Things to do in Kotor

City Walls Of Kotor

One of the most impressive structures worth visiting in the Old Town of Kotor are the city walls. It is almost unbelievable that they are still proudly standing there, bearing in mind all the past earthquakes that have affected this area; so we like to say that they are a great reminder of the town’s long history and the amazing achievements of its citizens. Their construction began more than 1200 years ago, in the 9th century, and they were successively modified and improved until the 19th century! Their total length is approximately 4.5 kilometers, and their highest point is the castle of San Giovanni, which stands 260 meters above sea level.

What makes our walls fascinating is the place where they were built. We can only imagine how, back in the past, locals were hauling rock by rock to make the structure that would protect their lives and homes from the many invaders passing through the Balkan Peninsula. You will get the best impression of the city walls if you climb them! Yes, climb – not walk, because from the town up to the top, there are 1,350 steps, and it takes approximately 1.5 hours to get to the top and back.

Even though it sounds like a lot of steps, believe us, the view you get from there is worth all the sweat! For those who are not really into going all the way up, there is a church of Santa Maria Della Salute halfway up (about 600 steps one way) where you can stop, take breathtaking photographs, and enjoy incredible views of the bay and Old Town beneath you!

Saint Luka’s Church

The culture of Kotor and the lifestyle of its citizens can be wonderfully explained through the story behind Saint Luka’s church. This charming Orthodox church deserves a special place among the other Romanesque monuments of our town. Being constructed in 1195, it is one of the few of such age still standing, and it is in use even today. Locals believe the church has a miraculous trait since it has remained standing despite many obstacles, disastrous earthquakes, and wars. Although it did suffer some damage, the church now looks almost the same as it did more than 820 years ago! What puts Saint Luka’s church in a special place in the hearts of the locals is the fact that for two centuries, it had two altars where both Roman Catholics and Christian Orthodox believers could pray together. This is just one of many examples that portray the harmony in living, the togetherness, not only between believers but all the people of Montenegro, with all their differences.

Kotor Open Market

As in many towns worldwide, the Kotor open market is the perfect place to feel the local vibe, experience the local charm and taste some delicious local products. That is why, besides visiting the Old Town, we think it’s very important to stop by Kotor’s green market and get the whole experience of our lovely town. It is open every day from early morning until 3 PM. However, Saturday is the main market day, when farmers from around Montenegro come and offer their products. The market is vibrant, and you can hear locals and vendors cheerfully chatting. The atmosphere is so lively, almost festive, while every citizen of Kotor rushes to get the best pieces of food and greet their neighbors or friends they haven’t seen in a while. A market is where locals would go daily for their fresh groceries and not only to buy them and go home but stay and exchange a few words about the town’s latest happenings. Relax, smile, and walk through this lively part of the town and the one thing we can guarantee – you won’t be hungry when you leave this place!

Mussels In Buzara Sauce

For many years, mussels have been consumed on the coast of Montenegro, and they are one of the most desirable local specialties. Thanks to the clear seawater of the Bay of Kotor, small bays sheltered from the storms, and a few freshwater springs nearby, make this one of the few suitable places in the area where they can be farmed.

Of course, there are many ways to prepare them, but what locals adore is cooking them in so-called “buzara” sauce. Buzara is a simple traditional recipe where olive oil, garlic, parsley, tomatoes, and wine are all the ingredients. It will undoubtedly sweep you off your feet!

All you need to do is find the restaurant you like, choose some good local white wine and learn to pronounce “buzara”!

Smoked Ham & Cheese

Even though fish is delicious and popular, especially in the coastal area, we could say that Montenegrins are real meat lovers! If you happened to be a guest in any local home, the first thing they would put on the table would be a glass of homemade brandy and a plate of local smoked ham and cheese (“pršut i sir”). In Kotor, we are fortunate to be very close to the mountain village Njeguši where the most famous local smoked ham is produced! The tradition of making it goes back for hundreds of years, as for the rest of the Mediterranean, but in this village, they developed their own way of doing it! They do not put any additives in the meat; they follow the good old recipe and the process of salting, smoking, and drying. The main or secret ingredient, as they like to say, is the microclimate or geographical position that provides perfect conditions for producing this Montenegrin specialty. The cheese that goes well with the ham is dry cow cheese. A few olives on the top and, if you don’t drink too much red wine with it, you will remember these Montenegrin flavors for a long time!

Krempita & Moscow Cake

Besides great food and delicious Montenegrin wine, we could say that Kotor is well known in the region for one great pastry shop called “Forza.” It is located in the main square of Kotor, and it offers many different delights. But Krempita and Moscow’s cakes are the most famous ones; after tasting them, you will certainly develop a sweet tooth!

Krempita is the number one cake for local citizens. Although it sounds quite simple when we describe the ingredients, the flavor is indescribable. It’s made of a few layers of thin pastry, white cream, and lots of love! The creamy yet puffy taste, which mostly gets combined with strawberries, is very popular in this entire region, but we have our own way of preparing it in Kotor.

Apart from Krempita, Moscow cake is the second favorite delicacy of this pastry shop. Almonds, pineapple, cherries, and delicious white cream between thin pastries make this Moscow Cake desirable, but you will get the real impression only when you taste it yourself! Enjoy it while sipping coffee on the vibrant main square, and capture a movie-like moment in our town.

Perast & Our Lady Of The Rocks

Whether you are spending a few days in Kotor or you are coming by cruise ship just for a day, searching for the perfect Kotor shore excursion – Perast and Our Lady of the Rocks are the places that are certainly a must-see! Only 20 minutes drive from the Port of Kotor, this charming, baroque village, where almost every building dates back to the period of the 15th – 17th century, stands proud and almost magically invites every visitor of the Kotor Bay to stop by and enjoy its beauty.

As if frozen in time, Perast still evokes the times when the Republic of Venice dominated this area, and great local captains were sailing the World. The marvelous stone palaces and beautiful churches built for the village testify to their fame and success. Besides the architecture and interesting life stories about its sailors, what make Perast so special are the two small Islands in front of it.

The first one is the beautiful Saint George Island, with its Benedictine monastery and cypress trees, which inspired many poets and painters to visit this place.

The second one is the Lady of the Rocks artificial island. For centuries, locals were throwing rocks in the water and sinking old ships to build the base for an amazing church that still stands there.

Mountain Lovćen & Cetinje

Even though the coastline is the most visited part of our country, Montenegro has so much more to offer! Although being a small country, we feel fortunate because, on its territory, Montenegro has both beautiful beaches, coastal towns enriched with the closeness of the sea, but also grand mountains with extraordinary greenery, beautiful lakes, and rivers, without which your impression of Montenegro wouldn’t be complete. Only 45 minutes away from Kotor, taking the old serpentine road that offers a breathtaking view of the entire bay, there is Lovćen Mountain, which makes one of the five National Parks of Montenegro!

It is hard to believe that so close to the sea, you can enjoy the wilderness and feel like you are somewhere in the Alps! Not only does it represent a shelter for the park’s wildlife, but it was also the place where Montenegrins struggled for five hundred years to survive and save their culture and tradition from all the conquerors that passed through the Balkans.

When you visit Cetinje, our Old Royal Capital, you’ll see monuments and buildings that remind us of Montenegro’s impressive history. Despite the odds, Montenegrins achieved great things, and the story of the Kingdom of Montenegro became known all over the world. One thing that made Montenegro famous is the delicious smoked ham and cheese from Njegusi village. When you tour this part of our country, you’ll get a glimpse into Montenegrin’s history, culture, and way of life.

Budva & St. Stefan

Charming Kotor is visited by many tourists, especially those stopping by just for a day, while their cruise ships elegantly rest in the Bay of Kotor, but the most popular place in Montenegro most certainly is Budva and its lovely Riviera! One of the main reasons why this place steals away hearts is the many pebbles and sandy beaches featured in this part of our country. If we add to this extremely clear water of the Adriatic Sea and the pleasant temperatures from May to October, we guarantee you are already hooked and would like to explore this area! However, these are not the only things that this town offers!

Budva is also one of the oldest settlements in this area, as shown by traces dating back to the 5th century B.C. Illyrians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Crusaders, Venetians, French, and Austrians are just some of the cultures that left their mark on Budva. We could say that Budva truly reflects the history of the entire Balkans.

Its walls still stand, surrounding narrow streets and small squares with beautiful buildings. At the same time, modern life has gently found its way in and has installed its contemporariness within ages-old history. Being so popular, Budva is a place with many shops, cafés, restaurants, and fantastic nightlife! Besides The Old Town, only a 15-minute drive from Budva, you will find the famous Saint Stefan Island. It is a 15th-century village constructed on a small rocky island that was converted into a unique luxurious hotel in the middle of the 20th century! The charm of the old fishermen’s houses, which are transformed into elegant villas, has attracted celebrities worldwide in the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s!

Claudia Schiffer, Elisabeth Taylor, and Richard Burton are some of the fabulous people who decided to spend their holidays in this famous Montenegrin hotel. Today, it is part of the world-famous Aman Resort, and it still hosts guests from all over the world. Even if you are not planning to stay here, you might as well want to have lunch on the Island, but also the photo taken from the viewpoint above will do the work and it will be a very nice memory of this picturesque part of our lovely coastline!