After a few days in Tirana, we headed to Kotor in Montenegro. The bus ride to Kotor is scenic and mountainous. You pass through many hairpin bends, slopes and places like Podgorica and Budva before reaching Kotor. Kotor is a fortified town located in the Bay of Kotor. Although the town was lit up with decorations, it wasn’t as much as we saw in Tirana.
Since Montenegro uses the Euro as its currency, there was no need to find a currency exchange. We decided to take a Taxi to our Apartment booking. Taxis are readily available since they are located right next to the bus station. We had booked a studio room in Apartment Sandra. We were welcomed by our host Petar, who showed us around and explained about the amenities in the room. Mr. Petar also notified us about the city tax which is 1 EUR per night. It is mostly collected and registered by the host.
We were lucky to have our apartment situated in the foothills of the mountain we were planning to hike, hence we had an amazing view. After taking in the beauty of the place, we decided to freshen up before heading out for dinner. We chose to dine in a very picturesque restaurant nearby- Restobar Taraca, where we tried Vegetarian Lasagne and Chicken Quesadillas along with fresh Orange juice and Lemonade. The food was hands down yummilicious, a must-try.
Kotor Fortress Hike
The next morning, I got up for an early hike up the mountains to Kotor Fortress. There are two ways to reach the fortress- a new path from the Old Town and the old one from outside. Both offer scintillating views of Kotor Bay. I was advised to take the new path because of the heavy rains the previous day and extremely windy conditions in the morning. Also, the new path is laid with handrails for safety. The old path leads to the famous Ladder of Kotor which hikers use to avoid the entry fees at the new path.
TIP 1- Ticketing starts at 8 am. So start the hike early to avoid payment.
TIP 2- Have sturdy shoes and enough water for the hike.
You will be accompanied by furry friends looking for food from hikers. Hikers can choose to walk on flat rocks or steps. The path winds up to the fortress and the zig-zag path looks beautiful when you reach the top. Winds can get strong at the top as the fortress is surrounded by mountains on one side. The valley on the other side provides magnificent views of the Old Town and Kotor Bay. Snow-capped mountains in the distance provide a perfect backdrop for the pictures. It took me around an hour and a half to reach to top and 30 minutes to hike down.
Kotor Old Town
After my hike and city registration, it is almost noon. We strolled the cobblestone paths of the Old Town where my wife made some cat friends. Our entry into the fortified Old Town was from the northern city gate. We crossed the Scruda River with the old hydroelectric plant on one side.
After an hour of exploring, we decided to head to Old Town’s top-rated restaurant- Restaurant City. The restaurant now resides in an old heritage building and offers stunning views of the bay from its terrace. While dining outdoors, be careful about the cats that roam around looking for food. People in Kotor consider cats as a lucky charm. Seafood is a must-try here.
We ordered Fish and Tomato Soup to start with and for the main course, we ordered a plate of fish filets and fish plate (seabass). Orange juice here is recommended. It was fresh, sweet and refreshing.
After lunch, more of the Old Town was left to explore. Our first stop was the Cathedral of Saint Tryphon. The construction of the current cathedral began in 1124 and was completed in 1166. We can observe the age of the church evidently from the interior walls and pillars. The church is a prominent tourist attraction in the town.
Old Town Walls
There are three entrances to the Old Town- Gurdić Gate, Northern City Gate and Sea Gate. As we walked along the small narrow streets of the Old Town, we stumbled upon an old water fountain which looked like a hand pump. After a few minutes, we were at Gurdić Gate– the historic entrance to the Old Town of Kotor. It still features parts of the gate from the Middle Ages. The gate is surrounded by stonework and a small lake.
From Gurdić Gate, we can walk along the bustling main road and street vendors to reach the Sea Gate. When we enter through the Sea Gate, we are in the main square with the Clock Tower. From the square, there is a small set of steps that lead to the city walls. We can walk through the city walls and take in the beautiful views of the bay. The walk ends at Gurdic Bastion. One can also start at Gurdic Bastion and finish at the northern gate.
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Christmas Eve in Kotor
As it was Christmas Eve, we expected lots of noise in the Old Town. But, it was a quiet Christmas Eve. Old Town was decorated with lights and there were few youngsters with fireworks. Some of the restaurants were buzzing with people but it was not as loud as expected. Outside the city walls, there was a small musical concert. We ended our night early to travel to Perast the next day.
Shopping in Kotor
If you plan to buy groceries, there are multiple options in Kotor. One of them is Voli- a supermarket chain in Montenegro and the other is Shopping Centre Kamelija- a shopping centre on the Northern side of the fortress. There is a grocery market, clothing stores and a cafe inside the shopping mall. Old Town is filled with Souvenir shops. The speciality of Kotor is getting a cat souvenir.
