Kotor
Population: 24’000
Date of visit: June 2017
Attractions & sights: 3/5
Nightlife: ?/5
Safety: 5/5
Infrastructure: 3/5
Low budget factor: €€€/5
Total: 👍👍👍/5
The city in a nutshell:
Idyllic Mediterranean town in a bay, which can be the next Dubrovnik (in a negative way).
Where to stay:
I recommend staying outside of Old Town. Prices in old town are generally much higher and there are good apartments only 5-10 minutes away. The best option is staying at a place close to the water. As usual in the Balkans, there are more apartments than hotels.
The Good:
Kotor is one of the most idyllic places in Europe. Being there makes you feel relaxed, no matter if you’re behind the walls of Old Town or near the water. An absolute must is climbing up to Kotor’s Castle of San Giovanni with its bird-eye-view of Kotor. It can be a bit challenging, especially during summer, when temperatures are high.
Kotor is rather a town than a city. That means that everything is within walking distance. However, it’s also a good base to visit other beautiful parts of Montenegro.
The Bad & The Ugly:
Montenegro was one of the best insider’s tip in recent years. Unfortunately, the country is not a hidden gem anymore. Kotor is Montenegro’s most visited city and it gets crowded nowadays. As soon as a cruise ship arrives, you have hundreds of tourists during the day, especially in little Old Town with its narrow alleys.
Another minus is that some of the restaurants in Old Town are tourist traps and a waste of money. Use TripAdvisor to avoid these places. As you will most probably stay in an apartment, cooking your own food can be an option if you’re on a tight budget. Although Kotor is not very expensive, it’s probably still the most expensive city in Montenegro.
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