It was a 5:30 AM start for us on Day 7… grabbed everything we needed (passports / sunglasses / EURO) and trekked to Pile Gate. Today’s itinerary, in short, included a return excursion from Dubrovnik to Kotor in the country of Montenegro (our third new European Country of the trip). Prior to our departure from home, we’d booked this tour with Amico Tours wanting to see as much of the Balkans as possible while visiting. Here’s how it rolled!
Firstly… pick-up in the exact location, at the posted time, and we were on the way with group of 8 and driver / guide Gabriel. Wake up call right away as we peered out the vehicle window at the stunning cliffside views over Dubrovnik. Our guide was informative, relaxed and had a keen sense of humor. He had us to the border quickly and we passed through Croatian, then Montenegrin Passport controls. Phone data also switched networks. Quick pit stop once in the country, then a coastal drive where Gabriel reviewed segments of the region’s history, commented on landscape / climate and a few dabbles into politics!
The first real stop of the morning occurred in the town of Perast, located oceanside in a fjord-like bay on the Adriatic. The Lady of Our Rock is the major attraction in the area, so we took the opportunity to sail to the island and tour the picturesque church and quaint museum. We were the first to arrive, so much so that the employees that open the building were on our boat. The boat trip only lasts 5 minutes, but it seems fitting to head out, as the island has many ties to the local seafaring history and is a tribute to nautical life.
Gabriel shared the interesting history of the island and covered its creation and cultural significance. According to local tradition, the island was formed by sailors who laid stones in the bay after each successful voyage, creating both the island and the church. The local community also continues the tradition and a community festival continues the tradition yearly and the island continues to grow. Upon return, Janie and I took the remaining time in Perast to walk the one lane promenade along the bay. We ended up spending an hour 1/2 in the area.
From there it was another 25 minutes to the terminus for our plunge into Montenegro, beautiful Kotor. Kotor has a population of 13,347 and is a walled city nestled into the furthest corner of Kotor Bay. It has become a “Port of Call” for cruise ships that make their way up the sound, and can double in daily population during the cruise ship season. Gabriel provided some excellent tips / tricks (as well as a map) for getting around / where to eat / things to do without wasting time. We set out to explore from the Sea Gate entrance behind the ancient walls. In all, the tour left us with 3 1/2 hours to enjoy the city in whichever way we chose. I really enjoy that type of guiding… We weren’t held to one group activity. Here are some of the stops we made;
Kampana Tower / Bembo Bastion: The Kampana Tower is the most prominent bastion of Kotor’s fortifications at the mouth of the Škurda River, tying the river-facing north wall to the Sea Gate. It’s among the first landmarks visitors see when approaching the Old Town from the sea. It proved a quick walk that is elevated and gives a nice vantage point of the city and the river below. Purposefully, we used it to bypass a walk through centre of town to get to the entrance to the “Ladder of Kotor” hillside hike (a tip from Gabriel to avoid crowds).
Church of our Lady of Remedy / Ladder of Kotor: Lots of things that look like they are religious this morning, but really this was a Ladder of Kotor hike up the mountain that overlooks the city. The Church of our Lady of Remedy Roman Catholic church built in 1518 is accessed, via the trail, halfway up the slope of St. John Mountain. The Hiking trail is not for the faint of heart… we only went part of the way ending at the church, but enjoyed the overlook! Glad we ventured there… and a bonus as there was some construction going on and we saved 30 EUR due to there being no booth to collect funds 😂. Another unexpected off season perk! The views were amazing and Kotor was perfectly laid out beneath.
The Square Pub / St Tryphon’s Cathedral: Needed a treat after the hike so we settled into the Square Pub for Nikšićko ales and a perfect view of St. Tryphons. The beer was entirely drinkable, and the views unbeatable. Treated to the ringing of noon time bells and a steady flow of passerby / people watching. I’m not sure if it was the beer or the venue, but we absolutely chilled and took a few minutes just to be thankful for where we were sitting and what we were doing. Caught a few web updates as well for good measure. It becomes a daunting task if one doesn’t pick away at it some through the day.
St. Nichola’s Serbian Orthodox Church: This church was built from 1902 – 1909 on the spot of a previous church erected in 1810 destroyed by fire in 1896. We did get to read some English on a plaque that noted the church had been funded by groups in Russian, which we thought interesting. Ties are close between Russia and Montenegro with visitation and finance. The Cathedral of St Nicholas is a “No Picture” space, so we absolutely respected that and borrowed a picture of the front from the web just to give you an idea of the space. Beautiful inside and so glad the door was open and free for us to walk in and visit.
Pizzeria Sara: After another walk stumbling about the narrow alleys and lanes that connect the city, we stopped once again at the square in front of the cathedral. This time for food! We sampled pizza and sandwich with refreshments at Pizzeria Sara. All was economical and pricing (we felt) was pretty decent! Our waiters recommendations were spot on and we left with bellies full and ready for the several hour drive home. Basically, do your thing Gabriel and get us home 👍!
The trip home to Dubrovnik went without instance. A short stop occurred at the border in order to do facial scans for 6 out of the 8 group members. Not a lot of rhyme or reason to the new system. I’d suggest, if you’re headed to Europe this summer, that line-ups at customs may prove longer. Gabriel made one last stop at the overlook just outside of the old town where we got to stretch our legs and catch the sun falling behind the city. He did a great job keeping the tour on track and, all in, Janie and I both felt it was a great day.
Unfortunately, a boat tour that we had booked for Thursday evening was cancelled… Wind Warnings were in effect so funds were transferred back. We decided on a planning session to iron a few changes in details around a Friday flight ✈️ / details for our travel and an evening walk would have to suffice! A last stroll around this beautifully lit city was more than enough ❤️. We tucked in at about 8:00 PM for the evening and enjoyed some of the charcuterie snacks that we had purchased at Tommy’s. A fitting ending to our last night in Dubrovnik.
Well, I thoroughly enjoyed catching up with your travels last night as you go from country to country, museum to castle, to another fine meal, to a great B&B with views and collecting your stories all along the way. It is interesting, as I read, to hear those city names that were so often in our ears in the 90s during the war, but have slipped from memory. In reading your piece, I am taken back to that time and thinking about those places with this perspective of time. Thanks for that. This morning, when I got up, I had to review the map of where you have been traveling and got intrigued with the boundary lines between Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro, wondering how that thin line was established with all its bumps and wiggles along the way down the coast. Comparing that to our 49th parallel, a straight and unadulterated line, based on math with little connection to cultures and their evolution. Thank you both for sharing your trip with words and photos that transported me on a lowery March night to some more interesting places in the world.
Keep your eye out for some boats. And don’t forget: take your vitamin G, just like the doctor ordered.
Wow… you’ve summed up a whole lot of my thinking on this trip in your note Than. Thanks for dropping us a comment. It’s a complicated, but very beautiful piece of earth we’ve been working to experience in such a short timeline. The map is essential kit to understanding it. We’ve put on more miles in vehicles this time around than most… but it has been supported by some very kind and professional guides. Although a lot of terrible has occurred here, we’ve seen a lot of good. Whether it being made welcome to see prayer outside a working mosque in Sarajevo or the lady with the great smile that sells the most delicious bread in Dubrovnik. I guess it’s why we travel… we give these experiences value. Hope that all is well with you and yours, and that the warmer days with spring coming lend some warmth to your shoulders ☀️. Cheers and take care… Chris & Janie
Your ‘day summary’ convinces me even more to respect the value of a local guide. They are often the highlight of a trip and it seems like you nailed it on this trip. We’ve found that they are a necessity, especially in art museums. Three hours with a guide sure beats a 12 minute in and out trip w/o.
So agree…we used more on the ground support than usual this visit… and Janie loves the interaction. We had excellent guides throughout the trip… Hamza, Gabriel, and Danijela all brought something different! We even had a surprise guide, our transfer cabbie into Zagreb, who started out the drive quietly, but opened up like a can of beans when we started asking him questions. Naming best spots to grab a drink / food, pointing out landmarks, and not to miss sites if you are on a quick one day tour. All we really want, in most cases, is someone passionate about their home or topic!