After a couple of days chilling in Budva, I was ready to move on. The next logical stop is Kotor, the most popular spot in the country. It’s only 30-40 minutes away by bus and a one way ticket only costs 3 Euros! There are buses departing every hour so there’s no need to buy tickets in advance. I managed to catch the 2 PM bus and it wasn’t even half full.
I expected Kotor to be crowded. The entire town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and such places always attract lots of tourists. Cruise ships also dock on the bay on a daily basis, so I expected massive crowds during the day time. I did see huge tour groups especially in the old town, but you won’t see them the entire day. When I was there, it was only mostly crowded during the afternoons. As a tourist destination, Montenegro still isn’t that popular so even the most well known spot has manageable crowds even when those folks from the cruise ships are exploring the town.
I stayed at Hostel Old Town Kotor which is located inside the Old Town. I’d recommend staying here for various reasons. It’s located inside the walls of the Old Town so you’ll be staying inside Kotor’s main attraction. It’s also near the bus station (only a 10 minute walk!), grocery stores, pharmacies, and several cheap restaurants. They have their own tour agency so it’s easy to book tours. They have their own boat so they hold barbecue dinner cruises and booze cruises, and they don’t charge much! I only paid 8 euros for the booze cruise and it was a lot of fun. They give free shots of Rakia and there was more than enough for everyone. You’d have to buy your own drinks if you prefer to drink something else though. You do get free breakfast the next morning if you join any of their cruises, so that’s an added bonus– it’s not just your usual hostel breakfast of cereals, bread and jam. It’s also the most popular hostel in Kotor so it’s easy for solo travelers to make new friends. I don’t think I would have had as much fun in Kotor if I didn’t stay here.
A popular activity is hiking up the hill to the Castle of San Giovanni. It’s a relatively easy hike, it should only take about an hour going up. The main entrance is near the River Gate, and you’d have to pay 3 euros to pass through. For budget travelers though, there’s a better option. Not only because this option is free, it’s also easier because the incline is less (thanks to switchbacks) and you don’t have to climb up so many steps! If you’re inside the old town just continue walking north. Once you’re outside the north gate, you’re gonna see two bridges. Once you walk past the second bridge, turn right on the road. You should eventually end up on a clearly marked trail beside a couple of houses. Just follow the path and you’ll reach a couple of switchbacks that go all the way to the top. When you see an old church, you’re almost there! From this church you’ll clearly see the walls in the distance, so you just have to head toward that direction. At the end of the trail you just have to pass through one of those “windows” in the wall, and voilà! You’re already inside the fortress! Immediately you’re going to bump into those people who had to pay to get in, and they’ll be wondering where you came from. lol. From here, it’s only a couple of steps to the top. I have to say the view of Kotor Bay from the castle is amazing!
Going down, you can simply walk down the steps that everyone else climbed— they won’t check if you paid for tickets when you reach the exit. We took our time going down because we missed the views from the steps on our way up. The steps were really crowded, obviously most people weren’t aware of the free route. Going up, we barely encountered any people– just a couple of mountain goats and stray cats. I guess it’s just something the hostel staff tells backpackers. Something only told to those people who seem to be on a tight budget. hah.
Some people would say a day trip is enough to see Kotor, you won’t even have to spend a single night in town. True enough, I’ve met several people who were only doing day trips from Dubrovnik which was only about 2 hours away. If you ask me, it is doable. Just leave early in the morning and you’d have enough time to see the old town and do a short hike up the castle. Like Budva though, Kotor is a place where you can just sit back and relax for days. If you really don’t have enough time then I’d recommend a day trip just to see the place. If you’re pretty flexible with your itinerary though, I’d recommend spending a few days to take in all the beauty of this quaint little town.
no roads to follow 
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