Best Place to Exchange Money in Kotor

Where to change money in Kotor

There is no local currency to buy: Montenegro has used the euro since 2002, though it belongs to neither the EU nor the euro area. The national tourist organisation says pounds and other currencies can be changed at commercial bank counters and exchange offices. No Kotor bureau could be checked against two sources, so none is named here.

• Bank counters, Kotor - Banks the tourist organisation lists across Montenegro include CKB, NLB, Erste, Hipotekarna, Prva banka and Addiko. Ask for the buy rate for pounds and any commission before you hand over notes, and check branch hours on the bank's own website, as the tourist board advises.
• Exchange offices - The tourist organisation confirms they exist, but no rates were checked for this guide. Ask how many euros you will receive in total before you part with your pounds.

Changing money at the airport

Tivat Airport (TIV) is 8 km from Kotor, about 12 minutes by car according to Airports of Montenegro. Its passenger pages list no cash machine or exchange desk, so this guide cannot confirm one in the terminal: bring some euros from home, or plan to withdraw once you reach town. Dubrovnik Airport in Croatia is another common way in, Euronews notes, followed by a bus of roughly two hours depending on the border; Croatia also uses the euro.

No official bus or taxi fare from Tivat to Kotor could be found. The FCDO advises using only licensed taxis, marked by a sign on the roof and the firm's name and phone number on the doors, and checking the price per kilometre or settling the whole fare before you go, as some drivers overcharge tourists.

ATMs and cards in Kotor

Cash machines can be found in every Montenegrin town, says the national tourist organisation, and most restaurants, hotels, bars, petrol stations and food shops let you pay by card, including Visa, Mastercard, Maestro and American Express. The FCDO suggests using machines inside banks where possible, checking street machines for signs of tampering and keeping your card in sight when you pay.

What a UK card will be charged is the unknown. NLB and Erste both say withdrawals are free for their own customers on their own networks, and NLB warns that other machine owners may add a fee. Neither publishes a charge for visiting cards, so read the screen before accepting, decline any offer to convert the amount into pounds, and check what your own bank adds.

Paying for transport in Kotor

Kotor is compact and walkable, Euronews says, so most visitors get around the Old Town on foot. Climbing the city walls to San Giovanni Fortress, more than 1,300 steps, carries a charge for visitors from abroad: in October 2023 the municipal assembly set it at 15 euros, with residents of Montenegro exempt, according to Serbian news reports. Check the current price at the entrance and carry a little cash in case.

Montenegro levies a tourist tax on overnight stays, which the accommodation provider pays, the government says. The Kotor rate per night could not be confirmed: Euronews puts it at about 4.60 euros per person for a whole stay, an estimate rather than an official figure, so ask your host whether it is in the price.

Good to know

• Montenegro swapped the Deutsche Mark for the euro in 2002 without joining the euro area. Its central bank does not issue euros, which come from the European Central Bank, so the notes and coins you handle are standard euros.
• Every visitor must be registered within 24 hours of arrival. A hotel normally does it for you; in a private stay you register yourself with the police or the local tourist organisation. The FCDO warns that failing to do so can mean a fine, detention or a court appearance.
• On arrival, declare any notes or travellers' cheques adding up to 10,000 euros or above, and hold on to the certified declaration: the FCDO warns that without it your money may be taken from you on departure.
• Your passport must have been issued less than 10 years before you enter and stay valid for 3 months after you leave. British tourists need no visa for stays of up to 90 days within 180.
• The FCDO warns of pickpockets in tourist hot spots and on beaches; keep spare cash in a hotel safe.