10-19 Kotor, Montenegro

This may have been one of the prettiest sailing ins we have seen so far.  This town is located in a most picturesque setting.  It is tucked away in Boka Bay and is very protected by the steep mountains around it and wide gulfs that are linked to each other with a series of narrow channels.  While it is sometimes described as a fijord, it is actually a submerged river canyon.  That is our ship in the bay.

Montenegro in Italian means “black mountain.”  It was named this because upon arriving into this area, the first thing one saw was a forest of black pines.  Not many are left today.  Montenegro is about two thirds the size of Wales and is a country with beaches, mountains, canyons, palaces, and ancient towns.  The summers are pleasant along the coastline, but further inland, you have snow on the high mountains during the winter. 

This was a tender port.  What began as a beautiful day turned into a rainy downpour.  We were glad for our raincoats, but did not take our umbrellas – big mistake!  Our first stop was to the town of Budva, the oldest town on the coast.    Its Old Town was inside walls dating back to the 15th century.  We walked through its narrow streets, but because of the rain, our favorite spot was the Mozart Cafe where we enjoyed a cappuccino.

Back on the bus, we drove along the coastline called the Montenegrin Riviera.  It was really pretty looking down from the steep mountainside onto the beaches below.  We passed a small island (that is now connected to the mainland) called St. Stefan.  It is now luxury hotels where the rich and famous come to stay.  But originally it had twelve summer homes for twelve rich brothers who were very influential and powerful.  When the Turks attacked, they moved their families to this island for protection.

Back in Kotor, we took a walking tour through the old medieval town – a UNESCO World Heritage site – to visit the Cathedral of St. Triphon and the Maritime Museum.  We had lunch in a cafe and met another couple from the ship and enjoyed the time together.  

Before boarding the tender back to the ship we walked around the town and took pictures of its beauty.  It was a wonderful port.