On our full day in Kotor we embarked on a hike to explore the fortifications of the city which, along with the surrounding geography, are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. During Medieval times a series of ramparts, towers, citadels, gates, bastions, forts, cisterns, and a castle protected the town and the hillside above it. Situated on the bay below a steep incline, settlers of Kotor had to build walls that protected the city from being attacked from high ground. The result is a stony city wall that meanders high up above the old town. Visitors can enter, hike and explore the walls from the old town area for the price of 8 euros. However, on a tip from our friend Branco, we discovered that there's a hike that takes you up a mule path to a ruined village behind the walls, where you can then enter the fortification through an old outpost window for the favorable price of free ninety-nine. The 16th century village is home to stray cats, the odd grazing cow or two and an abandoned 1000 year old church (pictured above) dedicated to St George and St Maria. After getting our fill of exploring the ruins, we ducked inside the city walls and explored the remnants of the fort and castle that were once crucial in protecting the city. Anyone willing to brave the 1,352 stairs of the fortified city walls will be treated to a stunning view of the Bay of Kotor once at the top.
×