Montenegro, a picturesque Balkan country nestled along the Adriatic coast, is renowned for its stunning landscapes that seamlessly blend mountains and sea. Home to four UNESCO World Heritage sites, including the well-preserved medieval town of Kotor, Montenegro showcases a rich cultural and natural heritage that captivates visitors with its timeless beauty.

I spent 11 days seeing Kotor and its nearby towns with my two kids during week 15-16 of our Europe trip. As usual, I’ll share my favorite photo spots and experiences. And first and foremost…

Logistic Tip

For the first time during the past 15 weeks of our Europe travel, we crossed the border on a bus, from Dubrovnik, Croatia.  Traveling alone with two young kids for more than 3 months so far means I have to balance safety and adventure. 

👉 We typically flew only non-stop and landed sometime mid afternoon or early evening.  On very few occasions we didn’t follow this rule, we had hiccups (such as in Istanbul, Turkey)

👉 We stayed on the south side of Europe and didn’t have to add clothes and weight to our luggage. 

👉 There’s a 90-day limit to travel in Schengen countries (within any 180 days). So from time to time we had to explore non-Schengen countries in order to stay longer in Europe. 

👉 Last but not least, my destination choice is simple: it has to be picture worthy!

Fortunately, there are many bus lines between Dubrovnik and Kotor on a daily basis. We bought our tickets online from GetByBus website and chose the bus from Croatia bus-Globtour-Touring-Jadran ekspres.

The bus ride took between 2-2.5 hours. Total cost for me and two kids were about 50 euro.

My husband were in the US and planned to join us. We were big fans for road trips, and planned to have him rent a car from Dubrovnik and drive to meet us in Montenegro, so we could drive back to Croatia to do a road trip afterwards and fly out from there. Unfortunately, he got stuck in the US and couldn’t join us as soon as we had planned.

So I took the kids to ride on the bus twice between Dubrovnik and Kotor. The bus was moderately clean and comfortable. You need to pay nominal fees to store luggage before boarding the bus, and can only keep small backpacks and personal items on the bus.

You also have to get off the bus at the border for passport check, on both Croatia and Montenegro sides. Given it was October, not the peak season, it went fairly smooth for us, and probably took 20-30 minutes.

You could choose seats on first come first served basis. Even everyone got off the bus for passport checks, everyone went back to the original seat voluntarily. I even left my backpacks on the bus when we came off and felt pretty safe.

Don’t expect luxury from the bus, the view was the luxury. The coastal view was gorgeous along the way. There were a few quick stops, but majority of the guests got off at Kotor.

OK, back to my top 8 favorite photo spots:

1️⃣ Kotor Old Town:

Lose yourself in the labyrinth of narrow streets, hidden squares, and ancient stone buildings. Practice street photography and find extraordinary from the ordinary.

We took a trip to the UNESCO town of Kotor for the first time on a local bus that was only available once an hour from Ljuta.  Apparently, I forgot it was Saturday, so we ran into big tourist crowd again.  I took over 600 photos and didn’t find anything great. 

Apollo has been interested in taking pictures everyday lately.  He took quite a few shots of cats and pigeons, and said every photo was great.  I have briefly reviewed his photos. Regardless of his photo quality, let me put it this way, I have always been impressed by his confidence.

Oh yes, we ran into another wedding.  At least Orion didn’t block the crowd this time.

We loved the Kotor town so much that we booked another airbnb right in the old town for the last few days of our stay in Montenegro. We possibly walked around every single street in the old town multiple times.

Spending multiple days in a small town allowed us to explore everything at a deeper level. Every time we revisited a place, there was always something new and interesting.  More importantly, I could practice what inspired me most over the years on my photography journey. 

Photography is an art of observation.  It's all about finding something interesting in an ordinary place.  It has nothing to do with the things you see, but everything to do with the way you see them.

- Elliott Erwitt (Magnum Photographer)

2️⃣ Sveti Ivan Fortress

Hike up the steep but rewarding path to this fortress. The panoramic view of Kotor Bay from the top is a photographer’s dream.

Although Montenegro and Croatia speak the same language, Kotor and the nearby Dubrovnik share similar sea vibes, the Kotor walls are a lot more rugged than the Dubrovnik walls. 

Apollo was distracted by a cat who took a nap on his lap for “an hour”.  So only Orion and I completed the hike. 

The second day, Apollo was offered a job to take care of 21 stray cats in one of the Kotor old town squares, from 9am to 4:30pm.  Apparently, I lost my photographer for 2 days. Now his dream job has switched from scuba diver to cat caretaker.

3️⃣ Perast Harbor

This charming coastal village is dotted with beautiful churches and palazzos. Stroll along the picturesque harbor and capture the elegant architecture.

We visited Perast, another charming picturesque coastal town in the Bay of Kotor of Montenegro.  It took about 10-15 taxi ride from Ljuta, the little village we stayed in the first half of our stay in Montenegro.

Perast is known for its well-preserved Baroque architecture, including more than a dozen of historic palaces, the oldest one built in the early 18th century. Most of these historic structures are located on one road right by the water, offering you plenty of photo opportunities without any physical effort.

After touring in Europe for 3.5 months and seeing many old towns, every time I saw a new old town I was still excited.  Not sure if my kids were as excited as me, but they adapted to new places pretty well.

As usual, we stayed till after sunset.  By the time we finished dinner, it was completely dark.  Temperature dropped, followed by a night of thunderstorm.  I guessed summer was finally over.  I couldn’t wait to embrace fall, my favorite season of the year!

4️⃣ Ljuta Shoreline

This off-the-beaten path village between Kotor and Perast along turquoise water is pure magic! It was about 10-minute car ride from Kotor and Perast, allowing us to explore the Kotor Bay with convenience (either by taxi or bus).

The village was surrounded by mountains and right by the water. There was no crowd, which was a big contrast from many previous European destinations this summer. All we had was the view and the peace. It was picture perfect!

We spent our first few days in a 200-year-old historic stone house in Ljuta.  There was an orange tree right in front.  We picked some newly ripe oranges every morning, and found them better than any oranges we’ve tasted or remembered.

We enjoyed beautiful colors from sunrise and sunset everyday right outside our window. I also made an attempt to photograph Milky Way one night, but there was still too much light around the bay to get a clean shot of the starry sky.

5️⃣ The Church of Our Lady of Remedy

The medieval walled city of Kotor dates back to the 12th century and is filled with Venetian architecture and historic churches.  One of the most prominent churches from the Kotor skyline is the Church of Our Lady of Remedy. It’s situated hundreds of steps from the beginning of your Kotor City Wall hike.

The baroque facade is a charming hillside sanctuary, offering panoramic views of Kotor Bay and the picturesque Old Town.

The reason I mentioned this church was not for you to photograph the church, but to get up on the Kotor walls. Beyond the church, you could find many vantage points to photograph landscape.

6️⃣ St. Tryphon Cathedral

Within the Kotor old town, there are many churches. The most prominent one is the Cathedral of Saint Tryphon. There’s no way to miss it.

This medieval cathedral, characterized by its well-preserved Romanesque architecture, adorned with intricate stone carvings and a distinctive red-tiled roof, standing as a testament to the town's rich history. It is one of the most iconic landmarks in Kotor.

7️⃣ Stari Mlini Restaurant

You won’t believe this 16th-century flour mill turned restaurant with top culinary quality is located in the middle of nowhere between Kotor and Perast, yet offer the best view possible. There are even kids swings with stunning mountain water background. Just like Ljuta, Stari Mlini Restaurant is a complete hidden gem and little paradise.

8️⃣ Orahovac

Orahovac is another small village nestled along the Bay of Kotor, renowned for its tranquil ambiance, olive groves, and charming stone houses that offer a serene retreat with stunning views of the Adriatic Sea and the surrounding mountains.

The village's inviting beaches and authentic Mediterranean atmosphere make it a delightful destination for those seeking a peaceful escape.

We walked from Ljuta to Orahovac, but felt a bit uncomfortable to walk along the main road where there were sections with no obvious sidewalk. There was a small church on the hill top. At some point, we hiked next to a herd of goats. The road was dotted with small black goat poops. But the sunset view on the hilltop and beach was gorgeous.

We spent a total of 11 days in Kotor Bay of Montenegro, and completely enjoyed our slower travel pace. If you want to experience unique blend of natural beauty and rich history, and want to explore the off the beaten path in Europe, check out the nooks and crannies in Kotor Bay. You never know what hidden treasures you might discover in the magic Montenegro!

On our last day, we took the bus back to Dubrovnik, and flew out from there to our next destination: Rome, Italy.

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