Just outside the Main Gate is a little combo farmer’s market/flea market. Various vendors sold fresh fruit and veggies, fresh and dried fish and meats, cheese, olives, and other groceries, as well as antique coins, housewares and brass items. I bought a few goodies for the day’s next adventure: many buses to Ostrog.
I got an early start climbing the wall that winds up and over Kotor’s Stari Grad. The zigzagging stairs were narrow and crumbly, but the treasures along the way made for one of the adventures in Montenegro. As the sun came up over the mountains, the views of the bay became more stunning.
Up, up, up!
Just a hint of the views to come, before the sun made it over the mountains.
Behind the Cathedral of St. Tryphon in Old Town
Church of Our Lady of Health
Almost at the top!
Check out this view! (click to see it larger)
Zigzag stone steps - the only way up or down
Secret window - begging for me to climb through and explore!
Abandoned little church on the other side of the window
Creatures!
My other buddy on this secret hike
Little stone house on the hill behind the wall
The trail back up to the secret window
Continuing up the wall to the Fortress of St. John at the topl.
I made it!
One of the many rewards for my early morning climb - the view of the Bay of Kotor from the top of the wall after the sun came up.
Much like Dubrovnik, Kotor’s Old Town is surrounded by a protective wall. Within the walls are narrow little alleys, charming old buildings rich with history, both Catholic and Orthodox churches, and of course restaurants and outdoor cafes. I spent a few hours wandering around the maze of streets, sat at a cafe for some prime people watching (and second hand smoke), and discovered why Montenegro is going to be the next big thing in European travel.
St. Luke’s Square
Little St. Luke’s Church
St. Nicholas’ Church
Cathedral of St. Tryphon
This building served as prison during Austria’s rule in the mid-19th century.
Entrance to the wall, which I would tackle bright and early the next morning.
Trash and recycling pickup carts!
Every city I visited had a large stray cat population.
The town of Kotor is tucked between a very steep mountain and one of the deepest points of the fjord, which kept it safe from wartime destruction for many centuries. The Old Town is surrounded by a thick protective wall on the bay side and the cliff on the other. There are three entrance gates into Old Town, and as soon as I settled into my sobe (apartment) I went to explore and take in the views.
Skurda River along the northern side of the wall
Northern Gate entrance
View of the wall winding up the cliff
Wall at the Southern Gate
Southern Gate entrance
Main Gate entrance
Bay of Kotor, across from the Main Gate
From Dubrovnik, it was a mere 2-hour bus ride to Kotor town, deep in Montenegro’s Bay of Kotor. “Europe’s newest country” declared independence from Serbia in 2006. While travelers are slowly discovering the raw beauty of this region, it’s still mostly untouched by tourism, so this is the best time to see it. Here I found dramatic mountain views, a gorgeous bay, and towns filled with history and charm. Here are a few pics from the bus on the way to Kotor - my first impressions of this amazing place.
