If I am completely honest until I arrived in Tirana I had never heard of Kotor. However, pretty much every person I met in Albania who was travelling south through the Balkans recommended Kotor in front of pretty much any other place they had visited, including the more well-known Adriatic destinations of Dubrovnik or Split. So I decided to try and build on the 21 minutes I spent in Montenegro 10 years ago, which pretty much included me crossing the border from Croatia, driving around for 20 minutes, and then recrossing the border again. This time I got a real feel for Montenegro.
My journey to Kotor started with me having to catch a 6am bus from Tirana to Podgorica, the capital city of Montenegro. In my usual chaotic style, I obviously didn’t leave myself enough time, ending up running across Tirana at 5:30 in the morning. I would therefore like to apologise to all of my fellow passengers on the 6am bus to Podgorica on the 15th May 2022 for being the overly sweaty Englishman that nobody would want to sit next to. Anyway, eventually, we arrived in Podgorica, or precisely at Podgorica bus station after having queued at a petrol station for about 30 minutes, not the best welcome to Montenegro again. However, from here-on-in everything just got better and better. From foreigners travelling through the region, nobody really seemed to find Podgorica the most interesting location, the airport train station apart, which is the reason I decided not to stop there. However, from the window of my bus, and as a slight communist city obsessive, Podgorica actually appeared very nice, a sort of perfect concrete medium-sized communist city.
Eventually, at about midday, I arrived in Kotor, and quite frankly it’s one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. For the previous couple of weeks, I was craving both the sea and the mountains, Kotor gave me both and more. It is situated in the most secluded part of the Bay of Kotor of the Adriatic Sea. However, due to the geography of the Bay, Kotor feels much more like it’s situated at the end of a large lake, surrounded by mountains. The view from the top of the old Venetian St. Johns Fortress overlooking the city is simply incredible. I touch more on it in my section on top things to do in Kotor, however, the peacefulness of just sitting at the top overlooking the bay is something I have come to greatly appreciate. It reminds me to a certain extent of the way I could simply just switch off in the Wadi Rum Desert in Jordan, which is still my favourite place I have ever visited. The fact that Kotor invokes similar feelings for me makes it one of my favourite places.
Now to address the elephant in the room if anybody saw my stories when I was in Kotor. CRUISE SHIPS!!! I really cannot hide my hatred for them, I’m sorry to anyone who loves them and that includes my own family. However, nothing ruins a photograph quite like a cruise ship. I love all my photos from Kotor, but every time I see one of those monstrosities, a slight shiver runs down my spine. Of course, I understand the economic need for tourism in the town. Head of the Kotor Tourism Organisation, Ana Radović told a Montenegrin news agency in 2018 that “many cruise passengers wouldn’t come to Kotor or to some other cities if there wasn’t for cruise ships. Majority of them wishes to come here again or even comes here next year, so I would say the promotional aspect brings the most significant benefit to us”. This line of thinking is totally valid and coupled with the increase in revenue for the town of the cruise passengers makes the fact that 412 cruise ships were booked to visit Kotor in 2018 more understandable. However, I would hope that over time this number could come down once people begin to return in non-cruise related capacities with an increased number of flights to the local Tivat Airport. I just hope that the true beauty of this picturesque bay can be seen more often.
Despite the cruise ships, Kotor is still a truly great little town. The winding streets of the Old Town are a constant little adventure. You will get lost, you will walk around in circles but you will have fun. With the exception of the few little squares scattered across the old town filled with cute if not slightly overpriced restaurants, you’ll find narrow medieval streets, shading you from the sometime oppressive Balkan heat and without a car in sight. Sometimes I visit places and just know I have to return one day, be it Wadi Rum or Krakow or Kyiv. Kotor and Montenegro in general definitely join them and I cannot wait to return there one day soon.
Accommodation
I stayed in Old Town Hostel situated in, as the name suggests, in the old town of Kotor. The hostel is brilliant all round, firstly the staff will help you in any way you need, such as organising transfers and also ensure every evening is full of fun (endless beer pong). The rooms themselves are great with each bed fitted with curtains and enormous lockers beneath the beds and in the summer months, the hostel has its own pool. The hostel also runs trips each day around Montenegro, which unfortunately I couldn’t do but everyone who has that I spoke to would recommend them. Additionally, the hostel runs sunset barbecues, boat parties, and other events and I’m yet to find someone who does not recommend them.
Hostelworld Link – https://www.hostelworld.com/pwa/hosteldetails.php/Old-Town-Hostel/Kotor/62434?
Price – As of May 2022 expect to pay between £11 and £14 per night ($13.50-$17.50) for a dorm room and between £30 and £40 per night ($37-$50) for a private room.
Things to do
Unlike Tirana, I wouldn’t say Kotor has a straight list of things to do. It’s a medieval Venetian trading town and part of its charm is just wandering around the winding streets where you will almost certainly get lost. Nevertheless a few aspects of the Old Town I would be sure not to miss are:
St. Johns Fortress
Definitely the biggest must-do in Kotor, the fort overlooks the town as well as the bay. I honestly cannot recommend it more, for me reading my book at the top was one of the most peaceful and nicest experiences I’ve had whilst travelling. I can’t really explain why, but for me, at the time it just felt right. Practically, if you take the official path, it will cost you 8€ and then a further 1500+ steps to fortress itself. Therefore, make sure you feel you can do that and prepare with a bottle of water or two. If you do forget, don’t worry there are people selling them on the way up and at the top. Alternatively, if you are feeling adventurous, you can not pay and walk an alternative route and climb up a ladder into the fortress.
Wander on the City Walls
Completely free and to me provide some of the most photogenic scenery. The walls circumnavigate the bayside of the old town and provide a great view into the old town itself and of the bay. You can enter them from just after the Gurdić Gate at the south end of the city and the path along the top will lead you all the way around to behind St. Michaels Church.
Moritz Eis Ice Cream
So I will accept that the price of the ice cream at nearly 5€ is by no means good value. However, I cannot emphasise how much I loved my Apple and Cinnamon Sorbet with Vanilla Ice Cream. For me, it was just perfect and I wholeheartedly recommend it despite the price. Additionally, the service from the woman serving me was brilliant. Admittedly I was the only person in the shop but she allowed me to try different sorbets to decide which I would prefer before choosing one which I really appreciated.
Old Town Hostel Trips and Event
As I previously mentioned I was unable to do any of the trips offered by the hostel simply due to luck on the dates I was visiting. However, I have heard from multiple other people who have stayed at the hostel that they are incredible, especially the boat trip and most of all the sunset barbecue, which I will return to Kotor at some point to do. They also conduct day trips in conjunction with 360 monte, an adventure-activity company, which include day trips to the rest of the country including Budva, Sveti Stefan and even rafting on the Tara River.
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