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Car hire in Kotor is the way to step beyond the walls — there's nothing inside them you'd want to do without using your feet. The medieval Old Town is a fully pedestrian UNESCO site, with cars banned inside the walls. Kotor itself has no airport: the closest one is Tivat, just 8 km away, the shortest airport-to-town hop anywhere in Montenegro.
In Kotor the car isn't really for the town itself. It's for getting out of it: Perast, Luštica, Lovćen and Budva all sit within an hour.
From April through October, cruise ships pull into the bay and the centre runs on their schedule. The lots near the walls are full by 9am, and prices those days bite. With a car you stop depending on that — walk to a distant lot, drive out to Perast, or skip across to the Luštica peninsula altogether.
What sets Kotor apart: UNESCO, the serpentine and cruise days
The Old Town is car-free
You can't drive inside the walls. Parking is on the outside only: six numbered lots P1–P6 ringing the perimeter. P1 is closer to the Sea Gate but fills early in season. P5 and P6 are further out — but cheaper at €1–2 per hour against €4–6 at P1.
Before heading into the Old Town in August, check the cruise-ship calendar. On big-ship days P1–P3 are taken by 8:30am — head straight for P5–P6 instead.
The Lovćen serpentine — the driver's test piece
The road from Kotor up to Lovćen National Park climbs roughly 1,000 metres over 17 km on 25 hairpins. Among the most scenic roads in the Balkans, and the main test piece for renters. A manual is more comfortable on the descent — engine braking saves the discs.
A guest from Manchester rolled down in fifth one morning in July and the brakes were smoking by the third hairpin. Second or third gear, calm pace — that's the working combination.
The closest airport in the country
Tivat at 8 km from Kotor is a logistics record. Fifteen minutes along the coast road, no toll sections. Most suppliers offer a meet-and-greet by flight number.
Renault Clio 4 in Montenegro
Was very nice 👌 car good and clean perfect price
Volkswagen Golf 7 in Montenegro
everything went well, the car was delivered on time, the car was clean, there were no complaints about the work. The only moment, the car was brought with a completely empty tank and we had to go to refuel before going on the planned route, and also a strange condition of return was to wash the car before returning, which was also strange, we have never encountered such a requirement. We drove for less than two days so we didn't have to wash it. Otherwise everything went well, after we returned the car, they gave us a ride to the place we wanted to go
Renault Megane in Montenegro
We were happy with our car rental with TakeCars and the overall communication by your company was good, thank you.
Renault Clio 3 in Montenegro
We booked a car in Budva for 5 days and planned to return it in Kotor. In Budva the car was brought directly to the hotel, we did not have to go for it, and a couple of days before the end of the booking we changed the place of return from Kotor to Tivat, so we came there without any problems and extra payments. The car itself for its years is fine, a little hard to overtake only, but with all the serpentines coped perfectly. I recommend!
Skoda Fabia in Montenegro
everything was okay. The vehicle was well received.
Volkswagen Polo in Montenegro
It was really good The car was in great condition and the person who reached out to me were really helpful and friendly Overall it was a great experience 🔥✨
Renault Clio 4 in Montenegro
Great service, everything went well
Skoda Fabia in Montenegro
everything went fine and was great. Thank you so much! Greatings from Berlin
Nissan Note in Montenegro
Everything worked very smoothly and person responsible of the car was very friendly, flexible and helpful.
Audi A3 in Montenegro
I rented an Audi A3, in fact they gave me a higher class Mercedes, without any complaints. The car is in good condition, there was a minor oil error. The deposit was returned without any problems, I would rent here again
Toyota Yaris in Montenegro
Car and rates were good but what makes this company stand out is the team. Great experience and I highly recommend them
Mini Cooper S in Montenegro
In general, everything was good, we liked it, although the steering wheel shook when braking, this is a sign of deformation of the brake discs. And the car also showed that the scheduled maintenance was overdue, which was a little annoying
Toyota Yaris in Montenegro
I am very satisfied with the rental. There was an employee waiting for us at the airport at the agreed time with documents and the car. After a short inspection and signing the documents, we could start driving. The car worked well for a whole week, the air conditioning works and it drove up every mountain, and there is no shortage of those in Montenegro. What more could you want? There was also no problem with returning the car at the agreed place in Kotor. Once again, the employee came at the agreed time, took the keys and we said goodbye, continuing our journey to Albania. I recommend localcarhires.com. Everything went smoothly and if I ever have the opportunity to visit Montenegro again, I will ask them about renting a car in the first place.
Where to drive from Kotor
Perast and Our Lady of the Rocks
Twelve km from Kotor along the scenic bayside road sits the small town of Perast, with its two islets in the water. A boat from the seafront takes you to Our Lady of the Rocks for €5 return. With a car, Perast is a comfortable half-day with lunch by the water.
Parking inside Perast itself is paid and limited. Easier to leave the car at the town entrance (€2–3 per hour) and walk five to seven minutes along the seafront.
Lovćen and the Njegoš mausoleum
A full day by car: the climb up the serpentine, the mausoleum at the summit of Jezerski Vrh, lunch in Cetinje, back via Budva for a scenic loop. Allow at least 1.5 hours for the climb itself with photo stops.
Luštica: Mirište, Žanjic and the Blue Cave
Via the Kamenari–Lepetane car ferry — €4.50, 10 minutes across. From the far side, 30–40 minutes to Mirište and Žanjic beaches. Boats run from there to the Blue Cave and the Mamula Island fortress.
The Kamenari–Lepetane ferry is the secret weapon of the bay. Kotor to Herceg Novi by road is over an hour; via the ferry, 35–40 minutes.
How to reach Kotor and where to collect the car
Tivat is effectively Kotor's airport: 8 km away, 15 minutes by road, with no toll sections and no hairpins. Most local suppliers offer a meet-and-greet by flight number with immediate pick-up. Podgorica is much further out, around 90 km and 1.5 hours via the Sozina tunnel (€2.50). Worth using only if your route continues south through Lake Skadar.
A couple landed at Tivat at 23:40 last August. Their host met them by flight number, signed the papers on the bonnet, and they were checking in to a Dobrota guesthouse twenty minutes later.
Few suppliers keep a permanent office inside Kotor itself. Most work out of Tivat — either at the airport or via free delivery to your hotel anywhere in the bay. Delivery typically covers Kotor, Dobrota, Prčanj, Muo, Stoliv, Risan and Perast — the entire shoreline. On TakeCars the pickup point and time appear in the listing, no day-of WhatsApp calls.
If your accommodation is in Dobrota rather than the Old Town, that's often easier: less parking trouble, simpler exits and lower room rates.
Landing late at night? Take the car at the hotel the next morning and ride a taxi from Tivat — €15–20.
Rates in Kotor vary throughout the year depending on the season and the rental length.
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How expensive is renting a car in Kotor: average daily rates for a one-week car rental, across all car classes.
Why travellers choose TakeCars in Kotor
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Free hotel delivery across the Bay of Kotor
The car is brought to your door in Kotor, Dobrota, Prčanj, Muo, Risan or Perast — no run to a town-centre office.
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No-deposit options on the listing page
Selected cars in Kotor carry a tariff with zero excess on the body, so you don't have to freeze a deposit on a card.
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Real reviews on the specific car
Not just an overall supplier rating, but feedback from guests who hired the very same Octavia or Yaris in Kotor.
Parking lots P1–P6, cruise days and bay traffic
P1–P3 — closer and pricier
P1 is closest to the Sea Gate of the Old Town, about 100 metres on foot. P2 and P3 are slightly further out, near the Kamelija shopping centre. Rates in season run €4–6 per hour; by 9am in August spaces are gone, particularly when cruise ships are in port.
P4–P6 — further out, cheaper, more reliable
P5 and P6 sit at the entrance to the town from the Budva and Dobrota directions. Rates of €1–2 per hour, with 15–20 minutes' walk along the seafront to the Old Town — or 5 minutes on the free shuttle that runs in high season.
On cruise days, parking near the Old Town turns into a sport. If two big ships are in port, don't even try P1 — head straight to P5 and walk in.
The best window to drive in
In summer, before 9am or after 5pm. Between 10 and 4 the centre crawls with cruise coaches and transfers. The bay road towards Budva or Tivat slows in those same hours — build in extra time.
Frequent Questions
Six numbered car parks ringing the Old Town. P1 is closest to the Sea Gate, P6 is the furthest, near the entrance from the Budva direction. Rates step up as you get closer: €4–6 per hour at P1, €1–2 per hour at P5–P6. In season the closer lots fill by 9am, the outer ones hold spaces longer — particularly on cruise days.
P1 — about 100 metres from the Sea Gate. P2 and P3 follow, near the Kamelija shopping centre. P4 sits a little further out. P5 and P6 are at the town entrance, with a 15–20 minute walk along the seafront to the Old Town — or 5 minutes on the free shuttle in high season.
No. The historic core is a UNESCO pedestrian zone with motor vehicles banned for everything except service traffic. Cars go in P1–P6 outside the walls. The approach to the gate itself is also congested in summer — don't try to drop people closer, especially during the day.
Head straight for P5 or P6. P1–P3 fill by 8:30am, with queues forming on the way in. The cruise calendar for the Port of Kotor is published in advance — check before heading out. With two large ships in port, the centre stays choked with coaches until late evening.
8 km, 15 minutes along the bayside road with no toll sections and no hairpins. It's the shortest airport hop anywhere in Montenegro. In the August morning peak allow another 5–10 minutes for the bottleneck near Prčanj. Most suppliers handle a flight-number meet at Tivat with immediate pick-up.
Parking inside Perast itself is paid and limited — €2–3 per hour. It's easier to leave the car at the town entrance (paid too, but with more space) and walk five to seven minutes along the seafront. By 10am in season the central spaces are gone; the entrance lots hold up better.
Drive 12 km / 20 minutes to Perast. From the seafront, boats to Our Lady of the Rocks run €5 return, a 5-minute crossing departing every 15 minutes. The second island, St George's, is private and tours don't go ashore.
Yes. The serpentine drops about 1,000 metres in 17 km, and a manual lets you brake on the engine — second or third gear. An automatic copes, but the discs run hotter. If you're set on an automatic, build in stops along the way to let the brakes cool.
About 25 hairpins and roughly 1,000 metres of climb across 17 km. The road is paved but narrow — meeting an oncoming coach in summer often means reversing to the next pull-off. Best windows are before 9am, before the excursion buses are out.
No. The fortress above the walls is reached only on foot — about 1,350 stone steps from the Old Town. There's a back route from the village of Špiljari at the top, but you still have to leave the car a kilometre below the fortress. Allow 1.5–2 hours each way on foot.
Before 9am or after 7pm. Between 10 and 4 the bay road via Tivat slows: cruise coaches, transfers, organised tours. The 30–40 km drive easily takes over an hour in summer; in winter the same trip runs 35–40 minutes.
Around 90 km and 1.5 hours via Budva, Cetinje and the Sozina tunnel (€2.50). The alternative through Nikšić takes 30–40 minutes longer but is more scenic and avoids the bay's bottlenecks. If you're using it as a transfer, leave before 8am — after that the bay road slows.
Bolt covers the bay: Kotor–Perast €10–15, Kotor–Budva €15–25, Kotor–Tivat €15–20. For one or two beach days it can work. For radial trips out to Lovćen, Luštica, Lake Skadar or Dubrovnik, a hire car works out cheaper and gives you the time flexibility you actually need.
The best option is a hotel with its own car park; check at booking, especially in the Old Town and Dobrota. The open lots P5 and P6 take overnight parking at €8–12 per night. There are no free street spaces within a kilometre of the Old Town in season, and leaving a car in the wrong place is risky — the tow truck does work.
Technically yes, but it's a sprint. A more realistic split is one day for Luštica via the ferry (Mirište, Žanjic, Blue Cave), one for Lovćen and Cetinje, and one for Perast and the bay itself. Each route stands as a full day on its own.