We Took the Popular Dubrovnik to Kotor Day Trip, Here’s Our Honest Review

We had already been to Dubrovnik once, so this was actually our second visit to the city. This time, instead of focusing only on Dubrovnik itself, we wanted to use it as a base for several day trips around the region, and one destination that immediately caught our attention was Kotor in Montenegro. It was also our very first time visiting Montenegro, which made the trip even more exciting. Before booking anything, we spent quite a while comparing options, from renting a car to taking public buses across the border. Still, in the end, we decided to try one of the organized Dubrovnik-to-Kotor day tours. In this blog post, we share how the trip actually went, what the experience was like from start to finish, and whether we think booking this kind of ready-made tour is worth it.

Why We Chose an Organized Dubrovnik to Kotor Day Trip

Since it was our first time visiting Montenegro, we wanted the easiest and most stress free option possible. We considered renting a car and doing the trip independently. We also looked into public buses between Dubrovnik and Kotor, but in the end, an organized tour felt like the better choice for this specific trip. We did not want to deal with picking up a rental car early in the morning, navigating unfamiliar roads, finding parking in Kotor, or handling the border-crossing logistics on our own.

Another big factor was time. Since this was only meant to be a one-day trip from Dubrovnik, we wanted everything to run as smoothly as possible without spending hours planning every detail ourselves. Having the option of a hotel pickup included, transport organized, and a guide handling the schedule made the whole experience feel much more relaxed. The added boat cruise around the Bay of Kotor also made this tour stand out from many of the simpler transfer-style options we saw online.

For first-time visitors to Montenegro, especially if you only have limited time in Dubrovnik, we can understand why these organized tours are so popular. You basically show up in the morning, and everything else is handled for you.

Montenegro Facts You Should Know Before Visiting

Before the trip, we already had a rough idea of what to expect. Since this was one of the more popular Dubrovnik-to-Kotor tours, we knew it would not be a small, intimate experience but rather a larger group tour with a bus full of travelers. Still, we imagined it would feel like a slower-paced scenic day along the Montenegrin coast, with enough time to properly enjoy each stop without feeling too rushed.

According to the itinerary, the tour would first stop in Perast, then visit the island of Our Lady of the Rocks, and continue by boat through the Bay of Kotor to Kotor itself. It sounded perfect to us. A bit of sightseeing, a bit of relaxing on the water, and finally exploring one of the most famous old towns in Montenegro. At least, that was the expectation before the day actually started. Keep reading to see how the tour really went and whether it lived up to our expectations.

Our Honest Experience on the Dubrovnik to Kotor Tour

There are quite a lot of companies offering almost identical tours between Croatia and Montenegro. We spent some time comparing different itineraries, reviews, prices, and inclusions before choosing. In the end, we decided to book this particular tour, From Dubrovnik: Montenegro Day Trip with Boat Cruise, so this is also the trip we will be reviewing throughout this blog post, including how the day actually unfolded, what surprised us, what we enjoyed, and whether we think it was worth booking in the end.

Kotor Travel Guide: What to Know Before You Go

The Pickup and Early Morning Start

The tour started early in the morning, which is honestly something to keep in mind before booking. Our pickup time was 6:40 AM, though some had even earlier pickup slots depending on where they were staying in Dubrovnik. For us, the pickup point was at the “Dubrovnik bus station,” but in reality, it was more of a busy roadside bus stop near a petrol station rather than an actual organized station area.

The whole pickup process felt quite chaotic at first. Multiple tour companies were picking up travelers from the same location, buses constantly arriving and leaving, groups gathering everywhere, and very little clear signage about which bus belonged to which tour. At one point, everyone was asking drivers where their tour was going. Since nothing was clearly written on many of the buses, it made for a slightly stressful start to the morning, especially given how early it already was.

Once we finally found the correct bus and got seated, things became much calmer. The group itself was fairly large, as we expected for such a popular Dubrovnik-to-Kotor day trip, and the atmosphere was a mix of sleepy tourists trying to wake up and excited travelers ready for a full-day adventure. The bus itself was comfortable enough for a longer drive, although definitely more practical than luxurious.

For us, the early departure was not a big issue because we naturally wake up quite early anyway. Still, we can see how the 6 AM energy and rushed pickup situation could feel exhausting for some travelers, especially if you are on a more relaxed holiday schedule.

Since this tour takes you from Croatia into Montenegro, do not forget that you are crossing into another country,so make sure to bring a valid passport or ID card if you are an EU citizen. Border checks are a normal part of the trip, and without proper travel documents, you will not be allowed to continue.

One thing that did feel a little unusual to us happened right after boarding the bus. Our tour guide collected everyone’s passports shortly after we sat down to prepare some paperwork and speed up the border crossing later. We understand why this was done, and it’s common on these organized Balkan tours. However, as more experienced travelers, it still felt uncomfortable, as everyone knows, to never hand over your travel documents unless necessary. So giving our passports away, even temporarily, felt a bit strange at first.

After everyone was finally on board, we started heading towards the Montenegro border. The drive there was actually quite fast, around 40-45 minutes, even though we made a few additional stops along the way to pick up more travelers from different parts of Dubrovnik. Overall, it felt pretty smooth and organized once the chaotic pickup phase was over. Before reaching the border itself, the tour guide returned everyone’s passports to us while we were still on the bus.

Crossing the Croatia–Montenegro Border

The border crossing turned out to be one of the biggest downsides of the entire day trip, and something you really need to prepare for before booking mentally. We crossed the Granični prijelaz Karasović border crossing, and even before arriving, we had already heard stories about long waiting times there. Out of curiosity, we later checked the Google reviews for the crossing itself, and they are some of the worst border crossing reviews we have ever seen 😄

When we arrived, our bus was already the third in line, which meant there were around 80 to 100 people ahead of us before our group would even be processed. Considering each bus was full of travelers, the line moved painfully slowly. The worst part was that there were no proper facilities around, no toilets, you were not allowed to walk around, so everyone mostly just sat on the bus waiting and hoping the line would start moving faster.

In total, it took about an hour. Everyone had to leave the bus and go to the police officer one by one for passport checks.

We also noticed that when there were non-EU travelers on the bus, the checks took a bit longer because additional procedures, such as fingerprints and photos, were required. So, depending on your group composition and the season, the waiting time can increase even further.

After we finally made it through the Croatian border, things became much easier. The Montenegro border check itself was quick and smooth. We stayed inside the bus the whole time while our tour guide handed over the passenger list to the border officers, and within a few minutes, we were officially in Montenegro. Shortly after crossing, the bus stopped at the first petrol station for a coffee and bathroom break. There was both a café area and a regular petrol station shop, and the tour guide recommended the coffee place, saying it had the best coffee. The only problem was that basically the entire bus headed here at once, creating a huge line. So our recommendation is simple: the second you get off the bus, go straight to the petrol station side instead. The coffee there was equally good, much faster to get, and there was also a bathroom available. The toilet cost €0.50.

As everyone got their coffee, we continued towards Kotor, although it still took almost another hour before we reached the town itself. The drive was very scenic because the bus followed roads around the Bay of Kotor, passing small coastal villages and beautiful views almost the entire way, so the journey itself did not feel boring.

Here, the itinerary ended up being reversed. According to the plan, we were supposed to first stop in Perast, then visit Our Lady of the Rocks, and only afterward continue to Kotor by boat. In reality, the tour did the exact opposite, bringing us to Kotor first before continuing to the other stops later in the day. It wasn’t necessarily a bad change, but it caught us off guard.

We arrived in Kotor at around 10:13 AM, where the bus dropped everyone off at a larger parking area outside the old town. From there, we followed the tour guide towards the tourist information point near the entrance to Kotor Old Town. She explained how the next part of the day would work: first, there would be a guided walking tour of the town with a local English-speaking guide, followed by free time to explore on our own before meeting again at 1 PM. The group then entered Sea Gate, the main entrance to Kotor Old Town, but we decided to skip the guided tour altogether. We already knew we wanted to spend our limited time and headed straight towards the San Giovanni Fortress to start the climb while the temperatures were still manageable.

Waddling to Kotor Fortress and the Citadel Views

We waddled straight towards the San Giovanni Fortress climb, which felt a little rushed because by then it was almost 11 AM and we had roughly two hours total in Kotor before needing to return to the group. Still, we did not hesitate and decided to go all the way up anyway. The climb itself took us around 45 minutes, but the views over the Bay of Kotor were absolutely worth it. We actually wrote a whole separate blog post about the fortress hike because there is a lot more to say about it.

After coming back down, we still had enough time to quickly explore parts of Kotor Old Town, wander through the small stone streets, and grab some snacks before heading back to meet the group in front of the tourist information booth near the Sea Gate. Also, a random little tip for fellow travelers collecting travel stamps like us: ask at the tourist information booth because they actually have a really cute Kotor stamp there.

Where to eat in Kotor

While we decided to spend most of our limited time in Kotor exploring the old town and climbing the fortress, you might prefer slowing down a little and experiencing the city through its food instead. If that sounds more like your kind of trip, here are some restaurants and cafés in Kotor that stood out during our research and that we would recommend checking out.

• Tavern Trpeza is an 800-year-old family-run historic tavern in Kotor, operated by the Seferović family. They serve fresh Mediterranean and Boka Bay cuisine, focusing on daily caught seafood, traditional regional dishes, and a few carefully prepared meat options, all rooted in authentic family recipes and long-standing coastal cooking traditions.
• Konoba Scala Santa. It is one of the most atmospheric and traditional restaurants in Kotor Old Town. It serves classic Mediterranean and Montenegrin cuisine, with a strong focus on fresh seafood dishes such as fish soup and fish stew, alongside a selection of meat specialties.
• Dekaderon Pescaria. It is a modern seafood restaurant known for its fresh Mediterranean dishes and beautiful views over the cathedral, making it a popular spot for both visitors and locals looking for a relaxed meal in the heart of Kotor.
• Konoba Roma. Konoba Roma is a well-known traditional restaurant. It is popular for its fresh seafood, grilled fish, and classic local dishes, prepared in a home-style way that highlights local ingredients.
• BBG Tanjga. It is a well-known casual spot in Kotor, famous for its generous portions of grilled meat and simple, no-frills Balkan food. The menu focuses on classic grilled dishes like ćevapi, sausages, and mixed meat platters, usually served with fries, bread, and fresh sides.
• If you want something quicker or cheaper, instead of sitting down at a restaurant, there is a short street just outside Kotor Old Town lined with food trucks and fast-food stands. We grabbed some French fries there before returning to the group, they were surprisingly delicious.

Once the whole group gathered again, we headed to the Kotor harbor and boarded a boat towards Our Lady of the Rocks. The boat ride took about 45 minutes and offered views across the Bay of Kotor from the water.

An interesting fact is that the island is completely man-made. According to local legend, sailors kept throwing stones into the sea after finding an icon of the Virgin Mary there, which over time created the island.

This stop felt rushed to us. We had around 30 minutes on the island, and with the queue for the church tickets plus several tour groups arriving at the same time, the island felt crowded very quickly. The boat ride was also mixed for us because, although the views were worth it, the boat itself was too small for the size of the group, and everyone was seated very close together.

After a short stop at Our Lady of the Rocks, where we did not even manage to enter the church due to the line and limited time, we continued to Perast, the final stop of the tour. Again, we only had around 30 minutes there, which was enough time for a quick walk, finding a bathroom, and then heading back towards the parking area where the bus was waiting.

Even though Perast is a small place, the stop still felt rushed. We spent a good part of the time simply searching for a toilet, and once we finally found one, it cost €1 and already had a long queue. At one point, we genuinely weren’t sure if we would make it before the bus left 😄 In the end, one local woman led people into her apartment building and let them use a bathroom on the third floor, which honestly became one of the more random memories from the entire trip.

Perast Travel Guide: What to Know and See

After the short stop in Perast, we returned to the parking lot where the whole group gathered again before heading back towards the Croatia–Montenegro border. And the return crossing was even worse than the one in the morning.

We waited for about 2.5 hours before finally crossing back into Croatia. When we arrived at the border, there were already three buses ahead of us, plus two more in the second lane, so from the beginning it was clear this would not be a quick crossing. Again, there were no toilets, nowhere to walk around, and not much to do besides sit on the bus and wait.

What really surprised us was how identical the situation was to the morning crossing. It felt like all the Dubrovnik-to-Montenegro day tours left around the same time and returned at the same time later in the afternoon. We believe the tour companies can significantly improve the experience by slightly adjusting their schedules to align with one another. Even arriving at the border 30 minutes earlier or later could probably make a huge difference.

Eventually, after finally making it through, the bus continued back to Dubrovnik and dropped everyone off at the same pickup points where the day had started early that morning.

Buy Me a Ko-fi

So that was basically the entire Dubrovnik-to-Kotor day trip. The biggest thing to understand before booking is that a large part of the day can end up being spent at the border crossings, and honestly, nobody can really guarantee whether you will wait one hour, two hours, or even longer. Afterward, we even saw people mention waits of up to 7 hours during busy periods.

If you book this trip, mentally prepare for the border crossings to take up a major part of the day. That is simply the reality of traveling between Croatia and Montenegro during peak travel times. And honestly, in the end, it probably would not have mattered much whether we had chosen an organized tour, a public bus, or driven ourselves, because everyone eventually ends up in the same border queue anyway.

What We Loved About the Tour

• Seeing another country in just one day
• Not having to plan transport, parking, or navigation ourselves.
• Easy hotel pickup and drop off
• Views while driving around the Bay of Kotor
• Boat ride across the bay.
• Exploring Kotor and climbing the fortress
• The atmosphere inside Kotor Old Town
• Stress-free logistics regarding how to actually get to Montenegro
• Getting a small introduction to Montenegro for the first time
• The tour combined several places in one day without needing to organize them separately.

What We Didn’t Love

• The whole trip felt very rushed.
• Not enough time in Kotor, Perast, or on Our Lady of the Rocks
• A large part of the day was spent waiting at the border.
• Border crossings could probably be handled better between tour companies.
• Large tour group and crowded bus/boat experience
• The boat felt overcrowded for the number of passengers.
• Very early departure from Dubrovnik
• Extra costs: €3 Montenegro border tax per person and €5 for the Our Lady of the Rocks church ticket (where we didn’t even enter).
• Most bathrooms during the trip were paid, which is not unusual in Europe, but paying €1 in Kotor for toilets where barely anything worked felt a bit frustrating.
• No proper toilet facilities at the border crossings despite the very long waiting times
• In Perast, finding a bathroom at all became an adventure on its own 😄
• Bathroom stops during the day felt poorly planned, considering how long the tour lasts.

Would We Do the Dubrovnik to Kotor Day Trip Again

For us, this trip was very 50/50. It is probably the easiest way to visit Montenegro from Dubrovnik without worrying about driving, parking, buses, or border logistics. So if your goal is to visit another country in one day, then yes, this tour works well.

But if your goal is to really experience Kotor itself, then the trip feels too rushed. Most of the day is spent traveling and waiting at the border, leaving little time in Montenegro.

Looking back, we think we would rather explore Montenegro separately in the future, maybe with a rental car or a smaller private tour with more flexibility, although that would cost more. So overall, this tour is best for first-time visitors who want an easy introduction to Montenegro rather than a deeper experience.

Is the Dubrovnik to Kotor Day Trip Worth It

Yes, if…

• You want an easy way to visit Montenegro from Dubrovnik.
• You do not want to deal with driving, parking, or public transport.
• You are okay with a long and structured day.
• You want to add another country to your travels.
• You are visiting Kotor for the first time and want a quick introduction.
• You enjoy organized tours and planned itineraries.

No, if…

• You dislike long border waits and unpredictable delays.
• You prefer slow travel and spending more time in one place.
• You want to properly explore Kotor, Perast, or the Bay of Kotor.
• You dislike crowded tours, buses, and tight schedules.
• You want flexibility during the day.
• You expect a relaxed experience rather than a fast-paced one.

Overall, we would say the Dubrovnik to Kotor day trip is worth it for travelers who want a simple and convenient first look at Montenegro. But if you really want to experience the country beyond the highlights, then Montenegro deserves more than just one rushed day trip.

Dubrovnik, Croatia: What to Know Before You Visit 

Tips Before Booking a Dubrovnik to Kotor Tour

• Bring your passport or a valid ID because you will cross the Croatia–Montenegro border
• Sit on the right side of the bus when heading towards Kotor for better views over the Bay of Kotor
• Bring cash for toilets, snacks, coffee stops, church tickets, and small extra fees during the day
• Expect delays at the border, especially during summer and busy travel periods
• Wear comfortable shoes because the streets in Kotor are stone-paved and slippery in some areas
• Bring water and snacks because parts of the day can become longer than expected
• Do not expect a relaxed, slow travel experience because the schedule is quite tight
• If you plan to climb the fortress in Kotor, start immediately after arriving to save time and avoid the heat
• Keep your phone charged because you will spend a lot of time on the road and at border crossings 😄

Overall, we would rate this Dubrovnik-to-Kotor day trip around 6.5/10. We are still happy we did it because it gave us our first glimpse of Montenegro and finally allowed us to visit Kotor, which had been on our list for a long time. At the same time, the day felt much more rushed than we expected, and the border crossings took a huge part of the overall experience.

Would we recommend it? Yes, but mostly for travelers who want an easy, organized way to quickly visit Montenegro from Dubrovnik without having to plan everything themselves. If you are expecting a relaxed day with plenty of exploring time, this probably isn’t the best option.

What the trip definitely did achieve, though, is making us want to return to Montenegro properly in the future because one day was not enough.

Pack your bags and waddle more!

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