Kotor, Montenegro might be most impressive when viewed from a distance
On the drive from Dubrovnik, the centuries-old port town beckons from between dramatic limestone cliffs at the tip of the Bay of Kotor. From afar, the scenery takes centre stage until the terra-cotta roof tiles of the old town begin to stand out against the sheer wall of rock behind it.
You’ll get an equally dramatic view when you scale the steep town walls, built between the 9th and 18th centuries to protect Kotor against its enemies.
Whether you make it all 1,350 steps to St. John’s Fortress, or less than halfway up to the tiny Our Lady of Health church where I called it quits, you’ll get a stunning view of those rooftops set against the green water of the bay and the forested cliffs on the other side.
But from ground level, Kotor is no slouch either. Although it has been discovered by cruise ships, it’s nowhere near as congested as the southern Croatian port of Dubrovnik, about 100 kilometres away.
As in Dubrovnik, Kotor’s main draw is its old town, a Unesco World Heritage site settled by the ancient Romans. Over the centuries, it has been ruled by the Venetians, Ottomans, Hungarians, Austrians and French.
They have all left traces on the compact old town, which is a hodgepodge of architectural styles, several of which come together in one of its most significant structures. St. Tryphon’s Cathedral was built in 1166 in the Romanesque style, but after it suffered earthquake damage, its twin bell towers were replaced in the 17th century with Baroque ones. The Gothic rosettes on its façade were also a later addition.
If you’re a fiend for historic churches, you’ll definitely get your fill in Kotor, which boasts almost a dozen of them, dating from the 12th to the 20th centuries. Some still cater to parishioners, while others have been repurposed — the 15th-century Holy Spirit Church is now a concert hall, and St. Michael’s Church, which dates back to the 14th century, now houses a collection of rocks and minerals.
But don’t get too fixated on checking churches or other historical buildings off your list. Kotor has something in common with Venice, at the other end of the Adriatic — the best way to see the city is by getting lost.
It’s not hard to do. The pedestrian-only old town is a labyrinth of cobblestone streets and alleys that connect to one another through squares of various sizes.
The largest, Trg od Oruzja (Square of Arms) is just inside the city’s main gate, which faces the harbour. It’s a great place to sit at an outdoor table at a restaurant or café, but it’s also the first place to fill up with cruise-ship passengers in the morning.
If that’s not your cup of tea, slip away to one of the smaller squares that dot the town. My favourite is the Pjaca od Salate (Plaza of Salad), at one of the two entrances to the city walls. In addition to one of my favourite restaurants, Konoba Scala Santa, it seems to be a popular hangout spot for locals rather than tourists.
You could also pop into the impressive maritime museum, housed in an 18th-century Baroque palace, or the tiny and whimsical cat museum that pays tribute to the town’s many stray cats, all of whom seem sleek and well-fed — no doubt because they get handouts from tourists at Kotor’s many patio restaurants.
If your feet are getting weary from all the cobblestones, step outside the main gate to the waterfront and hop on a boat tour. My 2½-hour excursion with Miki Tours to the nearby Lady of the Rocks island and the neighbouring town of Perast was well worth the €15 fare.
About Kotor:
It’s the 14th-largest city in Montenegro, one of the world’s youngest countries — it achieved independence from Serbia in 2006.
Although Montenegro is not part of the European Union, it uses the euro as its currency.
The closest international airport is in Tivat, just eight kilometres from Kotor, but it’s also easy to get there by car or bus from Dubrovnik, about 100 kilometres away.
There are a few hotels and lots of Airbnb and other short-term rental options in the old town.
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