Budva or Perast in Montenegro
 

My wife and I have a full-day port stop in Kotor on our Princess cruise and are trying to figure out the best way to use our time. I am limited in my ability to walk long distances and on uneven surfaces. Therefore, I like to be able to hire a local cab driver/tour guide for some exploration in the area. I see that both Perast and Budva appear to be interesting and scenic places . If I choose one or the other what are things you would suggest to help me make that choice?

I didn't visit Budva. I spent a night in Kotor and stopped in Perast for about an hour. I thought Perast a lovely little town - but it's not big. However, you can take a boat out to the church on the nearby island as I recall from Perast or nearby. A big appeal of the area for me was the amazing scenery around the Bay of Kotor. Just driving around the bay for a few hours and stopping here and there might be worth the trip.

I also enjoyed the scenic drive along the twisty road above Kotor, the scenic detour to Cetinje. There are places to pull over and get out and enjoy the view, take a few pictures, and surely any local guide driver will have no trouble navigating the sharp curves (I didn't have trouble).

Unfortunately, I didn't visit Budva either. I enjoyed an hour or so in Perast, but really and truly, an hour or two is enough to see that charming little town in some detail.

Is Kotor itself not an option? The town is most flat and has several very interesting churches, museums, and nooks & crannies.

If you do decide to rent a car and driver, I'd opt to see the stunning Bay of Kotor and surrounding land from on high.

I did visit Budva. I did not visit Perast, so I cannot compare them. Budva has a compact old town, that I expect to be packed during the season (it was fairly busy at the very end of the season and obviously set up for bigger crowds). I don't remember exactly, but I'm prety sure that visiting the citadel involved stairs. Further round the coast the view from Sveti Stevan is pretty good.

I can not speak to Budvar. We were in Kotor in June on a day trip from Dubrovnik, and stopped on the return in Perast for a walkabout (about an hour?). Both Kotor and Perast are compact so long distances should not be an issue. There are over 1.000 steps to the top of Kotor's citadel, just as an FYI. Both Kotor and Perast are full of cobblestones and uneven walking surfaces.

Thanks to all for your quick and helpful responses. We've evaluated a number of factors and have decided to take the ship's more comprehensive tour which includes a trip to Budva and back. The parts which I find too challenging I'll just sit out. I have a cane which has a folding seat on it and will employ that where benches are not available.

Cheers,
BigBlue

At least you won't have to worry about missing the boat, and there are plenty of cafes in Budva.

Couple of photos here:
https://mytimetotravel.wordpress.com...22/busy-budva/