March vs May

Strong option

Still very wet but the light is improving and the first spring warmth arrives by mid-month.

• ↑The bay begins to reflect blue sky on clear days in March, previewing the stunning scenery that makes Kotor famous. Kayak and boat tour operators begin reopening from mid-March. The drive around the bay — past Perast with its two islands, through Dobrota — is one of the most beautiful short road trips in the Balkans and is uncrowded.
• ↑Prices remain very low and the Old Town is quiet. Konoba Cattaro and other traditional restaurants are reopening for the season with fresh local produce.

Best match

The optimal window: warm, genuinely beautiful, and before the cruise ship armada arrives in force.

• ↑May is the month that experienced Adriatic travellers point to as Kotor's best. Temperatures reach 22°C, the bay is a flawless blue-green, and the cruise ship season is beginning but not yet overwhelming — fewer than 50 ships typically call in May versus 300+ across the June–September season. The Old Town in May has its authentic Venetian-influenced character intact: the cats on the piazza steps, the fishing nets on the harbour wall, the konoba owners still glad to see you.
• ↑Kayaking across the bay to Our Lady of the Rocks (Gospa od Škrpjela) — the artificial island church off Perast built from coral and ex-votos over 200 years — is one of the finest half-day activities on the Adriatic. In May you can paddle to it without sharing the water with speed boats ferrying cruise passengers.