Kotor, Montenegro!

Kotor, Montenegro.

Kotor is a coastal town in Montenegro. It is located in a secluded part of the Gulf of Kotor, city has a population of 13,510.
The old Mediterranean port of Kotor is surrounded by fortifications built during the Venetian period.
It is located on the Bay of Kotor (Boka Kotorska), one of the most indented parts of the Adriatic Sea. Some have called it the southern-most fjord in Europe. Together with the nearly overhanging limestone cliffs of Orjen and Lovćen, Kotor and its surrounding area form an impressive and picturesque Mediterranean landscape.

Kotor, Montenegro.

Kotor, Montenegro.

Bay of Kotor (Boka Kotorska), Montenegro.

The Bay of Kotor is one of the most unique natural attractions of the Mediterranean. Kotor is situated in the triangle bound by the sea, river Škurda and hill Saint Ivan, on top of which stands the fortress of San Giovanni.

In recent years, Kotor has seen a steady increase in tourists, many of them coming by cruise ship. Visitors are attracted both by the natural beauty of the Gulf of Kotor and by the old town of Kotor.

View of Kotor, Montenegro.

Kotor, Montenegro.

Kotor, Montenegro.

You can go to Kotor with many ways: 

By plane, Tivat Airport is 8km away and Podgorica airport is 90km away. 

By bus, Kotor is fairly well connected with neighboring countries by bus. The main bus station is about a 10-minute walk south of the Old Town, along the road towards Budva. 

By car, All roads in Montenegro are two-lanes only, and mostly are curvy mountainous roads, so speeds over 70 km/h (43 mph) are rarely legal, and rarely safe. The Vrmac tunnel has recently been completed, which significantly shortens the journey from Budva to Kotor. 

By boat, there aren't any scheduled ferries traveling to Kotor. Cruise ships plying the Adriatic Sea call regularly on the port of Kotor during the tourist season, with a total of about 350,000 passengers in 2014. Both the sail in and sail away offers not-to-be-missed views of the spectacular Bay of Kotor.

Kotor, Montenegro.

Сlassic view of the Bay of Kotor.

The Old Town of Kotor is the most famous part of Kotor, where the Kotor history, culture, and tradition are being preserved. The old town of Kotor has a great number of monuments of the medieval architecture: churches, cathedrals, palaces, and museums. The main and the biggest square is Trg od oruzja (Square of arms). In addition, there are some significant cultural monuments like: Tower watch, Cathedral of Sveti Tripun, Church of Sveti Luka, Prince’s palace, Church of Sveta Marija, Church of Our Lady of Health (Gospe od Zdravlja), and Napoleon’s Theater.
Old Kotor has also numerous palaces like: Bizanti, Buca, Pima, and Grgurin (which houses the Maritime museum). The old town of Kotor today is considered to be the best preserved medieval urban entity in the Mediterranean.

Old Town of Kotor.

Old Town of Kotor.

Street in Kotor’s old town, Montenegro.

Also to see in Kotor:
St Tryphon's Cathedral in Old Town. First built in the 11th century, reconstructed after earthquakes. Romanesque-Gothic architecture. Chapel holds the remains of St. Tryphon, the patron saint of Kotor.
St Nicolas Church. The biggest Orthodox church in the Old Town.
Maritime Museum in Old Town M-Sa: 8am-8pm, Sundays: 9am-1pm.
The Island Gospa od Skrpjela (Our Lady of the Rock). The Island Gospa od Skrpjela is one of two gorgeous islands in Kotor Bay, which are situated in the bay across from Perast (in the Kotor municipality).

St Tryphon Cathedral, Kotor.

Our Lady of the Rock Island in the Bay of Kotor.

Our Lady of the Rock Island in the Bay of Kotor.

You can also visit the historical island city of Sveti Stefan, Montenegro. Just 6km’s from Budva, and about an hour’s drive from Kotor.

Sveti Stefan, Montenegro.

Things to do in Kotor:
Climb up the Upper Town Walls. daily 8:00-20:00. 4.5 km directly above and east of the Old Town, on almost vertical cliffs, it looks a little like a short version of the Great Wall.
Rafting on Tara river. The Tara canyon and most of the rafting camps are located aprox. 4 hours drive from Coastal area of Montenegro. Montenegro Travel Service organizes one day rafting tour from May until September/October almost every day from Kotor area.
Paragliding from the top of the high surrounding cliffs. An amazing experience with a stunning view!
Hike to Krstac. The path takes you past mountain goats and up rocky switchbacks with commanding views over the old fort and the bay. After you reach the top (in about 2 hours), the hike takes you through dense forest where you eventually reach Krstac (total time 3.5 hours). There is a restaurant here where you can refuel for the trip back.
Visit the Austro-Hungarian Fortresses. There are many stunning old fortresses lying abandoned in the hills and mountains within a few kms of the Bay of Kotor.