Croatia & Montenegro Revisited: How Much Can a Destination Change in Nine Years?

Nine years after our first visit to Croatia and Montenegro, we returned to the Adriatic Coast as part of a Tranont Incentive Trip. While the scenery was every bit as spectacular as we remembered, what stood out most was how much both Dubrovnik and Kotor have changed in less than a decade.

First, huge credit to the Tranont team. They did an outstanding job putting together this trip from start to finish. Everything was extremely well organized while still giving us enough free time to explore on our own. The balance was perfect.

We started in Dubrovnik, staying at the beautiful Hotel Excelsior. The location was perfect, close enough to walk to Old Town easily yet offering one of the most amazing views of the city walls. Our welcome dinner was held at the Palm Garden overlooking the Adriatic and Old Town Dubrovnik. It was absolutely beautiful, especially at sunset with the city walls lit up across the water.

The next day, we took a walking tour of Old Town. We had visited Dubrovnik about nine years ago, and the difference is pretty remarkable. The city is cleaner, more upscale, and in many ways more polished than before. But it is also significantly more crowded. The number of cruise ships flooding into the city each day has completely changed the atmosphere during peak hours. Early mornings and evenings are still magical. Midday can feel a little overwhelming and crowded.

That evening, Tranont organized a sunset cruise followed by dinner at Arsenal right along the harbor. Another great night and another reminder that waterfront dining along the Adriatic is hard to beat.

The following day, we took a boat trip out to explore several nearby islands with time to swim, paddleboard, and romp around in the Adriatic.  Crystal clear water, perfect weather, and a very welcome slower pace after the crowds of Dubrovnik made this day amazing.

The farewell dinner may have been the highlight of the entire Croatia portion of the trip. Tranont took us to a family-run farm outside the city for a traditional dinner experience that felt authentic and personal instead of touristy.  The great local food, Croatian wine, and music made it an evening that we will be talking about years from now.

We also managed to fit in one unforgettable dinner on our own at Restaurant 360. The Michelin-starred tasting menu overlooking the harbor absolutely lived up to expectations. Incredible food, excellent wine pairings, and one of the best restaurant settings we have experienced anywhere.

From Dubrovnik, we headed into Montenegro and spent several days in the Bay of Kotor.

Like Dubrovnik, Kotor has changed a lot in the last nine years. In many ways, the changes are positive. Better restaurants. Better bars. Better hotels. The Old Town feels more upscale and refined than it did during our first visit.

At the same time, it feels like Kotor may be approaching a tipping point. Right now, it still has charm and authenticity, but you can see how quickly it could become another overcrowded cruise destination if tourism continues growing at this pace.

One of the smartest decisions we made was staying outside Old Town in Dobrota. Originally, we booked there because so many reviews warned about noise inside the Old Town late at night. We thought we might be sacrificing atmosphere by staying outside the walls. Turns out it was exactly the opposite.

Dobrota ended up being one of our favorite parts of the trip. We stayed at Hotel Alkima, a cute boutique hotel, that was steps from the waterfront and with the most gracious hosts.

The waterfront walk along the bay was peaceful, scenic, and lined with great small restaurants, cocktail bars, and places to stop for a glass of wine or spritz. It felt calm and relaxing compared to the crowds inside Old Town while still being close enough to walk there anytime we wanted.

While in Kotor, we took day trips to Perast and Budva, both very different experiences. Perast was quiet, elegant, and probably one of the prettiest small towns anywhere on the Adriatic. Budva was much livelier and far more tourist-driven with beach clubs, restaurants, and nightlife everywhere. Our taxi driver for the trip to Perast had studied tourism and had been a tour guide for years. Igor offered great insights about the culture, history and politics of Montenegro. We enjoyed him so much we arranged the remainder of our rides with him. Igor was professional, timely and friendly. If you are ever in Bay of Kotor, I highly recommend using him. Igor’s WhatsApp is +382 67 523 462.

One morning, we also made the climb up the 1,300-plus steps to the Fortress above Kotor. It was hot, steep, and absolutely worth it for the views over the bay.

Overall, this trip was a reminder of why Croatia and Montenegro have exploded in popularity over the last decade. The scenery is spectacular, the food and wine continue to improve, and the people are incredibly welcoming.

But if these destinations are on your list, especially Kotor, now is probably the time to go before they fully transition from charming Adriatic towns into the next version of overtouristed Mediterranean hotspots.