Bay of Kotor
One of the most picturesque bays in the world, the Kotor Bay on the Adriatic Sea
The largest in Europe, the Bay of Kotor (serb. and montenegrin. Boka Kotorska), cuts deep into the coastline of the southern Adriatic Sea and creates four spectacular inland bays, surrounded by countless mountains - "fjords" of the Mediterranean - and quaint serpentines.
Bay of Kotor: it's a wide range of various resorts
The well-known resort can be considered a
united tourist complex - bays with their own tourist infrastructure:
Tivatsky, Morinsky and Herceg Novi Bay are must-see.
The
panorama of the Bay of Kotor can be seen from Mount Lovcen, as its
height above sea level is 1500 meters. It is convenient to climb to the
top on foot or by car along the P-1 road towards Njegusi and Cetinje.
Comparing
the largest bay in the Mediterranean basin to the world-famous fjords
of Norway that resemble it, you can endlessly admire the ingenuity of
nature and the impressive beauty of the gigantic mountains with
picturesque towns scattered at their base. The largest settlements of
the winding coast: Tivat, Herceg Novi, Kotor, along with them the
cities of Risan, Perast and many other interesting points are
attractive. The special history of each of these cities gives a special charm to travel!
A
practical option for traveling for two, a family with children or a
small company is to rent a comfortable car. This will allow not only to
relax on the numerous beaches, but also to fully travel around the
country - today we will arrange an excursion around the Bay of Kotor.
From Budva, only 25 km to Tivat - entering Boka Kotorska through the Vrmac peninsula, we will find ourselves at the starting point of our journey.
For
lovers of hiking and long walks in picturesque places: on the top of
the Vrmac ridge separating the Bays of Kotor and Tivat, there are
several ancient churches and a fortress from the period of
Austria-Hungary. You can get there by following a mountain trail from
the Kotor side from the town of Muo, as well as from the Troitsa pass
along an asphalt road - a stunning view of the wooded mountains and
emerald waters of the Adriatic opens up from above.
The
luxurious Porto Montenegro - the port of Tivat and the most expensive
marina in Montenegro - is deservedly associated with giant yachts and
fashionable restaurants. The city is distinguished by the spacious Pine
promenade with mini-hotels, restaurants and cafes, the Maritime Heritage
Museum in an ancient Austrian building. Like many Balkan settlements,
in the old part, Tivat has preserved the architecture of bygone times -
the authentic Old Fortress City and the medieval Bucha Palace - the
historical summer residence of the Bucha and Lukovic families - await
you in the very center of the modern city.
There are clean sandy beaches around the city and on the islands, for example, on the Island of Flowers (Slavic title: Ostrvo Cvijeca)
- 2 kilometers from Tivat you will find clear water and Mediterranean
vegetation of the island. The beach on the Island of Flowers can be
reached either on foot, by boat, or by car across the bridge. Divers
will appreciate the extraordinary beauty of the underwater world on the
reefs off the coast of the city! The coastline of the cities of Tivat and Kumbor attracts beach lovers and stands out among others in Montenegro.
The Vrmac tunnel connects Kotor with
the Adriatic Highway, the rest of the coast and the hinterland of
Montenegro. The road is convenient for inexperienced or for the time
being accustomed to countless Montenegrin serpentines drivers. It is
also interesting to drive along the picturesque old mountain road from
Cetinje to Kotor. The princely palace of the 18th century, the palaces
of Byzanti and Pima form a single medieval ensemble, the Catholic
Cathedral of St. Tryphon (Katedrala Svetog Trifuna) - to the
north of it there is Grgurina Palace with the Maritime Museum, the Clock
Tower of the Ottoman Empire in 1602 - houses of the noble families of
Kotor and other antiquities can be explored for several days, with
pleasure plunging into its atmosphere. Cozy cafes are waiting for you
for a cup of coffee, and you can buy nice souvenirs with cats - the
unofficial symbol of Kotor - in the souvenir shops on the first floors
of the old houses of the Old Town.
A few kilometers from Kotor, at the very edge of the sea, there is the tiny town of Prčanj,
in the past one of the points of the Venetian sea mail, and now a
harbor town frozen in time. Here, at the foot of the Vrmac mountain
range, stands the most impressive Catholic church in Montenegro and this
building truly deserves attention! Completed at the beginning of the
20th century, made in the Baroque style of Croatian white stone from the
island of Korchula (Korčula). Nowadays, modern yachts are
located at a small pier, surrounded by stone Gothic houses, among them
there is a summer residence of the Bucha family - as in Tivat - this is
the "Three Sisters" palace of the 15th century.
A
few kilometers from Kotor, in the most distant bend from the entrance
to Boka, at the foot of Mount Oren, lies the oldest settlement of the
bay - the ancient town of Risan, which is still a relatively
non-tourist place with a population of several thousand people. Risan is
peace and clean air, friendly owners of local cafes and restaurants
serve visitors themselves. Interestingly, the city is more than 2
thousand years old, it got its name from the Italian Risano after
returning to the Venetian Republic in the 17th century as part of the
coastal province of Albania Veneta.
The
city was conquered by the Ottoman Empire in the second half of the 15th
century, from which follows a large number of followers of Islam and
the respect of the population for this culture. Albanians also lived
around Ulcinj and Durres in the south of Venetian Albania, while the
territory around Kotor was inhabited by Italian Catholics and Slavs.
Historical note:
in the 3rd century A.D. Risan was the capital of the Illyrian state
under the patronage of the pirate queen Teuta. The townspeople still
find ancient jewelry and Illyrian coins in the eroded ground after heavy
rains.
You can stay in a
comfortable hotel, named after the ruler, near it there is the only
comfortable beach in the city. In the middle of the 15th century, along
with Herceg Novi, Risan was almost exchanged by Duke Stefan Vukic for
one of the palaces in Split (Split, modern Croatia) and the island of
Brać in the Adriatic Sea in favor of the Venetian Republic. Although the
city practically lacks the Old Town of the Middle Ages, which is
already quite expected by tourists, a breathtaking view opens up from
the coast. Take a walk to the ancient castle of the city of Risan - you
can see the expensive marble masonry, and if you wish, live in one of
the 8 rooms of the Marble Castle. On the coast, you will notice 8
Mediteran style houses - these are modern "Roman courtyards" in a quiet
corner of the Adriatic coast. The active nunnery of the 15th century Banja (Banja) in the vicinity of Risan will be of interest to believers.
In
the direction of Herceg Novi from Risan, you can visit (4.5 kilometers)
to touch the antiquity at the Lipsi cave with rock ornaments over
10,000 years old. The drawings on the rock of the cave are an invaluable
heritage of Balkan prehistoric art.
Inside the Risan Bay, 7 km from the town of Risan in the south-west, in the village of Morinj,
you can spend a beach holiday on the coast with white sand and a gentle
entrance to the sea - the water here is refreshing even at the end of
summer due to underwater currents. The ruins of an ancient church in
Morinj, the last of its 20 ancient mills and a fortress - a tiny but
colorful Morinj deserves attention.
Morinj is home to only 261 people, and the local restaurant "Chatovića Mlini" (Konoba Ćatovića Mlini) on the river in a picturesque place among the hills is one of the best in Montenegro and a must-see!
The “city of a thousand steps” Herceg Novi lies
on the other side of Mount Oren. You can get to it along the Adriatic
highway (Jadranska magistrala), going from neighboring Croatia to Ulcinj
through the coastal cities of Tivat, then Budva (through Cetinje),
Petrovac, Sutomore (through the Sozinsky tunnel) and the port city of
Bar. The ferry from Herceg Novi to Tivat will shorten the route to
Budva.
Historical note: in
the past, the settlement was also part of the Venetian Republic and was
founded under the name Sveti Stefan from the Italian San-Stefano. Herceg
Novi was created as a fortress at the end of the XIV century by the
Bosnian king Tvrtko I.
Along
the sea fortress (Forte Mare) of the King of Serbia and Montenegro
Tvrtko I and the Spanjola fortress - a stunning panoramic view of Herceg
Novi and its surroundings - you can walk along a picturesque staircase
to the amazing Old Town and the central square and to the Seaport. The
old city with many old buildings is the mystical Turkish fortress Bloody
Tower (Kanli Kula) on the top of Mount Orien, and the Sahat kula
tower with a clock - inside the chapel there is a unique bas-relief
"Black Madonna" dedicated to the founder of Herceg Novi Tvrtko I, a
stone fountain of Karacha with drinking water and the most beautiful
church in the city - the Church of St. Michael the Archangel (Crkva Sveti Arhangel Mihail) on
Bellavista Square. You can dine at the Petica restaurant in the center
of the Old Town. In the midst of picturesque greenery, 2 kilometers from
the city, there is a working Savina Orthodox monastery (manastir Savina).
The
small and quiet beaches of Herceg Novi and its suburbs are popular with
guests of Montenegro. Along with Tivat, off the coast of Herceg Novi,
divers will get indescribable emotions from diving into the clear waters
of the Adriatic!
It is also convenient to get to the curious city of Perast by car (Croatian Perast, Italian Perasto).
This cozy, uncrowded town at the entrance to the Bay of Kotor is
waiting for vacationers! It is located at the hill of St. Elijah (873
m), opposite the narrowest strait of Boka Kotorska Verige (Montenegrin Prolaz Verige),
where the bays of Kotor and Risan, remote from the entrance to the Bay
of Kotor, are connected.
Climb the sight of the city - the tower of
the Church of St. Nicholas of the 15th century - since ancient times
Perast has an advantageous location from the point of view of
navigation, therefore, the entire immense Bay of Kotor is perfectly
visible from the coast.
Here stands out the charming island of St.
George of the XII century (Serb. And Montenegrin. Ostrvo Sveti Ђorђe), from which there is probably the only man-made island in the waters of the Adriatic Theotokos on the reef of the 15th century (Serb. Gospa od Skrpјela) -
built on the reef the island attracts the eye of the observer with the
turquoise roof of the Church of Our Lady, the patroness of sailors.
Perast is especially beautiful at sunset!
The
towns on the coast of Lepetane and Kamenari lie opposite each other -
so close that in the old days enemy ships ran into chains stretched by
defenders from one settlement to another. Almost at the same distance
from Herceg Novi (about 30 km) there are two airports: Tivat airport -
one of the two international airports in Montenegro and Dubrovnik
airport (Croatia).
On the way to Bosnia (if the goal of your trip is Trebinje)
and Croatia, a ferry crossing between the Kamenari and Lepetane
peninsulas through the Verige Strait allows you not to go around the
entire Bay of Kotor.