5 Nights in Kotor: What We’d Do Again
Our honest Kotor travel guide: the cable car sunset, Secret Garden dinner, fortress steps, and the apartment view that came with a hill.
We spent five nights in Kotor, Montenegro, and I can tell you two things right away: the Bay of Kotor is every bit as beautiful as the photos suggest, and those photos are very good at hiding the hills.
We’re April and Moe. Earlier this year we quit our jobs, moved from Jacksonville, Florida, to Vlorë, Albania, and started building a different kind of life abroad. This Kotor stop was part of our extended trip through the Balkans and Europe. We travel slowly enough to actually spend time in a place, which is a good thing, because these days we also need time to recover from traveling.
Five nights gave us room for a few big moments, a few ordinary ones, and one fortress walk that turned into a running commentary on our dating lives. If you’re planning a Kotor trip, here’s what we loved, what we would repeat, and what I’d pay closer attention to before booking.
1. We’d take the Kotor cable car up for sunset again
This was Moe’s favorite moment of our first thirty days on the road. That’s saying something, considering how much we’d already seen.
We rode the Kotor cable car up into the mountains, where the view opens over the bay. The weather had its own opinions along the way, and we watched the light change as the evening went on. By sunset, we knew we’d made the right call.
If I were planning it again, I would keep that afternoon flexible and let the weather help decide when to go. I also wouldn’t crowd the evening with a long list of other attractions. The sunset itself was the point.
Our advice: build in enough time to enjoy the upper station without racing the last light, and check the operating schedule and weather on the day you visit.
2. I’d book our Secret Garden dinner again
Moe got his mountain sunset. I got my romantic dinner.
We ate in the Secret Garden at Ombra Old Town, inside Kotor’s Old Town. We’ve been married since February, and we’re still in that sweet spot where a beautiful evening together feels extra special, even when we’ve spent the day doing laundry, navigating bus schedules, or arguing over directions.
This was my favorite moment in Kotor. I’m glad we made time for it instead of treating dinner as one more thing to squeeze in after sightseeing.
If you want a date night here, I’d make the reservation and give the evening some space. Our reservation was for the Secret Garden seating area, so be specific if that’s the experience you’re after.
3. We’d stay for the apartment view, with a better understanding of the walk
We stayed at Monte Bay Apartments in Škaljari. The view was a big part of the appeal: mountains, rooftops, and the bay stretching out below. I could sit and look at that for a long time.
Then we had to walk back up the hill.
Here’s the thing about booking accommodation in Kotor: a listing can look close to the Old Town on a map, and still be a much bigger walk when you’re coming home tired. Our apartment worked for us, and we loved the view. The uphill return was a real tradeoff, especially after a full day on our feet.
Before booking any apartment around Kotor, I’d check the actual walking route in both directions, look at the elevation, and read recent reviews for mentions of stairs, steep roads, and taxi access. For anyone who wants to explore on foot, that matters just as much as a pretty balcony.
We stayed here September 28 to October 3, 2026. Room availability, pricing, and property details may have changed since our visit.
Kotor’s fortress walk gave us tired legs, steps upon steps, and a few moments when we weren’t entirely sure we were going the right way.
We also somehow wandered into conversations about our dating history and Dateline. I couldn’t script half the things that come out of Moe’s mouth if I tried.
We filmed almost ten minutes of it, and most of that footage is two tired middle-aged newlyweds talking while climbing. There are glimpses of Kotor, of course. The real entertainment is how quickly a scenic walk can become a conversation you never expected to have on camera.
Would we do it again? Yes, with good shoes, water, time to take breaks, and realistic expectations about the steps. Decide how far you want to climb based on your energy and the conditions that day. You don’t have to reach the highest point to have a memorable morning.
If you want to see what our fortress walk actually looked and sounded like, look for our Kotor fortress-walk video on the Passports & Plans YouTube channel. Fair warning: this is not a scenic walking tour.
5. We’d leave more space between the big things
This is probably the biggest lesson from our five nights in Kotor.
We’re in our forties, we’re traveling for months, and Moe’s stroke recovery travels with us. Some days his energy is good; some days it takes more out of him. I’m also learning that planning every hour just because we can doesn’t mean we should.
Kotor is a place where I wanted to keep looking around. There are Old Town lanes to wander, waterfront views to enjoy, and plenty of reasons to sit down with a coffee. We didn’t need to turn every one of those hours into an excursion.
The days with a single big plan often gave us the memories we talked about later. The cable car was one day’s highlight. The Secret Garden was another. The fortress was an adventure all its own. Giving each of those moments some breathing room made the stay better.
So, is five nights in Kotor too long?
For us, no. Five nights felt right.
If your goal is to check off the Old Town, take a photo of the bay, and move on, you could do Kotor faster. We wanted a place we could actually enjoy at our own pace, with room for an evening out, a hard walk, a beautiful sunset, and a morning when we didn’t have to rush anywhere.
I’d happily return to Kotor. I would pay even closer attention to the hill outside the apartment, keep the cable car weather-dependent, and reserve the Secret Garden again. I’d also leave a little more room to just be there.
That’s what slow travel looks like for us. A few great plans, some unexpected detours, and the freedom to sit down when our legs have had enough.
Quick answers before you plan your Kotor stay
Where did we stay in Kotor? Monte Bay Apartments in Škaljari. We enjoyed the bay views, and the uphill walk back was worth factoring into the decision.
What was our favorite thing to do? Moe picked the Kotor cable car at sunset. I picked our dinner in Ombra Old Town’s Secret Garden.
Is Kotor good without a car? We explored without renting a car. The Old Town is a good place to wander, but hills and the walking route from your accommodation matter.
How long should you stay in Kotor? We spent five nights and appreciated the slower pace. A shorter stay can cover the main sights, but extra days give you room for weather changes and rest.
We’re April and Moe, two U.S. veterans who quit our jobs and moved to Albania in 86 days. We share the real costs, the real apartments, and the everyday moments of starting over after 40. Follow the rest of our Schengen Shuffle on YouTube and Instagram: Passports & Plans.