How to spend a day in Kotor Montenegró while cruising

How to spend a day in Kotor Montenegró while cruising

Kotor Montenegró is quickly taking its place as one of the top European destinations of 2020. With cobbled streets, dramatic mountain backdrops and a sea-front location, it’s not surprising that Kotor Montenegró has become a top cruise destination for both long and short cruises passing through the Mediterranean!

Kotor is a small coastal town in Montenegró with a population of around 14,000. It’s nestled in a quiet area on the Gulf of Kotor and home to the Bay of Kotor. It’s located at the end of Boka Bay and surrounded by a landscape of mountains and blue waters. Kotor is officially regarded as one of the top 25 most beautiful bays in the world!

Upon arriving on your cruise ship through the Bay of Kotor, it takes mere seconds no to understand why Kotor holds the prestigious title of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The medieval city and picturesque setting are simply breathtaking.

How to spend a day in Kotor Montenegró while cruising - Coastline with cruise ship
How to spend a day in Kotor Montenegró while cruising – Coastline with cruise ship

How is the weather in Kotor Montenegró?

The climate in Kotor and surrounding towns is typically Mediterranean with warm and dry summers, and mild and humid winters. You may be wondering when the best time to visit is…luckily Kotor is a lovely destination year-round! It really depends on you and what you like to do on holiday. If you like to swim, you should plan to visit around May, as that is when the water warms up to around 25 C (77 F). The water stays warm enough to swim throughout October so plan accordingly if this is important for you.

What should I see in Kotor?

Kotor Old Town is one of the best-preserved medieval towns in the Mediterranean! Being a UNESCO World Heritage Site comes with prestige and a lot of old-world charm! Kotor is a small city and the Old Town is even smaller! Wandering around the cobblestone streets is the best way to get around and take it all in and experience the culture.

This will probably be one of your first stops off of the cruise ship, as it is a short stroll away from the harbor where cruise ships are docked. Walk past the waterfront and through the ancient archways into the heart of the city! The best part of the Old Town is that it is completely pedestrianized, which means no cars, tour buses, or loud trucks blocking the streets and polluting the air (it doesn’t hurt when taking pictures either!).

How to spend a day in Kotor Montenegró while cruising
How to spend a day in Kotor Montenegró while cruising – Street View, up to St. John Fortress

St. John Fortress is another must-see destination when visiting Kotor, especially for those who love a bit of adventure. Climbing up to the fortress, or as locals like to call it, San Giovanni begins with the serpentines on the far east side of Old Kotor. These will take you all the way to the top of the fortress, 280 meters above sea level! The construction of the walls began way back in the 9th century, but it wasn’t completely finished until the 15th century when the walls joined together. In its entirety, the walls stretch  4.5 kilometers and you’ll climb over 1,350 steps to the top! Your hike will lead you up steep hills and around winding stone staircases until you finally reach the top and take in the incredible views.

Depending on the time of year, Kotor can get pretty hot for this long of a hike, which means only the determined and brave make the trip in the summer months. That means the rest of the year is ideal for hiking or walking slowly up to the fortress overlooking all of the Bay of Kotor.

How to spend a day in Kotor Montenegró while cruising
How to spend a day in Kotor Montenegró while cruising – Perast

Perast is a small village and popular tourist destination while visiting Kotor, and can easily be managed on a day trip from your cruise ship. Nestled along the edge of the bay and regarded as one of the most beautiful places in all of Montenegro, Perast remains a favorite amongst many. Here you’ll find yourself in another pedestrian utopia, with cars and motor vehicles being nowhere in sight. Like the Old Town, Perast is tiny and can be walked from one end to the next in just 10 minutes! Most visitors hop on a bus that heads out from Kotor Old Town a number of times throughout the day, so getting there is pretty easy!

If you do end up hopping off the bus in Perast, it’s definitely worth checking out the small islands off the coast, home to some amazing architecture and history. This is easy to do and there are boats operating throughout the day on the docks. The first Island that is called Sveti Dorde, or Island of Saint George. It’s the only natural island in the Bay of Kotor and its most notable feature is the Benedictine Monastery, which can be dated back to the 12th century, as well as an abbey and graveyard from the 9th century! Unfortunately, the authorities have closed off access onto the island to visitors, however, you can see and take pictures of the buildings from a boat.

Luckily there is another beautiful island nearby that allows visitors throughout the year! It’s called Our Lady of the Rocks and regardless of its manmade status, the scenery is just as gorgeous and worth the boat ride out! Our Lady of the Rocks is actually the home to a Roman Catholic Church that was built on this island in the Bay of Kotor. Legend has it that in 1452 sailors found an image of Madonna and the Child on a rock nearby, and started to set more and more stones on that spot after every successful voyage. The custom of throwing rocks into the sea is still a tradition in the present day. Every year on July 22, an event called fašinada occurs when local residents take their boats and throw rocks into the sea, widening the surface of the island. Many visitors also partake in this age-old tradition of laying rocks on the island and nearby.

If you do make it to Our Lady of the Rocks, make sure to check out the museum attached explaining the full and fascinating history in greater detail, as well as a cute little gift shop to find something special!

How to spend a day in Kotor Montenegró while cruising
How to spend a day in Kotor Montenegró while cruising – Our Lady of the Rocks

How can I unwind and relax?

If you’re looking for a more relaxed time during your day in Kotor, you can check out some of the many great wine bars or wineries scattered throughout the region. Most people don’t realize that Montenegró is home to some really great local wines at ridiculously affordable prices! Montenegrin wine is a local favorite that is slowly gaining traction with visitors and wine lovers around the world. If you really want to get the Kotor experience, check out a wine tasting on offer through one of the many fantastic wineries.

How to spend a day in Kotor Montenegró while cruising
How to spend a day in Kotor Montenegró while cruising – Have a glass of great Montenegrin wine and relax!

If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed and lost and not sure how to spend your day off of the cruise ship, let a professional guide you to and through the most important parts! Not everyone enjoys wandering around and getting lost and that’s okay! There are plenty of guided tours in and around Kotor, and if you have 90 minutes to spare, the Kotor Old Town Walking Tour does a great job of showing you the highlights and skipping the crowds! Being much cheaper than the tours offered by the cruise operators makes it even more attractive while offering the same or an even better experience. Tours are a great way to help you fit in everything Kotor has to offer in a day. It might be a good idea to book any tours you want to do during your cruise already on the internet at home and not from your cruise line. You might save a lot of money.

These tips on how to spend a day in Kotor Montenegró while cruising are been brought to you by Cruisetools.org.

For further reading on Kotor Montenegró:

Rick Steves Mediterranean Cruise Ports (Rick Steves Travel Guide)

Unfortunately, there are not many books on Montenegro or they are old, the three best are these:

Lonely Planet Montenegro

Montenegro Marco Polo Pocket Guide

Or if you go to Croatia as well, this might be a deal:

Fodor’s Essential Croatia: with a Side Trip to Montenegro

If you know about more or newer good Montenegro (or even Kotor) books, please leave a comment.

Markus

I have been passionate about cruising for many years. My first cruise was a Royal Caribbean on Liberty of the Seas. Many others have followed since then, now also with our children. Cruiselines I traveled with entail Royal Caribbean, Costa Crociere, MSC, Mein Schiff (tui cruises) and Norwegian Cruise Line as well as a one-week river cruise from St. Petersburg to Vologda and back in Russia. Hope you enjoy this blog and get some practical hints! Feel free to leave any comments and contact me. Keep on cruising! Markus

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