Driving from Tivat Airport to Kotor — 12-Minute Tunnel Route
Leave the TIV terminal, head left, and within 3 km you enter the Vrmac tunnel. It bores directly through the ridge dividing Tivat's bay from Kotor's. On the far side, follow the signs to Stari Grad and the Old Town. Door-to-wall time from the airport: roughly 12 minutes.
Prefer scenery over speed? Take the coastal road via Muo and Prcanj instead. It adds about 8 minutes but keeps the water in view the entire way, with lay-bys at the bay's narrowest point. Both options converge at the same roundabout beneath Kotor's northern wall.
Where to Park
Car Park Options
Tabacina is a covered multi-storey lot roughly five minutes on foot from the Sea Gate — it fills quickly in summer, so aim to arrive by 10 am. The River Gate car park along the Skurda riverbed is cheaper year-round and free outside the tourist season. During July and August an overflow lot on the approach road operates a shuttle service to the walls. On-street parking within the Old Town itself does not exist.
Exploring the Old Town
Kotor's walled centre is pedestrianised and can be walked end to end in 20 minutes. The climb to St. John's Fortress (San Giovanni) begins at the north-east corner — expect 1,350 steps, about 45 minutes ascending and 30 coming down. The Maritime Museum beside the Sea Gate documents the naval heritage of Boka Bay, and the main square and cathedral plaza host the majority of the town's restaurants.
Day Trips from Kotor
Drive north along the bay shore to Perast in about 8 minutes. Water taxis to Our Lady of the Rocks island depart from the village jetty for approximately 5 EUR return. Past Perast the road rises toward Risan, then either loops to Herceg Novi or connects with the Verige car ferry across the mouth of the bay. Drive to Perast's baroque waterfront in 20 minutes.
Take the inland serpentine toward Cetinje — 25 hairpin turns gaining 1,000 metres of altitude above the bay. At the summit, the Krstac pass viewpoint ranks among Montenegro's most photographed spots. Cetinje is 45 minutes from Kotor and contains the historic royal court and the Cetinje Monastery.
The monastery houses important religious relics and occupies the heart of Montenegro's former royal capital. Paired with the serpentine drive, it makes a rewarding half-day excursion before heading back to Tivat through the tunnel.