Montenegro Old Town Walks: Kotor to Herceg Novi

Montenegro Old Town Walks

Four coastal towns reward a slow walk, and none needs a guide. Each card below gives the distance, the order of stops and the entry fees along the way, in euros. Confirm prices before you go, as they can change.

Walk 1: Kotor (about 2.5 km, 2 hours)

  • Start: the Sea Gate (1555), on the edge of the Old Town.
  • Stops in order: Arms Square and its clock tower, the Pillar of Shame, the Bizanti, Beskuća and Pima palaces, St Tryphon’s Cathedral, Trg Bokeljske Mornarice, Wood Square and the 1221 Collegiate Church of St Mary.
  • Finish: the River Gate, where the Škurda spring comes out of the rock. A short stretch of the bastion wall on the west side looks over the bay.
  • Costs: the Old Town is free. St Tryphon’s and the Maritime Museum are about €4 each, with opening times worth checking locally.
  • Extra climb: the fortress path is 1,350 steps and €15 in season. Buy the ticket at the official turnstiles and keep the stub, since rangers check it along the route.

Walk 2: Perast (about 2 km, 1.5 hours)

  • Start: the western fortress end of the waterfront.
  • Stops in order: the Bujović Palace (1694, now the town museum), the Smekja and Zmajević palaces, and the Church of St Nicholas and its bell tower.
  • Finish: a stone jetty at Conte Restaurant, known for peraška torta, the local almond cake.
  • Costs: the bell tower is about €2. Boats to Our Lady of the Rocks cost about €5 to €10 return, and the church and museum add €3.
  • Note: the promenade is about 1.5 km long and, in summer, is closed to non-resident cars.

Walk 3: Budva (about 3 km, 1.5 hours)

  • Start: the Old Town, restored after the 1979 earthquake.
  • Stops in order: the Citadela (about €3.50), the small harbor and a wooden boardwalk along the cliffs, past the bronze Ballerina statue.
  • Finish: a rock tunnel leading to Mogren I and II beaches.
  • Tip: Visitor information for Budva is at budva.travel .

Walk 4: Herceg Novi (about 3.5 km, 2.5 hours)

  • Start: the harbor area.
  • Stops in order: stairways (skaline) through palm and oleander gardens, Forte Mare (14th century), Belavista Square and its church of St Michael the Archangel, the 1667 clock tower, and Kanli Kula.
  • Finish: Kanli Kula, a 16th-century Ottoman fortress that is now an open-air amphitheater seating about 1,000 people.
  • Note: the climbs are steep, so allow rest stops and carry water.

Walking Tips

  • In July and August, temperatures can pass 35°C. Walk before 09:00 or after 17:00.
  • Churches are active places of worship: cover knees and shoulders, and keep your shoes on.
  • Kotor receives cruise ship groups, so a quiet morning visit helps.
  • Carry water on all four routes.

Read more: the attraction tours guide covers the museums and monuments passed on these walks.

For a guided walk, compare options on GetYourGuide .