Scenic Montenegro Bays & Old Towns — Self-Launched Edition
8 days · Montenegro
Perfecta Travel charges £1,650
No-markup version: ~£560 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
An independent, budget-friendly take on Perfecta Travel's 8-day gulet cruise out of Tivat. Instead of a private sailing yacht, this version travels the Bay of Kotor and Montenegrin coast by public bus, local ferry, and shared boat excursions, staying in hostels, guesthouses and budget apartments in Tivat, Budva, Bar, Perast and Kotor. You still get the swimming stops, old towns, Roman mosaics, Kotor city walls and Sveti Stefan views — but booked yourself via GetYourGuide, Klook or direct, at roughly a third of the cruise price. Costs are approximate per person and exclude flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Tivat — Porto Montenegro & welcome swim
Tivat
Fly into Tivat (or Podgorica and bus down, ~£8), check into a hostel or guesthouse near the centre, and spend the afternoon wandering Porto Montenegro marina with its superyachts and waterfront bars — the same start point as the gulet. Ease in with a swim at Belane beach or Gradska Plaza, then grab a cheap grilled fish or burek dinner in town. Buy a local SIM (One/MTel tourist SIM ~£8) and get cash from an ATM; Montenegro uses the euro.
🚌Local bus/walk from Tivat airport (~£2) or bus from Podgorica (~£8)
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Tivat centre (£18-22/night, dorm or private double)
- →Porto Montenegro marina walk
- →Belane beach swim
- →Buy local SIM & cash up
Bus to Budva — Budva Old Town & Trsteno Bay
Budva
Take the coastal bus from Tivat to Budva (~£3, 45 mins). Check into a budget room or hostel in Budva's old town area, then spend the day exploring the walled Old Town, the citadel and Mogren beach. In the afternoon, take a short local boat taxi or walk to Trsteno Bay for a swim in the clear water the cruise would have anchored in. Evening: cheap seafood and rakija at a konoba inside the old town walls.
🚌Local bus Tivat–Budva ~£3; local boat taxi to Trsteno ~£5 return
🛏Hostel/budget room in Budva Old Town area (£22-26/night)
- →Budva Old Town & citadel
- →Trsteno Bay swim
- →Mogren beach
Maljevik ruins, Lucice Bay & Bar
Bar
Buses and shared taxis run down the coast toward Bar. Stop off to explore the ancient ruins above Maljevik Bay and swim at Lucice Bay (reachable by local taxi or a coastal walk from Canj), then continue to Bar (~£2.50). Check into a cheap guesthouse near Bar Old Town, climb to the old town ruins for sunset views over the sea, and have dinner at a local grill — far cheaper than Lustica Marina restaurants.
🚌Coastal bus/shared taxi Budva–Canj–Bar ~£5 combined
🛏Guesthouse/private room in Bar (~£18-22/night)
- →Maljevik Bay ancient ruins
- →Lucice Bay swim
- →Bar Old Town ruins at sunset
Sveti Stefan viewpoint, Dobra Luka & Lustica Bay
Lustica / Radovici
Head back up the coast (~£4) to see Sveti Stefan island from the public viewpoint — the islet hotel is private but the pink-sand beaches either side are free. Swim at Dobra Luka Bay and finish the day at Lustica Bay Marina for a waterfront drink or dinner if you fancy the splurge; otherwise eat in Radovici village. Overnight in a budget apartment near Radovici or back in Budva.
🚌Bus Bar–Sveti Stefan–Budva ~£4; local taxi to Dobra Luka ~£5
🛏Budget apartment near Radovici/Budva (~£22/night)
- →Sveti Stefan viewpoint
- →Dobra Luka Bay swim
- →Lustica Bay Marina stroll
Ferry across the bay to Perast — St. Nikola Church & Mirista Bay
Perast
Work your way up the bay: bus to Kamenari and take the short car ferry across the Verige Strait to Lepetane (~£1.50 with foot passengers), then bus to Perast (~£2). Drop bags at a guesthouse and take a local boat out to the tiny islet church of Our Lady of the Rocks and St. Nikola Church (~£5 return). Swim at Mirista Bay or Morinj Bay nearby, and have dinner on Perast's waterfront — mussels and local wine are the move.
🚌Bus + Kamenari–Lepetane ferry + local bus ~£4; boat to islet ~£5
🛏Guesthouse in Perast or Dobrota (£24-28/night)
- →Kamenari–Lepetane car ferry
- →Our Lady of the Rocks / St. Nikola Church
- →Mirista & Morinj Bay swim
Risan mosaics & Kotor city walls to St. John's Fortress
Kotor
Bus along the bay to Risan (~£2) to see the 2nd-century Roman mosaics (small entry fee ~£2), then continue to Kotor (~£1.50). Check into a hostel inside or just outside the Old Town, then tackle the 1,350-step climb up Kotor's city walls to St. John's Fortress (~£8 entry, go late afternoon for the light). Reward yourself with cheap pizza and a beer in the Old Town squares.
🚌Local bus Perast–Risan–Kotor ~£4
🛏Hostel in Kotor Old Town (£18-24/night dorm or budget private)
- →Risan Roman mosaics
- →Kotor city walls hike to St. John's Fortress
- →Kotor Old Town evening
Kotor Old Town walking tour, Ljuta Bay & Sveti Marko swim
Kotor
Join a pay-what-you-like or GetYourGuide/Klook small-group walking tour of Kotor Old Town (~£12-15, 2 hrs) covering the cathedral, maritime museum and squares — the same ground the cruise's guided tour covers. Afterwards take a local bus to Ljuta (~£2) for a lazy lunch by the water, then a short boat trip or swim out toward Sveti Marko island (~£10). Evening: a self-organised 'captain's dinner' of fresh seafood and wine back in Kotor.
🚌Local bus to Ljuta/Dobrota ~£2 each way; boat trip ~£10
🛏Hostel in Kotor Old Town (£18-24/night)
- →Guided Kotor Old Town walking tour (GetYourGuide/Klook)
- →Ljuta Bay lunch
- →Sveti Marko island swim/boat
Last swim and bus back to Tivat
Tivat
Morning coffee in Kotor, a final dip at Dobrota or a quick boat to the Bay's quiet coves, then the direct bus back to Tivat (~£3, 30 mins) for departure. If you're flying out of Podgorica instead, buses run from Kotor in ~1.5 hrs (~£8). Extra time? The Lovcen serpentine road and Njegusi ham village make a great half-day add-on.
🚌Local bus Kotor–Tivat ~£3 (or Kotor–Podgorica ~£8)
🛏None (departure day) — add a cheap Tivat hostel if you need a final night (~£20)
- →Final Bay of Kotor swim
- →Lovcen/Njegusi optional half-day
Self-launched vs. Perfecta Travel
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Perfecta Travel | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£560 | £1,650 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,090 per person (66%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Perfecta Travel-style trips? Check them out here.~£560
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Scenic Montenegro Bays & Old Towns — Self-Launched Edition cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £560 per person for 8 days in Montenegro. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Perfecta Travel?+
Yes — Perfecta Travel charges around £1,650 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £560 — a saving of roughly £1,090 (66%) per person.
How long is the Montenegro trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through Montenegro.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a beaches, culture, budget trip through Montenegro, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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