Bay of Kotor
3
Day Itinerary •
Montenegro
Three days in the Bay of Kotor gives you the full extraordinary sweep of the most dramatic fjord on the Adriatic coast, from the UNESCO-listed walled city of Kotor at its head to the extraordinary island churches of Perast, the Venetian palaces of the bay villages and the finest seafood on the Montenegro coast. This route circles the entire bay. Kotor old town and its extraordinary city walls climbed to the fortress above, the boat to Our Lady of the Rocks at Perast, the extraordinary village of Perast itself, the Lustica peninsula hidden beaches, and the finest grilled fish, black risotto and local wine at every turn.
Best Time To Visit
May to October
Getting There
Fly into Tivat (TIV), 15 min drive to Kotor
Getting Around
Car recommended; water taxis across the bay
Budget Per Day
Approx 60 to 120 euros per person per day
Difficulity
Easy, walking and driving
DAY 1
KOTOR OLD TOWN
MORNING
KOTOR OLD TOWN, UNESCO WALLED CITY OF THE ADRIATIC
Kotor is the finest medieval walled city on the Adriatic coast and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, its extraordinary Venetian old town enclosed by 4.5km of city walls that climb the sheer limestone cliff of Mount Lovcen behind. The Cathedral of Saint Tryphon, built in 1166, is the finest Romanesque church in Montenegro with an extraordinary treasury of medieval silver. The Piazza of the Arms at the centre of the old town, the Maritime Museum and the maze of medieval lanes are all extraordinary. Entry to old town free, cathedral entry approx 3 euros. Drive: 1 hour climb
MIDDAY
CITY WALLS AND THE SAN GIOVANNI FORTRESS
The Kotor city walls climb 1,355 steps from the Sea Gate to the extraordinary San Giovanni fortress at 260 metres, the finest elevated viewpoint on the entire Bay of Kotor. The walls were built between the 9th and 19th centuries and the climb passes through extraordinary fortified gates, ruined chapels and viewpoints over the bay with the mountains beyond. The view from the top over the bay, the old town below and the water stretching to the horizon is the finest in Montenegro. Entry approx 8 euros. Drive: 30 min walk
AFTERNOON
KOTOR WATERFRONT AND THE CAT MUSEUM
Kotor is famous throughout the Adriatic for its cats, believed to have been brought by Venetian sailors and now protected as part of the city's heritage. The extraordinary Cat Museum in the old town celebrates the feline residents with centuries of local folklore and art. The waterfront promenade outside the walls gives the finest view of the city from the water, with the mountains rising directly behind. The evening light on the old town walls from the waterfront is extraordinary.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Church of Our Lady of Remedy halfway up the Kotor city walls contains an extraordinary collection of ex-voto offerings left by sailors and their families since the 15th century. The church sits on a rocky terrace with a view over the old town rooftops and the bay that is the finest on the entire walls climb. Entry included in city walls ticket.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Cafe Maximus, Kotor Coffee in the old town square before the walls open. The cats will join you. | Lunch: Konoba Scala Santa, Kotor Fresh Adriatic fish, local squid ink risotto and Montenegrin wine on the old town terrace. | Dinner: Restaurant Galion, Kotor The finest seafood restaurant in Kotor, just outside the sea gate on the waterfront.
DAY 2
PERAST AND THE BAY CIRCUIT
MORNING
PERAST, THE MOST BEAUTIFUL VILLAGE ON THE BAY
Perast is the most extraordinary village on the Bay of Kotor, a perfectly preserved Baroque settlement of 16 churches and 17 palaces built by the Venetian sea captains who commanded the bay for four centuries. The main street along the waterfront is lined with extraordinary Venetian palaces, several now serving as hotels and restaurants. The village contains no cars and the walk from end to end takes 15 minutes. The view from the waterfront across to the two island churches is the most photographed in Montenegro. Drive: 5 min boat ride
MIDDAY
OUR LADY OF THE ROCKS, THE ARTIFICIAL ISLAND CHURCH
Our Lady of the Rocks is the most extraordinary church in Montenegro, built on an artificial island created by local fishermen who threw stones into the bay after a miraculous apparition in 1452. The tradition of throwing stones continues to this day on the anniversary of the apparition each July. The church interior is covered with 68 ex-voto silver tablets donated by sailors and an extraordinary collection of icons. Water taxi from Perast waterfront approx 5 euros return. Drive: 30 min drive
AFTERNOON
BAY CIRCUIT AND THE KAMENARI FERRY
The circuit of the inner bay from Perast to Herceg Novi passes through a sequence of extraordinary Venetian and Byzantine villages, each with its own waterfront church and remarkable palaces. The Kamenari to Lepetane ferry crosses the narrowest point of the bay in 5 minutes and runs continuously. Herceg Novi at the mouth of the bay has the finest old town on the outer bay and extraordinary views back across to the Bay of Kotor and the mountains beyond.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The island of St George opposite Our Lady of the Rocks is the older of the two bay islands, a natural rock topped by a Benedictine abbey dating from the 12th century and a cypress grove containing the graves of Perast sea captains. The island is private and cannot be visited, but the view from the water taxi passing between the two islands is extraordinary.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Cafe in Perast Coffee on the extraordinary waterfront with the island view. The best morning spot on the bay. | Lunch: Restaurant Conte, Perast The finest restaurant in Perast. Fresh bay fish, local prosciutto and local Vranac wine. | Dinner: Konoba Bokun, Kotor Traditional Montenegrin cooking back in Kotor. Local lamb, cheese and outstanding local wine.
DAY 3
LUSTICA PENINSULA
MORNING
LUSTICA PENINSULA, THE HIDDEN COAST OF THE BAY
The Lustica peninsula between the inner and outer bay is the least visited and most extraordinary part of the Bay of Kotor, a rugged limestone headland with hidden coves, ancient olive groves and the finest swimming spots on the Montenegrin coast. The village of Rose at the tip of the peninsula is one of the most extraordinary hidden villages in the Adriatic, accessible only by boat or a long narrow road, with a Byzantine tower and a handful of fishermen's houses around a small harbour. Drive: 30 min drive
MIDDAY
BLUE CAVE AND LUSTICA BAY BEACHES
The Blue Cave on the southern coast of the Lustica peninsula is the finest sea cave in Montenegro, accessible by boat from Rose or Tivat, where the extraordinary blue light filtered through underwater openings illuminates the cave in an otherworldly glow. The beaches along the Lustica coast are among the finest in Montenegro, small pebble coves with extraordinarily clear water backed by ancient olive trees. Several boat operators from Tivat run morning trips combining the cave and coast. Drive: 20 min drive
AFTERNOON
TIVAT AND PORTO MONTENEGRO
Tivat is the gateway to the Bay of Kotor and home to Porto Montenegro, the extraordinary luxury marina built in a former Yugoslav naval base that has transformed the town into one of the finest superyacht destinations in the Adriatic. The naval heritage museum in the old arsenal building tells the extraordinary story of the Yugoslav Navy that operated from this bay. The waterfront promenade is the finest in Montenegro for an afternoon coffee before the flight home. Museum entry approx 5 euros.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The fortress of Mamula on a small island at the entrance to the Bay of Kotor is one of the most extraordinary fortifications on the Adriatic, an Austrian circular fortress built in 1853 that served as an Italian prison camp in WWII. Now being converted to a hotel but still extraordinary from the water. Boat tours from Herceg Novi pass it on the bay entrance circuit.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Cafe in Kotor Final old town breakfast before driving to Lustica. Pack water for the peninsula. | Lunch: Konoba in Rose village Fresh fish grilled by the fishermen at the tip of the Lustica peninsula. Extraordinary setting. | Dinner: One, Porto Montenegro Finest waterfront restaurant in Tivat. Adriatic seafood and Montenegrin wine before departure.
DAY 4
MORNING
MIDDAY
AFTERNOON
💎 HIDDEN GEM
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
DAY 5
MORNING
MIDDAY
AFTERNOON
💎 HIDDEN GEM
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Where To Stay
Kotor Old Town, all nights Hotel Cattaro or Palazzo Radomiri. Approx 80 to 180 euros per night. Perast, optional Night 2 Hotel Per Astra or guesthouses on the waterfront. Approx 70 to 150 euros. Budget option Apartments in Kotor old town from approx 40 euros per night.
Top Tips
1. Climb the Kotor city walls to the San Giovanni fortress at sunrise. The bay view in the morning light with nobody else there is extraordinary.
2. The bay ferry at Kamenari crosses in 5 minutes and saves 40km of driving. Run continuously throughout the day for approx 5 euros per car.
3. Perast waterfront at dusk is the finest evening in the Bay of Kotor. The Venetian palaces reflect in the still water with the islands beyond.
4. Our Lady of the Rocks is built on an artificial island created by fishermen throwing stones into the bay for centuries. The tradition continues today.
5. Montenegro is one of the cheapest Adriatic destinations. Grilled fish, local wine and accommodation all cost significantly less than Croatia.
6. The Kotor city walls climb 1,355 steps to the fortress. Start at dawn, bring water and take the shaded northern route on the way up.
Total Budget
60 to 120 euros/day