Boka Kotorska Bay: features, attractions, travel and accommodation

Boko-Kototskaya Bay is a radiant and caressing place with hot southern winds. Its shores are dotted with miniature ancient towns, villages, Orthodox churches, palaces, cathedrals, beautiful bays and lush greenery that bring relaxation and romantic mood. The richest history of the region, the limitless combination of many architectural styles that go beyond the usual ideas, give it a special uniqueness, that mystery and energy that motivates tourists who visit these places from year to year.

Boka Kotorska Bay is a bay deeply (up to 20 km) extending into the territory of Montenegro. It is believed that it appeared on the site of an ancient canyon that once existed here. Its depth reaches 40 m, so even large cruise ships can easily pass the bay almost to the end.

The width of the bay at its beginning reaches 3 km. The island of Mamula, the peninsulas of Lustica and Prevlaka with the fortresses of Azra and Oshtro are located here. The narrowest point (about 300 m) is called Veriga. The Bay of Kotor is surrounded by a coastal track with a length of 105.7 km, from sections of which you can be inspired by the beauty of the bay from almost any angle. The bay itself consists of 4 bays: Kotor, Risan, Tivatsky and Herceg Novsky.

One cannot but recall a number of islands that adorn the bay:

• "Theotokos on the reef";
• Island of Flowers;
• the island of St. Marko;
• Island of Mercy;
• the island of St. George.

The name of the Bay of Kotor is of Venetian origin, where “Bocca” means “mouth”, and “Kotor” is formed from the name of the main city of the region - Kotor. It turns out the mainland of Kotor, swallowing the sea.

Numerous settlements and fishing villages are scattered across Kotor, where small industries are abundant. There are in the region (includes 3 municipalities - Kotor, Tivat and Herceg Novi) shipbuilding and repair plants, ports and an airport, which is conveniently located on the coast of the Tivat Bay.

The Boka Kotorska Riviera looks great from Mount Lovcen (1500 meters), from where you can see the whole panorama of this bay, the largest in the Mediterranean basin. This is a beautiful bay dotted with small towns and mansions. The rich greenery of the landscape, abundantly covered with cypresses, olive and lemon trees, and other Mediterranean plants, pacifies.

Montenegro is characterized by 4 climatic zones: coastline, rocky plateau, plain and highlands.

The narrow coastline of the bay is characterized by features of a typical Mediterranean climate - sultry summers and humid, mild winters. Summer is hot (in July, on average 28-30 degrees), precipitation is small - 25-50 mm. The sun reigns here about 2300 hours a year and southerly winds prevail almost all year round. Even for winter, the north wind is rare.

Intense rains are observed from November to January, when 170-260 mm of precipitation falls monthly. The northern parts of the coast are more rainy than the southern ones. In January, the average night temperature is not lower than 4-5 degrees, during the day - 11-13 degrees. Freezing temperatures are rare in the region. The swimming season lasts from late May to October, the water temperature is 20-25 degrees.

Due to the high mountains that carefully cover the area, the Kotor region has a mild and warm climate. Occasionally, especially in winter, air masses overcome the mountain barrier and the bay is covered with a rain curtain. In summer, unpredictable winds can form morning fogs. Strengthening of winds is extremely typical for the narrow places of the bay (Veriga and the city of Perast).

There are no formed or established currents in the Bay of Kotor. They are all changeable and depend on the time of the ebb and flow. By summer, the speed of their flow increases. In the south of the bay, the northwest flow moves at a speed of 1 km / h. Higher-speed flows - up to 4 km / h, are formed after heavy rains and move from the bay to its entrance. Therefore, the water temperature in the bay fluctuates and directly depends on the specific location, current speed and underwater relief. Warmer waters are observed in Boka, Budva, Petrovac and other places.

Despite the quite pronounced resort universalism of the region, the dominant historical factor, the abundance of sights and natural beauties, Boka Kotorska Bay has turned into a Mecca for educational tourism.

The main town of the bay and the seaport is Stary Kotor. Cruise ships and yachts come here. The old part of the city is located at the foot of Mount Lovcen and is under the protection of UNESCO. She is so beautiful that she is called “the bride of the Adriatic”. It is noteworthy that there are no right angles in the planning of the city and its houses.

For four centuries, the city was part of the Venetian Republic, which is clearly evidenced by its architectural style.The legacy of the Austro-Hungarian rule of Kotor remained the prison and theater of Napoleon after a short occupation by the French.

In Kotor, it is worth visiting the Clock Tower and the pillar of shame, from which criminals were ostracized. Architectural monuments are the Cathedral of St. Tryphon, the Church of St. Luke (XII century), the Maritime Museum is extremely informative. The fortress of St. Giovanni is amazing, where, overcoming 1400 steps, you can not only check the level of your physical fitness, but also get aesthetic pleasure in the beauties surrounding it.

The inhabitants of Kotor have a clear favor for cats; museums, art galleries, souvenir shops and even a square are dedicated to them.

Perast is the birthplace of skilful Bokel captains and admirals of the Tsarist Russian fleet. Its cozy and somewhat toy-like view on one of the hills of the bay is simply touching. The place has a creative aura. It is a city of poets, writers and artists.

Climbing the fortress of the Holy Cross, you can fully appreciate from different angles all the beauty and charm of this place. The fortress itself was erected in the 17th century at the expense of the residents of the city; its bell tower is 55 meters high.

The museum, housed in the old palace of the famous 17th century navigator Bujovic, is also good here. Popular in the museum are expositions about shipyards, sea battles with the Turks, Russian boyars of Peter I, who were trained by local sea wolves.

The first, the island of the Virgin, is of man-made origin. According to legend, two brothers found in this place an icon of the Mother of God, which is now in the church, being the guardian of Perast. On the walls of the church there are silver and gold tiles left by sailors before the campaigns. The church amazes with dozens of paintings painted in the 17th century by the famous master Tripo Kokolya.

The second island is famous for the cemetery of captains and famous inhabitants of Perast. The famous Benedictine abbey is also located here.

The numerous names of Herceg Novi speak for themselves - the City of a Thousand Steps, the Botanical Garden of Montenegro, the favorite resort of the Yugoslav intelligentsia. The city is located on a hill, the numerous paths of the city mostly consist of steps.

This interesting detail was the reason for the birth of the popular joke that it is precisely the abundance of city steps that explains the unusual slenderness of local girls.

The Herceg Novi Botanical Garden is also man-made - most of the exotic plants were brought here by sailors from all over the world. The 7-kilometer city embankment leads to the village of Igalo, where Josip Tito's dacha "Galeb" is located. Now they conduct excursions there. Igalo is famous for the S. Milosevic medical center with the most useful mineral springs and mud.

The city center immerses you in the mysterious Middle Ages. Here you will find a stately Turkish clock tower, several churches and 3 fortresses. The director Emir Kusturica was baptized in the Savino monastery in 2005.

On the other side of the bay, opposite Kotor, there is the former town of fishermen and captains - Prcanj. The Prcanj navigator Ivo Vizin was the sixth in the world to make a round-the-world voyage on the ship "Splendido".

Today, this tourist village is known for its majestic Catholic Church of the Virgin Mary, which was built for over 120 years (the Venetians started and finished under the Austro-Hungarians). According to one version, the temple was ordered by the Knights of the Order of Malta. The temple is opened on holidays.

There is an airport in Tivat that accepts charter planes. Here, the yacht port is full of colorful sails with boutiques and restaurants for every taste. Porto Montenegro resembles Nice or Monaco and looks no worse than the Cote d'Azur.

The Arsenal Naval Heritage Museum located here is extremely informative.One of the two submarines in the port can be accessed on a guided tour. The museum displays exhibits from the times of Austria-Hungary and Yugoslavia.

Gorny Stoliv is a unique abandoned village nestled on the Vrmac Peninsula in the quaint mountains at an altitude of 240 meters. The way to the village lies through the village of Nizhniy Stoliv along an ancient stone road through a chestnut forest. The village is notable for the fact that it was founded in the XIV century and is mentioned in the historical chronicles of 1326.

It is interesting that the name "Stoliv" is associated with an old beautiful tradition. The fact is that a guy who decided to get married had to plant 100 olive trees before the wedding. Only after that was he allowed to lead the bride to the altar. There are two churches in the village - St. Anne and St. Elijah.

The beaches of Kotor, as already noted, are not the main incentive for tourists to come to this region. There are no sandy beach lines within the city. A significant part of the coastline is occupied by the port.

The nearest more or less spacious beach is located in Dobrota (4 km north of the capital); it is a series of pebble and concrete areas with fungi and sun loungers. In the bay, it is one of the most visited bathing spots located near the city.

A good beach area with pebbles and clear turquoise water is located on the outskirts of the village of Doni Orahovets. The coastal slope of the site allows children to swim here safely.

After following another 2 km, we will reach the town of Bayova Kula with a perfectly equipped sun lounger area and a pristine coast with small pebbles.

A popular beach area in the Perast region is 320 meters long, which includes a series of installed stone platforms and equipped with sun loungers. Here you can dive with pleasure.

The completely pebbled and fairly long Kotor beach is Risan, located near Perast. It is distinguished by a variety of attractions.

Morinj is perhaps the most remote place for water recreation in the bay - superbly equipped and allowing you to retire.

On the left bank near the capital, you can happily relax on the beach areas of Cape Marko and near the village of Doni Stoliv.

Small sand and pebbles in the region of Budva, Herceg Novi, Tivat, Petrovac are more suitable for kids. The coast of these cities is characterized by a leisurely descent into the water without breaks and the presence of various attractions.

You should not choose places for water recreation near port facilities, of which there are many in the Riviera, where the water will obviously not be clean.

The waters of the bay are rich in fish, so fishing in Kotor is great. Oyster farms are also known for their stocks. You can go fishing through the travel agencies existing here, but you can also negotiate for a small fee with local fishermen. Local residents speak Russian well and it is not difficult to organize fishing for them.

Gourmets take delight in dining at one of the oyster farms (distinguished by yellow-orange buoys). By the bay, in a special setting and in style, you can taste the freshest oysters and other marine life at an inexpensive price.

Even the map beautifully shows us the Bay of Kotor in the west of Montenegro in the shape of a large butterfly. You can get to the place, especially without getting tired, by public transport. It is easy to get to the city from Podgorica (the capital of Montenegro) or from Tivat airport. It is convenient to rent a car, but given the steep and difficult mountainous terrain of the road, this option is not acceptable for everyone.

For many tourists, the best way is to get to the bay as part of the sea group excursions "Boko-Kotorska Bay". In addition, this is not only an opportunity to view the beauty of the bay from the side of the ship, but also to get information about the purposes and possibilities of your trip.

Tourism is one of the leading regional sources of income in Kotor. It has a developed tourist infrastructure, which is thoughtfully, carefully and constantly improved by the local authorities. Therefore, the question of living in this case sounds rhetorical. It all depends on the taste, requests and financial capabilities of tourists.

The choice of places to stay in the Bay of Kotor is represented by a wide range of hotels and hotels, traditionally distinguished by the number of stars, but always providing a high level of service. For lovers of a leisurely, elite holiday, 10 hotels offer their services in 5-star hotels.

Hotels of lower ranks with a wide geography of location in the region are represented by the following list:

• 4 * - 40 hotels;
• 3 * - 45 hotels;
• 2 * - 10 hotels;
• apts category (apartment hotel) - 24 hotels;
• category hv2 (holiday village, "club hotel" corresponds to hotels of the 2nd category) - 1 hotel.

See the next video about Boka Kotorska Bay, its features and sights.