I am arriving in Dubrovnik next week and have 8 days to spend.
I want to see Dubrovnik, Kotor, Budva....and anything else that is recommended.
Can someone suggest how to spend my time.

p.s. Mom with 2 teenage boys 16, 18.

Thanks

from Dubrovnik, also visit - CAVTAT (south) and STON (north);
SPLIT and TROGIR

If it were me, I would spend a couple of days in Dubrovnik, drive to Kotor (you could do this in a day trip but if you are going to Budva you may want to take a couple of days) and then spend the remaining 4 days going north to some of the following: Mostar (B-H), Split, an island (Korcula, Hvar, Brac, etc.), and Plitvice. Obviously you can't do all of them, but that's where I'd focus my plans. Cavtat is pretty but I don't know that it has much for teenaged boys to do-- they may enjoy spending time on Lokrum (island off of Dubrovnik) for a few hours instead. If they enjoy hiking they might really enjoy Plitvice. Whether it is a good use of your time to go there or even as far north as Split may depend on whether you are flying out of Dubrovnik or whether you can fly out of Split of Zagreb. If you are flying in and out of Dubrovnik, I'd probably focus more on islands and perhaps Mostar after doing Dubrovnik and Montenegro. Enjoy!

I would suggest 4 or 5 days in Dubrovnik, perhaps with some day trips to the islands or Mostar. Also include a visit to Cavtat and Lokrum island during this time period. Then spend 2 or 3 days in Montenegro. I would stay in either Kotor and Budva and travel to the other on a day-trip. Budva might be a better base as it has a bit more going on and has beaches. Kotor is more historic, but can be seen in an afternoon. I think this will be enough for 8 days, but if you do have an extra day or 2, I would recommend going to the island of Korcula for a night or 2. It is not too far north from Dubrovnik and is a really beautiful place.

With teenage boys, I would try to make time for an overnight trip to Mostar.

It will certainly have an impact on them, because all the damage, much of which is still visible, occured at around the time they were born. There are films on youtube of the famous iconic bridge being shelled and then tumbling into the river. And the fact that this happened when your sons were babies it will have a 'wow' factor. If you take a tour (I went with Asim from Fortuna Tours) try to get a young person who will have been a youngster themselves at the time and will be able to tell stories of what it was really like. And it is sobering to see the graves on the Turkish side, and read the ages of those young men buried there, most of them just a few years older than your sons are now. And the fact that they are just a two hour flight from home, that such conflict can happen to people just like them will make an impression. They would love to see the bridge jumpers/divers as well!


I found Mostar a wonderful place, I wrote a review of my impressions which will give you more information...

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...llet-holes.cfm

...and having two teenage boys myself, though they didn't come with me on that trip, they have been amazed by seeing my photos and hearing about it, and also having seen the films of what was happening there when they were just tiny.