Where to Stay in the Bay of Kotor (2026): Best Bases for Our Lady of the Rocks

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The best place to stay for Our Lady of the Rocks is Perast itself, right opposite the island, if you want quiet evenings and an early boat across. Kotor is the most practical base for tours and transport; Dobrota, the waterfront strip just north of Kotor, is the best compromise between the two. Tivat suits travellers flying in or wanting a marina-resort feel, and Herceg Novi is the pick if you are coming from Croatia or want a bigger, cheaper town near the open sea. All five are within roughly an hour of Perast by road, so the right choice depends on how you travel and what else you want to do.

Bay of Kotor bases compared

Base	Distance to Perast	Vibe	Best for	Watch out for
Perast	On the doorstep (5-min boat to the island)	Quiet, romantic, historic	Couples, slow travel, photography	Few shops, higher prices, busy midday
Kotor old town	about 14 km, 15–20 min drive	Lively, medieval, crowded on cruise days	First-timers, no car, tours	Noise, crowds, summer heat
Dobrota	Between Kotor and Perast, on the same road	Residential waterfront with swim spots	Families, apartments, balance	Narrow road, limited parking
Tivat	Via Kotor or the Lepetane ferry, roughly 30–40 min	Modern, marina, resort	Fly-in arrivals, upscale stays	Less old-world charm
Herceg Novi	Around the bay via Kamenari, roughly 30–45 min	Larger town, terraced old centre, beaches	Arrivals from Croatia, budget, longer stays	Furthest from Kotor

Drive times are approximate and lengthen considerably in July and August traffic.

1. Perast: wake up facing Our Lady of the Rocks

If the island is the heart of your trip, stay here. Perast is a single waterfront of stone palaces facing Our Lady of the Rocks and St George. You can be on the first taxi boat in the morning, swim off the promenade in the afternoon and eat by the water after the day visitors have gone. The waterfront is pedestrian-only, with paid parking at both ends of the village.

• Where exactly: anywhere on the waterfront for the view; rooms higher up the hillside are cheaper and quieter, but involve steps.
• Accommodation: mostly small guesthouses, apartments and boutique hotels in converted palaces. The top-end option is the Iberostar Heritage Grand Perast, in an 18th-century palace on the waterfront.
• Getting around: the Blue Line bus to Kotor costs about €2 and takes around 35 minutes; taxis need booking because none wait in the village.
• Tours from here: a handful of tours leave from Perast itself, such as the 3-hour Kotor Bay, Blue Cave and Lady of the Rocks tour (from about $44 (Oct 2026)) and the Perast and Our Lady of the Rocks sunset tour (from about $40 (Oct 2026)).

Read things to do in Perast to see how much there is to fill your days.

The two isletsFrom €68

2. Kotor: the practical base

Kotor’s walled old town is the hub of the bay: the main bus station, the most restaurants and nearly all the Bay of Kotor boat tours start here. Staying inside the walls is atmospheric; staying just outside, in the newer town, is cheaper and quieter with easier parking.

• Pros: walk to tour departures, wide choice of rooms and food, buses along the coast and to Perast.
• Cons: crowded when cruise ships are in, noisy at night in summer, hot in the old town in July and August.
• Tours from here: the Blue Cave, Submarine Base and Lady of the Rocks tour (from about $43 (Oct 2026), 4.8/5 from 5,104 reviews) and the shorter 2-hour Perast and Our Lady of the Rocks speedboat tour (from about $33 (Oct 2026), 4.7/5 from 1,134 reviews) both meet in Kotor.
• Do not miss: the 1,350-step climb to San Giovanni fortress (€15 from March to November), early in the morning.

Torn between the two? Our Kotor vs Perast comparison goes into detail.

Bay of KotorFrom €70

3. Dobrota: the best of both

Dobrota is a long, thin strip of old captains’ houses, villas and apartments along the water just north of Kotor, on the road towards Perast. It is quieter than Kotor, has its own small swim spots and piers, and you can still walk or take a short taxi into the old town. Prčanj and Stoliv, on the opposite shore, offer a similar feel and are even quieter.

• Pros: water views at lower prices than Perast, apartments with kitchens for families, easy access to Kotor tours.
• Cons: the coast road is narrow and busy in summer, parking can be tight, and some places are a long walk from shops.
• Good for: families and anyone staying a week who wants a calm base without being isolated.

Bay of KotorFrom €80

From the slopes above, the whole inner bay opens out: Kotor’s old town tucked beneath its walls, the Dobrota waterfront running north along the shore, mountains rising almost straight from the sea. Stay here and you wake to views like this, then watch the lights come on along the water as evening falls. If you are only in port for the day, the Kotor shore excursion for cruise passengers still gives you a taste of it.

4. Tivat: for flyers and marina life

Tivat is home to Montenegro’s coastal airport and to Porto Montenegro, a superyacht marina with a promenade of shops, restaurants and upscale hotels such as the Regent Porto Montenegro. It is newer and more polished than the old towns, with a long seafront promenade, and it makes an easy first or last night if you are flying.

• Getting to Perast: either round the inner bay via Kotor, or via the Lepetane–Kamenari car ferry across the Verige strait (about 5 minutes; €5 per car, foot passengers free) and then along the bay.
• Tours from here: the Boka Bay full-day guided cruise from Tivat or Kotor (from about $28 (Oct 2026), 4.3/5 from 1,258 reviews) is the budget way to see the whole bay on a larger boat.
• Cons: less historic character, and further from Perast than Kotor or Dobrota.

5. Herceg Novi: for arrivals from Croatia

Herceg Novi sits near the mouth of the bay, close to the Croatian border, with a terraced old town, a long waterfront promenade and better beaches than the inner bay. It is a real town with more locals than tourists and generally lower prices.

• Getting to Perast: along the bay road through Kamenari and Risan.
• Pros: nearest base to Dubrovnik, good swimming, Blue Cave and Mamula boat trips also leave from here, easy day trips to Luštica.
• Cons: the furthest from Kotor and its tours; long drives in peak-season traffic.
• Border tip: summer queues at the Debeli Brijeg crossing from Croatia can last hours. Arriving early in the morning helps.

Blue CaveFrom €33

Staying outside the bay: Budva and the open coast

Many visitors to Montenegro base themselves in Budva, on the open Adriatic coast beyond the bay, for its long beaches and nightlife. Perast is then a day trip rather than a short hop, and summer traffic through Kotor can make the drive slow. A guided option such as the Boka Bay guided full-day tour and cruise from Budva (from about $66 (Oct 2026), 4.3/5 from 131 reviews) handles the transport and includes time on the water. If Our Lady of the Rocks and the bay are your main interest, though, staying inside the bay saves hours.

Which base for which traveller?

You are…	Stay in	Why
A couple on a romantic trip	Perast	Island views and quiet evenings
A first-timer with 1–2 nights	Kotor	Tours, transport and the old town on foot
A family staying a week	Dobrota or Herceg Novi	Apartments, swimming, space
Flying in or out of Tivat	Tivat	Short airport transfer
Arriving by road from Dubrovnik	Herceg Novi	First town after the border
Without a car	Kotor	Best bus and tour connections
On a tight budget	Kotor new town or Herceg Novi	More choice at lower prices

Tips for booking accommodation in the bay

• Book early for July and August, especially in Perast, where waterfront rooms are few.
• Check parking. Many places in Perast and Kotor old town have none; ask before booking if you are driving.
• Check the stairs. Hillside rooms in Perast, Kotor and Herceg Novi often mean steep steps with luggage.
• Air conditioning matters in summer, when the inner bay gets very hot.
• Time your island visit for early morning or late afternoon; see our best time to visit guide.
• Consider shoulder season. May, June and September bring lower prices, warm sea and fewer crowds.

Island churchFrom €68

Getting to Our Lady of the Rocks from each base

From Perast it is a five-minute taxi boat. From Kotor and Dobrota, take the bus or a taxi to Perast, or join a boat tour. From Tivat and Herceg Novi, a boat tour is usually easier than driving and parking in Perast in summer. Full route details are in how to get to Our Lady of the Rocks, and the tours are compared in Bay of Kotor boat tours compared. For everything about the island itself, see our Our Lady of the Rocks visitor guide.

Find tours from your base

Verige StraitFrom €33

From Tivat, Herceg Novi or Budva, the boat ride to the islets threads through the Verige strait, the narrow waist of the bay where the shores close in to a few hundred metres apart. Feel the boat lean into the turn, then watch the water open out again toward Perast and its two islands. From Tivat, the speedboat tour with dolphin watching is one way to ride it.

Frequently asked questions

Is it better to stay in Kotor or Perast?

Kotor is better for transport, tours and choice; Perast is better for quiet evenings and views of Our Lady of the Rocks. First-timers on short stays usually prefer Kotor; couples staying several nights often prefer Perast.

Where should I stay in the Bay of Kotor without a car?

Kotor. It has the main bus station and most boat tour departures, and the local bus reaches Perast in about 35 minutes for around €2.

Is Dobrota a good place to stay?

Yes, especially for families and longer stays. It is a quieter waterfront strip just north of Kotor with swim spots and apartments, and it sits on the road towards Perast.

How far is Tivat from Perast?

Roughly 30–40 minutes by car outside peak traffic, either around the bay via Kotor or using the short Lepetane–Kamenari car ferry.

Can I stay on Our Lady of the Rocks?

No. The island has only the church, museum and a small shop; there is no accommodation. Perast, directly opposite, is the closest place to stay.