Day trip from Dubrovnik to Bay of Kotor, Montenegro
When visiting Dubrovnik, if you’re there for 5 days or longer, save one of those days to visit Montenegro and the Bay of Kotor.
Because of the interesting geography of Croatia (they occupy the entire coastal region south of Bosnia), Dubrovnik is located 45-60 minutes from the Montenegro border, and roughly 1.5 hours to the Bay of Kotor.
Where is Montenegro?
Montenegro is located on the Adriatic sea surrounded by Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Albania, and just a sliver of Croatia. It is considered one of the Balkan countries, and is one of the 6 former republics of Yugoslavia.
What Currency do they Use?
While Montenegro is not officially part of the EU, the Euro is the official currency of Montenegro.
What language do they speak?
The official language is Montenegrin and many of the other surrounding Balkan languages (Croatian, Serian, Bosnian) are recognized. If you are visiting a tourist-heavy location then you will likely be fine with only English
How do I get there?
From Dubrovnik, it is about an hour drive to reach the border to Montenegro.
** It is important to note, because Montenegro is not in the EU, it is outside the Schengen Zone. This means that when traveling in or out of Montenegro from Croatia you will need to stop at the border crossing. During peak summer travel, the border times can be quite long, so be sure to include this in your trip planning.
Car
If you want more freedom to make stops and choose your own travel itinerary, renting a car is your best option.
Bus
The most budget friendly option is to take a bus from Dubrovnik. The popular nearby destinations will take between 2-3 hours via bus. Be sure to look up the return times and locations for your trip back to Dubrovnik.
Tour
While this is the least flexible option of the three listed, a tour will allow you to see the highlights and includes the transportation, tours and prevents any issues at the border. I booked a tour via Viator that picked me up from a nearby hotel at around 9am and dropped me off around 645pm.
Where to visit
The most visited area of Montenegro from Dubrovnik is the Bay of Kotor. Here you’ll find a beautiful bay of water set against enormous mountain cliffs. Like Croatia you’ll have the same crystal clear water, but here the small towns are set against the mountain fjords in the background. The entire Region of Kotor, including the bay and towns such as Perast and Kotor are protected under UNESCO as a historical region.
Perast
The town is quite small with only around 300 residents. There are two islands, both featuring a single church, located just off shore, but the main attraction is Our Lady of the Rocks.
Our Lady of the Rocks
This church dates back to the mid 1400s when fishermen were said to have found a painting of the Madonna and Child on a large rock protruding from the water. Over time fishermen would throw rocks in that area and slowly formed the island.
The church as it stands today was built in the 1630s and renovated 100 years later. While the church is not large it is beautiful both in its location, but also the artwork inside.
Something unique about the church is throughout its long history, sailors have brought back offerings as gratitude for safe travels to far off lands. Today the church has many of these pieces on display, including a particularly fascinating embroidery work done with human hair, as well as more modern artwork.
Kotor
Continuing around the bay for another 15-30 minutes you will arrive at Kotor. Like Dubrovnik, this is a fortified city on the water, but at a much smaller scale. For a day trip you’ll spend your time in the old city
What to do in Kotor
There are a number of beautiful old churches in the old city that are open to the public
There are a few smaller museums including a Cat Museum
Climb to the fortress. To get the best views of the city and the bay you’ll need to climb the Old Kotor Fort trail up to the fortress.
Budva
I was unable to get to Budva as it was not a part of my tour.
Bus Tours
If you plan to take one of the bus tours here are a few things to keep in mind.
There are limited stops for food and restrooms, use the gas station restroom as you may not have another opportunity for a couple of hours.
Bring your own lunch and snacks. We were not given time for lunch until after the Kotor walking tour which was around 2pm. I made the mistake of going to a restaurant recommended by the tour guide, which was one of the slowest restaurant experiences I’ve ever had, to the point I almost walked away.
Take it from me - do not waste your time sitting at some sidewalk cafe. Find the pizza slices to go and use your free hour to explore.
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