day trip to kotor
 

Four of us will be staying in Dubrovnik for four nights/three days May 28-31st. Wondering about taking a tour that goes to Kotor and Perast (Adriatic Explorer) but noticed there is a cruise ship in Kotor the day we were going, so not sure if it is a good idea. Would appreciate any thoughts of how to get the best out of our three days in Dubrovnik. Thank you.

Kotor is lovely, but cruise ships do create problems. :-( Have you considered options for going on a different day, e.g., using a different tour or renting a car just for a day?

Mljet is another day-trip option.

IME, the Rough Guide covers options in/around Dubrovnik better than most guidebooks.

No need to take a tour or rent a car - there are buses between Kotor and Dubrovnik.

You could cross into Herzegovina, and have a day trip to Mostar. Perhaps also taking in an hour or so at the Roman Catholic pilgimage town of Medugorje, which is a lovely scenic drive from Mostar.

We took a day trip from Dubrovnik to Kotor in June, though we traveled by rented car so that we could stop at will for photos and whatever. There was one cruise ship in Kotor (I think the port can only manage one at a time), and only a couple hundred people disembarked. Most were led around in small groups and not really a problem. We had no trouble enjoying our time in Kotor with the cruise ship crowd; in contrast, the day trippers in Dubrovnik were more annoying.

Here are my notes if you are interested:
"The road from Dubrovnik to Kotor is paved with scenic overlooks, and we stopped and snapped at each and every one. From the clifftop views of Dubrovnik, its chalky walls and red-tiled roofs a more than perfect contrast to the sea blue; to the grey-blue peaks of the Montenegran rias (don’t call them fjords!), the 90 minute drive took almost twice the time. After nearly 25 years of married bliss, DH knows to be ready to brake at little notice because I am hopping out of the vehicle to snap something. It is what keeps our marriage fresh...

...the monster cruise ship (or, at least it seemed that way to us) berthed practically against the old city walls upon our arrival in Kotor. Scale is everything, though, and in reality only a few hundred people descended upon the city, most of whom were organized by colored umbrellas and led in various directions. We headed in various opposite directions and, starving by this time, found a restaurant in a small square off from the main gate at which to sit for lunch...

...Eeeking out of our highly-coveted parking space we began our return to Dubrovnik, with a so-happy-we-stopped detour in Perast even though the skies above us threatened rain. Perast is beautiful. It just is. The island church in contrast with the sea and the mountains and the village prompted an, “It’s like Hallstatt!” Little white rowboats bobbing against the gray-blue water were mesmerizing and the Oleander were colorful sideshows; and it took all the reserve DH had to keep me from walking into a real estate office and plunking down far too many Euros on a holiday home."

I wouldn't worry about the cruise ships in Kotor, personally. The real reason to visit is the journey in my opinion: the scenery around the Bay of Kotor is stunning. I'm glad I had a car so I could stop numerous times for pictures. I assume a guided tour would stop once or twice too for pictures. At least they'll stop in Perast, which is itself a good viewpoint, not to mention a pretty little town.

Kotor the town is really nice and very worthy of a visit but wasn't my favorite city in the region. The walk above the town - up the steep "walls" for the breathtaking view down - is essential if you can manage it.

It really depends on what you want to see and experience. I found much to enjoy in Kotor itself.

I wouldn't stay overnight in Trogir. A couple of hours plus a bite to eat is enough imo.

The ferry trip from Split to Hvar is great, very scenic, and only takes 2 hours. Hvar Town is party central, so if that's not your scene, then get the Split to Stari Grad ferry.

Ovis and/or Makarska are worth a day trip south from Split, the scenery.....mountains to the left and the Adriatic to the right is pretty good.

Oops.....last posting on wrong thread.