Montenegro

Kotor, Montenegro in pictures – is it the most beautiful place in the world?

(Last Updated On: 15/03/2024)

We all have some special places, those that we dream about visiting, that we fall for and finally that we consider the most beautiful in the world. For me one of such destinations is Kotor, Montenegro.

Kotor essentials

Kotor pictures

Kotor – my dream destination

From the moment I saw some Kotor pictures online I knew I have to visit the place, one of the Balkan highlights. Sharp mountains dramatically getting down to the blue water of the bay looked just surreal. I didn’t believe that any place can be that beautiful!

Finally in September 2012 one of my travel dreams came true and I visited Kotor. And guess what! It was even more stunning and breathtaking than on the Kotor pictures I’ve found online!

Of course the very first place I went to were the fortifications! Getting to the top of St. John castle can be very challenging (especially on the hot day with numerous tourists sharing your idea) but so rewarding.

The view from up there is mind-blowing and worth every effort! I literally could have sit there for hours and just stare at the landscape around me, it’s simply perfect!

Kotor pictures

Kotor in December

I returned to Kotor 4 years later and again the place took my breath away, maybe even more than during my first visit. It was the very beginning of December, the weather was really good (warm and sunny) and there very only very few people around (hint: Kotor off season is a perfect idea!). That’s when I could fully appreciate how beautiful Kotor is.

Again I started with climbing 1350 stairs to the top of the fortifications to see the view – and it was as perfect as it has been in my mind for years. On the way down I could witness the beautiful sunset that put the pink light onto the place – it really looked photoshoped then yet it was all happening right in front of my eyes!

Kotor pictures

The most beautiful old town at the Adriatic coast

But while everyone (including me) raves about the landscape, the old town in Kotor is very special too! Full of history, legends, beautiful palaces, details and cats is the most beautiful town in the Adriatic coast, winning over nearby Dubrovnik big time (at least for me).

Strolling around the place is a pleasure – Kotor old town is rather small, you will keep passing the same buildings for all the time yet you will never stop falling for them. I’m talking from my own experience!

Kotor pictures

Perast – the most picturesque village

When you think it can’t get any more beautiful you visit Perast, around 10 kms down the bay from Kotor. And you’re amazed again!

Perast, a small village with the long and intriguing history, again makes your jaw drop, it even might be one of the most picturesque places you will ever see! The view of tall church tower and dramatic mountains in the background is just epic!

From here it’s just a short boat ride to the small artificial island in the middle of the bay with Our Lady of Rocks church – visit there is a must!

Kotor pictures

Kotor – one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen!

I really find it difficult to describe how beautiful Kotor Bay is so let me just tell you this: I’m lucky to have been to many places in over 60 countries at 5 continents. I’m rather reserved when it comes naming a place “my favorite” or “the most stunning I’ve seen”. Yet I’m not afraid to use these words for Kotor. After two visits this is the place I call one of the most beautiful in the world and I’m sure next time I go there I will say the same thing! Kotor is definitely more than just one of Dubrovnik day trips.

But Kotor is not the only beautiful place in Montenegro. The country is small but packed with attractions: amazing coast, breathtaking Durmitor or Lovcen mountains, wild Tara river perfect for rafting or pristine Skadar Lake. I even dare to say it’s probably the most diverse country in the Balkans!

The good news is – you can visit all the best that Montenegro has to offer while being based in Kotor! 360 Monte offers great day trips from Kotor at affordable prices where you can visit all these wonderful places and even more! Public transport to most of these wonders is often very limited so the tours solve the problem and you can really use your time in the country to the fullest! I will do a good use of the 360 Monte offer during my next trip to Montenegro (that is already planned) too!

Kotor pictures

Kotor pictures

Soon I will write a proper article about Kotor – the town and the area are just so interesting and much more than just the amazing views! But before it happens I will just leave you with couple of Kotor pictures to prove you my words! By the way, in only 2 days I took almost 800 pictures – you can imagine how difficult time I had when choosing only these 50ish you see below!

Kotor pictures Kotor City Walls

Kotor pictures Popular cafe just outside the City Walls

Kotor pictures Inside Kotor Old Town

Kotor pictures

Kotor pictures

Kotor pictures Rooftops of Kotor Old Town

Kotor pictures Kotor from above

Kotor pictures

Kotor pictures

Kotor pictures On the way to St.John castle

Kotor pictures

Kotor pictures Kotor Fortifications

Kotor pictures On the other side of the fortifications

Kotor pictures

Kotor pictures

Kotor pictures

Kotor pictures Kotor getting ready for Christmas

Kotor pictures

Kotor pictures

Kotor pictures One of the famous Kotor cats

Kotor pictures

Kotor pictures

Kotor pictures

Kotor pictures Orange trees in Kotor Old Town

Kotor pictures

Kotor pictures Perast

Kotor pictures

Kotor pictures Our Lady of the Rocks church

Kotor pictures Kotor Bay

Kotor pictures

Kotor pictures

Kotor pictures

Kotor pictures

Kotor pictures

Kotor pictures

Kotor pictures

Kotor pictures

Kotor pictures

Kotor pictures

Kotor pictures

Kotor pictures

Kotor pictures

Kotor pictures

Kotor pictures


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Kotor pictures


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25 Comments

  • Reply
    Fonzo
    15/12/2016 at 19:32

    Kami, one can see and read why you found a dream destination in Kotor. The old town reminds me a bit of Trogir or Korcula, further north on the Dalmatian coast. Similar Venetian influence, although the setting here is just amazing. Good time to travel there before the big cruise ships arrive in the summer? I wish you could take a small boat to Kotor from Dubrovnik (more touristy but still my fav being on the sea) as a ride up the bay to Kotor would be beautiful.

    • Reply
      kami
      25/12/2016 at 21:44

      I can imagine how stunning the boat ride must be! At least I have a reason to go back to Kotor :) I was in Trogir and it was pretty but not even close to spectacular Kotor, in my opinion!

      • Reply
        Sasa
        03/02/2018 at 22:43

        Yes, Kotor is the most beautiful place on earth!

        • Reply
          kami
          29/03/2018 at 20:40

          I’m glad you agree with me :)

  • Reply
    stacjabalkany.pl
    16/12/2016 at 04:46

    Kotor i Zatoka Kotorska to także jedno z najpiękniejszych miejsc jakie i ja w życiu widziałem prawdę mówiąc chyba nie ma w Europie i na Bałkanach kraju piękniejszego niż Czarnogóra. Myślałem żeby mając 5 dni wolne początkiem stycznia pojechać do Chorwacji do Splitu ale ceny tam mnie przerażają dobrze ze w Czarnogórze jest jeszcze w miarę normalnie :)

    • Reply
      kami
      25/12/2016 at 21:55

      Poza sezonem może jeszcze nie będzie tak najgorzej w Splicie, a i obok jest trochę tańszych, a też fajnych miejscowości, np. Sibenik.

  • Reply
    Kasia / Szukając Słońca
    17/12/2016 at 17:52

    jadę!!! ale chyba po sezonie trzeba, lubię puste ulice jak na zdjęciach… ;-)

    • Reply
      kami
      25/12/2016 at 22:02

      zdecydowanie tak! W sezonie to dramat był! Jedź koniecznie, Czarnogóra tak bardzo daje radę!

  • Reply
    Patricia
    17/12/2016 at 19:28

    Hello Kami, I love your blog. Thanks for sharing all your experience. Could you tell me which is the easiest way to get Kotor from Sofía? Do you recommend traveling by bus in the Balkans? I only speak english, french and spanish and I’m was wondering if it’s going to be too hard for me to communicate in places like Bucarest, Sofía, Kotor… What do you think?

    Many thanks! And happy traveling!

    • Reply
      kami
      25/12/2016 at 22:05

      Hi Patricia. I definitely recommend buses in the Balkans, the connections are good and you can get around just about everywhere. Not speaking local language shouldn’t be a problem as many people at bus stations speak English and people are really friendly and helpful! I don’t think there’s a direct bus from Sofia to Kotor, you will have to change probably somewhere in Serbia.

  • Reply
    Ewa
    18/12/2016 at 18:07

    Next summer I will be there :D

    • Reply
      kami
      25/12/2016 at 22:08

      Lucky you :)

  • Reply
    Frank
    19/12/2016 at 09:54

    Yes, Kotor one of the most beautiful places we’ve been an well. We were in Dubrovnik and I had only seen a few photos of Kotor and really knew very little about it. Really, I found it much more impressive and genuine than Dubrovnik (too many tourists – locals don’t even live in the old town anymore).
    Anyway, I wrote about it as well and also probably included too many photos…but only because it’s such a stunning place.

    Frank (bbqboy)

    • Reply
      kami
      25/12/2016 at 22:16

      I also find Kotor much more authentic than Dubrovnik even if in Kotor locals are also slowly moving out of the old town. But still Kotor is much more impressive, and the landscape around is simply breathtaking!

  • Reply
    Agness
    22/12/2016 at 14:30

    Awesome pictures, Kami. We are planning to go there in 2018 so your post has been a great introduction for us! :) Spending Christmas in Poland? If so, have a good one!

    • Reply
      kami
      25/12/2016 at 22:26

      Thank you! You will love Kotor for sure, it’s incredible! Btw, do you have a new blog? Cheers!

  • Reply
    BrB Adventures
    25/12/2016 at 02:18

    Miejsce wygląda bardzo kameralnie i uroczo na pewno wpiszę na listę moich must see :)
    ps. super zdjęcia :)

    • Reply
      kami
      25/12/2016 at 22:30

      Dzięki! Zdecydowanie warto tam pojechać!

  • Reply
    Miroslav Hristov
    26/12/2016 at 09:23

    While I was watching the pictures for a moment I thought I read a post about some place in Norway or something like that. So much good looks from the Balkans… shame on me I don’t know anything about these places. Thanks for the information!

    • Reply
      kami
      27/12/2016 at 20:40

      The landscape around Kotor indeed looks very similar to Norway, that was my first thought when I saw Kotor pictures for the first time! And it’s equally beautiful in real life! You definitely should go there when you have a chance, it’s amazing!!

  • Reply
    reyp
    03/06/2019 at 09:11

    Just ran into your post with beautiful and exciting pictures of Kotor today in the web. I enjoyed it and considering Kotor as one of the destinations for my wife and I in the future. Thank you for sharing

    • Reply
      kami
      26/06/2019 at 01:55

      you definitely should go, Kotor is such a gem!

  • Reply
    ZOHER DAGINAWALA
    28/09/2022 at 08:10

    kami i want to visit kotor in november
    you mentioned above that climate was ok when you travelled in december
    so should i go ahead with my plan to visit in november
    as i could not bear very cold climate
    pls reoly
    in past many times i had been benefited by your tips and advice

    • Reply
      kami
      03/10/2022 at 08:36

      You should check the archived weather online on websites like Accuweather and base your decision on this data as every year is different. I was really lucky in December when it was warm and sunny but last year I cancelled my trip at the end of November as the forecast for Kotor was terrible

      • Reply
        ZOHER DAGINAWALA
        05/10/2022 at 11:26

        thanks for yourv reply
        will plan in april or may

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