Kotor cooking class and city tour: cook with local host

Cook Adriatic fish and seafood in a local home, then eat what you made

A cooking class and guided city tour in Kotor, Montenegro, where you walk the UNESCO-listed old town and the island church of Our Lady of the Rocks, then spend three hours in a family kitchen learning to prepare two traditional local dishes with your host. The class includes lunch made from what you cook, local wine or rakija, and printed recipes to take home; a licensed English-speaking guide handles the city portion and transport from your accommodation.

Step-by-step itinerary

Kotor, Perast, Our Lady of the Rocks, Cooking Class

• Transfer to Kotor
• Visit Armory Square and clock tower
• Discover Flour Square and palaces
• View Cathedral of Saint Tryphon
• Walk to orthodox churches square
• Enjoy Cat Square
• Ride around Boka Bay to Perast
• Walk in Perast
• Boat ride to Our Lady of the Rocks island
• Visit church and museum on island
• Return boat to Kotor
• Join cooking class at local family home
• Prepare traditional dishes and lunch
• Enjoy meal with local wine and stories
• Return to accommodation

The Experience

The day starts with a pickup from your hotel and a transfer to Kotor's old town, where your guide walks you through Armory Square with its four-century-old clock tower, then Flour Square with the Buca and Pima Palaces. You'll stand in front of the Cathedral of Saint Tryphon, built in 1166, and visit the Orthodox churches—St. Luke from 1195 and St. Nicholas from 1540—before reaching Cat Square. The old town itself takes about an hour to walk through, and the streets are narrow enough that you feel the weight of the medieval walls around you.

After Kotor, the boat ride to Perast takes twenty minutes across Boka Bay. Perast is a small coastal town with a long maritime history; you'll walk through it before boarding again for the short crossing to Our Lady of the Rocks, a fifteenth-century church built on an island. The museum inside holds local artifacts, and the whole stop—Perast and the island—runs about an hour. The return ride to Kotor is another twenty minutes.

Then you arrive at Susan's family home in Kotor for the cooking class. You put on an apron and spend three hours learning to prepare one or two dishes characteristic of the Bay of Kotor—most of them built around fish and seafood, since you're on the Adriatic coast. Susan walks you through the recipes step by step; the food is cooked the traditional, authentic way. When the cooking is done, you sit down together to eat what you made: a starter, a main course, and dessert, with local wine, rakija brandy, or homemade juice. You leave with printed recipes so you can make the dishes at home, and your guide drives you back to your accommodation.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and return transport in a sedan, minivan, van or minibus.
• licensed English-speaking guide for the city tour and Perast.
• boat ride to Our Lady of the Rocks and museum entry.
• three-hour cooking class in Susan's family kitchen where you prepare one or two traditional Adriatic dishes.
• lunch made from what you cook, including a starter, main course and dessert.
• two drinks (local wine, rakija brandy or homemade juice).
• printed recipes to take home.
• souvenir.
• all road and parking fees and tourist tax.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyInfant seats available

Operated by Monte Mare Travel

Is this one for you?The guide speaks English throughout, so if you're comfortable following instructions in English and want to learn to cook rather than watch a demonstration, this works well. The three-hour cooking class is hands-on—you're preparing the food yourself, not observing—which means you need to be ready to stand and work in the kitchen; it's suitable for all fitness levels, and children can join, though the pace is set by the cooking rather than by sightseeing.

Top questions

What is the Cathedral of Saint Tryphon, and do I go inside it on this tour?

The Cathedral of Saint Tryphon, built in 1166, is the biggest attraction in Kotor's old town and stands as one of the city's most significant landmarks. The tour walks past it and you see it from outside; entry to the cathedral itself is not included in the price, though it is available as an add-on ticket.

How long do I actually spend cooking, and what kind of dishes will I make?

You cook for approximately three hours in Susan's family kitchen. You'll prepare one or two dishes that are traditional to the Bay of Kotor region—most of them feature fish and seafood because of the Adriatic location—and then sit down to eat them as a three-course lunch with wine or other local drinks.

Does the tour include a boat ride to Our Lady of the Rocks?

Yes, the boat ride to Our Lady of the Rocks island is included. You'll take a short crossing from Perast to visit the fifteenth-century church and its museum, then return to Kotor. The whole stop at Perast and the island takes about an hour.

What happens if the weather is bad—will the tour still run?

The organizer reserves the right to cancel the trip due to bad weather conditions. The tour runs throughout the year depending on weather, so if conditions are unsafe, you'll be notified in advance.

Is the guide English-speaking, and will I understand the cooking instructions?

Yes, a licensed English-speaking guide leads the city portion and transport. Susan, your cooking host, will teach you the recipes and techniques in English as well, so language is not a barrier to learning or enjoying the meal.

What do I take home from the cooking class?

You take home printed recipes for the dishes you prepared, so you can recreate them for family and friends. You also receive a souvenir from the experience.