DIY Kotor

[NayaSantaFe]

We will be in Kotor in June on the Oasis and I am not sure if this is anport we can DIY or if there is so much to see that we should book a tour. I liked the idea of doing the Tuk Tuk tour, but unfortunately they are booked for our day in port. The reason we liked this tour was the idea of being in an open air vehicle, not a van.

 

Are there any other open air vehiclentours besides this one?

 

Also, any insight on how easy it is to do Kotor on your own, maybe the fort and beach time?

[NayaSantaFe]

My bad, we won't be on Oasis, that is the first leg of our trip, this port will be on NCL. Also, forgot to mention we will be in port from 2pm-8pm which might be a problem when booking tours.

[dogs4fun]

5 minutes ago, NayaSantaFe said:

My bad, we won't be on Oasis, that is the first leg of our trip, this port will be on NCL. Also, forgot to mention we will be in port from 2pm-8pm which might be a problem when booking tours.

Have you checked out M Tours? Highly recommend - if nothing else, a look at their tours might give you an idea of what there is to see:

http://mtours.me/

There is also a HOHO (open top bus) if you are interested: 

https://www.montenegropulse.com/kotor-open-tour.html

Don't miss the sail away - the bay is beautiful.

[NayaSantaFe]

5 hours ago, dogs4fun said:

Have you checked out M Tours? Highly recommend - if nothing else, a look at their tours might give you an idea of what there is to see:

http://mtours.me/

There is also a HOHO (open top bus) if you are interested: 

https://www.montenegropulse.com/kotor-open-tour.html

Don't miss the sail away - the bay is beautiful.

Thanks for your suggestions!

 

I looked into M Tours website and found a really nice Blue Cave tour that interested us. I contacted them to get a quote since we are a group of 12 people.

 

But, if we decide to do Kotor on our own, what would our options be, pretty much just walking to the fort and beach?

[tdeyette]

Hello NayaSantaFe,

 

As others have stated, do not miss the watching the sail in and out of port. Beautiful scenery. Depending on the time of year you are going you might get different views (afternoon vs evening)

 

When we got off the ship in Kotor I remember there being MANY tour operators aggressively looking for your business. 

 

That said, we had prearranged a boat tour using Miki Tour and travel. We were there in early June, and the boat was not really full... you might have been able to purchase tickets on that day. This 2.5 hr tour took you out to Our lady of the rocks church then a short trip to Perst. We just walked around Perst a little and purchased some gifts for folks back home but there were also places where you could get a drink near the water. You are arriving at 2:00 and I'm not sure if they have tours after that time, you might want to check with them. (I believe there are other boat tours as well)

 

https://www.tripadvisor.com/AttractionProductReview-g295381-d11463429-Kotor_Boat_Tour-Kotor_Kotor_Municipality.html

 

once we were back onto Kotor we wandered around in the walled old city. Cool narrow streets with plenty of shops and places to get a bite to eat or drink. We wandered around, shopped, took pictures of the cats (the cats of Kotor are a big thing I guess). Then had a glass of wine and meat/cheese platter at the Old Winery.

 

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g295381-d4594058-Reviews-Old_Winery-Kotor_Kotor_Municipality.html

 

Of course we had to get a Gelato on the way back to the ship.

 

Also, for the adventurous, out the back of the walled town is a climbing path where one could hike up to an old church we did not do this but I'm sure you could get some great views of the town and ship.

 

Lastly, check out Toms Port Guides for ideas if you have not already done so. These free guides have some great information

 

https://www.tomsportguides.com/mediterranean-cruises.html

 

we had a great time as a DYI stop in Kotor.  

 

 

Edited March 14, 2019 by tdeyette

[fabnfortysomething]

you may want to rethink an open vehicle

I have never seen so many old vehicles kicking out smelly exhaust fumes-they obviously don't check emission levels as part of MOT

 

Kotor and surrounding roads is beautiful but congested

[gkkapp]

On 3/11/2019 at 8:35 PM, NayaSantaFe said:

But, if we decide to do Kotor on our own, what would our options be, pretty much just walking to the fort and beach?

IMHO, Kotor is not a fort but a walled city and it is wonderful!!!  We were there in 2017 and loved it.  In the morning we took a tour with M Tours to the church on the rock and Perst.  Then we spent the rest of the afternoon strolling around the city.  See post #5 above for a good description.  You may not have time for a tour but the city alone is well worth the time.

 

<<<Karen>>>

[edinburgher]

For Kotor, you could also consider taking the public bus or a taxi the short distance to Perast and take one of the little ferry boats across to Our Lady of the Rocks. (you pass this on the sail in and the sail out). You will also get views of the hill/mountain you might want to climb. It is daunting but some people do climb up if only as far as the first little chapel. Again, Tripadvisor, whatsinport etc for more. And Toms Ports Guides for info, maps etc

https://www.tomsportguides.com/port-guides.html

 

Kotor itself is small but lovely with a surprising number of sights and attractions and some interesting shops. You can easily spend a good three hours wandering. More if you add a cafe, bar or restaurant. As it is mostly pedestrianised with tiny narrow streets it is best explored on foot.

 

Do get up early for the long scenic sail-in as the light is better first thing than it is later in the day for the sail-out. 

[Kate P.C]

In those 6 hours you can actually do a lot of things, on your own. If you decide to stay in Kotor, I don't recommend the beaches in the town since they are rocky and one chair is EUR15. Just the chair. If you do want to spend your day on the beach, there is a nice sandy beach just a 15 minute ride away, quite popular and it is called the Blue Horizons, or Plavi horizonti near the town Radovici. This complex is on the Adriatic side, not the Bay of Kotor. If you want to stay in the town of Kotor, you could walk on your own, no need for buses or agencies.

 

Other places you could visit is the island of Perast and the man-made island Our Lady of the Rocks. You could visit the famous St.Stephen and take an hour trip to the more commercialized areas like Budva, Bar and Suto More. The time to get to Budva and St. Stephen depends on the time of the year. During summer time Montenegro is pretty busy, especially Kotor and Budva. So, have that in mind if you only have 6 hours to spend.

 

If you like hiking, you may want to consider climbing up the Kotor City walls up to St.John Fortress, but I warn you it's not an easy climb. It is worth the view and after an hour climbing you will sleep like a baby that night.

 

Hope this helps. Have fun!

[onyx007]

Yes Kotor is a hidden Gem and if you stay in Kotor you don't need a tour. I also recommend to the fit and healthy the hike up to the Chapel and St.Johns Fortress. Bring along something to drink and enjoy the view.