We exercised and swam early as usual, enjoying the peaceful start to the day. Beforehand, we discovered that there were no cruise ships in on Friday or Saturday at the moment, so we made our way to the blue-line bus stop which would take us into Kotor old town. There are two ways to get into town: you can either take a taxi back towards the airport which then cuts through the mountain via a 3km tunnel, taking about 15 minutes, or as we elected to do, opt for the 40 minute, white-knuckled bus ride along the scenic single-track coastal road. This route winds through little hamlets, offering stunning views across the bay. However, as we found out, the bus ride isn’t for the faint-hearted, as the bus asserts its dominance on the narrow road and takes no prisoners along the way, with everything on the road having to yield. We sat near the back and clung on to whatever we could.
The bus itself was fairly new and comfortably air-conditioned, which was quite welcome given the temperatures in the high 20s. Eventually, the bus slowed down and dropped us at the north entrance of the old city, which is surrounded by a moat and set against the backdrop of a mountain. Crossing the static bridge, we entered through the cobbled entrance and were greeted by wonderful walkways leading into plazas adorned with interesting buildings throughout.
Founded by the Romans in the 10th century and enhanced by the Venetians thereafter, Kotor also boasts a castle high above, cut into the cliff face. It can only be reached by foot via over 1100 steep steps. Mum was keen, but we decided against it, knowing even the locals don’t attempt the climb at this time of year. Instead, we walked around the top of the walls, exploring the higgledy-piggledy streets and taking in the sights of the 12th-century Cathedral of St. Tryphon, which houses a little museum that Mum really enjoyed.
Afterward, we stopped for lunch in one of the many charming restaurants before catching the bus back home.
Dream Chasers 