From Budva to Kotor: One-Day Trip Guide, Transport, Views & Hidden Spots

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So, we’re heading from Budva to the town of Kotor by a regular intercity bus.

At the Budva bus station, there’s a clear timetable showing departures to Kotor and back — including departure times and bus numbers. This makes it easy to plan a one-day trip: go to Kotor in the morning and return to Budva the same day.

Travel time varies depending on the route and traffic. For example, one of the buses leaves Kotor at 16:37 and arrives back in Budva at 17:20 — just 43 minutes. There are other routes in a similar range, usually around 50 minutes.

Ticket prices depend on the carrier, which surprised me a bit — there’s no fixed price. We saw tickets for €3, €3.50, and even €4. Overall, buses run roughly every 40 minutes, and sometimes even more often, so getting there is never a problem.

It’s also worth keeping in mind that travel time can differ quite a lot. Some routes take 32 minutes, others 38, 40, or even up to 55 minutes one way. This mostly depends on traffic, because during the tourist season there are often traffic jams along the Bay of Kotor, especially closer to the town itself.

At the station, we also photographed the bus schedule to Cetinje. As far as I know, Cetinje isn’t on the coast — it’s somewhere in the mountains, closer to the center of the country. From here, you can also catch buses to Tivat and Herceg Novi.

All around us were mountains, cliffs, and breathtaking scenery. Even at this point, it becomes clear why the Bay of Kotor is considered one of the most impressive bays in Europe. On our way into Kotor, there was a small traffic jam, which extended the travel time — something to keep in mind. Parking in the city is limited, and on days when cruise ships arrive, the number of tourists increases dramatically.

Not far from the bus station, we spotted an abandoned building with a chimney — it looks like an old factory or workshop. It’s located literally right next to the station.

The architecture here is stunning. Almost immediately, we saw the sea — or rather, the bay, which is often called the southernmost fjord in Europe. In reality, as I later learned, it’s not a fjord from a scientific perspective. There were no glaciers here, unlike in Norway. It’s believed that this area was once a lake and a river canyon, which over time transformed into a bay due to tectonic activity and rising sea levels. Still, visually, the resemblance to Norwegian fjords is striking.

Almost right away, we saw a massive cruise ship.

As we later assumed, it had arrived from other European countries. There were many people speaking French and German around us. Later, I found out that the depth of the Bay of Kotor reaches 50–60 meters, which allows even the largest cruise ships to enter. Several hundred cruise liners arrive here each year, bringing hundreds of thousands of tourists.

Just a few minutes’ walk from the Kotor bus station, breathtaking views open up. Closer to the entrance of the Old Town, there’s a stunning turquoise lake right next to the city wall, with stone steps nearby.

This small lake is formed by the Gurdić River — a very unusual natural phenomenon. In winter, the water here is fresh, but in summer, when the river source dries up, the basin fills with seawater, which seems to flow in the opposite direction.

To enter the Old Town, you need to climb a set of steps. From above, the lake looks even more impressive.

Our mood was amazing. We had arrived in an incredibly beautiful place — wherever you look, there are stunning views. We climbed onto the Old Town wall, about 10 meters high, and spent some time looking around from behind the railing. From here, you can clearly see the lake and the city entrance.

The views of the town from here are absolutely spectacular.

Like in any coastal tourist town in Montenegro, palm trees line the lower areas, and the houses have red-tiled roofs. Everything feels southern and European at the same time. Yet, if you ignore the palm trees, the landscapes are incredibly reminiscent of Norway: mountains, a bay, and a massive cruise ship. I’ve seen almost identical views in photos from Scandinavia.

The water in the bay is also incredibly beautiful.

Even though the ship was about 700 meters — or maybe even a kilometer — away from us, the photos turned out stunning. The liner is so enormous that it looks impressive from almost any angle.

The weather was perfect. It was early summer, the first days of June. We were walking around in T-shirts and shorts — light clothing felt very comfortable. The day wasn’t fully sunny, but soft and pleasant.

From the height of the Old Town, you get wonderful views of the bay, the boats along the promenade, and the mountains surrounding the city. This is truly a place worth visiting.

Unlike Budva’s Old Town, the Old Town of Kotor is built on multiple levels, and its fortress walls literally climb into the mountains, stretching upward for several kilometers.

Greenery, trees, and ancient architecture blend here perfectly with the surrounding mountains.

If you move deeper into the fortress area from the bus station and continue climbing, the cruise ship appears closer and closer, and the views keep getting better.

Inside the Old Town, there’s an interesting spot — something like a “place of shame.” In the past, convicted people were publicly displayed here near the tower.

We also took photos through beautiful trees — not palm trees, but other types of greenery.

The cruise ship deserves special attention. This modern white giant fits surprisingly harmoniously into the natural and historical landscape of the city.

Of course, we met a cat along one of the alleys. We saw cats in Budva too, but Kotor has especially many of them. Later, I learned that Kotor is often called the city of cats — there’s even a cat museum and designated places where feeding them is officially allowed. We didn’t go inside, but the fact itself felt very charming.

Walking further through the Old Town, we noticed a place where a river flows into the bay, passing through a system of stone channels. I had seen this exact location many times in travelers’ photos — and now I was seeing it with my own eyes.

As we continued climbing, more structures of the Old Town appeared. Entry to the paid section of the fortress cost €8 at the time, but there are also alternative paths — not staircases, but trails along the slope.

The higher you climb, the more majestic the views of the bay become.

During the ascent, we spotted rocky mountains where goats were grazing — a very colorful and memorable sight.

We also came across a partially ruined old church or chapel.

When we reached the very top, the town of Kotor lay literally at our feet. From here, we captured some of the most beautiful shots of the entire trip.

At one point, a light rain began to fall — large, rare drops. We took out our umbrellas and captured a few atmospheric shots.

We descended via the steps, which turned out to be quite comfortable.

We noticed a building with the inscription “1166,” installed in honor of the first Croatian king, Tomislav.

After descending, we went for a walk along the Kotor promenade. Palm trees, boats, flowers, warm air — all of this creates a feeling of calm and harmony. The air here is truly special; many people say it’s rich in iodine and, of course, filled with sea scents.

We managed to capture a timelapse of the cruise ship as it was turning in the bay. Watching it was absolutely fascinating.

That’s how our journey through Kotor came to an end. In the evening, we boarded a bus back to Budva.

Every day in Montenegro was filled with a sense of happiness and new discoveries. I’m glad we were able to see — and share with you — the places we personally visited.
Travel, and may your life always be full of pleasant surprises!