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Montenegro Day Trip: Kotor, Budva & Sveti Stefan

5.063 Google reviewsDay trip from Tirana, Durrës or Shkodra

The Montenegrin coast starts about two hours north of Shkodra and it is a very different coast from Albania's: steeper, more built, more Venetian, and a good deal more expensive. A day there is a good contrast, and Kotor alone is worth the drive.

Itinerary

For reference only. Itineraries are subject to change.

  1. 05:00

    Pickup

    From Tirana, Durrës or Golem. Shkodra pickups join at 07:00 and save two hours of the day.

  2. 08:00

    Border at Hani i Hotit

    Passport control on both sides, usually twenty to forty minutes in summer.

  3. 10:30

    Kotor old town

    Two and a half hours: the sea gate, the cathedral of St Tryphon, the lanes, and the start of the fortress climb for the view down the bay.

  4. 13:00

    Lunch in Kotor

    Free time for lunch in the old town or on the waterfront.

  5. 14:30

    Budva

    Along the coast to Budva for an hour in the old town and on the promenade.

  6. 16:15

    Sveti Stefan viewpoint

    The classic view down onto the island village from the coast road.

  7. 17:00

    Home

    Back across the border. Shkodra around 19:30, Tirana and the coast around 21:30.

Experience & Highlights

  • Kotor, a UNESCO walled town at the end of its bay
  • The first stretch of the climb to San Giovanni fortress
  • The viewpoint over Sveti Stefan's island village
  • Budva old town on its point between two beaches
  • Border formalities handled for you

Full Description

Kotor sits at the far end of a long bay that cuts deep into the mountains, which most people call a fjord although it is a drowned river canyon. The old town is a UNESCO walled city of stone lanes and small squares, and the walls climb straight up the mountain behind it to the fortress of San Giovanni. The first section of the climb is enough for the view.

On the way back we stop at the viewpoint above Sveti Stefan, the fortified island village that is now a single luxury hotel, and at Budva, where the compact old town sits on a point between two beaches. It is a long day, and the one cross-border trip where we recommend the Shkodra pickup if you can manage it.

What's included

  • Hotel pickup and drop-off in Tirana, Durrës, Golem or Shkodra
  • Air-conditioned transport
  • English-speaking guide
  • Border formalities handled as a group
  • Bottled water

Not included

  • Lunch in Kotor
  • Kotor fortress walls entry (€15, optional)
  • Travel insurance

Good to know

  • Bring your passport. Montenegro is outside the EU and the border is checked in both directions.
  • The Hani i Hotit crossing can back up badly on summer weekends. We try to schedule this trip on weekdays in July and August.
  • Montenegro uses the euro.
  • Sveti Stefan island is a private hotel and not open to day visitors. We stop at the viewpoint above it.

Good questions, honest answers

How far is Kotor from Tirana?

About four and a half hours each way including the border, which makes this a fifteen-hour day. From Shkodra it is closer to three hours. It is the longest of our cross-border trips, which is why we suggest the Shkodra pickup if you are in the north.

Can you visit Sveti Stefan island?

Not as a day visitor. The island village was turned into a single luxury resort and access is for hotel guests only. The view from the coast road above it is the one in all the photographs, and that is where we stop.

Do I need a visa for Montenegro?

EU, UK, US, Canadian and Australian passport holders do not. Many other nationalities can enter with a valid Schengen or US visa, but rules vary, so check before booking. You need a passport.

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