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Bay of Kotor

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Gospa od Skrpjela (Our Lady of the Rocks) island, lit by early morning light, near Perast, Bay of Kotor, Montenegro

Getty Images/Robert Harding World Imagery

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Overview

Gorgeous, breathtaking, majestic, divine; however hefty your thesaurus, the brain-blowing beauty of the Bay of Kotor will leave you struggling for superlatives. Hemmed in by commanding cliffs and shape-shifting between rippling gulfs and sparkling straits, the cobalt cove even manages to defy geographic description: is it a fjord? A submerged canyon? It seems there’s only one way to define Boka Kotorska: unmissable.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • The Cathedral of Saint Tryphon in Kotor, Montenegro

    St Tryphon’s Cathedral

    Kotor

    Kotor’s most impressive building, this Catholic cathedral was consecrated in 1166 but reconstructed after several earthquakes. When the entire frontage…

  • ©2013 Slavica Stajic All Rights Reserved Photo may not be used without my permission . .Kampana Tower in the night, North Gate, Kotor fortress.The Old City of Kotor is a well preserved urbanization typical of the middle Ages, built between the 12th and 14th century. Medieval architecture and numerous monuments of cultural heritage have made Kotor a UNESCO listed “World Natural and Historical Heritage Site".

    Kotor City Walls

    Kotor

    Kotor's fortifications started to head up St John's Hill in the 9th century and by the 14th century a protective loop was completed, which was added to…

  • Gospa od Škrpjela

    Gospa od Škrpjela

    Perast

    This picturesque island was artificially created (on 22 July 1452, to be precise) around a rock where an image of the Madonna was found; every year on…

  • Šetalište Pet Danica

    Šetalište Pet Danica

    Herceg Novi

    Named after five young women named Danica who died during WWII, this pedestrian promenade stretches along the waterfront for more than 5km from Igalo to…

  • Blue Grotto

    Blue Grotto

    Bay of Kotor

    A popular cruise stop, the Blue Grotto gets its name from the mesmerising effect of the light reflecting through the clear water. Boats head into the 9m…

  • Porto Montenegro

    Porto Montenegro

    Tivat

    Single-handedly responsible for Tivat's transformation, this surreal 24-hectare town-within-a-town occupies the former Arsenal shipyard and naval base…

  • Gospa od Skrpjela (Our Lady of the Rocks) island, lit by early morning light, near Perast, Bay of Kotor, Montenegro

    Sveti Djordje

    Perast

    Sveti Djordje, rising from a natural reef, is the smaller of Perast's two islands. It houses a Benedictine monastery shaded by cypresses and a large…

  • Mt Orjen

    Mt Orjen

    Bay of Kotor

    Hulking Mt Orjen (1893m) separates Herceg Novi from Hercegovina and is higher than the more famous Mt Lovćen. It’s a popular spot for hiking and mountain…

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Planning Tools

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Best Things to Do

Wedged between Montenegro’s brooding mountains and the Bay of Kotor, Kotor is Montenegro's most atmospheric city. Here are the top things to see and do.

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