Hi there!
I am back with a new post about Kotor, Montenegro.
First of all, a bit of geography: the town of Kotor is located in a narrow inlet in the bay with the same name of the Adriatic Sea. (Another post will specifically address the Bay of Kotor.)
This town is perhaps one of the most iconic places not just in Montenegro, but also on the entire Adriatic coast.
Having been influenced and ruled by ancient Illyrian tribes, Romans, Slavs, Venetians, Austro-Hungarians, this place developed its own distinct culture against the backdrop of amazing mountains.
Eventually, in 1979, its old town was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.
So whether you are here for just a couple of days or for a longer time, there are some sights you shouldn’t miss here.
Although the old town area is fairly small, my list is far from comprehensive.
I reference a lot of historical events, places and names. So, if you feel lost halfway through the article – don’t worry, make sure to check out my post on the bay’s history.
1. Sea Gate
Chances are that if you are first visiting the old town, you would enter through the so-called Sea Gate (Morska vrata).
The gate is one of the main symbols of the old town.
One insignia bears the date Nov 11, 1943, the year Yugoslavia’s Communist Party was founded.
Below it is a quote by Yugoslav leader Marshall Tito. Translated to English, it says, “We don’t want what others have, and we don’t give what’s ours.”
This (and the date below it) refers to the town’s occupation and subsequent liberation by Yugoslav partisans in World War II.
Under the arch of the Sea Gate (apart from the souvenir shop to the left), you find a stone relief, depicting the Virgin Mary with Christ and Saint Tryphon, who is the patron saint of the town.
Also, there is a mysterious slit in one of the stones. Despite the many legends surrounding it, its purpose is more mundane: it used to belong to a mailbox of the adjacent post office.
2. Arms Square
If you enter through the Sea Gate, you stand on Arms Square (Trg od Oružja) now.
The reason for its name is the fact that in Venetian times, workshops produced weaponry and ammunition here.
But today, the square is all for tourists — bars, restaurants, ice cream parlors, a tourist information center and more.
It’s always advisable to stock up on cash. If you haven’t done it yet, there are some ATMs here.
Right in front of you is the Clock Tower.
To the left is the reception of Hotel Cattaro (Cattaro being the old Italian name of Kotor) which is also referred to as Napoleon’s theater. It dates back to the brief French occupation of the town.
Right next to the Sea Gate is the Rector’s Palace, which served as the Venetian governor’s seat.
Lastly, to the left at the end of the square, there is a public bathroom that charges €0.50.
3. Kampana Tower and City Ramparts
Head to the left from Arms Square and you easily find Kampana Tower (Kula Kampana), a circular bastion at the corner of the old town.
Take the stairs to enjoy a view of the old town’s church spires, the fortress above and the bay.
Coming down from the mountains is Škurda — a river originating from the canyon next to the old town and feeding into the bay. You can see it as a canal right in front of the city walls.
While still atop the city walls, start walking back to the Sea Gate and you find yourself on the ramparts. It is a fascinating walk that offers you a view of both the port and the old town.
4. Gurdić Bastion
The city ramparts end at the Gurdić Bastion, a cool, fully medieval-looking gate tower with a functional drawbridge and a water pond.
The pond, by the way, is connected to several canals in the city, and is fed by a spring coming from the mountainside.
This bastion, being away from the main sights and the Sea Gate, is kind of like a “backdoor” to the old town. Don’t miss it, though!
Take the narrow, winding streets back to the center of the old town.
5. Saint Tryphon’s Cathedral
Head to St. Tryphon’s Square (Pjaca Sv. Tripuna), where you find the most important religious building in the old town: St. Tryphon’s Cathedral (Katedrala Svetog Tripuna).
The relics of St. Tryphon, a perhaps lesser-known saint, were brought here by sailors in the early 9th century. A church was then built to honor the relics and the saint quickly became the patron of the city.
The cathedral was seriously damaged twice during its history.
In 1667, a devastating earthquake shook the Adriatic coast.
Most recently, the 1979 Montenegro earthquake damaged the building.
Renovating the cathedral has been a long and tedious task, only completed in 2016 — that’s why you can see the year 2016 on one of the towers.
(The other year, 1166, marks the year when the cathedral was consecrated.)
Looking carefully, you discover that the two towers are not identical. This is a result of a lack of renovation funds. Also, check out my post about earthquakes in the region.
The cathedral holds many invaluable frescoes and paintings from as far back as the 14th century.
6. Maritime Museum
The Maritime Museum (Pomorski Muzej) is located in the center of the old town.
Its entrance greets visitors with two anchors and cannons.
Since for centuries, the main activity of the people of Kotor was sailing and trading, you shouldn’t miss this place.
Two floors of exhibits tell you a story of the hard life of fishermen, merchants, trade, naval battles, contact with distant lands and wives waiting for their husbands’ return.
Even if you are not particularly interested in sailing or the sea, you still enjoy this exhibit.
The museum is housed in a former palace inhabited until recent times by a descendant of the town’s nobility.
7. The Cats of Kotor
One thing that will catch your eye right away when you’re in Kotor is the number of cats.
They are literally everywhere — sleeping in every possible place in every possible position, mooching food at restaurants, walking or playing.
Cats here even have their own dedicated Cats’ Museum.
They are so famous that I had to include them in this list, too!
Vendors in the old town, of course, capitalize on cats. Many souvenir shops sell objects featuring cats.
Legend has it that in medieval times, the city encouraged townspeople to keep cats as pest control.
Today, without this practical purpose, what they have is a booming cat population and many furry friends, much to the delight of tourists.
8. Palaces of the Old Town
One of the things that many visitors to Kotor overlook is checking out individual palaces.
There are many of them, though.
Most of them date back to the 17th century or before.
Palaces belonged to wealthy merchant families, giving officials and bishops to the town.
Some of them, like the Grgurina Palace (now the Maritime Museum), serve a specific purpose, but others are residential buildings.
Even though there are private apartments in these buildings, you can still enter the patio (make sure to respect that people live their everyday lives here, and keep quiet).
Sometimes you can find hidden gems in these patios that you cannot see from the street.
Other notable palaces include the Beskuca, Bizanti, Drago and Grubonja palaces.
9. Fortress of St. John (San Giovanni)
The fortress rules the city from high above.
Dating back to Illyrian and Byzantine times, it was the Venetians who started to build mighty fortifications from the 15th century onwards. The Austro-Hungarian military later reinforced it.
It takes about 50 minutes to hike up to the castle from the old town.
There is a ticket booth right at the beginning of the stairs. A ticket costs €8.00.
(There is another way up to the castle, probably a little longer, but for free. Check out my blog post on the fortress to learn about it.)
Make sure to pack enough water and good shoes — the path up there is very rocky and demanding, so especially in the summer heat, you will use a lot of water.
(There are water vendors along the way, charging you more than twice as much you would otherwise pay for a bottle of water. They sell one bottle for around €3.50.)
The fortress gives you some breathtaking views of the whole inlet and a bird’s-eye view of the old town.
The building itself is in bad condition, so make sure to be very careful and not to trip over anything. Watch your steps especially if you’re heading back to the town at dusk.
10. Other Churches in the Old Town
I list these three churches in one section, because they are very near one another.
Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church is a bit out of place in the old town being relatively new, built in the early 20th century. It serves the city’s biggest denomination, the Orthodox Christians. It features some icons painted by renowned Russian painters.
Across the square is Saint Luke Church, which is a symbol of the city’s religious landscape.
A former Catholic church, later on altered to also host Orthodox church services during the 17th century. As the number of followers of the Catholic faith dwindled and of Orthodox believers increased, today it is an Orthodox church, but with many earlier features still visible. Also, it was left nearly intact by both great earthquakes.
Right next to it is Saint Claire Catholic Church, which belongs to a Franciscan monastery built in the 18t century. It is worth checking it out for the sculptures and frescoes.
Want to get a visual impression of all this? Watch my video of a quick walk in the old town.
