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Family holiday to Kotor

  • 25-10-2019 1:02pm
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,852
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    Hi all, I am wondering if anyone here as used Kotor in Montenegro as a base for their family summer holiday or visited for longer than a day or two. I am looking at holiday destinations for next year and Kotor looks beautiful and affordable, we are two adults and two kids (will be age 6 and 3). For comparison we have spent the last few holidays in Annecy in France, we love lakes, mountains and pretty old towns. We prefer a ‘hub and spoke’ approach where we stay in one place and do day trips, are there nice day trips from Kotor? We would probably spend a couple of nights in Dubrovnik before travelling to Kotor. Is there enough to do to fill 10 days – 2 weeks? Thanks in advance


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Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,818 Tigerandahalf
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    Budva wouldn't be far from Kotor. It is a beach resort. A lot of nice yachts get parked up there but fish is also brought in. A long time since I was there. I just did a day trip to both.

    https://www.tripadvisor.ie/ShowTopic-g295381-i9638-k8382137-First_time_to_Montenegro_shall_I_stay_in_Kotor_or_Budva-Kotor_Kotor_Municipality.html

    I see your kids are young. Crossing into Montenegro used to take some time with a checkpoint. I am not sure what the situation is now.
    The weather could also be very warm - mid 30s.
    You would want to be sure about the medical situation in case anything might happen.

    I have never been to Slovenia but it is meant to be beautiful with lakes and mountain scenery. I would think it would be cheap enough too. It is also in the EU so maybe a safer bet with young kids.


  • Posts: 18,749 [Deleted User]
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    Kotor is beautiful, the old town is small but cheap.There are many little beaches along the lake for swimming etc.
    I have never seen anything particularly aimed at children.
    would you hire a car there?
    there is Lake Skadar on the Montenegro - Albania border, a nantional park, also Budva is ok for a day.
    If you are spending a few days in Dubrovnik, you could also take day trips to Mostar or Medjugorie. Sarajevo is maybe a little bit too far....
    with the driving though, you will need to make sure you get a car from somewhere that allows you to drive in & out of the EU & get your insurances also.

    Slovenia is lovely also, lake Bled is nice & Ljubliana is a lovely little town.
    You could travel to Trieste in Italy easily from here also.

    Kotor is my favourite though:D


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,852 ncmc
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    Thank you both for the replies. I wouldn't be worried about the medical aspect as I always have good travel insurance. Yes we would definitely hire a car and would plan to do a few day trips. That's a good point about the car hire, I would need to check the small print to make sure I could take it out of the EU rather than just go for the cheapest option which is what I normally do!


    I'm lucky with my kids in that they don't need very kid specific thing to do. They are happy going for a swim or throwing stones in the lake! They've been in Annecy a few times and also a number of city breaks and they have always had a great time.


    Slovenia is definitely an option too. Being able to visit Austria from there is appealing. Or there's a good chance we'll end up in Annecy again :rolleyes: Kotor just looks so pretty, every time I see pics of it I get blown away.

    Edited to add: I was looking at an Air BnB a few KM out of the town with it's own pool so that could keep the kids happy and give us a break from the busyness of the town (we are limited to going in Jul or Aug)


  • Posts: 18,749 [Deleted User]
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    ncmc wrote: »
    Kotor just looks so pretty, every time I see pics of it I get blown away.

    it really really is!
    One of my favourite places:)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,126 missmatty
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    No specific advice really but I did a day trip from Dubrovnik to Kotor and Budva a while back, Kotor is really gorgeous. They were just beginning the development of Sveti Stefan (St. Stephen's Island) at the time, think it's an exclusive resort now for the mega-rich. You can do nice boat trips from Dubrovnik as well for the day. It may well be very hot.

    I would be very tempted by Slovenia and Ljubliana as well though.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,852 ncmc
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    I'm just noticing there doesn't seem to be any direct flights to Ljubljana. That would be a real disadvantage to be honest. It's bad enough flying with kids without adding stops!


  • Moderators, Regional Abroad Moderators Posts: 2,322 Nigel Fairservice
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    ncmc wrote: »
    I'm just noticing there doesn't seem to be any direct flights to Ljubljana. That would be a real disadvantage to be honest. It's bad enough flying with kids without adding stops!


    Oddly enough there's no flights from Ireland, even seasonally. I can't understand why. It's such a beautiful place. When I went I went from Cork to Stansted and Stansted to Ljubljana. Ryanair and Easyjet. The connection in London was handy enough but you may not wish to do it with young kids. You can easily reach Zagreb from Ljubljana as well for a day trip.

    The Julian Alps in Slovenia are fantastic if you're anyway in to the outdoors. Lake Bled is great too.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,539 johnire
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    You’ve got great taste! It’s an absolutely stunning place.
    bubblypop wrote: »
    it really really is!
    One of my favourite places:)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,963 Van.Bosch
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    ncmc wrote: »
    I'm just noticing there doesn't seem to be any direct flights to Ljubljana. That would be a real disadvantage to be honest. It's bad enough flying with kids without adding stops!

    No direct flight but if hiring a car, you can fly to Venice or Trieste and Drive from there.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,523 VG31
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    Van.Bosch wrote: »
    No direct flight but if hiring a car, you can fly to Venice or Trieste and Drive from there.

    You can fly direct to Zagreb, Ljubljana is a 2.5 hour bus or train journey from there.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,184 Pighead
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    I'd echo all the above sentiments. Kotor Bay is gorgeous. I've been three times over the last six or seven years. It seems to be getting more popular with each passing year. The scenery around Kotor Bay with the surrounding mountains is spectacular. Loads of lovely restaurants dotted all around the old town. Speed boat tour around the bay is great as well. You go into the submarine tunnels and on to the various isalnds around teh bay.

    One word of warning though if you are tempted by the Lake Skadar trip. Traffic is an absolute nightmare during August. The journey from Kotor Bay to Skadar was supposed to take just over an hour but we were stuck in the car with two young kids for four hours each way. Nightmare day! We were told by a local that it is normal at that time of year for traffic to be bad. If you're going maybe go really early.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,624 meeeeh
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    I mostly fly to Italy or with a stopover to Ljubljana. I think Slovenia is lovely (I might be biased) but I don't think travel makes it very attractive for family holiday. If you still want to go there with kids, lake Bohinj is nicer imo (most locals would agree) than Bled. Bled is nice for a day visit.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 582 Pomplamousse
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    I'd highly recommend Kotor, was there last summer. We flew in and out of Dubrovnik & got a taxi from Dubrovnik airport to Tivat airport in Montenegro. From there we hired a car for 2 weeks. We had prebooked the taxi online so they were waiting to collect us from Dubrovnik airport and the driver was used to crossing the border into Montenegro daily so he knew all the shortcuts. Taxi cost about €80 but was well worth it so we went with the same guy on the journey back 2 weeks later.

    Kotor is stunning. We also went to Sveti Stefan, Lake Skadar & up north to Durmitor.
    Montenegro was so much cheaper compared to the last few days we spent in Dubrovnik.


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