Things to Do in Kotor in November
November weather, activities, events & insider tips
November Weather in Kotor
Is November Right for You?
Advantages
- Drastically fewer crowds - you'll actually get photos of the Old Town without hundreds of cruise ship passengers in the background. Most cruise lines shift to Caribbean routes by November, meaning the daily 4,000-person influx drops to maybe 500-800 on occasional port days.
- Accommodation prices drop 40-60% compared to summer highs. That €200/night boutique hotel in the Old Town? Now €80-120. November sits in the sweet spot after shoulder season ends but before Christmas markets begin, so properties are motivated to fill rooms.
- Ideal hiking temperatures on the Ladder of Kotor and fortress walls. At 11-17°C (52-63°F), you're comfortable climbing 1,350 stone steps to San Giovanni Fortress without the brutal 32°C (90°F) summer heat that sends people to the medical tent. Start morning hikes around 9-10am when temperatures reach 14-15°C (57-59°F).
- Authentic local atmosphere returns - restaurants in the Old Town actually have Montenegrin families dining again, not just tourist groups. You'll hear more Serbian and Montenegrin than English, and konobas shift back to traditional menus rather than dumbed-down international fare.
Considerations
- Swimming is essentially over - the Bay of Kotor averages 17-18°C (63-64°F) in November, which is wetsuit territory for most people. Beach clubs close by early November, and boat tours focus on sightseeing rather than swimming stops.
- Unpredictable rain patterns mean you need flexible plans. Those 10 rainy days don't follow a pattern - you might get three consecutive grey days or scattered 30-minute showers. The Bay creates its own microclimate, so weather apps are notoriously unreliable here.
- Reduced ferry and boat tour schedules. The regular ferry to Perast and Our Lady of the Rocks drops from hourly to 3-4 times daily. Some boat operators close entirely until March, limiting your options for exploring the Bay by water without hiring a private boat (€80-150 for half-day).
Best Activities in November
San Giovanni Fortress and Old Town Wall Hiking
November is genuinely the best month for this 1,350-step climb to the fortress at 280 m (919 ft). The cooler temperatures mean you're not drenched in sweat by step 400, and the variable weather actually creates dramatic photo opportunities - low clouds rolling through the Bay, shafts of sunlight breaking through, moody atmospheric shots impossible in summer's harsh light. The UV index still hits 8 on clear days, so you need sun protection, but the 11-17°C (52-63°F) range is perfect for sustained uphill effort. Early morning (8-10am) offers the best light and you'll often have sections completely to yourself.
Bay of Kotor Scenic Boat Tours
With swimming off the table, November boat tours shift to what the Bay does best - dramatic scenery and cultural stops. The variable weather creates constantly changing light conditions, and you'll see the mountains with snow caps starting to form above 1,500 m (4,921 ft). Tours typically visit Perast, Our Lady of the Rocks island church, and the Blue Cave near Herceg Novi. The key advantage is you're not competing with cruise ship tenders - in summer, 15-20 boats might be jockeying for position at Our Lady of the Rocks simultaneously. In November, you might be the only boat there.
Lovcen National Park Day Trips
The 22 km (13.7 mile) drive up to Lovcen National Park and Njegos Mausoleum becomes spectacular in November as the first snow dusts the peaks above 1,400 m (4,593 ft). The park sits at 1,200-1,749 m (3,937-5,738 ft), so temperatures are 5-8°C (9-14°F) cooler than Kotor - expect 6-12°C (43-54°F) at the mausoleum. The 461 steps to the mausoleum are manageable in cool weather, and on clear days you can see Albania, Bosnia, and Croatia from the top. November typically has 4-5 genuinely clear days, and locals check the webcam at Lovcen before driving up.
Perast and Our Lady of the Rocks Exploration
This tiny baroque town 12 km (7.5 miles) north of Kotor becomes wonderfully peaceful in November. The artificial island with Our Lady of the Rocks church is the Bay's most photogenic spot, and in November you'll actually have time to appreciate the interior's 68 paintings and silver votive tablets without being rushed by tour groups. The boat ride takes 5 minutes, and you can spend 30-45 minutes on the island. Perast itself has excellent seafood restaurants that drop prices 30-40% in November - expect to pay €12-18 for fresh fish rather than summer's €20-25.
Old Town Food Walking Routes
November is when Kotor's restaurants shift back to authentic Montenegrin cooking rather than pizza-and-pasta tourist menus. The cooler weather makes walking the Old Town's marble streets comfortable, and you'll find locals gathering for slow lunches of pasticada (slow-cooked beef), brudet (fish stew), and crni rizot (black risotto with cuttlefish ink). The covered market near the main gate operates year-round with local produce, cheeses, and prosciutto. November brings the first batches of new wine and olive oil from the recent harvest - look for signs saying 'novo vino' or 'novo ulje'.
Hiking Trails Around Kotor Bay
Beyond the fortress, November opens up excellent hiking on trails too hot in summer. The Vrmac Ridge trail between Kotor and Tivat offers 8 km (5 miles) of moderate hiking at 300-500 m (984-1,640 ft) elevation with panoramic Bay views. The old Austrian-Hungarian military road from Kotor to Cetinje (the historic Ladder of Cattaro route) is a challenging full-day hike with 25 switchbacks gaining 900 m (2,953 ft). Cool temperatures and occasional cloud cover make these sustainable where summer heat makes them genuinely dangerous. You'll see locals mushroom foraging in the forests - November is peak season for porcini and chanterelles.
November Events & Festivals
Saint Tryphon's Day Preparations
While the main Saint Tryphon festival happens in February, November marks when locals begin traditional preparations. You'll see craftspeople in the Old Town starting work on silver votive offerings and religious items. The Cathedral of Saint Tryphon (Kotor's patron saint) holds special evening services on Sundays in November with traditional klapa singing groups - these aren't tourist performances but actual religious observances that visitors can respectfully attend. The acoustics in the 12th-century Romanesque cathedral are remarkable.
New Wine and Olive Oil Season
November is when the recent harvest produces show up in restaurants and markets. Kotor isn't a major wine region, but the surrounding areas of Crmnica and the Skadar Lake region release their new wines (novo vino) in November. These young wines are light, slightly fizzy, and meant to be drunk immediately with roasted chestnuts - you'll see vendors selling both near the Old Town gates. New olive oil (novo ulje) from the November harvest appears in markets, bright green and peppery. Many konobas do special tastings pairing new oil with fresh bread and local cheeses.