In travel, as it happens in life, one gets along surprises, are unexpected situations, different moments, unthinkable places… One of these positive surprises on our trip through the Balkans was given to us by Kotor, a town with just over 5,000 inhabitants but with enormous charm. In this post we will tell you all the things what to see and do in Kotor, the most beautiful city in Montenegro.
A little history of Kotor
The city, which was formerly called "Cattaro" was part of the Republic of Venice when it reached its greatest splendor, but had already passed through different villages and would pass through others later. From this time they are some of the most beautiful buildings in the historic center and the impressive walls and fortifications of San Juan Castle. Enter through one of your three medieval doorsand walking between its narrow streets will make you doubt if you are still in Montenegro or if in some corner you took a time machine (and space) and arrived at the mighty Venice or Ragusa dynamics. Many are the things to see and do in Kotor, on your walk you can not miss the Main Square with its clock tower, the St. Luke's Orthodox Church, from the year 1195 or the St. Tryphon's Cathedral, from the year 1166. But there are other churches, monasteries, palaces and buildings that will cross you and help you not to leave the wonder.
Tip: this 1-hour walking tour of the center will help you get to know all the essentials of Kotor. If you have only one day of time it is a good idea to do it, it is also cheap (€ 10)
The Castle of San Juan: one of the treasures of Kotor
But save energy to travel the steep path that winds through the hill behind Kotor and get into the the Fortress and ascend to the Castle of San Juan. It is more than a kilometer of stairs, paved road, walls and stops (that one is no longer young). The views from the top are simply spectacular.
And there you realize where you are ... in the Kotor mouths, the southernmost fjord in Europe and the largest in this area, with 28 km in length (although there are those who say that it really is not a fjord, it is rather a canyon ... but what does it matter?). Nature has sometimes been bad with Kotor, however it has endowed it with an incredible place! This water inlet, which was the crater of a volcano in ancient times, is assaulted every day by at least one of these huge cruise ships that jump from port to port through the Mediterranean, which greatly favors local tourism but leaves some trace in the waters.
Kotor Bay Cruise
Do you know that it is not necessary to arrive by cruise to explore the fjords of the Bay of Kotor? There are one-day design boat trips, thanks to which you can enjoy this natural wonder of Montenegro. This, for example, lasts 8 hours and also includes two stops: one in the blue cave, where you can bathe and another on the beautiful island of Our Lady of the Rocks, a must-see. You can book it here.
They told us that for a few years there have been changes in sewerage systems, diverting all waste from the sea to other points, which has greatly improved the quality of its waters and beaches. The entire area from Kotor to Perast is dotted with accommodations in renovated apartments of local people, cafes, restaurants and small springs and beaches ideal for bathing. You will seem to be in a lake somewhere in New Zealand!
We stayed in Dobrota and we loved it 🙂 From here we rent a bike and approach the town of Perast and believe it is one of the essential things to see in Kotor. This is where the Island of Our Lady of the Rock is located. If you do not feel like arriving by bike, there are boat tours that leave frequently from Kotor (some, like this one, include several stops, such as Mamula or the Blue Cave)
We, after leaving that time machine and understanding where we really were, were able to value Kotor and its surroundings as one of the most amazing places where we've never been, probably in the top10. Where can you find a fortified city full of history, medieval streets and baroque palaces, Orthodox and Catholic churches, especially friendly people, crystal clear waters perfect for bathing and miles of simply unique places?
Do you have more time in Kotor? Then sign up for this tour to get to know the best of Montenegro. It lasts 12 hours, costs € 47 and is a great idea to visit the main tourist places in the country. More info here.
How to get to Kotor from Dubrovnik?
You can easily reach Kotor from Dubrovnik in 3 ways: by car (learn about the procedures to cross the border), by bus (there are several companies that circulate between the two cities, the trip takes about 2 hours and tickets cost 15-20 € / trip) and on tour. This last option seems ideal if you only have one day of time and, in addition, the price is very good (if you have more days, you better go by car).
Do you know more things to see and do in Kotor? Leave us a comment 🙂
- How to get to Kotor from Podgorica: There are several buses throughout the day. The price is € 7.50 (€ 1 more per bag), ours left at 10.45 from the Podgorica station and lasted about 3 hours. Kotor station is not far from the historic center.
- Where to sleep in Kotor: we recommend the Dobrota area, about 4 km from Kotor. There you can bathe calmly in crystal clear waters while in Kotor itself it is more complicated. We stayed at the Radulovic Apartments. If your accommodation includes bicycles it is the best option because you are one step away from Kotor and in the other direction you can reach the beautiful town of Perast.
- Entrance to the fort: in summer it costs € 3, in theory outside the high season they do not charge. There are two well-guarded entries, it is difficult to find a place to sneak in.
