Montenegro day trips by taxi
The best things on this coast are between fifteen and sixty minutes apart. That is close enough to see properly in an afternoon and far enough that walking is not the answer — which makes Montenegro unusually well suited to day-tripping by car without owning one.
7 min readUpdated
What are the best day trips from Kotor without renting a car?
Perast is the classic: 12 km along the bay, about 15 minutes, and small enough to enjoy in an afternoon. Budva is 22 km and roughly 30 minutes, Cetinje 33 km and about 45 minutes, and Herceg Novi 43 km and around 50 minutes. All work as a taxi or app-booked ride out and back, with no parking to worry about.
- Kotor → Perast: 12 km · ~15 min
- Kotor → Budva: 22 km · ~30 min
- Budva → Sveti Stefan: 9 km · ~15 min
- Kotor → Cetinje: 33 km · ~45 min
- Kotor → Perast
- 12 km · ~15 min
- Budva → Sveti Stefan
- 9 km · ~15 min
- Kotor → Cetinje
- 33 km · ~45 min
- Budva → Bar
- 38 km · ~40 min
Day trips from Kotor
Perast
A single stone street along the water and two islets offshore, one of which you can visit by small boat. Parking in Perast is genuinely difficult in season, so arriving by taxi is not just easier, it is better.
Cetinje
The old royal capital, up the mountain behind the bay. The road is the famous serpentine — spectacular, and a great deal more enjoyable from the passenger seat.
Herceg Novi
At the mouth of the bay, a town built on stairs. Quieter than Kotor and a good contrast if you have a day to spare.
| Destination | Distance | Journey | Give it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perast | 12 km | ~15 min | Half a day |
| Tivat & Porto Montenegro | 10 km | ~15 min | Half a day |
| Budva | 22 km | ~30 min | A full day |
| Cetinje | 33 km | ~45 min | A full day |
| Herceg Novi | 43 km | ~50 min | A full day |
Day trips from Budva
Sveti Stefan
The island hotel on every Montenegro postcard. The island itself is a private resort, so the visit is about the viewpoint above it and the beaches either side of the causeway. Fifteen minutes each way makes it an easy afternoon.
Lake Skadar
The Balkans' largest lake, an hour inland. Boat trips leave from Virpazar. A long day, and one where a booked return ride saves a lot of waiting.
| Destination | Distance | Journey | Give it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sveti Stefan | 9 km | ~15 min | Half a day |
| Kotor | 22 km | ~30 min | A full day |
| Cetinje | 31 km | ~35 min | A full day |
| Bar | 38 km | ~40 min | A full day |
| Podgorica & Lake Skadar | 64 km | ~60 min | A full day |
How to arrange a driver for a day trip
There are three sensible patterns, and which one suits you depends mostly on how much you want to keep an eye on the clock.
Two separate rides
Book out, then book back whenever you are ready. The most flexible option and usually the cheapest. Works well anywhere with reliable coverage — Perast, Sveti Stefan, Tivat, Budva.
A scheduled return
Book the outbound now and schedule the return for a set time. Sensible for Cetinje, Lake Skadar or anywhere inland where fewer cars circulate.
Agree a longer trip up front
For a multi-stop day, use the offer system: name your price for the whole run, nearby drivers respond, and you agree the figure before setting off.
Why not just rent a car for the day?
You can, and for the northern mountains you probably should. On the coast it is often the worse option: parking in Kotor, Perast and Budva is scarce and expensive in July and August, the Old Towns are pedestrian so you park and walk anyway, and the Kotor–Cetinje serpentine is a demanding first drive in an unfamiliar car.
For a single day trip, the sums rarely favour a rental once you add the daily rate, fuel and parking — and you spend the drive looking at the road instead of the bay.
Common questions
Perast at 12 km and about 15 minutes is the standout half-day. Budva (22 km, ~30 min), Cetinje (33 km, ~45 min) and Herceg Novi (43 km, ~50 min) all work as full days. Each is straightforward as a taxi or app-booked ride, with no parking to arrange.
Sveti Stefan is 9 km from Budva, roughly 15 minutes along the coast. Book a ride out and either book the return when you are ready or schedule it in advance. The island is a private resort, so the visit centres on the viewpoint above and the beaches either side.
Yes, and it is one of the easiest trips on the coast at 12 km and about 15 minutes. Parking there is very limited in season, which makes arriving by taxi genuinely more pleasant than driving.
For multi-stop days, the offer-based intercity pricing is the practical route: name a price for the trip you want, nearby drivers respond within minutes, and the agreed figure is fixed before you set off.
Schedule the return ride when you book the outbound, particularly from smaller places like Perast, Virpazar or Cetinje where fewer cars are circulating after dark.
Rarely, for coastal day trips. Once the daily rate, fuel and high-season parking are added, one or two booked rides usually cost less — and the Old Towns are pedestrian, so you would park and walk in either case.
Related guides
See the coast, skip the parking
Book the ride out, schedule the ride back, and spend the day looking at the bay instead of hunting for a space in it.
Free to download. Fare agreed before you go.