Kotor & Budva Day Trip from Dubrovnik: UNESCO Bay & Medieval Towns

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/39

Duration10h

GroupUp to 17

LanguagesEN

PickupAt your hotel

Two countries in one day: Dubrovnik to the Bay of Kotor and back

You leave Dubrovnik before dawn, cross into Montenegro, and spend the day in the Bay of Kotor — a UNESCO site with medieval towns, limestone cliffs, and islets with churches. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included, along with an air-conditioned minibus and a guide who knows the history. Plan for a full day out and back; the drive is part of what makes both Kotor and Budva fit into one trip.

10h

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Kotor Bay and Budva Town

Travel from Dubrovnik to Bay of Kotor
Visit Perast and nearby islets
Tour Kotor Old Town and cathedral
Explore Budva old town and beaches

The Experience

Most people stay put in Dubrovnik. You cross the border before breakfast. The minibus picks you up from your hotel before 6:45 am — exact time comes by message the day before — and heads south into Montenegro, where the Adriatic narrows into the Bay of Kotor. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the reason becomes obvious the moment the limestone cliffs rise up around you. The bay has been inhabited since antiquity, and the medieval towns clinging to its edges — Kotor, Perast, Risan, Tivat — still look like they did when Venetian merchants ran them.

The guide drives the minibus (8 or 16 people depending on the day) and narrates as you go, pointing out photo stops and the history that sticks. You'll stop in Perast first, a small fortified town a few kilometres northwest of Kotor, famous for the two islets just offshore — St. George and Our Lady of the Rocks, both with churches that draw pilgrims. Then into Kotor Old Town itself, where the streets wind so tight you understand why they built walls around it. The Cathedral is Romanesque, the Maritime Museum covers local seafaring, and there's time to walk the narrow squares before heading to Budva, further down the coast. Budva is younger, louder — sandy beaches, Venetian stone walls, the Church of Santa Maria in Punta from the 9th century — and if you brought a bathing suit, the water is there. The drive back to Dubrovnik takes the afternoon, and you're dropped at your hotel by evening.

A few logistics: you need a valid passport or EU ID to cross into Montenegro (Indian passport holders need a multi-entry Schengen visa). There's a 3 euro tax per person to enter Kotor Old Town, paid on the day. The tour won't wait for anyone late to pickup, so the message with your exact time matters. In the off-season, the operator needs a minimum of 4 people to run the tour, so book early if you're traveling in winter. The minibus is air-conditioned, wheelchair accessible, and can fit infant seats if you need them.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup and drop-off in Dubrovnik, transport in an air-conditioned minibus with a driver-guide, stops in Perast, Kotor Old Town, and Budva with time to walk and explore, and photo stops along the Bay of Kotor.
The 3 euro tax to enter Kotor Old Town is paid separately on the day.
Infant seats and wheelchair accessibility are available upon request.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Dubrovnik Smile

Is this one for you?A good fit if you want to see Montenegro's UNESCO Bay of Kotor and two medieval towns without arranging your own transport or border crossing — the early pickup and full-day schedule are what fit both Kotor and Budva into one trip from Dubrovnik.