offshore island of Maria vom Felsen in just a few minutes. There, for an extra €3, you can visit the church from the inside. The best part, however, is undoubtedly the crossing itself.
A boat trip in the bay
A boat trip in Kotor Bay is definitely a special highlight. From a boat, you can see the huge limestone mountains from a completely different perspective. Boats depart, for example, from the harbour in Kotor or from Perast.
There are also operators offering tours that take in all the bay’s highlights, stopping at the small islands and a blue grotto: you can book these here on Booking.com.
Travel tips for the Bay of Kotor
Beaches & swimming in the Bay of Kotor
Although you’re right by a bay here, whilst there are plenty of opportunities to take a dip in the sea, there isn’t a proper sandy beach. There are lots of small pebble beaches or spots along the road where you can get down to the water. The locals really do take every opportunity to get into the water here.
Bear in mind, however, that the coastal road runs close to the bay almost the whole way, so there are very few parking spaces right by the water. It’s best to book a hotel with its own private stretch of beach.
Accommodation in the Bay of Kotor
Most accommodation is in Kotor itself. We’d recommend staying in a hotel (or even a campsite) right by the water. That way, you can relax in the sea after a tiring day of sightseeing.
Highly recommended and situated right on the bay are the Kriva Ulica* Apartments and the Hotel Galia*.
How much time should I spend in the Bay of Kotor?
As the Bay is one of Montenegro’s major highlights, you can easily spend 2–3 days here, or even longer. However, if you’re just passing through and don’t have much time left on your Montenegro road trip, then even one (very packed) day here will suffice.
Itinerary through Montenegro
To find out how to perfectly incorporate the Bay of Kotor into a round trip through Montenegro, check out this blog post: Montenegro Road Trip | The Perfect 1–2 Week Itinerary
Parking in Kotor
There aren’t many free car parks near Kotor. There’s one very good, free car park just about a 15-minute walk from the old town, next to a cemetery. You can find it here on Google Maps. Just make sure you don’t park right up against the cemetery wall, or you’ll get a parking ticket. Parking for campervans and small motorhomes is also possible here.
If you want to park right by the Old Town (note: no motorhomes), there is a small paid car park directly opposite the Old Town (Google Maps). Please note: officially, this car park costs just €0.90 per hour. However, staff often try to charge a few euros more, as the ticket machine is usually out of order. So make sure you note the correct parking time.