Kotor truly is one of the most dazzling jewels in Montenegro's crown. A UNESCO world heritage site boasting a majestic location in a spectacular fjord, Kotor's old city is impressive enough on its own even when you don't count the fortified walls that stretch up the surrounding cliffs. This tour covers Kotor's old town but mainly focuses on those walls and the hike up to Kotor's Fortress of San Giovanni (or St. John's fortress in English).
Our guide will take you on a walking tour of the highlights of Kotor's old city before leading you on the rigorous walk up to the fortress. While it is not strictly-speaking a climb, this hike is pretty vigorous – you will be ascending approximately 1,350 stairs to a height of 1,200 metres.
These formidable fortress walls date back to medieval times, built on and off between the 9th and 19th centuries, and built by everyone from the Byzantines to the Venetians. While the ramparts may appear dilapidated in parts, they are remarkably well-preserved and you especially notice this from any of the city gates. The walls are long (around 4.5 kilometres) and wide (between 2 and 16 metres in different places), while the walls' height reaches up to 20 metres in parts.
And the rewards? Well, the iconic views of the fjord from near the top with the church tower in the foreground are fantastic, and they are even more breathtaking from the very summit and the fortress itself.
It goes without saying that this tour requires a reasonable level of fitness and would not be suitable for those with mobility difficulties.
Duration: 3 hours
Included
- collection from the pier by our English-speaking expert guide
- Kotor tourist tax
- entrance fee to the Cathedral of St. Triphun
- entrance fee to the Kotor Maritime Museum
- VAT
