Montenegro Without a Car, A 5-Day Itinerary Using Buses, Boats, and Walkable Bases

Hiring a car in Montenegro sounds fun until you picture cliff roads, tight corners, gravel roads, and you gripping the door handle like it’s a stress ball.

The good news though, is Montenegro without a car is not only doable, it’s genuinely enjoyable if you pick the right bases. This 5-day plan is built for people travelling around a full time job, the kind of part-time traveller who wants big views and pretty old towns, but also needs to be back at their desk on Monday.

I’ve done this exact trip, staying between two walkable bases and sightseeing with simple bus hops, plus I found a boat day that made me feel like I’d hacked the holiday system.

Now I’m sharing where to base yourself, what routes are easiest, and a day-by-day plan that doesn’t waste half your trip on logistics or bad timings.

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Start smart: two walkable Montenegro bases that make your trip easier

For a car-free trip, Montenegro rewards you for being slightly lazy – in the best way. Base yourself in Kotor for 3 nights and Budva for 2 nights. Both are compact, easy on foot, and well connected by frequent buses.

Getting to Kotor and Budva without a car (and without fuss)

If you fly into Podgorica, buses towards the coast are common and typically take around 1.5 to 2 hours to reach Kotor. In practice, you’ll often buy your ticket on the bus (bring small euros). If you’re flying in late, build in a little buffer and be ready to pivot to Budva first if timings suit better.

Budva is also a handy exit point, with direct buses to Podgorica that usually take about 2 hours. Podgorica’s main station runs around the clock, which is comforting when your flight home is at an unholy hour.

If you can fly into Tivat (TIV), it’s the easiest airport for a car-free Montenegro trip because it’s already on the coast. You can either take a taxi to Kotor or Budva (quick, but pricier – agree the price before you get in), or local bus. The bus is cheaper but you’ll need to take a short taxi ride or walk to Tivat bus station, then hop on a bus towards Kotor (roughly 20 to 30 mins from Tivat town) or Budva (around 30 to 45 mins from Tivat town).

Alternative arrival: Dubrovnik Airport (Croatia) to Montenegro

Dubrovnik Airport (DBV) can be a great alternative if flights are cheaper or better timed, but build in buffer time for the Croatia to Montenegro border crossing. The simplest route is airport transfer or shuttle into Dubrovnik, then take a bus from Dubrovnik to Herceg Novi, Kotor, or Budva.

Another easy option is a pre-booked transfer straight from the airport to your first base in Montenegro, which costs more but saves hassle, especially after a workday flight. If Dubrovnik’s your entry point, it makes sense to flip the itinerary and start in Herceg Novi or Kotor first, then continue down the coast by bus.

The 5-day Montenegro itinerary (buses, boats, and walkable days)

This plan keeps travel time short and gives you proper “I went somewhere!” days, not just transit.

Day 1: Kotor arrival, old town, and an easy first win

Check in, drop your bag, and head straight into Kotor Old Town. It’s small, so you’ll get that holiday hit quickly. I absolutely loved the stone alleys, little squares, and cats acting like they pay rent.

If you’ve got the energy, start the climb towards the fortress viewpoints (even a partial climb is worth it). Keep tonight low-key. Grab dinner, stroll the waterfront, and go to bed smug because you didn’t drive a single metre.

Day 2: Perast by bus (or boat), plus a Bay of Kotor boat stop

Today is your “how is this real?” day. Go to Perast, either by local bus (quick and cheap) or by boat if services are running and weather’s calm. Perast is tiny and pretty, the kind of place where you accidentally take 40 photos of the same church.

From Perast, take a short boat trip to Our Lady of the Rocks (seasonal). It’s the perfect car-free activity: you just… float to your sightseeing. I joined this fabulous day tour that included a visit to Perast, Our Lady of the Rocks, and the stunning Blue Cave.

Practical tip: bring water shoes and a towel if you plan a swim (which I’d highly recommend!). Those cute stone edges are not kind to toes.

Day 3: Bus to Budva, then old town at golden hour

Take the bus from Kotor to Budva (it’s frequent and usually 30 to 45 minutes). Check in, then explore Budva Old Town in the late afternoon when the light goes soft and the streets feel less rushed. It’s the perfect spot for souvenir shopping, or to grab a drink or snack.

After dinner, walk the promenade. It’s absolutely stunning during the golden hour, and offers a fabulous old town scenic viewpoint. This is the beauty of a walkable base: you don’t need a “plan” every minute. You just need comfortable trainers and a snack.

Check out my top five things to do in Budva blog post for more of a full guide on local sights, scenery and activities.

Day 4: Choose your adventure day (beachy, foodie, or a big view)

Pick one, based on your energy and the season:

Option A (easy): a slow beach day. I found Budva’s beaches are simple to reach on foot, and a lazy morning here feels earned.

Option B (classic): bus back to Kotor for anything you missed, then return to Budva for dinner. You could also take the cable car, I absolutely adored the incredible views over Kotor and surrounding lakes and scenery, and enjoyed riding the mountain coaster at the top too. This Get Your Guide option includes a transfer too.

Option C (big view): day trip towards Lovćen National Park. Without a car it takes more effort (often a combination of bus plus taxi, or a tour like this full day tour with Get Your Guide can work out better value), so start early and keep expectations realistic. The payoff is the views, but it’s not the day for winging it.

Option D (lake scenes): take a day tour to Lake Skadar, the largest lake in the Balkans, with stops to admire the picturesque Sveti Stefan and the 13th-century Moraca Monastery. This was one of my favourite Montenegro activities, purely for the experience of sailing through thousands of lily pads.

Day 5: Bus to the airport and fly out (or add a city stroll)

Head to your departure airport in Podgorica, Tivat or Dubrovnik by bus. If your flight is later, you’ve got time for a simple lunch and a short walk, rather than hanging around the station eating crisps like it’s a personality trait.

Trust me. Dubrovnik is absolutely worth visiting for a few hours if you’re travelling to or from its airport. Walk the ancient city walls and, if you’re a fan like me, visit the filming locations used in the TV series Game of Thrones.

If you’re building this into one of your tighter short trips, aim to arrive with plenty of time to spare. Montenegro buses are good, but “good” and “to-the-minute” aren’t always the same thing.

Make this work with limited annual leave (and zero faff)

This is where the itinerary really earns its keep. Montenegro works brilliantly for people who do weekends and bank holidays, because you can keep bases simple and spend more time out doing things.

A few tactics I learnt during my trip that help when you’re travelling around a full time job:

• Pick one airport in, and a different airport out if it saves time or money, plus this allows you to complete a route rather than looping back
• Stay near the old town in Kotor and Budva so mornings don’t start with a commute
• Use apps that save you brain space, especially for transport and maps. If you like having everything in one place, these essential travel apps for short European breaks make planning quicker.

And if you’re tempted to turn Montenegro into a multi-stop Balkan hop, you’ll love this guide on how to visit multiple countries in Europe without turning your trip into a logistics marathon.

Small mistakes that waste time (learn from my chaos)

On one trip, I treated the bus timetable like a sacred promise. It was not. I ended up doing that awkward “speed-walk with a backpack” through a station, clutching coins, trying to look calm while fully not calm. Since then, I plan with three rules:

Carry small cash. Drivers often won’t take card, and stations don’t always feel like the place to test your contactless luck. Montenegro uses the Euro (€) as its official currency.

Add buffer time. Especially on your final day, when flights are involved. Aim to arrive earlier than you think you need.

Check schedules locally. Timetables can change seasonally. If you want a quick online sense check, sites like busbud are really helpful, but always still verify departure times at the station.

Also, if you’re travelling in the off-season, expect fewer departures. In summer there can be loads of buses each day on popular routes, in winter it’s quieter. Same country, different mood.

FAQs: Montenegro without car

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You don’t need a hire car to enjoy Montenegro, you just need the right bases and a simple plan. With Kotor and Budva as your anchors, let buses handle the hops, boats add the sparkle, and your feet do the rest. Best of all, this trip fits the reality of limited annual leave, so your short trips can still feel big.

Save this itinerary, pick your dates, and commit to booking one thing today (even if it’s just the accommodation). Where would you base yourself first, Kotor or Budva? Check out my interactive accommodation map and see where suits you best!