Private Montenegro Coast Tour: Perast, Budva & Kotor in 6 Hours

Summary

Montenegro Private Day Trip: Perast, Budva & Kotor Highlights

You’ll travel Montenegro’s coast with a local guide—see Perast by boat, explore Budva’s old town streets, and wander Kotor’s medieval alleys all in one relaxed day.

What’s the experience like?

The day kicked off right at 8am—our driver was already waiting outside the hotel, which honestly felt like a relief since I’m not a morning person. The air smelled faintly salty as we drove along the bay toward Perast. It’s a small place, but you can hear church bells echoing off the water if you listen. Our guide waved us onto a little boat for the short ride to Our Lady of the Rocks. The island is tiny, built up from rocks and old ships—there’s even a story about locals tossing stones into the sea every year. Inside the church, sunlight hit the silver icons just right. The museum next door had some odd relics—one was an embroidered tapestry made by a local woman while she waited for her husband to return from sea.

Back on land, we wandered through Perast’s narrow lanes for maybe half an hour before heading out again. The drive to Budva took us past Jaz beach—our guide insisted we stop for photos. There were just a few early swimmers braving the chilly water; apparently it warms up by noon. In Budva’s old town, stone walls wrapped around crooked streets filled with cafés and tiny shops selling figs and lavender soap. We had some free time—I grabbed an espresso at Café Mozart (locals swear by it) and watched kids chase pigeons across the square.

We didn’t linger too long; there was another quick photo stop above Sveti Stefan island—the view’s pretty famous on Instagram but seeing it in person is something else. On our way back to Kotor, we wound up Trojica hill where you get this wide-open view of the bay below—windy up there, so bring a light jacket even in summer. In Kotor itself, our guide pointed out details I’d have missed: lion carvings over doorways, laundry lines strung between medieval windows, cats lounging everywhere (they’re kind of mascots here). We stepped inside St Tryphon Cathedral—12th century—and you could smell incense lingering in the cool air. By 2:30pm we were back at our starting point, tired but glad we didn’t try to do this on our own.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Montenegro Coastal Towns Tour

• Hotel pickup at 8am
• Drive to Perast
• Water taxi to Our Lady of the Rocks church and museum
• Walk in Perast (45 minutes)
• Panoramic drive to Budva with photo stop at Jaz beach
• Walk old town Budva and free time
• Photo stop above St Stefan island
• Photo stop at Trojica hill above Bay of Kotor
• Visit old town Kotor and see St Tryphon cathedral
• Return to starting point around 2:30pm

Top questions

Is this tour suitable for families with young children?

Yes! The tour is family-friendly and infant seats are available if needed. Just let us know when booking.

How much walking is involved?

You’ll walk through old towns and around sites, but nothing too strenuous. Comfortable shoes are best.

Can I be picked up from Tivat Airport or my cruise ship?

Absolutely—we offer pickup from hotels, ports, or Tivat Airport at no extra charge.

Are entrance fees included?

Yes—all admission fees (including Our Lady of the Rocks) are covered in your tour price.

What’s included

Your private tour includes hotel (or port/airport) pickup and drop-off in a modern van, bottled water for everyone, all entrance fees (even the boat ride to Our Lady of the Rocks), plus your own licensed English-speaking guide throughout.