7 Must-Sees in Kotor Old Town
Kotor Old Town, Montenegro
I am very well aware of the fact that many people visit Kotor for its scenic view of Kotor Bay. After all, it IS the second photo appearing in Google Images when you search for “Montenegro” (Don’t worry, I will be talking about it in the next post). BUT Kotor ITSELF is also a stunning little city/town, which is often overlooked! I am here to present you the must-sees in Kotor Town:Â
1. Piazza of the Arms
Once you enter the Old City Walls you find yourself face to face with the Old Main Square inside the fortress of Kotor. Although a generally busy street with numerous taverns, pizzerias, souvenir shops and plenty of tourists, take a moment and look up to observe the beauty of small stone homes with colorful Venetian blinds, decorated with lovely flowers. An old clock tower will also greet you on the right side of the main square.
Kotor Old Town Main Square
Clock tower in Kotor Old Town
Decorated Venetian Blinds in Kotor Main Square
2. Church of St. Nicholas
Tucked in between city walls and stone houses, the Church of St. Nicholas is a small Serbian Orthodox Church at the heart of town. It has impressive murals on the inside which you might want to check out:
St. Nicholas Church, Kotor, Montenegro
3. St. Tryphon Cathedral
Saint Tryphon is one of two Roman Catholic churches in the whole country, it is the largest and considered the most beautiful building in Kotor, consecrated in the 12th century. It has a tumultuous history, and today it is the symbol of the city. Whatever you do in Kotor, be sure to visit this impressive cathedral with uneven towers!
St. Tryphon, Kotor, Montenegro
4. Maritime Museum & Old Town Streets
Although I didn’t get to visit the Maritime Museum of Kotor, I heard and read that it has awesome ship models on display, also offering a thorough presentation of the Montenegrin Maritime History. Don’t forget to get lost a bit between the cobblestone, narrow streets (you literally can, since there are MANY little streets) and really get into the atmosphere.
Kotor Maritime Museum
Narrow streets of Kotor
5. Promenade in front of the Main City Wall Entrance
As you get out from the old city walls (which, if you visit during the summer, you’ll notice they emanate extreme heat), cool off on a bench under one of the many palm trees of the promenade. Also check out the market located right next to it, where you can find local goods, such as fresh fruit, vegetables and even some delicious fish!
Kotor Promenade, Montenegro
As you start walking towards the Northern gate, don’t forget to check out my favorite tree, which has a scenic background and which at the beginning of May is in full bloom and smells HEAVENLY. I managed to photograph it twice in different time periods:
1st of May 2014 in Kotor
20th of May 2015 Kotor
6. Northern Gate
The impressive Northern Gate is mandatory if you’re in Kotor! The gate itself is intact, situated right next to a moat with turquoise/greenish color, having the robust mountains arising in their background. It is a very picturesque area, and depending on the strength of sunshine and the denseness of clouds, it can offer different views:
Northern Gate, Kotor – on a clear day
Northern Gate, Kotor – when the clouds arrived
Northern Gate, Kotor – on a cloudy day
7. Our Lady of Health/Remedy
Our Lady of Health is located at approximately 1/3rd of the steps leading up to the best view of the Bay of Kotor. It is a Roman Catholic Church founded in the 16th century and photographers often capture the bay together with the church tower. This is a definite must-see in Kotor Old Town!
Our Lady of Remedy & Kotor walls
If you liked the post, get the GPS-guided tour of Kotor at this link!
Don’t hesitate to check out the three best views of Kotor Bay if you’re into belvederes! And pin the image below to help spread the word đÂ
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Wow, the green of the water in the moan is beautiful. I love this kind of emerald green. And also the pictures of the cobbled streets and brick buildings are lovely. I haven’t heard about Kotor before, but it looks like a place worth visiting.
Thank you for your comment! It’s a must-see đ Stay tuned for the next post when I’ll be showcasing the amazing view of Kotor Bay
So, so pretty! Kotor is the only place I knew in Montenegro before reading your posts and it is high on my wish list. Take me with you when you go next time? đ
Sure thing! Although it might be a little while until I go back, since I visited twice in the last 1.5 years. Planning to go somewhere new next year! đ
Lovely photos – such an amazing architecture. Love the narrow streets, looks so cozy. And the northern gate is just impressive!
Thank you for your comment! đ
It is a truly magical place!
Great review and photos. I went last year and particularly loved Kotor, Stari Bar and lake Skadar. But for such a small country, the diversity is incredible.
I even got pix of very rare #DalmatianPelicans when out on a boat trip the lake. Very proud of them đ
Keep traveling – and writing about it!
Thank you for your comment! It is an amazingly diverse country, hope it won’t get too crowded anytime soon!
Thanks for your reply. Sadly, Kotor already resembles Dubrovnik some days. For example, when I was there, one day there were no cruise ships in the port – the next morning 3 had appeared and the old town was jammed đ
But so far, it’s not ‘on the radar’ like Croatia – and all the better for it! đ
I totally agree! When we started going up to the fortress of Kotor there was practically no one on the stairs. When we were coming down, a whole cruise ship docked, and thousands of them were just filling the streets. The old town got especially crowded. Locals told us that the population (13500 inhabitants) nearly doubles, since one cruise ship can carry up to 8-9000 people..
Ah, I would love to visit Kotor in 2016! Thanks for your suggestions!
Kotor has been one of the highlights of my Balkan trip, and even though I’ve visited it twice, I wouldn’t hesitate on going back again! đ