I think they divided off the best bits of Yugoslavia, packaged it up and re-labelled it Montenegro.
It is probably one of the most beautiful countries I have visited and one I am itching to get back to.
Now that I am in my last five months of living and working in Egypt, sadly, I highly doubt that I will.
‘Montenegro’ means ‘Black Mountain’ in the dialect of Croatian (Serbio-CroAtian, or ‘Montenegrin’) they speak in Montenegro.
This small country of former Yugoslavia sits like an egg in a nest, surrounded by Croatia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo, and is a bundle of brace-yourself beauty.
Montenegro is graced with rugged mountains, medieval villages and a stunning strip of Adriatic coast - around 295km of it - that lies between Croatia and Albania, including the inland fjord-like Kotor Bay. If fortified towns are your thing, this small country packs a powerful punch - alluding to its rich turbulent history and the fast shifting of civilisations, with stunning towns such as Kotor, Sveti Stefan and Budva on the Adriatic coast providing breadcrumbs of the past, by allowing you to literally walk through the centuries of past times.
Lights show the way up hundreds of steps, to the old fort in Kotor.
Aside from its stunning historical assets, Montenegro is rich with mountainous national parks resplendent with intimidating limestone peaks, glacial lakes and the 1300m deep Tara Canyon.
For the adventuresome, Montenegro is an absolute paradise playground, not too dissimilar to the Queenstown area in New Zealand reputation as being the adventure capital of the world, any day.
I had arrived in Kotor on the bus from Dubrovnik.
For a mere 8 euro I was able to travel in relative comfort across the border, into Montenegro. Its a matter of just turning up to the bus station and buying a ticket then waiting for the bus - which was late. Two buses were Kotor bound. I was ushered to one and the driver took my pack, shoving it underneath the upper seating platform.
When I got to Kotor, my pack was no longer under the bus. I wondered if this should be the precise moment to loose my shit.
I decided yes - it was. And so I did.
The driver told me it was my fault - that I had put the pack onto the other bus. I corrected him and pointed out that HE had put my pack on THIS very bus. He then decided that maybe I had swapped buses. Um …. How?
Continuing to lose my shit, I told him I was going to the police, as my bag had clearly been stolen and he - as the driver - was responsible.
Mentally visualising my contents, I had my Egypt horror arrival scenario running through my brain all over again and it did not take long before the anxiety kicked in full force.
I asked for directions to the police, photographed the driver, his name badge and the bus - much to his horror and he then told ME he would sue me.
I laughed at him.
He pulls out his phone and tells me to calm down.
CALM DOWN?!
Speaking in urgent tones he then informs me that my bag has been found in Herceg Novi (an hour away), and his ’brother’ will bring it.
AMAZING!
I settled down for an hours wait, and then within 15 minutes a decrepit beat up eastern block brand car clatters into the Kotor bus stop, and said ‘brother’ opens the rear passenger door.
“Is this your bag?” he grunts as he points to my grey Osprey pack.
“Yes”, I announce and rapidly extract it from the back seat. He demanded money for his ‘service’. “NO!” I forcefully yelled at him.
“You left it on the ground at Tivat station”, he states giving me the filthiest look ever.
‘NO!” I yelled - “YOUR BROTHER, (the driver) left it on the ground after he obviously pulled out everyone else’s luggage, and he forgot to put it back in!!! I never got off the bus!”
Anyway - welcome to Kotor.
Pack on my back, I flagged a taxi to drive me to my Air BNB - a humble home on the hillside overlooking the bay.
The walk to Muo where I was staying, was around 3km from Kotor centre. It was a stunning walk with swimming opportunities along the way.
I could relax for a few days, explore, photograph before heading to the mountains.
Kotor is a fortified town - the old town, being some 2000 plus years old, has fortified walls around it, some of which have been built up the mountainside to a large fort which overlooks the bay, accessed by a myriad of steep steps.
I hiked instead up a steeply zig-zagging path that cut through a valley gut, beyond the cheese maker half way up where I stopped for a cold drink; up through a large forest to exit onto the main road to where a cafe offered a welcome respite from the unrelenting summer heat on this windless day, with cool beer and expansive views.
I continued up beyond the road, before turning back to descend to the fort, where I met a kiwi guy climbing through a window to gain entry inside (you can always rely on the Kiwi’s to be out and about - I wrote a blog post about my meeting with that guy). I wandered around in the hilltop fortress which smelled like aged pee, and wandered why it had seemingly been left to go to ruin - a strange little man was selling bottles of coke from within a dark damp small cold room, while tourists stood posing for their IG photos above the Bay of Kotor.
Kotor offers an excellent low key opportunity to dwell within a fortified town and like many of these old towns, a tourist must pay a tourist tax - which is linked to the passport. A sizeable fine can ensue, if this fee has not been paid within 24 hours of arrival.
Pops of colour dot the narrow lanes of Kotor old town.
Numerous excellent cafes line the open squares, where one can view glorious old churches whilst entertaining one of the many cats which live within these walls.
Kotor is well-known for caring for its resident cat population.
I swam daily in Kotor, but the presence of large cruise ships in the bay was somewhat off-putting. I should have hired a bike and ventured further along the coast, where the vibe is more relaxed (Kotor is already reasonably chill compared to Dubrovnik), and found another area to swim, but I was on foot and car-less, so I stayed local. I could have taken a local bus to the stunning Perast, some 12 km from Kotor, with its two church-laden islets, and quietly gave myself a metaphorical pinch as I eyed this cute wee village, while on my way to Zablijak, from the bus window.
Next time!
Finding hiking trails is a priority wherever I go. Behind Muo, a trail took me up through the forest in zig-zagged fashion, to a forest-covered ridge, which extended all the way to the end of the point where a large lookout region provided 360 degree views of Kotor bay, and across to Tivat. In fact you can hike this trail down into Tivat townhip. The views across the bay to the Mountains behind Kotor Bay are jaw-dropping; the evening and morning light hits the peaks sending a soft glow across the inlet, which is enough to have one questioning if life is indeed better lived with a view down rather than a view out or up!
For more information on Montenegro, I have written a post on hiking in Durmitor National Park, and a piece on meeting a fellow Kiwi in a fortress!
Some tips for Kotor:
It is 30 mins by car from Tivat
There is a cable car on the Tvat - Kotor road that you can go in to a high mountain pass
Kotor has huge cruise ships anchoring in the summer meaning the town becomes crowded by day and more quiet by night
You must pay a tourist tax of around 2 euro per night
The hike via the zig zag path from the old town to the fortress is 8 euro in summer but free in winter
You can access the fortress through an open window if you are not afraid of climbing about 3 m up to access it, from the back of the fortress! Requires a gut-busting hike up a path though! But the bonus is a stunning byzantine church nearby and incredible views of the mountains behind.
The Bay road is flat perfect for cycling
There are plenty of hiking trails accessed off the bay road
Taxis are cheap!
The bus station is first in first served for bookings on the day - you cannot pe-book, so arrive well before the scheduled departure time
Late buses are normal!
Watch your luggage!
You can hire canoes for the inlet from along the water front
Further up the bay at (. ) are two small islands one houses a church the other a building - both gorgeous
There is a narrow steep gorge hiding an impressive waterfall behind Kotor - only accessible for the very brave and deft of hand and foot!
You can catch a bus to Pogorica, Tivat, Zablijak or any other country, from Kotor such as Croatia.
There is an international airport at Tivat.
Other thoughts:
Air BNB -
My host was an enthusiastic woman who hailed from Serbia and did not speak more than a handful of English; on my last night there she and her partner put on a huge BBQ for me - I have never consumed so much meat in one sitting and waddled off the next morning to catch my bus up to Zablijak in the mountains, full with the proteinous satisfaction of the early bird who caught the worm. I would call this a budget Air BNB - a small rudimentary room, no cooking facilities, a decent bathroom (shared, and a 3km walk to the old town (which didn’t both me), but at 17 euro a night it was fantastic value.
I would highly recommend her, however I can no longer find her link on Air BNB. There are numerous well priced accommodations on offer in Kotor. I would recommend travelling however, in a shoulder season to avoid the summer when it can get busy.