The Bay of Kotor, also known as Boka Kotorska, is recognized as one of the most beautiful places in Europe. It is often called Europe’s southernmost fjord, though this is not quite correct—it was created not by glaciers but by rising sea levels. This place would be a gem even if it had no historical and cultural value – but it has a lot of it!
The Bay of Kotor was inhabited from ancient times and was under Venetian rule for a long time, and you can see several well-preserved medieval towns here. The first place in Montenegro added to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites was the natural and cultural-historical region of Kotor.
Every year, a lot of people visit Kotor (and also Tivat, Herceg Novi, Perast, Risan, and other towns located here) to see this wonderful picture. As you go higher, you will see a little bit of another view of the Bay of Kotor. Great views can be seen from Mount Lovćen, located near Kotor and from the Kotor Fortress. The easiest way to reach Mount Lovćen is to use the cable car. The bottom station is located near Kotor, and the upper station is located in Lovćen National Park.
The Old Town of Kotor – its most famous part – has a great number of different monuments, churches, museums, etc. Restored after the earthquake of 1979, it is preserved in good condition now. You will find a lot of things to explore around Kotor.
Probably the most famous cultural monument in Kotor is Saint Tryphon (Sveti Tripun) Cathedral, a Roman Catholic cathedral built in the 12th century (1166) in honour of the city’s patron saint and protector. The building has survived many centuries, several earthquakes and restorations. It is primarily Romanesque in style, with columns and arches inside, but has also Baroque features on the outside.
There are several other beautiful and worth visiting churches in Kotor: St. Michael Church, St. Clara Church (with an amazing Baroque marble altar and a collection of old books), St. Nicholas Serbian Orthodox Church, St. Luke Church (12th century), and St. Ozana Church.
The Old Town of Kotor is surrounded by massive walls that protect it. These walls are part of a unique fortification system here. When the gates were closed at night, the town was completely safe. The system of Venetian fortifications (16th-17th centuries) is separately included in the UNESCO World Heritage sights list.
One of Kotor’s best (though not the easiest) entertainment is hiking to St. John Fortress (also called Kotor Fortress). While climbing up, you will get many great points to enjoy the Kotor Bay views and take wonderful photos. During the summer season, it is much better to go to the top of the fortress either in the morning or in the evening, escaping the hot daytime hours here. Make sure you are prepared for about 1 hour of going up and take some water with you.
It is impossible not to mention cats while describing Kotor. Cats are everywhere here, you will meet them from time to time when walking around the Old Town of Kotor, I think it is their town, actually! They have their own museum and special places where they allow people to give them some food.
Just 10-15 minutes of relaxed walking from the Old Town of Kotor along the embankment of Dobrota, and you will see the Institute of Marine Biology and Aquarium Boka. This is a unique institution studying the nature of the Mediterranean, Adriatic, and the Bay of Kotor. Aquarium Boka is the only public aquarium in Montenegro, and if you are interested in fish species living in the Adriatic and Mediterranean seas, it is worth visiting.
While visiting Kotor, don’t miss the charming smaller towns located nearby in the Bay of Kotor: Prcanj, Perast and Risan.