Imagine a place where high, rugged mountains plunge straight into the sea. But no, this is not the icy waters of the North Sea, nor is it the Norwegian fjords. This is the Montenegrin mountains, and this is the Adriatic Sea. Well, it’s the Bay of Kotor. Actually, the town of Kotor is on a smaller bay off of the Bay of Kotor, so it’s a couple of steps removed from the sea. The point is this: mountains + sea = nice.

Kotor is beautiful, and it knows it. I’m into the part of the Balkans that normal tourists visit, not just backpackers. Cruise ships dock here. Kotor is primarily a tiny old town nestled safely between a wall and a mountain. Despite its small size, there is lots to see, as the streets are so narrow and winding that there’s always something new around the corner. You also have easy access to all the other towns and sights around the Bay of Kotor, though I didn’t take the time to venture far.

It was dark when I arrived in town. Just before you enter Kotor from the south, the road goes through a tunnel. As my bus emerged from the tunnel, fireworks exploded overhead. They knew I was coming. Then I caught sight of the fortress, illuminated high above the town, and the fireworks suddenly seemed quite lame in comparison.

The fortress perches on the mountain above Kotor. I’ve seen many a castle/fortress at this point, but usually they are on hilltops, not mountaintops, albeit a small mountain. Walls zig and zag their way up the mountain from the town below, as does a staircase. But it costs 8€ to climb the staircase to the fortress, who’s got that kind of money?

Fear not, budget traveller, there is a way. Behind the fortress lies a long path full of switchbacks. If you follow it all the way, you’ll cross the mountain into a national park. If you stop when you get to the fortress, you may notice a ladder leading to a window in the wall. I’m not saying that this is how I got in to the fortress, but I do have 8€ in my pocket right now.

The fortress is pretty nice. It has great views, and nice enough walls and what not. I don’t know what they’re doing with the entrance fees, but it certainly isn’t cleaning up the garbage or installing a couple of trash cans. Seeing the lack of upkeep made me glad that I “allegedly” snuck in the back. Terrific views though.

So there you have it. Kotor is beautiful, and there’s a lot more to do in the area, but during the summer it must be swarming with tourists, so visit in November, when it’s still warm, but not so many people are here.

Photos