Kotor

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Old town landscape, Perast, Kotor Bay, Montenegro

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Overview

Wedged between brooding mountains and a moody corner of the bay, achingly atmospheric Kotor (Котор) is perfectly at one with its setting. Hemmed in by staunch walls snaking improbably up the surrounding slopes, the town is a medieval maze of museums, churches, cafe-strewn squares, and Venetian palaces and pillories. It’s a dramatic and delightful place where the past coexists with the present; its cobblestones ring with the sound of children racing to school in centuries-old buildings, lines of laundry flutter from wrought-iron balconies, and hundreds of cats – the descendants of seafaring felines – loll in marble laneways. Come nightfall, Kotor’s spectacularly lit-up walls glow as serenely as a halo. Behind the bulwarks, the streets buzz with bars, live music – from soul to serenades – and castle-top clubbing.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

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…

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…

Sea Gate

Kotor

The main entrance to the town was constructed in 1555 when it was under Venetian rule (1420–1797). Look out for the winged lion of St Mark, Venice’s…

St Luke’s Church

Kotor

Sweet little St Luke’s speaks volumes about the history of Croat-Serb relations in Kotor. It was constructed in 1195 as a Catholic church, but from 1657…

Maritime Museum of Montenegro

Kotor

Kotor's proud history as a naval power is celebrated in three storeys of displays housed in a wonderful early-18th-century palace. An audio guide helps…

St Mary's Collegiate Church

Kotor

Built in 1221 on the site of a 6th-century basilica, this Catholic church is distinguished by impressive 20th-century bronze doors covered in bas-reliefs,…

St Nicholas’ Church

Kotor

Breathe in the smell of incense and beeswax in this Orthodox church, built in 1909 and adorned with four huge canvasses depicting the gospel writers, a…

River Gate

Kotor

Tucked in the slightly quieter northern corner of town beside the parklike Trg od Drva (Wood Sq), this gate opens on to a photogenic moat formed by the…

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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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