Kotor Shopping

The shopping in Kotor is small but deliberate. The Old Town interior, about 220 metres across at its widest point, packs a craft trade that has survived because it sells things visitors actually take home rather than the generic souvenir stock that turns up in every Adriatic port.

Inside the walls, between the Sea Gate and Pjaca square, shops cluster around three trades: hand-painted icons (some commissioned through the workshops at the Cathedral), regional olive oil pressed in the bay villages, and the silver filigree jewellery the region has produced since the medieval period. Add to that lavender and immortelle soap, small-batch rakija and loza, ceramic pieces and vacuum-packed Njeguški pršut and Lovćen cheese ready for travel. Most sellers are the makers or their direct distributors, and most workshops accept commissions if you have a few days in town.

The open-air green market sits in the small square between the Old Town and the harbour, immediately outside the Sea Gate. Mornings only, busiest from 07:00 to 11:00, with Saturday the heaviest day. Fruit, vegetables, cheese, honey, olive oil and dried herbs come down from the inland villages above the bay. Cash in euros only at the stalls.

For practical shopping, pharmacies, electronics, fashion chains, banking, the row along the bay road just north of the Sea Gate handles most needs. The Kamelija centre, a five-minute walk from the Old Town, is the largest indoor centre in the bay area: a Voli supermarket, fashion stores, pharmacy, mobile-phone shops, food court. Voli and Idea also have standalone supermarkets along the bay road with the longest opening hours.

Card payment is standard in fixed shops; market stalls and a few craft shops still prefer cash. ATMs cluster at the Sea Gate, the bus station and the Kamelija centre. Summer hours are typically 09:00 to 21:00 with a midday break at smaller spots; off-season hours shorten and seasonal souvenir shops close from November to March.