Boko-Kotor Bay: features, attractions, travel and accommodation

Boko-Kototskaya Bay - a radiant and caressed by hot southerly winds place. Its shores are dotted with miniature ancient towns, villages, Orthodox churches, palaces, cathedrals, beautiful bays and lush greenery, evoking repose and romantic moods. The rich history of the region, the boundless combination of many architectural styles that go beyond the usual ideas, give it a special uniqueness, the mystery and energy that drives tourists visiting these places from year to year.

Boko-Kotor Bay - deep (up to 20 km) extending into the territory of Montenegro Bay. It is believed that he appeared on the site of the ancient canyon that once existed here. Its depth reaches 40 m, so even large cruise liners can easily pass the bay almost to the end.

The width of the bay at the beginning reaches 3 km. Here are the island of Mamula, the peninsulas of Lustica and Prevlaka with the fortresses of Azra and Ostro. The narrowest point (about 300 m) is called Verig. Kotor Bay is surrounded by a coastal route 105.7 km long, from which areas you can be inspired by the beauty of the bay from almost any angle. The bay itself consists of 4 bays: Kotor, Risansky, Tivatsky and Herceg Novsky.

One can not forget the number of islands adorning the bay:

• "Mother of God on the reef";
• Island of Flowers;
• St Mark's Island;
• island of mercy;
• St. George Island.

The name of the Bay of Kotor Bay of Venetian origin, where "Bocca" means "mouth", and "Kotor" is formed on behalf of the main city of the region - Kotor. It turns out Kotor continent, absorbing the sea.

Numerous settlements and fishing villages are scattered across Kotor, where small productions operate in abundance. There are in the region (includes 3 municipalities - Kotor, Tivat and Herceg Novi) shipbuilding and repair plants, ports and airport, successfully located on the coast of the Gulf of Tivat.

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

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

The narrow coast of the bay is characterized by features of a typical Mediterranean climate - a hot summer and a wet, mild winter. Summer is hot (in July, an average of 28-30 degrees), there is little precipitation - 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.

Intensive rains are observed from November to January, when 170-260 mm of precipitation falls monthly. The northern parts of the coast are rainy than the southern ones. In January, the average night temperature is not lower than 4-5 degrees, in the afternoon - 11-13 degrees.Negative temperature - a rarity for the region. The swimming season lasts from the end of May to October, the water temperature is 20-25 degrees.

Due to carefully covering the area of ​​high mountains, Kotor region has a mild and warm climate. Occasionally, especially in winter, the air masses overcome the mountain barrier and the bay is covered with a rain curtain. In the summer, unpredictable games of winds can form morning fogs. Strengthening of the winds is extremely characteristic of the bottlenecks of the bay (Verig and the city of Perast).

There are no formed or settled currents in the Bay of Kotor. All of them are changeable and depend on the time of ebbs and flows. By the summer the speed of their flow increases. In the south of the bay, the northwest stream moves at a speed of 1 km / h. More high-speed flows - up to 4 km / h, are formed after heavy rains and move from the bay to its entrance. Therefore, the temperature of the water in the bay varies and directly depends on the specific location, flow rate and underwater terrain. 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 attractions and natural beauties turned the Bay of Kotor into Mecca of educational tourism.

The main city of the bay and the seaport is Old Kotor. Here come the cruise liners and yachts. The old part of the city is located at the foot of the Lovcen mountain and is under the protection of UNESCO. She is so beautiful that she is called the “bride of the Adriatic”. It is noteworthy that in the layout of the city and its houses there are no right angles.

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

In Kotor, it is worth visiting the Clock Tower and the pillar of shame, which has ostracized criminals. The monuments of architecture 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 1,400 steps, you can not only check your fitness level, but also get an aesthetic pleasure from the surrounding beauty.

Residents of Kotor are clearly favored by cats; museums, art galleries, souvenir shops and even a square are devoted to them.

Perast is the birthplace of skilled Bokel captains and admirals of the fleet of tsarist Russia. Its cozy and somewhat toy-like on one of the hills of the bay just touches. The place has a creative aura. This is a city of poets, writers and artists.

Climbing to the fortress of the Holy Cross, you will be able to fully appreciate the beauty and charm of this place from different angles. The fortress itself was erected in the XVII century with the money of the inhabitants of the city, its bell tower has a height of 55 meters.

The museum is also good here, located in the old palace of the famous XVII century navigator Buyovich. Expositions about shipyards, sea battles with the Turks, Russian boyars Peter I, who studied at the local sea wolves are popular in the museum.

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

The second island is known for having a cemetery of captains and famous inhabitants of Perast. Here is the famous Benedictine abbey.

The numerous names of Herceg Novi speak for themselves - the City is a thousand steps, the botanical garden of Montenegro, a favorite resort of the Yugoslav intelligentsia. The city is located on a hill, numerous paths of the city are mostly composed of steps.

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

Herceg Novi Botanical Garden is also man-made - most of the exotic plants are brought here by sailors from all parts of the world. The 7-kilometer city embankment leads to the village of Igalo, where Josip Tito’s Galeb cottage is located. Now there are guided tours. 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 the majestic Turkish clock tower, several churches and 3 fortresses. In 2005, the director Emir Kusturitsa was baptized in the Savino monastery.

On the other side of the bay, opposite Kotor, is located first the city of fishermen and captains - Prcanj. The Prchansky navigator Ivo Vizin, the sixth in the world, made a round-the-world voyage on the ship Splendido.

Now this tourist village is known for its majestic Catholic Church of the Virgin, built more than 120 years (the Venetians began, and finished with Austro-Hungarians). According to one of the versions, the temple was ordered by the Knights of the Order of Malta. The temple opens on holidays.

In Tivat is an airport that takes charter aircraft. Here the yacht port with boutiques and restaurants for every taste is full of colorful sails. "Porto Montenegro" reminds of Nice or Monaco and looks no worse than the Cote d'Azur.

The Arsenal Museum of Naval Heritage located here is extremely informative. In one of the two submarines standing in the port, you can get on the tour. The museum displays exhibits from the times of Austria-Hungary and Yugoslavia.

Gorniy Stoliv is a unique abandoned village hiding on the Vrmats peninsula in the quaint mountains at an altitude of 240 meters. The path to the village lies through the village of Nizhny Stoliv along an ancient stone road through a chestnut forest. The village is notable for being founded in the XIV century and mentioned in the historical chronicles of 1326.

Interestingly, the name "Stoliv" is associated with the old beautiful tradition. The fact is that the guy who decided to marry was obliged to plant 100 olive trees before the wedding. Only after that he was allowed to lead the bride to the altar. In the village of two temples - St. Anne and St. Elias.

The beaches of Kotor, as already noted, are not the main incentive for the arrival of tourists in this region. Within the city there are no sandy beach lines. A significant part of the coastline is 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 concreted areas with fungi and deck chairs. The bay is one of the most visited bathing sites located near the city.

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

Following another 2 km, we reach the town of Bayova Kula with a well-equipped sun lounger area and a pristine beach with small pebbles.

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

Fully covered with pebbles and fairly long the beach of Kotor is Risan, located not far from Perast. It has a variety of attractions.

Morinj is perhaps the most remote place for a water holiday in the gulf — it is superbly equipped and allows 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.

The fine sand and gravel in the area of ​​Budva, Herceg Novi, Tivat, Petrovac are more suitable for babies. For the coast of these cities is characterized by unhurried, without cliffs descent into the water and the presence of various attractions.

You should not choose to rest on the water places near the port facilities, which in the Riviera a lot, where the water is clearly not clean.

The waters of the bay are rich in fish, so the fishing in Kotor is glorious. Oyster farms are known for their reserves. You can go fishing through existing travel agencies, but you can also negotiate for a small fee with local fishermen. The locals are fluent in Russian and fishing is easy for them to organize.

Gourmets get exquisite pleasure by dining in one of the oyster farms (they are distinguished by yellow-orange buoys). At the bay, in a special setting and with chic, you can cheaply try the freshest oysters and other marine life.

Even the map beautifully shows us the Bay of Kotor in the west of Montenegro in the shape of a big butterfly. You can get to the place, especially not tiring, by public transport. It is easy to get to the city from Podgorica (the capital of Montenegro) or from Tivat airport. Convenient to rent a car, but taking into account 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 Boko-Kotor Bay sea group excursions. In addition, it is not only an opportunity to consider the beauty of the bay from a ship, but also to get familiarizing information about the goals 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 local authorities. Therefore, the issue of living sounds in this case rhetorically. It all depends on the taste, requests and financial possibilities of tourists.

The choice of places to stay in the Bay of Kotor presents 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 in 5-star hotels, 10 hotels offer their services.

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

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

About the Bay of Kotor, its features and recreation, see the following video.