Suggestions for Kotor, Montenegro?

[ldgio]

We will be visiting Kotor, Montenegro this June and are wondering if anyone has had any experience in this cruise port and would love any suggestions if you have visited there. There is limited information and no pictures with the ship tour descriptions so we are wondering if we should book a tour. Many thanks in advance :)

[kruzseeka]

We will be visiting Kotor, Montenegro this June and are wondering if anyone has had any experience in this cruise port and would love any suggestions if you have visited there. There is limited information and no pictures with the ship tour descriptions so we are wondering if we should book a tour. Many thanks in advance :)

 

This is a stunning destination - especially the sail-in which is unmissable! It takes a couple of hours and is very like the Norwegian Fjords although not as steep and dramatic as, say, Geiranger but gorgeous nevertheless. the town itself is right by the dock and is a Mediaeval walled town - small but with lots of atmosphere and a good cafe culture.

 

The first time we went we tried to walk up to the fort but is was tough going for me and we gave up at the small (disused) church about a third of the way up. If you can make it this far, it's certainly worth the effort for the lovely view but you do need good walking sandals/shoes as the terrain is rough.

 

The second time we went we did a day trip of Montenegro which is not for the faint-hearted. We had to negotiate a precipitous mountain road with a lot of hair-pin bends but providing the most magnificent views. It's amazing to be able to see the Adriatic Sea and Kotor and to realise that they are so close. As it takes quite some time to sail down the Fjord, I'd assumed we were quite a long way inland but in fact we weren't - we'd just snaked around so much through the meandering waterway that it seemed to be the case. From the top you get a real perspective of the location. Montenegro is a small country so you cover a fair bit in a day.

 

The places en route we visited weren't so memeorable but the journey was fabulous. We ended up at Budva with some free time. It's an interesting place with an old town (the best bit) with some shady patios for drinks (most inexpensive of our whole trip). It didn't quite have the same atmosphere to me than Kotor itself though. We returned to the ship via a low-level route through a tunnel so didn't have to retrace our steps. But we did enjoy the excursion.

 

Other excursions include visiting the islands in the fjord and another town whose name I can't remember but you pass it on the way into Kotor. It nestles on the fjord side and looks pretty.

 

It all depends on your preferences. If you want a fairly relaxed day the sail-in and sail-out provides hours of beautiful scenery to enjoy and a relaxed wander around Kotor for a couple of hours could suit you. A shorter trip to the islands or a whole-day excursion over the mountains and to Budva is probably the other options.

 

Enjoy your trip it's an absolute gem! :)

[winniecody]

This is a stunning destination - especially the sail-in which is unmissable! It takes a couple of hours and is very like the Norwegian Fjords although not as steep and dramatic as, say, Geiranger but gorgeous nevertheless. the town itself is right by the dock and is a Mediaeval walled town - small but with lots of atmosphere and a good cafe culture.

 

The first time we went we tried to walk up to the fort but is was tough going for me and we gave up at the small (disused) church about a third of the way up. If you can make it this far, it's certainly worth the effort for the lovely view but you do need good walking sandals/shoes as the terrain is rough.

 

The second time we went we did a day trip of Montenegro which is not for the faint-hearted. We had to negotiate a precipitous mountain road with a lot of hair-pin bends but providing the most magnificent views. It's amazing to be able to see the Adriatic Sea and Kotor and to realise that they are so close. As it takes quite some time to sail down the Fjord, I'd assumed we were quite a long way inland but in fact we weren't - we'd just snaked around so much through the meandering waterway that it seemed to be the case. From the top you get a real perspective of the location. Montenegro is a small country so you cover a fair bit in a day.

 

The places en route we visited weren't so memeorable but the journey was fabulous. We ended up at Budva with some free time. It's an interesting place with an old town (the best bit) with some shady patios for drinks (most inexpensive of our whole trip). It didn't quite have the same atmosphere to me than Kotor itself though. We returned to the ship via a low-level route through a tunnel so didn't have to retrace our steps. But we did enjoy the excursion.

 

Other excursions include visiting the islands in the fjord and another town whose name I can't remember but you pass it on the way into Kotor. It nestles on the fjord side and looks pretty.

 

It all depends on your preferences. If you want a fairly relaxed day the sail-in and sail-out provides hours of beautiful scenery to enjoy and a relaxed wander around Kotor for a couple of hours could suit you. A shorter trip to the islands or a whole-day excursion over the mountains and to Budva is probably the other options.

 

Enjoy your trip it's an absolute gem! :)

 

 

Which cruise line were you on? We will be on Marina from Rome to Venice, April 26, 2011 disembarking May 6, 2011. Great info provided.

[ldgio]

Thank you for taking the time to reply and for the wonderful suggestions. It is greatly appreciated and will help us figure out how we want to spend our time. Sounds like a beautiful country to visit.

[kruzseeka]

Which cruise line were you on? We will be on Marina from Rome to Venice, April 26, 2011 disembarking May 6, 2011. Great info provided.

 

It was a UK based cruise line (Thomson) which has sailed in this area for many years and does do very port-intensive cruises often featuring ports which appear some seasons later on the larger, American ships.

 

It's a fabulous area to visit - enjoy! :)

 

Pleased to be of help, Idgio. :)

Edited January 3, 2011 by kruzseeka

[MsApex]

Did you take a paid tour in Montenegro? If so, any suggestions on who to go with? thanks!

[kruzseeka]

Did you take a paid tour in Montenegro? If so, any suggestions on who to go with? thanks!

 

No we travelled with our cruise company who are in fact pretty good for pricing so we don't usually look for private tour companies - although where practical we're keen to adopt a DiY approach.

 

Good luck with your search - I'm sure with a tailored trip you could see a great deal in a day here.

 

I've just looked up my Destinations Guide to find the names of he places we visited:

 

The Highlights of Montenegro included the fabulous trip up the mountainous road with the spectacular views (worth doing!) - we then stopped at the village of Njegusi which wasn't worth the time really (we had a coffee stop). I'd say just enjoy the drive but don't waste time stopping - it's just a typical mountain village. We then went to Cetinje the ancient capital where we visited King Nikola's Palace - again with limited time I'd give this a miss - it's nothing like a Palace in the sense of Peterhof, the Hermitage etc. Just a rather small ordinary squarish, stucco building which you could mistake for the town hall (even then I've seen some fabulous town halls - this isn't one!). It's more of a museum and not at all memorable. Budva was nice - the walled part of the town being the best bit - but didn't have the atmosphere for me of Kotor itself and it's certainly no Dubrovnik! So in essence, it was the views and to an extent Budva which was worthwhile on this trip (but remember we'd spent a day previously in Kotor - if you haven't been before I'd allow an hour or two to potter around - it's quite a charming place.)

 

The other trip from our ship was 'Coastal Charms' which takes you around the 'stunning bay of Kotor' to Perast (this is the pretty little place I referred to earlier which nestles on the bay) . It takes you to one of the two islands you pass on the sail-in then to Budva by boat.

 

This trip sounds more appealing on balance than the Highlights one we did as we did waste time in forgettable stops - however you would miss out on the mountainous road trip and the wonderful views.

 

Perhaps a tailor-made excursion could incorporate the Coastal Charms highlights as described above plus a quick trip up to the top of the mountain from Kotor so you get the best of both worlds. I'd say pass on Cetinje and Njestusi though. And do give yourself a bit of relaxation time in Kotor - there is a lovely square full of cafes and gorgeous architecture.

 

Hope this helps - and just to whet your appetite I've found this link of photos of the area - not my own!!!!. But quite a place, wouldn't you say??

 

http://www.google.co.uk/images?oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=jK4hTbzHOZK0hAfMtZm3Dg&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CCcQsAQwAA&biw=1280&bih=587&q=Kotor%20Montenegro%20pictures&tbs=isch:1

 

Enjoy - I hope you can fix up a trip to incorporate the best bits. I'm sure you won't be disappointed. :)

Edited January 3, 2011 by kruzseeka

[Eileen G]

We were in Kotor last Sept and hiked up to the fort. It is quite a hike but for those who love to hike it is great. After the hike we were able to explore the town. Here is the link to my pictures which show the sail in, hike to the fort, the walled town and the small beach.

 

http://cid-1e98e90214e77bf9.photos.live.com/browse.aspx/Az%20Quest%209-20-10%20Kotor

[MsApex]

Thank you Eileen! Beautiful pics!

 

We were in Kotor last Sept and hiked up to the fort. It is quite a hike but for those who love to hike it is great. After the hike we were able to explore the town. Here is the link to my pictures which show the sail in, hike to the fort, the walled town and the small beach.

 

http://cid-1e98e90214e77bf9.photos.live.com/browse.aspx/Az%20Quest%209-20-10%20Kotor

[MsApex]

Thanks for the detailed response. It's helped a lot and I will be better educated when we get there :p

 

 

No we travelled with our cruise company who are in fact pretty good for pricing so we don't usually look for private tour companies - although where practical we're keen to adopt a DiY approach.

 

Good luck with your search - I'm sure with a tailored trip you could see a great deal in a day here.

 

I've just looked up my Destinations Guide to find the names of he places we visited:

 

The Highlights of Montenegro included the fabulous trip up the mountainous road with the spectacular views (worth doing!) - we then stopped at the village of Njegusi which wasn't worth the time really (we had a coffee stop). I'd say just enjoy the drive but don't waste time stopping - it's just a typical mountain village. We then went to Cetinje the ancient capital where we visited King Nikola's Palace - again with limited time I'd give this a miss - it's nothing like a Palace in the sense of Peterhof, the Hermitage etc. Just a rather small ordinary squarish, stucco building which you could mistake for the town hall (even then I've seen some fabulous town halls - this isn't one!). It's more of a museum and not at all memorable. Budva was nice - the walled part of the town being the best bit - but didn't have the atmosphere for me of Kotor itself and it's certainly no Dubrovnik! So in essence, it was the views and to an extent Budva which was worthwhile on this trip (but remember we'd spent a day previously in Kotor - if you haven't been before I'd allow an hour or two to potter around - it's quite a charming place.)

 

The other trip from our ship was 'Coastal Charms' which takes you around the 'stunning bay of Kotor' to Perast (this is the pretty little place I referred to earlier which nestles on the bay) . It takes you to one of the two islands you pass on the sail-in then to Budva by boat.

 

This trip sounds more appealing on balance than the Highlights one we did as we did waste time in forgettable stops - however you would miss out on the mountainous road trip and the wonderful views.

 

Perhaps a tailor-made excursion could incorporate the Coastal Charms highlights as described above plus a quick trip up to the top of the mountain from Kotor so you get the best of both worlds. I'd say pass on Cetinje and Njestusi though. And do give yourself a bit of relaxation time in Kotor - there is a lovely square full of cafes and gorgeous architecture.

 

Hope this helps - and just to whet your appetite I've found this link of photos of the area - not my own!!!!. But quite a place, wouldn't you say??

 

http://www.google.co.uk/images?oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=jK4hTbzHOZK0hAfMtZm3Dg&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CCcQsAQwAA&biw=1280&bih=587&q=Kotor%20Montenegro%20pictures&tbs=isch:1

 

Enjoy - I hope you can fix up a trip to incorporate the best bits. I'm sure you won't be disappointed. :)

[Rigwald]

We will be visiting Kotor, Montenegro this June and are wondering if anyone has had any experience in this cruise port and would love any suggestions if you have visited there. There is limited information and no pictures with the ship tour descriptions so we are wondering if we should book a tour. Many thanks in advance :)

 

Thanks to everyone posting ideas for Kotor. We will also be in Kotor in June and love the info.

 

Idgio, when are you going to be there and which cruise line are you using?

[glamour]

My husband & I did the hike up to the fort last Oct & met Eileen G & her husband on the way. Their pictures say it all- the trek is worth it...stunning! It costs a Euro or two per person to access the trail & remember to bring some water (there are garbage bins on the way) & wear good runners. We rewarded ourselves afterwards by enjoying some cold local beer in the walled city. I would suggest keeping your valuables close as there are a lot of 'gypsy' children begging & one took a swipe at my camera. Definitely a charming port that we were impressed with....enjoy!

[Julessmiles]

We did the following from Kotor (copied from my review from August 2010!) It was a lovely trip - really enjoyed it and no driving up windy mountain roads!!

 

Kotor

 

Up early (5.30am) for the sail-in to Kotor – another must-do/don't miss!! It was stunning, Fjord-like scenery. Did a half-day “Coastal Charms” tour here which took us to the pretty village of Perast, onto a little boat across to the pretty “Lady of the Rock” Island. We then continued by coach and across a car ferry and onto Budva, a large tourist resort which has a lovely old walled town. Here you have the option of freetime or a guided tour around. We weren't that impressed with the tourist area of Budva itself but the walled town was lovely. Back to Kotor and again the chance of a guided tour around the old walled town.

[mamoune]

We did the following from Kotor (copied from my review from August 2010!) It was a lovely trip - really enjoyed it and no driving up windy mountain roads!!

 

Kotor

 

Up early (5.30am) for the sail-in to Kotor – another must-do/don't miss!! It was stunning, Fjord-like scenery. Did a half-day “Coastal Charms” tour here which took us to the pretty village of Perast, onto a little boat across to the pretty “Lady of the Rock” Island. We then continued by coach and across a car ferry and onto Budva, a large tourist resort which has a lovely old walled town. Here you have the option of freetime or a guided tour around. We weren't that impressed with the tourist area of Budva itself but the walled town was lovely. Back to Kotor and again the chance of a guided tour around the old walled town.

 

 

If our ship is scheduled to arrive in Kotor at 7am, how early should be rise if we want to be sure to view the sail-in ?

 

Thanks!

[SharonK]

If our ship is scheduled to arrive in Kotor at 7am, how early should be rise if we want to be sure to view the sail-in ?

 

Thanks!

 

I would like to know this too!

[dbbsteve]

Last time we sailed the Bay of Kotor I timed the ship. The sailing time between Perast and the two Islands (St. George and Our Lady of the Rocks) to the docks of Kotor was about 45 minutes. Docking took another 15 minutes. It depends on what you wish to see but I would say give it an hour before scheduled arrival and you won't miss anything. You also have another opportunity to view the same scenery during sail out (and in better sunlight).

[mamoune]

Thanks! This means we will have to go to bed early the night before ;-)

[Iluvcruising2]

We visited Kotor, Montenegro with the Celebrity Silhouette in late 2013.

 

The Bay of Kotor is one of the most beautiful natural bays in the world. Amazing views from the mountains.

 

See this video.

[YOUTUBE]0JhSVihM7M8[/YOUTUBE]

 

My blog post on what we did in Kotor.

http://guitar123foodandtravel.blogspot.sg/2013/12/kotor-montenegro-port-of-call.html

[Cornishpastyman1]

We will be visiting Kotor, Montenegro this June and are wondering if anyone has had any experience in this cruise port and would love any suggestions if you have visited there. There is limited information and no pictures with the ship tour descriptions so we are wondering if we should book a tour. Many thanks in advance :)

 

This was my day there. If you climb to the fort take some water with you (this fool didn't :mad:) All the best, Tony

 

[YOUTUBE]fUzQl8KA2Uk[/YOUTUBE]

[maidncruze]

Another great tour option when in Kotor is Tours by Milo. We used Milo's services a few years back and have since sent him hundreds of happy CC members. Good friends of our are leaving this week on a European tour and will be spending several days with Milo.

 

If you want someone with a great personality and a passion for his Country, Milo is a great choice.

 

http://www.toursbymilo.com/

 

 

Feel free to ask me any further information.

 

Frank

[roothy123]

Another great tour option when in Kotor is Tours by Milo. We used Milo's services a few years back and have since sent him hundreds of happy CC members. Good friends of our are leaving this week on a European tour and will be spending several days with Milo.

 

If you want someone with a great personality and a passion for his Country, Milo is a great choice.

 

http://www.toursbymilo.com/

 

 

Feel free to ask me any further information.

 

Frank

To that I would add that Milo is NOT expensive, especially if you can get 1 or 2 other people to join you. I don't do a lot of private tours, but have booked him in September for a 4 hour tour. We'll go to Perast (the town probably mentioned above), a short boat trip over to Our Lady of the Rocks church on one of the two islands mentioned above, a drive to Budva with quick visit, a drive past Sveti Stefan overlook and then drive up above the town of Kotor for a quick view. You can take one of the tours listed on his website or work with him to customize a trip for you, and it will be less than what you'll pay for a ship's excursion. In the afternoon I plan to walk through Kotor and then hopefully go half way up to the fortress for the views back down.

 

From what I've heard, if you want to see the two little islands with their churches from the cruise ship, you should be on deck an hour before you're scheduled to dock in Kotor, or else stay on top an hour after you depart Kotor. You'll also go through the Verige Strait - at one point only a quarter mile long. Then there's more traveling through the Bay of Kotor until you get out to sea - usually 2 hours from dock or anchorage in Kotor to

open sea. Supposed to be beautiful!

[Got2Cruise]

Yes the Bay of Kotor is absolutely stunning. For those two hours stay up on deck. Hopefully your ship will give commentary as ours did as you pass the points of interest.

[Got2Cruise]

[celebrity]

Yes the Bay of Kotor is absolutely stunning. For those two hours stay up on deck. Hopefully your ship will give commentary as ours did as you pass the points of interest.

 

Very excited for our visit Sept 2016. What ship were you sailing as they gave commentary on the points of interest?

[Got2Cruise]

Very excited for our visit Sept 2016. What ship were you sailing as they gave commentary on the points of interest?

 

 

I was on a Star Clipper Cruise. It's a great experience but totally different than an ocean liner.