'''Kotor''' is a coastal town in Montenegro. It is well-known for its stunning architecture and amazing natural setting.

Understand

Kotor is situated in a most secluded part of Boka Kotorska bay, in the northern part of Montenegro coast. It has developed around '''old town''', the city's best known landmark, and one listed with UNESCO World heritage sites. The bay is the deepest natural fjord in the Mediterranean Sea, and the scenery around it (including the steep mountains which come almost to the waterfront) is spectacular. Kotor is not a first choice for people looking for swimming in the clear blue sea, but it has many other great things to offer.

Get in

By plane

Tivat airport is 8 km away. During summer, there are daily flights to many European destinations. Throughout the year there are flights from Tivat to Belgrade and Zurich. Transportation from the airport to Kotor is easy to find. Charter flights also to Moscow, Helsinki and other cities.

Podgorica airport is 90 km away, and has flights throughout the year to Belgrade, Budapest, Zurich, Frankfurt, Ljubljana, Paris, Rome, Vienna and as of October 2008, London Gatwick.

Dubrovnik airport in Croatia is 73 km away from Kotor, and maintains flights to many European destinations throughout the year, providing a good alternative to the Montenegrin airports. It is possible to hire a taxi from the airport and drive over the border, for around ?50.

By bus

Kotor is fairly well connected with neighboring countries by bus. Almost all buses that go from Budva on to Herceg Novi go around the bay instead of taking the ferry, thus going through Kotor. Buses leave almost hourly for Podgorica.

There are 3 daily busses to Dubrovnik (3 hours).You can reach Split 3 times a week (7 hours),Mostar everyday via Dubrovnik,). There is one daily bus to Sarajevo, Belgrade (10 hours). There are running buses to Skopje (night bus, 12 hours) twice a week on Friday and Saturday at about 7 pm. During the week you can go to Skopje via Nis in Serbia (bus from Kotor to Tivat at 3.50 pm, fromt Tivat to Nis 5.30 pm). You can reach the main bus station after a 5 minutes walk from the old town (look for the old tall chimney!). The bus station has been renewed.

By car

All roads in Montenegro are two-lanes only, and mostly are curvy mountainous roads, so speeds over 70 km/h (43 mph) are rarely legal, and rarely safe.

The Vrmac tunnel has recently been completed, which significantly shortens the journey from Budva to Kotor. Road traffic was formerly diverted to alternative road over Trojica hill above Kotor. It is still possible to travel via this very curvy mountain road, so you might travel from Budva to Kotor a bit longer. From this hill you can enjoy beautiful views not only of the tiny countryside villages, but also of Podgorica (when approaching from Cetinje), and also Kotor bay.

Be aware that when driving in Montenegro that the locals drive very aggressively and think nothing of overtaking across white lines on steep bends. Be careful. There is also a great deal of road building underway and the safety considerations are a little less onerous than those in more developed countries. Don't panic.

Get around

Kotor itself is a small town, so pretty much everything is within walking distance. Parking space in the city center is very hard to find, so use your car only when you have to.

There are no sandy beaches in Kotor, and water is not of premium quality for swimming. The best solution is driving to the Jaz or Trsteno beaches on the Budva riviera, some 20 km from Kotor. Those are very beautiful beaches, and you should make the effort of going there.

See

  • '''The old town''' is a must-see!
  • '''St Triphon's cathedral''', in the heart of the old town, built in 1166. 1,5 euro
  • '''Walls of the ancient fort''', stretching some 4.5 km directly above the city, on almost vertical cliffs. Climbing up the walls will be rewarded by an excellent view of Kotor and the bay. Only advisable for physically fit people, furthermore only the beginning of the ascent is safe the further you come to the fortress the more holes there are in the steps and the railing. Admission ?2.
  • In the middle of the bay there are two islands, '''Sveti Djordje''' and '''Gospa od Skrpijela''', which are very worth seeing. You can get there with tourist boats.
  • Do

  • Strolling through narrow streets of old town, enjoy the unique atmosphere.
  • Drink coffee on some of many crowded open bars.
  • Enjoy the nightlife.
  • Take one-day trip to some of the small magical towns in the bay, like Perast or Risan.
  • Go to some of the beaches in half hour's drive from Kotor (Jaz, Trsteno, Plavi horizonti).
  • You shouldn't miss some of the great events during the summer, Summer Carnival or Bokeljska Noc.
  • Go on a one-day cruise by boat around Boka Bay.
  • Disappointingly there seems to be no organized walking tours of the town and the monuments. The tourist office will offer to organize one for ?30 which seemed expensive.
  • Buy

    Old town is packed with boutiques, but beware of counterfeited variants of world famous brands. There is an open market just outside the old town; there you can buy almost anything from fresh vegetables to sunglasses.

    Eat

    There is a wide choice of places to eat in Kotor. In old town you can find almost anything - from classy restaurants offering fresh seafood and national cuisine to fast food offering pizzas, barbecue, etc.

    You'll find great sandwiches and fine pizzas with original njegos-ham in '''La Pasteria''' directly opposite St Tryphons Cathedral. Probably the best Italian food in Kotor!

    '''Cesarica''', close to Hotel Marja in the Old Town, serves excellent and cheap Dalmatian food (main dishes from 5 to 15 ?). Try the cuttlefish risotto, it's amazing!

    Drink

    Again, old town is the hotspot for relaxed drinking espresso in the shade of the medieval walls. There are many cafes in the old town, but still it's hard to find a place to sit in the sunny day.

    Espresso will cost from ?1.00. Coke and other soft drinks and juices will cost from ?1.00 up to ?2.00.

    You should also try out famous Montenegrin wines, "Vranac", "Pro Corde", "Krstac", "Cabernet", "Chardonnay" and "Nik?i?ko" beer. Montenegrin brandy, called "rakija" is good choice to "warm up" before going out in the evening, especially grape brandy "Montenegrin loza", "Prvijenac" or "Kruna".

    Nightlife

    A night out in Kotor usually begins in some of the many open bars within the walls of old town. As they are not allowed to play music after 1:00AM - the action then moves to some of the night clubs. The best club, without a doubt, is Maximus, located in the old town.

    '''Note''': With prices are high as they are, don't let the waiter make extra money on you. Always ask for a bill, as they must provide it by law. If you don't - it's likely that they'll overcharge your drinks, especially if they see you are a foreigner!

    Sleep

    Accommodation is cheap and plentiful in Kotor. During summer you can expect to pay about ?10 per person for accommodation at a private residence in the old town, and ?7-15 outside the old town and closer to beaches.

  • '''Hotel Forza Mare''' is a 5-star hotel, located only 3km from Kotor's town centre [http://www.forzamare.com/]
  • '''[http://montenegro-travel-guide.info/hotel-vardar-kotor.html Hotel Vardar]''' - a 4 star hotel (renovated in 2007) located in the heart of Kotor's Old Town.
  • '''Hotel Maria''' is a 3-star hotel situated in the town centre.
  • '''Hotel Cattaro''' [http://www.cattarohotel.com/] is a 4 star hotel, with quoted rates starting from ?90 per night between November and February, and ?150 per night during the summer. Various hotel reservation websites offer summer deals here of around ?100 per nights.
  • Youth Hostel Kotor. domkotor@cg.yu. obrota bb. 82 82330 258, 382 6941 480. ttp://www.hostelkotor.com.

    Contact

    Wifi is available in the town center.

    News

  • City Calendar in English''' [http://www.Kotor365.com Kotor City News 365 Days]
  • Get out