Comparison of beaches, old town, nightlife, crowds, prices and transport, excursions from both towns and the answer to the question of whether to combine them
Choose Budva if beaches and evening entertainment matter most: Slovenska Beach is about 1,600 m long, and BeÄiÄi Beach about 2,000 m. Choose Kotor for its UNESCO-protected Old Town, ramparts and excursions around Boka; there are no large sandy beaches there. The towns are 22 km apart and about half an hour's drive, so it is easy to visit one from the other.
Did You Know?
In 2025, Kotor and Budva together had more than 3.7 million overnight stays in private accommodation: Budva 2.67 million and Kotor 1.03 million, according to MONSTAT data.
Eight things by which the two cities differ the most.
If you are coming primarily for swimming, Budva has the advantage.
Budva: Slovenska Beach is about 1,600 m long, and BeÄiÄi Beach about 2,000 m; Mogren is right next to the Old Town, and Jaz is about 2.5 km away.
Kotor: there are no large sandy beaches; you swim on pebbles and concrete platforms, closest in Dobrota, ten minutes' walk from the Old Town.
Sand from Kotor: Tivat and LuŔtica.
Both towns have an old core within ramparts, but Kotor's is larger and has more to see.
Kotor: the Old Town has been under UNESCO protection since 1979; the 4.5 km ramparts climb to San Giovanni Fortress at 260 m, reached by about 1,350 steps (ticket 15 ā¬ in 2026).
Budva: the Old Town, more than 2,500 years old, stands on a small peninsula; from the Citadel you can see the coast, and Mogren Beach is a few minutes' walk away.
For nights out until morning, Budva is the choice.
Budva: bars and clubs in the Old Town and along the promenade, the Top Hill disco on the hill above the town and casinos in hotels.
Kotor: evenings are spent in squares and cafƩs inside the walls, which stay open late; it is quieter than Budva, and Budva's clubs are half an hour's drive away.
In summer both towns are full, but for different reasons.
Kotor: during the day the Old Town fills with cruise passengers; in 2025, Montenegrin ports received 630,236 passengers on 496 cruises (MONSTAT), and large cruise ships dock in Kotor. It is quietest early in the morning and in the evening.
Budva: the crowds are on the beaches and roads; in 2025, 2.67 million overnight stays were recorded in private accommodation, compared with 1.03 million in Kotor (MONSTAT).
There is no big difference in accommodation prices between the two towns.
Accommodation: in July and August 2026, a private apartment in both Budva and Kotor mostly cost 60ā120 ā¬ per night, according to our price review from October 2026.
Budva: an extra cost is sun loungers, mostly 15ā30 ā¬ for a set on managed beaches.
Kotor: extra costs are the ramparts ticket (15 ā¬) and parking near the Old Town.
Both towns are closest to Tivat Airport.
Tivat Airport: 8 km to Kotor, about 20 km to Budva.
Podgorica Airport: about 65 km to Budva, about 85 km to Kotor via Budva.
Dubrovnik Airport: about 59 km to Kotor by the KamenariāLepetane ferry or 72 km around the bay, about 71 km to Budva; there is a border crossing on the way.
With small children it is easier in Budva.
Budva: long beaches along the promenade, a water park reached by local bus from the centre in summer, and Sveti Stefan 9 km away.
Kotor: the Old Town is full of cobblestones and steps, so pushchairs are awkward, and the climb to the fortress has almost no shade in summer. Children enjoy the KotorāLovÄen cable car and the boat from Perast to the islet of Our Lady of the Rocks.
Both towns are a good base without a car.
Kotor: the bus station is about 600 m from the Sea Gate, the main entrance to the Old Town.
Budva: the station is about 1.5 km from the Old Town; in season, the local bus to Sveti Stefan leaves every 10 minutes.
Between the towns: 35 departures a day, 30ā65 minutes, 4ā6 ā¬ (timetable for November 2026, busticket4.me).
A medieval town at the end of the Bay of Kotor, within 4.5 km long walls. A day here is spent strolling through squares, climbing up to the San Giovanni Fortress, and taking trips to Perast and LovÄen.
For whom: first-time visitors to Montenegro, couples, history lovers, and travelers outside the summer season.
Keep in mind: cruise ships fill the Old Town during the day, and beaches are small and pebbly.
Quieter alternative: Dobrota and PrÄanj, along the bay.
The main tourist center on the coast, with the Old Town on a peninsula and beaches along the 38 km Budva Riviera. It also has the largest choice of accommodation, from hostels and apartments to hotels.
For whom: beach holidays, families with children, and groups looking for nightlife.
Keep in mind: in July and August there are crowds on the beaches, in the streets, and on the roads.
Quieter alternative: BeÄiÄi and RafailoviÄi, about 3 km along the promenade from Budva, or Pržno and Sveti Stefan.
Due to the 22 km distance, you don't have to choose. Stay in the town that suits you better, and visit the other for a day: by bus for ā¬4ā6 or by car in half an hour.
If you change accommodation: first Kotor for the Bay of Kotor and LovÄen, then Budva for the beaches.
Third option: Tivat is in between, 11 km from Kotor and 23 km from Budva, right by the airport.
Driving time is without traffic; in July and August allow for longer, especially through Budva and around Kotor.
Kotor ā Budva
22 km
About 30 minutes.
Tivat Airport ā Kotor
8 km
About 10 minutes.
Tivat Airport ā Budva
20 km
About 25 minutes.
Podgorica Airport ā Budva
65 km
From 1 h to 1 h 25 min.
Podgorica Airport ā Kotor
85 km
From 1 h 20 min to 1 h 50 min, via Budva.
Dubrovnik Airport ā Kotor
59 km
By ferry KamenariāLepetane, about 1 h 35 min without waiting at the border and ferry.
Visit Kotor early
When large ships are in port, the Old Town is full from mid-morning to the afternoon. Start for the ramparts before 9 am.
Leave the car outside the walls
Cars do not enter Kotor's Old Town; you park by the harbour and pay by the hour.
For San Giovanni Fortress
About 1,350 steps lead to the top and the climb takes 45 to 60 minutes. Bring water and wear trainers.
A beach day from Kotor
For sand, go to Tivat or LuŔtica, or take the bus to Budva.
KotorāBudva bus
Departures run from 5 am until after 11 pm. Buy a ticket at the station or on busticket4.me; in July and August buses can be full.
Before You Go
Best Time to Visit
In June and September the sea is warm and the crowds are smaller than in July and August. In Kotor, even in midsummer, it is quietest early in the morning and in the evening.
Getting There
The nearest airport to both towns is Tivat: 8 km to Kotor and 20 km to Budva. From Podgorica Airport to Budva it is about 65 km, and to Kotor about 85 km. Buses between Kotor and Budva run throughout the day.
Distances are by road, from center to center.
From KotorA Baroque town 14 km from Kotor, about 20 minutes' drive; local buses also run from Kotor. From the waterfront, small boats go to the island of Our Lady of the Rocks (Gospa od Å krpjela).
From KotorThe gondola climbs from the bay to LovÄen in 11 minutes, up to 1,350 m above sea level, with a view of the entire Bay of Kotor.
From KotorThe Pine waterfront and Porto Montenegro marina are 11 km from Kotor. Tivat also has the town beaches of Belane and Kalardovo.
From BudvaAn island with stone houses connected to the mainland by a causeway, 9 km from Budva. In season, a local bus from the centre of Budva leaves every 10 minutes, from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
From BudvaA quieter place 18 km from Budva, with a town beach about 600 m long along the promenade. Local buses from Budva run approximately every hour.
From Budva and KotorThe old royal capital with museums, 28 km from Budva, about 40 minutes' drive. From Kotor, the old road leads over NjeguŔi, 41 km with hairpin bends and a view of the bay.
It depends on why you are coming. Budva is better for beaches, nightlife and a holiday with children, while Kotor is better for the UNESCO-protected Old Town, the ramparts and excursions around Boka. They are 22 km apart, so it is easy to visit one town from the other for a day.
22 km on the Adriatic Highway and through the Vrmac tunnel, about 30 minutes' drive without traffic. By bus the journey takes 30ā65 minutes, and a ticket costs 4ā6 ā¬ (November 2026).
It has small pebble beaches and concrete bathing areas, closest in Dobrota, ten minutes' walk from the Old Town. There are no large sandy beaches; for those you go to Tivat, LuŔtica or Budva.
Tivat Airport: 8 km from Kotor and 20 km from Budva. Podgorica Airport is about 65 km from Budva and about 85 km from Kotor.
Yes. The drive takes about half an hour, and one day is enough for the Old Town and the climb to the ramparts. Start early: it is best to visit the ramparts before 9 am, before the heat and the cruise crowds.
In the evening Kotor is quieter, but during the day, when cruise ships are in port, the Old Town is full. Those seeking peace near Kotor choose Dobrota or PrÄanj, and near Budva BeÄiÄi, Pržno or Petrovac.
A guide to choosing a holiday base in Montenegro: Kotor and Boka for a first visit, Budva for beaches and nightlife, Petrovac and Ulcinj for families, Tivat and Herceg Novi as quieter bases, Žabljak and KolaŔin for the mountains.
What to do in Kotor and surroundings: UNESCO-protected Old Town, Cathedral of Saint Tryphon, walls and San Giovanni Fortress, Cat Museum, Our Lady of the Rocks and Blue Cave, with ticket prices and practical tips.
The beaches of the Budva Riviera in one place: Slovenska Beach and Mogren in town, Jaz, Trsteno and PloÄe to the west, BeÄiÄi, Kamenovo, Pržno and Sveti Stefan, then Petrovac, LuÄice and Buljarica, with parking and tips.
Where to swim around Kotor and Tivat: Dobrota ten minutes from the Old Town, Orahovac, Bajova Kula, Markov rt and Morinj in the bay, Belane and Kalardovo in Tivat, Plavi horizonti and Pecka on LuŔtica.
