1. Ride the Kotor Cable Car to the summit
The Kotor Cable Car is the single best thing to do in Kotor, and it is the stop we would book first. A return ticket is about 20 euros, the ride takes roughly 11 minutes each way, and it lifts you from near sea level to about 1,350 metres on the slopes of Mount Lovcen. The lower station is at Dub, a short taxi or a flat walk out of town, not in the Old Town itself.
We went up in the late afternoon and rode both ways, and there was no real queue on a weekday. That matters, because sunset is the busy slot and people have reported waits of well over an hour at peak times. Going up mid to late afternoon let us ride straight on, settle in at the top, and still catch the light.
Wrap up warmer than you think. The coast was mild, but at 1,350 metres it was chilly enough that we needed a layer, even in May. There is a bar and a restaurant at the top for a drink or a snack, so you do not need to carry much up. You can find the cable car on the official site linked below.
2. Watch the sunset over the bay from the top
The sunset from the top of the cable car is the moment that makes the trip, and it is our one unmissable thing to do in Kotor. From the summit terrace the whole bay opens out below, the water turns to a silver strip between the mountains, and the light drops fast once the sun reaches the ridge. We sat with a drink and watched it go down.
This suits anyone, but couples in particular. Get up there with time to spare before the sun hits the horizon, find a spot on the tiered terrace, and let the crowd settle. The last cable car down runs in the evening, so check the closing time for the day and leave yourself a comfortable margin to get back.
Bring a jacket for this one too, as the temperature falls with the light. The terrace has fixed viewpoints and railings, so you are not scrambling for a spot in the dark. It is the kind of view that photos flatten, so give yourself a while to just look.
3. Ride the mountain coaster at the top
The alpine mountain coaster is up at the summit next to the cable car, and it costs about 8 euros on top of your ticket. It is a single sled on a metal track that loops around the edge of the mountain, and you control the speed with a lever, so you can take the bends gently or let it run. We loved it and thought it well worth the extra.
The wait was short when we went, so we did not need to pay for any fast-track option. It suits most ages and it is more fun than frightening, though the drops and the open edge give it a bit of a thrill. One thing to know: the coaster loops back to the top, it does not run down to Kotor, so you still take the cable car back down.
4. Get lost in Kotor Old Town
Kotor Old Town is a walled medieval maze of squares, churches and narrow stone lanes, and wandering it with no fixed plan is the best way to see it. Entry to the Old Town is free, it is small enough to cross in ten minutes, and the joy is in getting lost in the lanes rather than ticking off a list. It was busy when we visited, but never so packed that it stopped being pleasant.
The main square holds St Tryphon Cathedral, a twin-towered Romanesque church consecrated in 1166, with a small entry fee of around 3 to 4 euros if you want to go inside. You will also meet the cats of Kotor at every turn, dozing on walls and steps, which the town has adopted as an unofficial mascot.
Come early or later in the day to dodge the thickest cruise crowds, which peak when the big ships are docked. Wear something with grip, as the marble lanes get polished and slippery. Half the pleasure is simply turning down whichever alley looks interesting.
5. Try a Donkey Kotor frozen banana
Donkey Kotor is a dessert stop in the Old Town where they dip a whole banana on a stick in chocolate and roll it in your choice of toppings. We had ours with chocolate and M&Ms, and it was really good, a proper novelty treat rather than a gimmick. It is an easy thing to do in Kotor when you want a break from wandering.
You pick your toppings at the counter from trays of crushed biscuit, chopped nuts and sweets, so no two are the same. It suits anyone with a sweet tooth, and it is a hit with children. The shop is open through the day and into the evening, so it works as an afternoon pick-me-up or an after-dinner treat.
6. See the Kotor city walls and San Giovanni fortress
The Kotor city walls climb the hillside above the Old Town in a long set of switchbacks to the San Giovanni fortress, about 260 metres up. The climb is roughly 1,350 steps and takes most people 45 minutes to an hour and a half, with an entry fee of around 15 euros in season, sometimes unstaffed and free off-season. About halfway up, at roughly 650 steps, you reach the Church of Our Lady of Remedy.
We looked up at the walls rather than climbing them this time, but they are the classic Kotor viewpoint and worth planning for if you have the legs. If you do climb, wear proper shoes, carry water, and go early or near sunset, as there is almost no shade on the path. Buy tickets only at the official booths, and ignore anyone offering a cheaper unofficial tour.
7. Walk the bay and find a beach
The Bay of Kotor is the reason the town looks the way it does, and walking its edge is a fine free thing to do. We walked the waterfront promenade all the way from our hotel to the Old Town, which was a long but pleasant walk, and took a taxi back. We stayed at the Hyatt Regency, on the Dobrota shore north of town, which is a good base for the promenade.
One honest warning: beaches around the bay are scarce. Our hotel had its own small beach, but the shoreline is mostly rock, concrete platforms and a few pebble coves rather than sand, because this is a sheltered bay, not an open coast. We swam and relaxed at our hotel beach, which was the easiest option.
If a beach day matters to you, sort out where you will swim before you book, and treat the bay as a place for walking and views first. The water is clear and calm, and the mountains around it are the real draw.
8. Eat dinner at Konoba Scala Santa
Konoba Scala Santa is an Old Town restaurant on a small square, with a candlelit terrace that fills up on summer evenings. We ate seafood and a risotto, it was really good, and we would return. Mains sit in the mid-teens to mid-twenties in euros, and the setting under the awning in the lanes is a large part of the appeal.
Book if you can. We walked in and had to wait for a table, which worked out, but a reservation would have saved us standing around. It suits a relaxed dinner rather than a quick bite, and the seafood is the thing to order. The kitchen runs from late morning through the evening.
9. Hike the Vrmac ridge for a quieter view
For a viewpoint without the crowds, the Vrmac ridge hike climbs a shaded forest path on an old Austro-Hungarian military road to the Vrmac fort, with views over both the Bay of Kotor and Tivat. It runs roughly an hour to an hour and a half up, with an unmarked trailhead near Muo, and it is free. We did this hike, and it is a good counterweight to the busier cable car.
It suits anyone who wants a proper walk and a quiet payoff at the top, rather than a quick ride up. Wear real shoes, carry water, and watch for the odd lizard or snake on the trail in warm weather. We have written the full route up separately, with the trailhead and the fort, in our Kotor viewpoint hike guide.
How many of these things to do in Kotor fit in a day?
You can cover the Old Town, the banana and the bay walk in a morning, then take the cable car up in the afternoon for the coaster and the sunset. That makes a full, comfortable day. With two or three nights, as we had, you can add the walls climb or the Vrmac hike without rushing, and still have time to sit by the water.
Getting around Kotor
Kotor Old Town is small and walkable, and most of the in-town stops sit within a ten-minute stroll of each other. The cable car lower station is out at Dub, a short taxi or a flat walk from the Old Town, and the summit is only reachable by the cable car or a mountain drive.
Driving around the bay is not as simple as it looks. The road is narrow, often single lane in places, and there is frequently no barrier between the tarmac and the water, so it takes real care. We cover this in detail in our guide to driving in Montenegro. If you would rather not drive, taxis are easy to find outside the Old Town walls.
Where to stay for these things to do in Kotor
We based ourselves at the Hyatt Regency on the Dobrota shore, north of the Old Town, which put the promenade walk and a small hotel beach on the doorstep. It is a longer walk into town but a pleasant one, and taxis fill the gap when you do not fancy it. You can read our full stay in the Hyatt Regency Kotor Bay Resort review.
Staying on the bay rather than driving in each day makes the early and late slots easier, which is when Kotor is at its best. The Old Town itself has apartments and small hotels if you want to be inside the walls, though it is livelier and less quiet at night.
Kotor is nice of course but more touristy. Perast is for people strolling casually along the coast, Kotor is where they offload buses.
Spending a handful of days in Boka with Kotor as a base is a good call. Other than Kotor, you really should visit Perast.
What is the best thing to do in Kotor?
The Kotor Cable Car to the summit for sunset is our top pick. A return ticket is about 20 euros and the ride takes roughly 11 minutes each way, lifting you to about 1,350 metres for a view over the whole bay. Go mid to late afternoon to ride up, then stay for the light.
How much does the Kotor Cable Car cost?
A return ticket is about 20 euros for an adult in 2026, with reduced or free fares for young children. The alpine mountain coaster at the top costs roughly 8 euros extra. Prices rise in peak summer, so check the official site before you go.
Do you need to climb the city walls, or is the cable car enough?
Either works for the view. The city walls climb is about 1,350 steps and around 15 euros, and it is the classic effort-for-reward. The cable car reaches a higher, wider viewpoint with no climbing, which suits limited time, mobility, or the summer heat. We did the cable car.
Are there beaches in Kotor?
Not really in the sandy sense. The Bay of Kotor is a sheltered inlet, so the shoreline is mostly rock, concrete swimming platforms and small pebble coves rather than beaches. Many hotels have their own small beach or platform, which is the easiest place to swim.
How many days do you need in Kotor?
Two to three nights is comfortable. That is enough to wander the Old Town, ride the cable car for sunset, do the coaster, and add either the walls climb or the Vrmac hike, with time left to sit by the bay. A single day covers the Old Town and the cable car if you are pushed.
