Nestled next to the stunning Adriatic Sea, the medieval, UNESCO protected city of Kotor reminded us of Dubrovnik, Croatia. With its narrow, twisted, cobbled alleys, Venetian architecture and ancient churches, you’ll feel as though there might be a armored knight on horseback around the next corner.

It’s not clear exactly when the first settlement was established here, but the closest approximation is around the 9th century BC when the Illyrians arrived. Many others populated the area over the centuries including the Venetians and Romans, and you’ll see evidence of their presence in the area. Click here for a more detailed history of Kotor.

We had an early morning flight from Prague to Podgorica, and had previously booked bus tickets for the two hour drive to Kotor later in the day. We knew we would have to wait most of the afternoon for our bus, so we figured we’d find some lunch and wander a bit before leaving.

Our first glimpse of Montenegro.

Once out of the airport and hoping to catch a bus to the town center, we were met by many taxi drivers (you know the drill), informing us that it was a holiday (Independence Day) and local busses were not running. In addition, they informed us that most places of business were closed, also due to the holiday. We had no choice but to take a taxi into town.

We told the driver we wanted to go to a restaurant close to the bus station, since we’d be taking the bus to Kotor later in the afternoon. We weren’t sure what language he was speaking, but through some broken English he said, “€20 to town, €100 to Kotor”. Hmm; very tempting, we thought. After some consideration, and doing a quick check of typical taxi fees to Kotor, we took him up on his offer. I was a bit nervous at first, after all, he could have been an axe murderer posing as a taxi driver. But after a few minutes, we settled in and enjoyed the ride.

We learned his language is Serbian. So the translators quickly came out and we enjoyed some very basic conversation. And what a ride, more like a private tour! He took a spectacularly scenic route and we enjoyed some amazing views.

The route included hairpin turns and breathtaking scenery.

Several times we met a large vehicle and had to back up in order to let them pass.

At one point, he pulled over and pointed out some points of interest.

We were riding high until we pulled up to the ancient city gate and we saw this just a few hundred feet away. Heavy sigh.

We quickly learned that multiple cruise ships stop in Kotor everyday. The locals are sick of them and the crowds they bring, but the city profits greatly off the fees the ships pay to stop here. I’m sure the locals will revolt at some point, and force the city to limit them like other cities have done; I certainly hope so.

As we were settling into our apartment, Kotor Nest (not an Airbnb), we heard the ship’s horn blare, signaling all were on board and they were heading out. We perked up and headed out to enjoy the city. Although the city still had some tourists, we were able to find many quiet places and restaurants. The business owners, and even the street cats, seemed happier that the throngs were gone.

Even though Kotor was packed with tourists during our stay, we found ways to enjoy this medieval city and other locations near by. However, we probably won’t return until changes are made to control the flood of tourists into the old town. We chatted with many locals and shop keepers who are fed-up of the throngs of tourists trampling through their historic city, and the lack of effort by city officials to curb them.

View of the crowds from St. Tryphon Cathedral:

We enjoyed several day trips to nearby areas during our stay so there’s more to come over the next few weeks.

As always, I would love to hear from you so leave a comment if you’d like.

Wishing you grand and crowd free adventures,

Tricia