It’s necessary to add in a few extra days for day trips while staying in Croatia. It is so easy to visit Montenegro or Mostar from Dubrovnik and many tour companies operate full or part-day trips. I did a lot of research into what Montenegro day trip to take and most reviews I read said that Perast was their favorite town and it was such an experience to visit Our Lady of the Rocks. I disagree. If I had to book this trip again I would look for a tour that was only going to Kotor and guaranteed 5-6 hours there.
Kotor’s medieval touches
The highlight of my trip was hiking the city walls to St. John’s fortress in Kotor, but I didn’t make it all the way. It took us about an hour up and maybe 45 minutes coming down and we only made it to the church that is about 1/3 of the way up.
Perast
Perast
Perast
Perast
Perast was a cute town but it is very small. We had an hour there and spent 40 minutes visiting Our Lady of the Rocks. This is a tiny island (I don’t even know how to estimate how long it is, maybe 30 meters, maybe smaller…) and there is nothing there except a small church. Yes there is some history but it isn’t the most photogenic place and we were stuck there for 20 minutes with nothing to do (it takes 15 seconds to walk from one side of the island to the other). If you do a Montenegro day trip that includes Perast do not make the mistake of getting on the boat. Post up at one of the lovely coastal terraces and have a glass of wine instead.
Walking the fortress walls in Kotor
St. Luke’s Church in Kotor
Kotor is another neat medieval town – we were given three hours there. I’ve read that crowds can be unbearable in the summer, but it wasn’t bad in April. When we entered (through gate 1) we immediately veered left as far as we could and stopped for lunch. Ombra is a pleasant restaurant with many vegan options like pizza with non-dairy cheese and risotto. You can continue past it and spot St. Luke’s Church, which was constructed in 1195, on your way to the city walls entrance. It costs eight euros to climb the walls but it was well worth it. The views are unreal! One of the coolest things I’ve done. It is a little slippery walking but there are stairs constructed the entire way up that really help.
Perast
Crossing the border was a process as I had read. Our tour bus was late so I was worried it would take forever because we’d be at the end of the line, but I do think that being in a smaller sprinter van made the difference. We spent less than an hour total, despite the guards working quite slowly. I shouldn’t have to mention this but obviously make sure to bring your passport with you on the day trips… We had to wait for someone to return to his accommodation because he thought he could use a driver’s license to enter a new country. The overall experience was quite long (depart at 7:30, return at 6pm) but it was fun to get to explore somewhere new in a day.
Our Lady of the Rocks
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9 Comments
Amanda
June 15, 2019 at 12:43 amThis seems like a very dreamy place – with islands and mountains coming down to the sea. Beautiful scenery. I knew about Croatia because of the Game of Thrones but would have never thought of going to Montenegro,
Lisa
September 3, 2019 at 8:44 pmI loved Montenegro when I visited a few years ago. Reading your post brought back some great memories for me. I loved seeing photos of Kotor again. I’d love to return one day, as I’d like to properly explore Perast the next time I’m back.
blair villanueva
September 4, 2019 at 4:28 amI think I saw one movie that feature Montenegro, and it was truly gorgeous. I admire your travel photos during your Montenegro vacation, and I am inspired and wishing to visit it too. Maybe Montenegro will be our honeymoon destination.
Yukti Agrawal
September 4, 2019 at 5:21 amMontenegro is a lovely small cute country with so many worth visiting places. Your day trip to Kotor looks very beautiful, but I would love to spend more time here, preferably a couple of night stay, as everything is so beautiful here. I loved the views from top of fortress wall. Perast is really wonderful.
Adele Gee
September 4, 2019 at 1:42 pmThe scenery look very similar to Dubrovnik. Montenegro would be a lovely alternative to the now too touristy Dubrovnik. The island with a church in Perast reminds me of Lake Bled. All in all it seems to be a lovely place to visit as a day trip!
Sandy N Vyjay
September 5, 2019 at 7:00 amA country in 12 hours, that really sounds fascinating. Montenegro comes across as a country that is oozing with old-world charm. The St. John’s fortress in Kotor seems like it has been plucked from the pages of history. What an intriguing place. I can understand why you would want to spend more time in Kotor. Perast too looks enchanting, and good to soak in the vibes.
Bhushavali
September 5, 2019 at 9:15 pmWe are planning to visit Dubrovnik soon, so thanks for this details as a suitable daytrip from there. Thanks for your view about Perast and Kotor. I’ve read about both these places. Good to know that I could skip Perast and spend all my time in Kotor.
A church built in 1195? Wow! I wouldn’t miss that! Indeed the climb is worth it, if the views are that good.
Also super thanks for the tip about carrying the passports for the daytrip!
Mijia Eggers
September 7, 2019 at 9:14 amIn 12 hours you have seen a lot! I have been there as well and stayed there for 8 days. The stairs next the Kotor was memorable! I walked all the way up and had the same view like the one you had! I like this country very much and will visit it soon.
daniel
September 7, 2019 at 11:36 amWow! Montenegro in 12hrs?? It’ is such a shame that you didn’t get to spend more time as it is one of the prettiest countries I have ever visited, everything about it is impeccable. I spent 4 days in Montenegro and I still thought it was incredibly less. Well, never the less I wish you visit it again soon.