I enjoyed my first visit to Montenegro. I arrived by cruise ship, like many visitors do.
That’s us in the photo below (ms Eurodam – Holland America Line) docked in Kotor for the day. Located in the Bay of Kotor, this is one of the most scenic sail-ins/sail-outs I have experienced. It was a busy Sunday in Kotor with several cruise ships visiting and we were the one lucky ship that was docked portside which is always a plus.
Montenegro is located along the Adriatic. A small country, bordered by Croatia, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Servia, Kosovo, and Albania, Montenegro is rich in history. Click here for my posting on nearby Dubrovnik.
As can be seen from the photos, Montenegro is quite mountainous.
We spent our time wandering through the fortified medieval old town that is bordered by stone walls dating from the 15th century. This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lots of narrow cobblestone streets and alleys to explore. Kotor can be quite crowded during peak tourism season and especially when there are several cruise ships in port. There were three docked on the day of my visit.
The clock tower in the old town is one of Kotor’s most recognizable landmarks. Dating back to the 16th century, the clock tower features both Baroque and Gothic architecture.
We concentrated our visit on two points of interest – The Cathedral of Saint Tryphon and the Maritime Museum.
Like many historic European cathedrals, the Cathedral of Saint Tryphon is filled with stunning architecture.
The interior of the Cathedral is in beautiful soft soothing tones of pink. It has a rich collection of artifacts and is well worth some time just admiring the interior.
About halfway up St. John’s Mountain is the Church of Our Lady of Remedy built in the 16th century. This church can only be reached by foot and the path is not an easy one to traverse.
A schooner day sail departs from Kotor.
The sea plays a major role in life in Kotor and surrounding areas.
In this part of the Adriatic, it’s very common to see luxury yachts of all shapes and sizes out cruising.
When you sail in and out of Kotor, there are miles of scenic landscapes at which to marvel. Two islets, in particular, stand out.
The first islet is St. George Island just off the coast of Perast in the Bay of Kotor. It houses the Saint George Benedictine Monastry (behind the trees in the photo below) from the 12th century.
The second islet is the Lady of the Rocks. Legend has it that this artificial island was formed by seamen who, successfully returning from a sea voyage, would drop a rock in this area of the Bay of Kotor. Through time, this little mass of an islet surfaced. The Church of Our Lady of the Rocks and its museum are the largest structures on this small islet.
The photo below is the town of Perast, Montenegro. The church in the photo is Saint Nicolas’ Day Church built in 1616.
I would visit Montenegro again in a heartbeat! It has lovely mountain scenery that dips down to beautiful blue water, all natural beauty. This, combined with the rich culture and historical heritage of the area, makes Montenegro a “must visit” when in the Adriatic area.
