The Bay of Kotor - Balkan trip 2019

So we headed towards the Bay of Kotor. We haven't heard much about the Bay of Kotor so far. When we told our friends where our trip was taking us, they asked, 'Where is Montenegro?'

The small country on the Adriatic coast, which is smaller than Schleswig-Holstein, has a lot to offer. From the rugged Dinaric Mountains to Lake Skadar and the Bay of Kotor. The fjord-like bay, which stretches for 30 kilometers between steep mountains, is Montenegro's national pride. It's no wonder that up to three cruise ships dock here daily, offloading 10,000 tourists to explore the picturesque old town of the same name.

Travel

So we took the bus from Bar to the Bay of Kotor. We couldn't complain about the price of 6 € for a 2-hour drive along the picturesque Adriatic coast. We arrived at the bus station around 3 p.m. and bought tickets for our next destination. The bus station in Kotor is located close to the city center and is easily accessible on foot. But before we explored the UNESCO World Heritage Site, we took a taxi to our accommodation.

Accommodation

After a 10-minute taxi ride, we arrived at our accommodation, which is 4 km outside Kotor in the neighboring town of 'Dobrota'. The owner of the accommodation welcomed us warmly and helped us with our luggage. Roxana then showed us our little apartment with a view of the beautiful mountain scenery. Since taxi prices are high due to tourism, Roxana gave us a very helpful tip. If you want to use a taxi in Kotor, it's best to call Red Taxi. You can reach the taxi service simply by sending a WhatsApp message and providing your location to the taxi company.

The number for Red Taxi: +382 67 019 719

Attractions

The Bay of Kotor has a lot to offer its visitors. The famous town at the end of the bay was our first stop. We took a taxi to the city center for 4 €. But before that, I have to mention 2 facts. We didn't bring any water and we didn't wear sturdy shoes since we just wanted to stroll through the narrow streets. At this time, the streets in Kotor are very crowded and we decide to stay in side streets. After a short walk, we are surprised when we arrive at the first plateau of the historic city wall.

There are 2 well-known paths to the 'Castle of San Giovanni'. The first path (Point B), probably the most famous one, follows a tourist-friendly path and is very easy. However, this path costs 8 €. The second path (Point A) starts at the city wall and is also free. But unknowingly, we choose the difficult path. We hiked for about 1 hour in flip-flops (!!!) along the narrow path between the mountain and the abyss. But the view from up here quickly makes you forget the effort.

The descent was much more relaxed as we used the normal path. At the end of the day, we visited the churches of Kotor.

The neo-Byzantine church Sveti Nikola with its two pretty dome towers was completed in 1909 and is dedicated to St. Nicholas, the patron saint of sailors. Sveti Luka is the smaller one right next door. The single-naved church dates back to the 14th century and was temporarily Orthodox, but it had a Catholic altar until the 19th century.

The next street leads to Trg Ustanka mornara, dominated by the Cathedral of St. Tryphon. The bishop's seat of Kotor dates back to 1166 and is the most impressive medieval building in Kotor.

Also highly recommended is a boat tour of the Bay of Kotor. It is not cheap at 30 € per person, but in about 3 hours, you will go through the huge bay and make stops at attractions such as Lady of the Rock, the submarine hideout in the mountain, and the 'Blue Cave'.

The first stop is at the submarine bunkers on the shore of the bay. The hidden bunkers were built by the Yugoslav Navy during World War II to hide submarines and naval ships in the bay. In case of danger, nets with debris were stretched in front of the caves to make the cave as inconspicuous as possible.

The next stop is at the Blue Cave. The Blue Grotto in Montenegro is about 300 square meters in size. The arches reach a height of up to 25 meters. The depth is three to four meters. It is recommended to visit the Blue Cave in the morning due to its impressive color scheme. Nowadays, the Blue Grotto has become a tourist attraction that many vacationers want to admire up close.

The third and final stop is on the artificial island 'Lady of the Rocks', which, according to legend, was built by two fisherman brothers from Perast to pay tribute to the icon of the Virgin. From this small island, the towering mountain ranges emerge, and in their shadow, you will find the small fishing towns in the bay.

If you're by the sea, you have to try the freshly caught fish for dinner, of course. So we bravely tried a freshly caught sea bream, and it tasted amazing. But at the end, the price was also amazing when I had to pay 40 € for my fish.

One last tip:

The old town of Kotor is deserted in the early morning hours. Since the cruise ships don't arrive until around 10 a.m., you have the old streets to yourself in the morning and can take great photos.