Where to Stay in Montenegro: Kotor, Budva, Herceg Novi, Tivat or Ulcinj

Montenegro is small enough that you only need one base. The whole coast is about 100 kilometres end to end, and the mountains start half an hour inland. So the question is not “which towns do I visit” — you can see most of them from anywhere — but “which one do I want to walk out of in the morning”. They are very different.

Kotor — if you want the old town

A walled medieval town at the head of a fjord-like bay, with a mountain wall straight behind it and a fortress climb up the cliff. It is the most photographed place in the country for a reason.

Stay here if you want stone streets, churches, small squares and a base for the bay — Perast, Risan and the Ljuta side are all short drives.

Be aware: Kotor has cruise ship days. When two ships are in, the old town is shoulder-to-shoulder from mid-morning to late afternoon and then empties completely. Also, the bay water is calm and beautiful but the swimming is off concrete and pebble platforms, not beaches. If you came to swim, this is the wrong base.

Budva — if you want everything within reach

The busiest town on the coast and the practical default. Budva has its own walled old town, the best beach access of any base (Mogren on foot, Jaz and Bečići a short drive), the widest choice of accommodation at every price, and the most nightlife in the country by a distance.

Stay here if you want beaches and restaurants in walking distance and do not mind that it is busy and built-up.

Be aware: in July and August it is loud until late, and parking is the daily problem. It is also the most expensive stretch for sun loungers.

Herceg Novi — if you want quiet with the bay on your doorstep

At the mouth of the bay, closest to the Croatian border. Herceg Novi is built on a slope — it is a town of staircases — with a long seafront promenade, old fortifications and a much calmer feel than Budva.

Stay here if you want the bay, day trips to Croatia, and a town that stays liveable in August.

Be aware: the staircases are not a joke if you have heavy bags or limited mobility. And you are at the far end of the coast from Ulcinj and the sand.

Tivat — if you want convenience and calm

Tivat has the main airport, a modern marina district at Porto Montenegro, and a flat, easy waterfront. It used to be the town people passed through; it is now a legitimate base.

Stay here if you are flying in and out of Tivat, travelling with small children (flat, walkable, calm water), or you want the marina end of things.

Be aware: it has less character than Kotor and less going on than Budva. The marina area is priced accordingly.

Ulcinj — if you came for the beach

The far south, close to the Albanian border, and the only base where the beach is genuinely sand — Velika Plaža runs twelve kilometres. The old town sits on a rock above the sea, and the town has a distinct Albanian-Montenegrin character you will not find further north.

Stay here if the beach is the holiday, you have young children, or you want the coast at its least polished.

Be aware: it is roughly 1 hour 45 minutes from Podgorica airport and over an hour from Budva, so it is a poor base for touring the bay.

Should you stay inland?

For a first trip, no — but for a few nights of a longer one, yes. Kolašin and Žabljak put you in the mountains for Biogradska Gora and Durmitor, and the temperature drop in August is a genuine relief. Treat them as a second base, not a substitute for the coast.

Quick answer

• First trip, one base, want to see everything: Budva or Tivat
• Photography and old towns: Kotor
• Beach holiday with kids: Ulcinj
• Quiet, walkable, still central: Herceg Novi
• Flying in late or out early: Tivat

Booking notes

• The last week of August is the hardest to book anywhere between Budva and Bečići — Sea Dance and Boka Night fall two weeks apart. Book early or base yourself further out and travel in.
• September is the value month. Sea still 24–26 °C, prices down from the August peak.
• Tourist tax is charged per person per night and is usually collected by the host separately from the room price. It is a small amount but it is not always included in what you see quoted.
• Local apartment and accommodation providers are listed in our directory under apartments and accommodation.

See also: getting around Montenegro, the best beaches, what to eat and what is on this summer.