Bay of Kotor From Dubrovnik: A Beautiful Must-Do Day Trip
Visiting Montenegro’s beautiful Bay of Kotor from Dubrovnik makes for a perfect day trip
When planning our trip to Dubrovnik, we knew we wanted to explore beyond the city walls. One of the top recommendations we kept seeing was visiting the Bay of Kotor from Dubrovnik. This majestic bay in Montenegro is only a couple hours away from Dubrovnik, so it seemed like an ideal full day trip.
We booked our day trip to the Bay of Kotor with a small, local company called Dubrovnik Driving Guide. You’ll find countless tour companies to book with online, but we can’t recommend this company enough. And no, this isn’t sponsored!
Keep reading to learn more about our visit to the Bay of Kotor, must-see spots, and all the interesting things we learned about the area along the way.
Why to Visit the Bay of Kotor from Dubrovnik
Croatia is a beautiful country with seemingly endless adventures – we could have easily spent a month there and not run out of places to explore! But when you’re staying so close to the border of another country, and such a stunning part of that country, the temptation to cross over is hard to resist.
Sure, part of the draw of is the thrill of adding another country to your list. But visiting the Bay of Kotor from Dubrovnik is so much more than that. It’s a chance to take in dramatic scenery – turquoise waters edged by towering mountains – and to experience the feel of another Balkan country, even if just for a day.
Montenegro also has a slightly more off-the-radar vibe compared to Croatia (though we’re sure that’s changing quickly). It feels just a little less discovered, a little less polished – and that’s part of what makes it so appealing.
Planning Your Bay of Kotor Visit: A Key Tip
If you’re visiting the Bay of Kotor from Dubrovnik, we learned a key tip from our guide, Julija.
When we first reached out to book our day trip, our guide recommended potential dates for our Bay of Kotor visit based on cruise ship schedules. Kotor is a popular stopping point for cruises – including some pretty massive ships carrying thousands of people.
If you can, visit Kotor on a day where there are no cruise ships – or, at least, no large cruise ships. This will make your visit less crowded, and thereby, more enjoyable.
You can check out cruise schedules for Kotor on websites like CruiseMapper. Not only do these websites tell you what ships are docking when, but also the number of passengers on the ship.
For us, this meant we visited the Bay of Kotor on our first full day in Croatia. Yep, that’s right – we left Croatia for the day on our first full day in the country! But it was all worth it for the more manageable crowds, specifically in the town of Kotor.
What to Pack
The most important item to pack with you for a day trip to the Bay of Kotor is your passport! You’ll need it at the border crossing.
Aside from that must-have item, a few other items can make your day trip to the Bay of Kotor from Dubrovnik more enjoyable:
- Motion sickness medication: This day trip involves spending a good portion of the day in a car (or bus), and the roads can get quite winding around the bay. If you’re prone to motion sickness, it’s a good idea to take medication before you go. We did just that and felt great the entire day.
- Sun protection: If you’re visiting in the summer, sun protection is essential. Pack sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, and UPF clothing if you have it. Both Perast and Kotor are wonderful to wander, but shade can be hard to come by, especially during midday. Find some of our favorite items for sun protection in our essential travel gear post here.
- Comfortable walking shoes: While this day trip doesn’t involve hiking, you’ll likely explore multiple towns around the bay, and having secure shoes for navigating the streets and stairs will make your visit more comfortable.
- Light jacket or sweater: Even on a sunny day, the wind around the bay can surprise you. When we visited in late July, it was warm and sunny, but the breeze was strong in some areas we explored. Thankfully, it felt pretty refreshing. If you’re traveling outside the peak summer months, consider bringing a light sweater or jacket just in case the wind makes things chilly.
Booking a Tour
Because trips to the Bay of Kotor from Dubrovnik are so popular, you’ll find what feels like an endless number of tour options. There’s also the option to drive yourself, which might be especially appealing if you’re already renting a car during your stay in Croatia.
We relied on Dubrovnik’s buses and ferries for the rest of our trip, so having someone else take care of the logistics for this day made the most sense.
After researching several companies, we ultimately booked a private tour with Dubrovnik Driving Guide, a locally based business that offers day trips and airport transfers.
Private tours are almost always more expensive than group tours, but we like to splurge on one per trip. For us, it’s worth it – we tend to learn more, move at our own pace, and enjoy deeper conversation with our guide.
Our experience with Dubrovnik Driving Guide was no exception. We had a great day with our guide, Julija, who is from Croatia and was able to share so much history and knowledge of the local culture with us throughout the day.
That said, if you’re traveling on a tighter budget, there are plenty of shared group tours available, often by bus or minivan. We didn’t personally take one of those, so we can’t speak to the experience firsthand – but they’re certainly popular and widely reviewed online.
Visiting the Bay of Kotor from Dubrovnik: Our Experience
Our day trip to the Bay of Kotor started bright and early – especially because we were jet lagged, having just arrived from the United States the day before.
Not letting fatigue stop our adventures, we met Julija just outside Old Town Dubrovnik’s Ploče Gate at 7am to begin our tour.
The Scenic Drive
The drive itself was half the experience – literally! As we left Dubrovnik behind, the landscape transformed quickly, becoming lush and green, with beautiful mountain views unfolding around us.
It didn’t take long to reach the Croatia–Montenegro border, where we had to stop for a passport check. While border checks aren’t the norm in much of Europe (thanks to the Schengen Zone), Montenegro is not part of the Schengen, so a stop here is mandatory. It was a quick process, and before we knew it, we were officially in Montenegro.
From there, we began navigating our way around the Bay of Kotor, passing through towns like Herceg Novi as traffic slowed a bit on the winding, scenic roads.
After about 90 minutes in the car, we pulled over to take in our first proper view of the bay’s inner section – dramatic mountains dropping into beautiful blue water. This was also the first spot we really noticed the wind coming off the bay, which made for some quick, windswept photos before we hopped back in the car and continued on to Perast.
The Dreamy Waterfront Village of Perast
Our first major stop was the postcard-perfect village of Perast, nestled along the edge of the Bay of Kotor. Julija parked the car and gave us about an hour to explore.
Perast is tiny – only around 200 people live here – but incredibly charming. Its most iconic landmark is Our Lady of the Rocks, a small manmade island with a church that sits just offshore.
Rather than take a boat out to the island, we opted to stay on land and wander the peaceful waterfront, soaking in the views on foot.
Because we had gotten such an early start from Dubrovnik, the town was still wonderfully quiet. Julija mentioned she usually stops in Perast on the way to Kotor (rather than on the return) so that guests can experience its tranquility before the tour buses arrive.
We didn’t do much in Perast – and honestly, that’s part of its magic. There isn’t a long list of things to do here, but that’s exactly the point. It’s the kind of place where you could imagine retreating for a while, tucked into a tiny town along a majestic bay, with space to breathe and reflect far from the rest of the world.
Exploring Kotor: A Walled City Full of Character
From Perast, we continued our journey around the bay, driving along narrow coastal roads that hugged the shoreline. The views were stunning – turquoise water on one side, steep mountains on the other.
After about 20 minutes, we arrived in Kotor, the main highlight of our day trip.
Because Julija isn’t licensed to guide tours within Montenegro, she had arranged for a local guide to take over in Kotor’s Old Town. This walled city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, came alive as we wandered its labyrinth of cobbled streets, ancient squares, and timeworn churches.
We learned that Kotor had been shaped by centuries of Venetian, Austro-Hungarian, and Ottoman influence – and you could see it in the architecture at every turn.
We stopped in front of the Cathedral of Saint Tryphon, where our guide pointed out the two distinct bell towers – a result of multiple earthquakes damaging Kotor (and the cathedral) over the centuries.
Another memorable stop was Saint Luke’s Church. Originally built as a Catholic church in the 1100s, it later served both Catholic and Orthodox communities. It’s one of the rare churches in the region that reflects that kind of dual history.
Our guided tour wrapped up after about 45 minutes. It was hot that day – the kind of stuffy, humid heat that slows you down whether you want it to or not – so we appreciated having a guide who was mindful of time and always looking for shady spots to pause.
Lunch & Leisure Time in Kotor
By the time our tour ended, it was nearly noon, and we were more than ready for lunch. We found a charming spot with shaded outdoor seating called Astoria.
The three of us each ordered a salad – Zoey chose the chicken Caesar, while Liz and Steve went for the Greek – which sounded especially refreshing. The food was simple but delicious. More than anything, it felt good to sit, cool down, and do a little people-watching.
After lunch, with a bit of time left before meeting Julija again, we wandered the streets of Old Town, browsed a few shops, and spotted what felt like countless cats – Kotor is known for them!
We kept our pace slow in the heavy heat, opting for shade over speed.
If we’d had more time (and a little more energy), we might have climbed part of the Ladder of Kotor, a scenic mountainside hike with sweeping views of the bay. Next time!
The Return Drive: Stories, Scenery, and a Quiet End
We met Julija back at the car after spending about three hours in Kotor and began the journey back to Dubrovnik.
The mood on the drive back was mellow. Julija chatted with us about everything – from Croatian traditions to favorite beach spots and day trips from Dubrovnik. We even swapped stories about our own lives and travel dreams. It was a genuinely lovely conversation, and once again reminded us why we often choose to splurge on private tours.
One thing that really stood out: how this early day trip grounded us in the region. Spending our first full day with a local guide, learning about both Croatia and Montenegro, added context to the rest of our time in Dubrovnik. The cultural, historical, and personal insights made the rest of the week feel more connected and meaningful.
After about two hours, we pulled back up to the gates of Old Town, now buzzing with late afternoon energy. After a day of sitting in the car, we were itching to move. We quickly changed into our swimsuits and walked just outside Pile Gate for an early evening swim at one of our favorite swimming spots in Dubrovnik.
And that’s the beauty of a day trip to the Bay of Kotor from Dubrovnik. you can explore another country and culture during the day, and still make it back in time for a swim, dinner, and sunset in Croatia.
Final Thoughts: Visiting Bay of Kotor From Dubrovnik
A day trip to the Bay of Kotor from Dubrovnik is more than just checking another country off your list – it’s a journey into dramatic landscapes, coastal towns, and rich layers of history and culture. Whether you’re wandering the peaceful waterfront of Perast, weaving through Kotor’s ancient alleys, or simply soaking up the scenery along the bay, the experience adds something special to your time in Dubrovnik.
For us, starting our trip this way deepened our sense of place. It reminded us why we love to travel: for the connections we make, the stories we hear, and the way a single day can shift our perspective. If you have the time during your stay in Dubrovnik, we wholeheartedly recommend making the journey to the Bay of Kotor.
Read more about adventures in our weeklong stay in Croatia here.