Kotor sits at the head of a deep, twisting bay on the Adriatic coast of Montenegro, where mountains plunge straight into the sea and a medieval walled town huddles at the water's edge. It is often compared to a fjord, and the comparison holds. In high summer the cruise ships pour visitors into its lanes; in shoulder season, spring or autumn, you can have its beauty at a far gentler pace.
The town and the bay
Kotor's old town is a tangle of marble lanes, squares and churches behind sturdy walls, small enough to explore in an afternoon but atmospheric enough to keep you longer. The great challenge and reward is the climb up the fortifications behind the town to the fortress of San Giovanni, a steep zig-zag rewarded with a stunning view down over the red roofs and the bay. The drive or boat trip around the bay itself, past tiny villages and island churches, is unmissable.
Why shoulder season
- The cruise ships are fewer, so the lanes that choke in July are walkable and the restaurants relaxed.
- The temperatures are kinder for the steep fortress climb, which is punishing in midsummer heat.
- Prices are lower and rooms easier to find than in the peak weeks.
Getting there
Kotor is reached most easily by flying to Tivat or Dubrovnik just over the border in Croatia, then a short transfer. A hire car opens up the rest of the bay and the Montenegrin coast and mountains beyond, all dramatic and still relatively undiscovered.
Spring brings green hillsides and wildflowers, autumn warm seas and soft light, and both avoid the summer crush. Montenegro is small, cheap and spectacular, and Kotor is its jewel. Come in the quieter months, climb the walls in the cool of the morning, and enjoy one of the Adriatic's most beautiful corners before the day's first ship ties up.