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Dobrota Vs Kotor, Montenegro: Where Should You Stay?
When I started planning for our trip to Montenegro I POURED over blogs, reddit threads, travel sites, etc. I really didn’t want to make the wrong decision about where we should base. Realistically of course, I don’t think there is a WRONG decision. But there is a place that is right for you and what you need, and for us that was Dobrota. So let me explain why.
First of all we knew we were traveling by rental car, so I wanted us to be able to park that car easily and use it when needed. This would have been extremely challenging staying in the Old Town of Kotor. I also wanted to avoid the mid day cruise ship and day trip rush in Kotor and the area around it. Dobrota doesn’t have either of those issues.
I read that you could walk from Dobrota right down the promenade and into town and I figured that would be absolutely perfect for us. Turns out, it was! We rented the MOST delightful home in Dobrota. The house itself was very spacious and lovely. What made it even better was how kind all of the neighbors in the area were.
We had easy access to Kotor and everything it had to offer. But we didn’t have to be in the mix with the crowds, parking trouble, cruise ships, and more difficult logistics.
How to get to Dobrota
You can access Dobrota area in many ways. We were on a road trip so we came by car. You can also fly into the Tivat airport and be in Dobrota within 20-40 minutes depending on the traffic. You can take a ferry from neighboring countries into Kotor. You could also arrive by cruise ship, but I don’t recommend that.
How to get around Dobrota
Honestly we got around on foot in and around Dobrota 80% of the time. We hopped in the car for a few adventures and I was glad we had it. You could also take taxis around the area. If you want to see major sites or do major tours there are also busses and groups that travel to those things.
Where to stay in Dobrota with a group
If you’re traveling with a group, we LOVED the home we rented. It was called “Stone Home Kotor” and the owner was so easy to communicate with. The house was directly across the street from the water and had views out both of the main bedroom windows. We were a group of 4 and I thought this was perfect for our size. It had 2 full bathrooms, laundry, a nice kitchen and living area, and 4 bedrooms. Two of the bedrooms were more “master” like with front facing windows and were big and spacious. The other two rooms were a bit smaller and had a side view. This is worth noting depending on who you’re traveling with.
The neighborhood surrounding the home was so lovely. We could sit on the little docks and swim right in the sea. There were SO many restaurants close by were spoiled for choice. Honestly the restaurant scene in Dobrota is more impressive than in Kotor. There was a grocery store a few minutes away and we never had trouble parking right by the house. It only took us about 25 minutes to walk directly into the old town of Kotor.
Where to stay in Dobrota as a couple
If you’re traveling as a couple and not looking for group accommodation you still have a number of excellent options. Personally Hotel Forza Terra would be my first choice. This place has amazing reviews, looks stunning, has water access, and has all the same benefits location wise as the Stone home we stayed in.
Another option, if you’re willing to stay a bit further from the old town (you’d need transport into old Town Kotor) is Hotel Palazzo del Mare – Essenza. We actually spent a day at the beach club here (will share later on in this post) and I could easily see how nice it would be to have access to that daily throughout your stay.
Day 1: Kotor Old Town & Rooftop Drinks
We arrived in Dobrota by car from the mountains of Montenegro. Our friends arrived by taxi from Croatia. When we got into town we were able to throw our bags into the home while it was being cleaned so we could go get lunch. Luckily for us the Stone Home is so well located we had lunch spots right around the corner.
Lunch at Platanus Kotor
We had such a lovely first lunch here. It was a very relaxed atmosphere and they were running brunch and lunch. We got a tomato and feta appetizer, smash burgers, an octopus salad, and a mixed seafood salad, and we enjoyed everything! We had a nice white wine from Montenegro to go with the meal.
Happy hour & dinner in Kotor Town
After lunch we chilled by the water for a bit and then got cleaned up to head into town. We had thought about visiting the cable car this evening, but it was closing early due to wind. Make sure to keep track of the cable car opening and closing on their official website and instagram.
We headed into town and wandered around for a while. The streets here are just stunning and there are an insane amount of shops to bop in and out of. We finally decided to get a drink and hit up the rooftop bar at the Hippocampus hotel.
We were lucky we went early, they weren’t taking any more reservations for sunset time ( or any dinner reservations), but we were early enough that we could grab a drink before dinner. They have some great views over the Old Town and had nice cocktails. I didn’t find the prices to be too unreasonable for one of the only rooftop bars in Kotor.
After drinks we headed to dinner at Atrium. First of all, this restaurant is such a beautiful place. They take great care with everything they do from the cocktails to the food to the decor. We loved watching them make cocktails over at the bar, they all had such fun presentation. We started with an eggplant appetizer and a tomato salad that were both to die for. For dinners we had fish, seafood risotto, another pasta dish and I don’t recall but I’m certain my husband had some type of meat. We were really impressed with this spot and left happy!
Day 2: Boat Day, Blue Cave & Kotor Cable Car
Day two was unintentionally action packed! But we loved it!
Montenegro Boat Tour: What I wish I knew before booking
I definitely expected something slightly different than what our boat day in Montenegro actually was. That is completely on me for just booking a boat and not paying much attention.
Expectation: we’d hop in the boat, see some of the sites listed in the description. Sites listed were Our Lady of the Rocks, the Submarine tunnels, the blue cave etc. I was under the impression that we’d swim between all the sights, be off the boat and in the ocean a lot, and simply enjoying the water. We were told we were going to an amazing fish restaurant for lunch, and I imagined a down home fish restaurant on the edge of a village. Again, entirely my fault for not paying more attention and using my imagination instead of actually reading.
Reality: we hopped into the boat and rode for a solid 45 minutes to Our Lady of the Rocks (no swim stops), we enjoyed checking out the island, seeing the church/museum. We hopped back on the boat and headed to the blue caves. Here we did get out and swim and it was really enjoyable. Having been on many, many boats over the years. I have to be honest, the blue cave was super cool, but the way they oversell it in Montenegro is a little much. We rode the boat around the coast here for a bit and saw the submarine tunnel which was very neat. We swam a bit more around here and then we headed to lunch.
Turns out lunch at a special fish restaurant meant one of the most expensive fish restaurants in the whole country. We sat down and waited for menus but none came. Instead a waiter came and said “let me show you the fish we have today”. He proceeded to show us some of the fish and how they could be cooked, and us being good natured and non questioning took his advice and went and sat back down. We had a raw shrimp appetizer that was seriously incredible, like I’ll dream about it. Then they took some red snapper and made it into a carpaccio with truffle. This was also delicious. Finally they filleted the rest of the snapper for each of us and gave us some veggie sides with it.
The lunch was seriously impressive, but when the bill came and was 500 dollars I’ll admit I was less than thrilled. This was more than the cost of our actual boat day. But, you live and you learn. We should have asked questions and we didn’t. At least the food was genuinely amazing.
After lunch we got back on the boat and rode all the way back to Dobrota, it took about an hour and no more swim stops.
It seems that in Montenegro taking the boat around is more about seeing the sights than swimming. Not saying you shouldn’t do this tour, just that you should be aware it may not be like other boat days you’ve been on before.
It’s also worth noting that our boat was incredibly clean and nice. The captain was very kind and welcoming and this is the same route that ALL the boats do in this area. I think if you’re going to do the “same boat day” as everyone else anyone, our captain was one of the best you could have. He also picked us up RIGHT from where we were staying in Dobrota which was super kind of him. You can find his link here —-> Black Pearl Perast
If you’re interested in a boat day in Montenegro you can find options all over, you can also easily book in advance by looking for a tour that suits you here —-> Boat Day
Kotor Cable Car & Alpine Coaster: What to know before you go
As I mentioned previously, make sure you check the official website/instagram of the Kotor Cable Car before you head up. They provide real time up to date information and sometimes there are changes to the operation of the cable car due to weather.
To get to the cable car we drove from Dobrota and parked in the giant lot at the base of the cable car. Parking here was 1 euro per hour. You could also take a shuttle bus here from the town of Kotor. If you wanted you could also drive up the mountain. We read this drive is not for the faint of heart and we wanted the cable car experience anyway.
Book your cable car tickets in advance online as well as the activities you want to do at the top. We booked the alpine coaster ahead of time and I was glad we did because we heard people complaining that it was sold out on our evening. We also booked the fast pass for the coaster and this ended up being well worth it so I highly recommend it. The “falcon fly” is another option, this is a ride you’re strapped into and you can fly around the mountain. Whatever you choose, book ahead.
The cable car takes 11 minutes from bottom to top. The line for the cable car on the other hand can take hours. It depends on what season you’re visiting, what day of the week, what time, etc. Sunset is a popular time so we waited quite a bit to go up.
The views from the cable car are stunning and admittedly a bit terrifying. I didn’t realize from the ground how high up we would actually be! The cable car is steep, high, and epic. It is also quite comfortable, it wasn’t hot and they played relaxing music. It is also worth mentioning that it is FAR colder up on the mountain than down in the town. You may want to bring layers even on the warmest of summer days.
At the top we watched the sunset and then jumped in line for the coaster. Thank goodness we had the fast pass because we were able to skip the line and essentially hop right on. You can control your own speed on the coaster, so if you’re a little fearful this may put you at ease. The ride is only about 90 seconds but it is so much fun! You get views over the whole bay of Kotor and the town and you feel a bit like you’re doing real life Mario Kart. I highly recommend it if you don’t have a fear of heights!
There are also bars/restaurants and shops up here so you can grab a snack, drink, etc when you come up. It’s like it’s own little world above Kotor.
Day 3: Swimming, Underwater Wine & Dinner
You’re probably thinking, what the heck is underwater wine. Don’t worry. I will explain. We started this day by relaxing. Well, thats a lie. I started this day the same way I do every day, with a 6-7 mile run. This morning I ran into Kotor and ran along the walls, I also ran the whole Dobrota promenade which is so lovely.
Anyway, after that we hit the “beach” for a few hours. By beach, I just mean the dockside area across from our house in Dobrota. Honestly, it’s a great spot to just hang out, swim, and enjoy the sunshine. This is what all the locals seem to do and it’s so peaceful.
Lunch at Sorriso in Dobrota
This spot was right next to our house too and was a little more Mom & Pop looking than the place we had lunch previously. We LOVED it. We had the most delicious mussels buzara to start. Many places in Montenegro will have buzara on the menu and I can highly recommend it. Its almost like their version of scampi and they do it with white or red sauce. We had it with red. Between the 3 seafood lovers of our group we also had the octopus, the squid, and the shrimp, and all 3 were wonderful! My husband had a chicken fillet that he also enjoyed! Overall, this is such a lovely lunch spot that I definitely recommend.
The KRAKEN: underwater wine
So, now we finally get to the underwater wine! So essentially this place is two floating rafts tied together. It sounds primitive and it kind of is, but in the best way. You go out to the rafts just off the shore and you enjoy wine that they have been aging right there under the sea. As it was explained to us, aging under the sea simply helps the wines to age faster.
They have a simple menu of a few different bottles of wine (you must order by the bottle) and some light snacks like meat, cheese, octopus bruschetta, and mussels. You are able to book in advance and you book a 2 hour time slot for your visit. You can swim off the raft while you’re hanging out and snacking and enjoying your wines. It’s a really great and relaxed vibe and I highly recommend making a stop here!
Dinner at Konoba Scala Santa
We had to swerve from some reservations we’d previously made because many of the spots along the bay in Dobrota only serve seafood (my husband is not a seafood guy). So we got a last minute reservation at Scala Santa. I’m really glad we did. Make sure to make a reservation if you want to eat here though. Their terrace in the square is extremely popular and the indoors isn’t huge either.
We loved our meal here and we loved our waiter so much, he was so friendly and welcoming. We tried a lot here and yet I only took one solitary photo. I had a lovely pasta with shrimp, we had octopus, pasta with meat, and a beef of some sort. We also had some salads as apps, which honestly is a must do in Montenegro as all of the salad stuff is so incredibly fresh. Overall, I would recommend this spot but make sure to get a reservation outside where it is lively!
Day 4: Kotor Fortress Hike, beach club, Dinner at Moments
Kotor Fortress Hike: what to know before you go
Some quick Facts:
- Cost: €15 in peak summer
- Best time: Early morning
- Difficulty: Moderate, mostly stairs
- What to wear: Sneakers with good grip
- Main issue: Slippery/unstable stairs
- Best part: Views throughout the climb
This morning we woke up and decided to do the Kotor fortress hike. We left Dobrota at about 7:30 and got to the start around 8am. We of course had to throw in a bakery stop. This was a great time to do it, the whole hike was still shaded, and it was pretty uncrowded. As we were coming down we were already starting to see a lot more people.
The hike costs 15 euro in peak summer. I have read that there are times in the off season when they don’t charge, but don’t hold me to that. Kotor is very touristy and they are taking advantage. Overall, I’d say the hike was still worth it.
It’s a significant amount of stairs. So if you have mobility issues or stairs are challenging, this wouldn’t be a great hike for you. The stairs are also slippery and unstable in places, so be prepared. I would be sure to do this hike in sneakers. It’s otherwise not incredibly challenging though, you basically just go up and up and up. The views are stunning honestly the whole way up and down.
Beach Club for the afternoon
We decided to spend the afternoon at a beach club in Dobrota since we’d been hanging off the dock for the past few days. We chose Bianco Beach club because it seemed like our vibe and had great reviews. We were spot on! It cost 50 euro for 2 beds and an umbrella and we found it to be worth it for the day. We were front row, right on the sea, and it was so comfortable and lovely.
The staff here were incredibly kind and attentive. The food was excellent, we enjoyed a nice bottle of wine, and we were all so glad we spent the day treating ourselves. This place was very relaxed so if you’re looking for a big party this wouldn’t be your place. Just a bunch of couples and friends hanging and relaxing for the most part.
Dinner at Moments in Dobrota
We saved Moments for our last dinner and I’m glad that we did. This place was wonderful and was also basically next door to our home. We made reservations in advance so we got a spot on the upstairs terrace. It was a Friday night so they had live music and it was all around such a nice vibe. We watched the sunset while we ate and enjoyed a nice bottle of wine. Even if you were staying in Kotor Old Town I would say this spot is 100% worth the walk.
The food here was fantastic we had a tomato and eggplant app as well as a scallops carpaccio that was fantastic! For dinner we had seafood risotto and a beef dish. This was by far one of the best meals of our trip and I highly recommend in no matter where you’re staying around the bay. It was a great finale to our trip before heading out the next day.
A note about the Tivat airport
I just want to add a little note about flying in and out of the Tivat airport. I don’t want to scare anyone, but I would have liked to have known about this in advance to have been better mentally prepared. There’s really nothing you can physically do to prepare to be honest.
Also, this likely only applies during peak season travel, but I still want to note it.
Arriving in the Tivat airport is honestly no problem if you have a plan. Make sure you know where you’re going and how you’re getting there once you land and you’ll be fine. We did not check bags for the flight and personally I would not advise it.
Departing from Tivat is where it gets intense. It is important to know that you COULD get lucky and not have this experience at all. I posted a reel about my experience at this airport on instagram and it got over 1 million views. The comments were FLOODED with people who had similar horrifying experiences to what we did. But the odd few people also said they had no problem.
We arrived at the Tivat airport 3 hours early because we had to drop off our rental car and we were worried that we hadn’t been issued our boarding passes. This was WAY too early. Dropping off the car took about 4 seconds and the check in for our flight didn’t open until 2 hours before. I would advise arriving 2 hours before your flight.
This place can only be described as absolute chaos. The line to get through secutiry and into the actual gates to fly cuts through the entire terminal building. You can’t figure out if you’re in line to check in, get information, get through security, etc. Everyone is fighting to get where they need to go and trying to figure out where they need to be and there is absolutely NO direction what so ever.
Once you manage to get in line for security (or what you think is the line) they will continue to shout out the names of flights that are departing soon. When they do, people that are on that flight will scream and try to charge forward to get to the security gate. They will make their way through (though sometimes it’s so crowded that they can’t). The whole crowd will also push forward. Honestly it’s every man for himself and it’s scary and quite honestly dangerous.
With that said I have advice. First of all, if you can avoid it, fly from somewhere else. If I had a do over, I’d fly from Dubrovnik. If you can’t fly from somewhere else, PACK YOUR PATIENCE. Know that this may happen, be prepared, bring water, stay calm, and LISTEN as best you can. If you are traveling with older or younger travelers or anyone with mobility issues I suggest you go to the information desk and ask for help. I wish you the best with this airport and may your experience be far better than mine!
Final Thoughts: Would I Stay in Dobrota Again?
Absolutely. If I were planning another trip to the Bay of Kotor, I would choose Dobrota over staying directly in Kotor again. It gave us the best of both worlds: we were close enough to walk into Kotor when we wanted to, but we could escape the crowds at the end of the day and actually relax.
Four days was a great amount of time for us, especially because it gave us enough flexibility to mix sightseeing with slower days by the water. If I were doing this trip again, I wouldn’t try to cram in more. I’d spend more time swimming, eating, and enjoying the views. I’d also force my husband to try some more restaurants in Dobrota instead of in Kotor.
If you’re looking for a quieter, more relaxed base for exploring Kotor and the Bay of Kotor, I think Dobrota is a fantastic choice.
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