Montenegro Day Tour from Tirana: Budva, Kotor & Sveti Stefan

Twelve hours, three Montenegrin coastal towns, one driver who knows the route

A guided day tour from Tirana to Montenegro's Riviera takes you through Sveti Stefan, Budva and Kotor in a single day with hotel pickup, professional guide and entry tickets included. The tour leaves early and returns to Tirana in the late evening. You choose between a private vehicle or a small group departure at checkout. Suitable for all fitness levels.

Step-by-step itinerary

Montenegro Riviera day tour from Tirana

• Pick up from hotel in Tirana
• Stop near Sveti Stefan for photos
• Visit New Budva and see modern areas
• Explore Old Budva historical center
• Visit St. Ivan and St. Mary churches
• Travel to Kotor UNESCO site
• Walk narrow streets of Kotor old town
• Visit Saint Luke’s church
• Return to Tirana in late evening

The experience

The driver picks you up at your hotel in Tirana and heads toward the coast. The first stop is Sveti Stefan, a former fishing village that sits on a small island near the shore. It's now an exclusive resort, so you won't walk onto the island itself, but the view from the coast is the reason people stop here. From there the route continues to Budva, a beach town split between a modern section with shops and restaurants and an older quarter where the medieval buildings and narrow streets are what the tour focuses on. You'll walk through the old town and see the St. Ivan church and the small Church of St. Mary.

Kotor is the second major stop and the day's centerpiece. It's a UNESCO World Heritage site built as a maze of cobblestone streets designed centuries ago to confuse invaders: now they're just the character of the place. The guide takes you to the Church of St. Luke, which locals say represents unity to them, and through the old town where many buildings still carry plaques showing their construction dates and original purpose. Entry to the sites you visit is included, so there's no separate ticket line to manage.

The return to Tirana happens in the late evening and depends on traffic and border crossing time. This is a long day, but the drive itself is part of it. You're moving along the Montenegrin coast and back into Albania, so the landscape changes as you go.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in Tirana.
• professional English-speaking guide.
• private or shared transportation with international insurance and road taxes included.
• entry tickets to Budva's old town, Kotor's UNESCO old town and the Church of St. Luke.

Options for this experience

2 options

Small Group TourGuide in English · 07:00Small group tour; pickup is included

Private Day TourGuide in English · 07:00Private day tour; includes pickup

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:00

Book up to12h before

AgesUp to age 90

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 13 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by Choose Balkans

Is this one for you?Choose the private option if you want to set your own pace through the stops and skip the group timing. Pick the small group departure if you're traveling alone or want to share the cost and meet other travelers on the same route.

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Top questions

What exactly is Sveti Stefan and can I walk around on the island?

Sveti Stefan is a small island that was historically a fishing town and is now an exclusive residential resort. You can't access the island itself, but the stop lets you see and photograph it from the coast, which is why it's included in the itinerary.

Is lunch included in the tour?

Lunch is not included. You'll have time to eat in Budva or Kotor, where there are restaurants throughout both towns, but you'll arrange and pay for it separately.

What's the difference between the Private Day Tour and Small Group Tour options?

Both options follow the same route and include the same sites, guide and hotel pickup. The Private Day Tour is just your group in one vehicle. The Small Group Tour shares transportation with other travelers. Both return to Tirana in the late evening.

Do I need to be fit or have any particular mobility to do this tour?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. You'll walk through the old towns of Budva and Kotor on cobblestone streets, but there's no climbing or strenuous hiking involved.

What does the guide speak and what's included in the price?

The guide speaks English. The price includes hotel pickup and drop-off in Tirana, private or shared transportation depending on your option, entry tickets to the sites visited, international car insurance, road taxes, petrol and tourist taxes.