Kotor vs Dubrovnik: Why We Think Montenegro’s Old Town Wins

If you’ve been scrolling through holiday inspiration for the Adriatic, chances are Dubrovnik keeps popping up. Croatia’s “Pearl of the Adriatic” has had the marketing machine and a certain dragon-themed TV show behind it for the best part of a decade. But just an hour or so down the coast, tucked into one of the most dramatic bays in Europe, sits a town that does almost everything Dubrovnik does, and does it with a fraction of the crowds and none of the queues. We’re talking about Kotor.

At Untravelled Paths, we’ve built our reputation on finding the destinations that haven’t yet been flattened by mass tourism, and Kotor is a brilliant case in point. Here’s why we think it deserves a place on your itinerary ahead of its more famous Croatian neighbour and why, if you’re choosing between the two, Kotor should win.

1. The Setting Is, Genuinely, More Spectacular

Dubrovnik’s Old Town sits proudly on the coast, walls rising straight out of the Adriatic. It’s beautiful, no question. But Kotor has something Dubrovnik simply can’t offer: the Bay of Kotor itself.

Often (if slightly inaccurately) described as Europe’s southernmost fjord, the bay is a winding, fjord-like inlet flanked by sheer limestone mountains that plunge straight into the sea. Kotor’s Old Town sits at the very back of this bay, wrapped by medieval walls that climb 260 metres up the mountainside behind it. Nothing in Dubrovnik quite matches the sense of scale and drama you get sailing into Kotor, or hiking up to the Fortress of San Giovanni for a view over those famous terracotta rooftops and the bay beyond.

2. Fewer Crowds, More Charm

This is the big one. Dubrovnik has become something of a cautionary tale in overtourism circles. On a busy summer’s day, several enormous cruise ships can dock at once, sending thousands of day-trippers pouring through the Pile Gate all at the same time. The city has introduced visitor caps and crowd-control measures in recent years precisely because the Old Town, beautiful as it is, simply cannot cope with the volume of people trying to squeeze through its narrow marble streets.

Kotor gets cruise ships too, it’s not entirely undiscovered. But its Old Town is a fraction of the size, and outside of a few pinch-points around peak season, you can still wander its stone squares, sit at a café on Cathedral Square, or explore the backstreets without feeling like you’re in a queue. For a small-group escorted tour, that matters enormously, it’s the difference between genuinely experiencing a place and simply photographing it.

3. Better Value for Money

Montenegro hasn’t (yet) seen the price inflation that’s crept into Dubrovnik, where a coffee with a view can set you back the same as a full meal elsewhere in the Balkans. Accommodation, dining and guided experiences in and around Kotor tend to offer noticeably better value, without any compromise on quality. Your money simply goes further, which is why we’re able to build such rich, immersive itineraries around it.

4. A Gateway to So Much More

Here’s where Kotor really pulls ahead: what’s on its doorstep. From Kotor, you’re perfectly placed to explore some of Montenegro’s most breathtaking landscapes without ever getting back on a plane. Wind your way up the old Austro-Hungarian road for hairpin views back down over the bay. Head south along the coast to the photogenic islet of Our Lady of the Rocks near Perast, or the beach town of Budva. Venture inland to Lovćen National Park, further still to the turquoise waters of Lake Skadar or even the famous Durmitor National Park. Dubrovnik’s surroundings are lovely, but they don’t offer anywhere near this variety within such easy reach.

For anyone joining one of our small-group Balkans tours, this is exactly the kind of depth we build our itineraries around, not just ticking off a famous Old Town, but properly getting under the skin of a region.

5. It Still Feels Like a Discovery

Perhaps the biggest difference is intangible. Dubrovnik, for all its beauty, can feel like a place you’ve already seen a thousand times on Instagram before you arrive. Kotor still has that spark of discovery about it, the feeling of finding somewhere brilliant that most people haven’t got round to yet.

That won’t last forever. Montenegro is very much on the up, and Kotor is increasingly finding its way onto more travellers’ radars. But for now, it still offers that rare thing: a genuinely beautiful, historic, walkable Old Town that hasn’t lost its soul to tourism.

So, Which Should You Choose?

If you’ve only got a day and you’re already in Croatia, Dubrovnik is still absolutely worth a visit, it earns its reputation. But if you’re deciding where to actually base a trip, or which coastal gem deserves more of your time, we’d choose Kotor every time. Fewer crowds, better value, a more dramatic setting, and so much more to explore right on its doorstep.

It’s exactly the kind of destination we love building trips around at Untravelled Paths: somewhere with real history and beauty, that hasn’t yet been overrun. And as with all our trips, every booking helps plant trees through our partnership with the World Land Trust, so you can explore Montenegro’s landscapes while helping protect others too.

Fancy seeing the Bay of Kotor for yourself? Get in touch with our team to find out more about our small-group escorted tours and tailor-made trips to Montenegro and the wider Balkans.

Written by James Chisnall

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