Kotor, a beautiful town in Montenegro, is situated in a natural triangle formed by the Shkudra River, Saint Ivan Mount, and the Adriatic Sea. For tourists, this place is of great interest not only because of its centuries-old historical past but also for climatic conditions that make this coastal town a wonderful holiday choice. When taking a stroll in the streets of the town, tourists need to stay alert because it is so easy to get lost here. The town’s layout is reminiscent of a labyrinth. Sometimes even local people get lost and wander searching for the place that they needed. This fact doesn’t make a stay in Kotor less pleasant. Quite the opposite, it only makes this place even more mysterious and interesting.
The history of Kotor started many centuries ago. Archaeologists discovered many interesting rock drawings that belong to yet prehistoric times, various ceramic items, and instruments. This fact proves that there were people in this part of Montenegro yet during the Neolithic period. Starting from the 60s of the 2nd century, Romans were the rulers in the territory of modern Kotor. After them, the Byzantine Empire captured the region. This is exactly when Kotor is mentioned in historic annals for the first time. During the reign of the Byzantine Empire, the town was under the occupation of the Bulgarian Empire, and then the Grand Principality of Serbia captured the settlement for a short period.
Have you arrived in Kotor to enjoy beachside recreation and sunbathing? Prepare to walk or ride roughly two kilometers in order to reach the closest large beach that is situated in Dobrota. There is no comfortable beach in Kotor because the port occupies a large part of the coast. Residents of Kotor consider the beach in Dobrota their city public beach. The entry is free. The length of this beach is one kilometer; it is well-developed and has a modern infrastructure. Here, vacationers can rent everything they need for beach recreation.
There are shower cabins along the coast and hidden areas where visitors can safely change their clothes and go to the toilet. The beach has a different surface – some areas are covered with sand, and some areas have a pebble surface. Vacationers have an opportunity to play beach volleyball or sit in a charming café at the seaside. There is no need to worry about own safety as there is always a rescue team that makes sure that everyone is all right.
Do you prefer wild beaches to organized ones? Bajova Kula Beach is the best choice in this case. This is quite a small beach that occupies only sixty meters of the coastal area. Bajova Kula Beach is situated approximately ten kilometers from Kotor. It is possible to reach it by motorboat. Regardless of the fact that this is a wild beach, it has quite well-developed infrastructure. Visitors can lie on the pontoon or rent sun loungers and watch how waves crash into the shore. The beach bar, which has the same name, is a wonderful place to try local delicacies.
This beach has a fine pebble surface and the temperature of water that is cooler than in other areas. There are many underground streams with fresh water here, and they make the coastal water cooler. The water is shallow near the coast, so vacationers have nothing to worry about. The water is so clean that is it easy to see all sharp stones at the bottom. If you happen to visit this beach in summer, you can always make a mesmerizing sea excursion in a special boat or simply rent a boat from a local fisherman.
Kotor is home to the most interesting museum in Montenegro dedicated to the sea. It is open in the central part of the town. Located in a Baroque-style building, the museum opened its doors at the beginning of the 20th century. Two 18th-century cannons “greet” visitors to this museum near the entrance. These cannons are the symbol of protecting Kotor from the pirate invasions. If everything connected with the sea looks attractive to you, you will find it interesting to take a look at the old ship journals, models of different sailing ships, and fragments of the sunken ships. There are also collections of navigation equipment, ship furniture, flags and portraits of famous captains and pirates.
Tivat airport is only seven kilometers from Kotor. It regularly serves flights from many different countries of the world. After that, take routes E65 or E80 to get to any hotel in the town. It is also possible to get to Kotor on a bus that departs from Budva. In this case, the journey time will be roughly half an hour. It takes only five minutes on foot to reach the old town center from the bus station.