Kotor

We will be arriving in Kotor on Wednesday Sept 21 at 8 am. I have read here on CC that we don't want to miss the sailing into Kotor. Can someone tell me what time we should be up on deck to watch the arrival into Kotor if we are scheduled to dock at 8 am? Thanks!

I have heard it takes about 1-1 1/2 hours to sail in but I'm sure others will have a better idea than me.

Also, don't forget you sail out the same way as you sail in, so you get 2 chances to see it.

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Yes, 1:15 to 1 1/2 hours is about right (we just cruised into Kotor 3 weeks ago (our 2nd visit). And yes, we do think its worthwhile to be up and enjoying the view. But also consider that the view when you leave is exactly the same (on the opposite side of the ship).

Hnak

Yes that's correct about 1 1/2 hours but totally stunning! What do you have planned for Kotor?

Tragic what's happening in Fort Mac! My heart goes out to all of the people affected. I will be in Calgary next week on business.

We will be arriving in Kotor on Wednesday Sept 21 at 8 am. I have read here on CC that we don't want to miss the sailing into Kotor. Thanks!

It is one of the great sails-ins, and shows in the first minute of this. Hopefully they will open the front of the ship for you too. All the best, Tony

[YOUTUBE]fUzQl8KA2Uk[/YOUTUBE]

Yes that's correct about 1 1/2 hours but totally stunning! What do you have planned for Kotor?

 

Tragic what's happening in Fort Mac! My heart goes out to all of the people affected. I will be in Calgary next week on business.

Very tragic what is happening in Fort Mac and far beyond now. I have heard the fire is now into Saskatchewan. The generosity of Canadian's is especially amazing during these types of challenging times. Have a great trip to Calgary!

Thanks I will.

If you want some advice on Kotor let me know.

Regards,

Frank

 

 

 

If you want some advice on Kotor let me know.

 

 

 

Regards,

 

Frank

Hi Frank

We visit Kotor next week and wonder are we better to hire a taxi for a tour or is it better to do a diy walking tour or hire a guide?

Also as Kotor is outside the EU does it have perfume and liquor duty free shops thanks

Caroline

Hi Frank

We visit Kotor next week and wonder are we better to hire a taxi for a tour or is it better to do a diy walking tour or hire a guide?

 

Also as Kotor is outside the EU does it have perfume and liquor duty free shops thanks

Caroline

The only way to explore the old town of Kotor is on foot! And having a guide to tell you "this is a cafe," this is a boutique, etc is a personal preference. If you want to explore the region around Kotor then you will need a taxi, rental car, or some kind of tour. And the city of Kotor is within easy walking distance of the pier.

Hank

Hi Caroline,

Hank explained it well. If you are just going to stay in Kotor than you can do it on your own. If you want to explore outside of Kotor than you will definitely need a guide/taxi.

If you choose the guide/taxi route then I would recommend Milo from toursbymilo.com

We used him as well as numerous friends and family.

Regards,

Frank

Thanks for your help we'll just walk it then.

What about the shopping is it a place to get duty free perfume

Hi Caroline,

I contacted my friend Milo in Kotor and this was his answer...

"Unfortunately there are no duty free shops in Kotor, in fact the prices are higher since being a port town. The only option is some airport nearby, DBV for example...even our airports are not duty free zone"

Regards,

Frank

Thanks I will.

 

If you want some advice on Kotor let me know.

 

Regards,

Frank

I have been following some of the Kotor posts and see multiple recommendations for Milo. I have reached out to him for our day in Kotor and he is free! I was wondering if you could help me with my timeframe. We are supposed to be in Kotor from 7:00 to 16:00. We would like to use him for the 4 hour tour but am not sure what times to book him. We'd like to disembark as soon as possible and hike to the fortress first while it is still early. Then have Milo pick us up and do our tour. Then we'd like to return to town and have time to walk around and possibly grab a drink and a little food. My questions are...

• How long will it likely take to disembark from RCI Rhapsody?
  
• What time will we need to be getting a tender back to our ship for a 16:00 depart time?
  
• How long does the fortress hike take (on average, as I realize this depends on how fast we walk)?
  

I am thinking we can book him from 10:00 to 14:00. That gives us 3 hours to disembark and hike. Then I think we'd have about an hour to walk around the town, assuming we need to head back at 13:00 but I wasn't sure if that was too much time or not enough.

Greetings,

I am not surprised that you have seen numerous posts about Milo as he is one of the best! I'm glad you were able to book him and you are in for a treat! We used Milo several years ago and I have referred numerous people to him over the years including many friends and family.

Your timing sounds about right as it was pretty close to the schedule that we did. Hard to say on the tender time as it all depends on how busy the port is but you have allowed enough time.

Feel free to e-mail Milo and get his thoughts. One of the great things about Milo is that he is very flexible and works around your schedule and what you want to do.

Enjoy your cruise and send my regards to Milo.

Frank

In going back to check my photo files, the total timing from the very beginning as you approach the sailing-in until your ship is in position to tender, it could actually about two hours or so. Your choice!! You do not need to be up on the top deck for the whole time, but I found it fascinating to see it "all" by getting up early. Lots to enjoy in this super scenic location. More details and examples are shown below from my photo files. You can check out the below link for even more pictures, details for what we did and experienced during our day here. Loved Kotor and this area!! Happy to share more and/or answer any added questions.

Also, don't forget to be up on top to see the various towns, sights, etc., along BOTH sides as you do the sail-away.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Wonderful Kotor and nearby Montenegro? Check these postings. Have had over 28,931 views on this posting and appreciate those who have tuned-in and commented.:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1439193

For Kotor, I got up at 5 am for the sail-in through their wonderfully scenic fjords, etc. Below is one picture from the front of the ship on that early path through these narrow areas to reach Kotor as the sun is rising. We tendered at 7 am near their tender docking pier. It was a short, easy tender to arrive on land for our bus tour.:

Here’s our bus driver going to up, back and forth, through twenty-seven serpentine twists and turns to rise up the 4000’ high mountain above Kotor as we headed to the old Royal Capital of Cetinje. You can see our cruise ship down below tendered in the scenic harbor.:

This is the walled gate as we entered Kotor to see in various historic buildings, many churches and shops. YES, they have lots of shops, whether needed or not!!:

As you sail in and out of Kotor, you see these two island with church built on them. Near Perast there are two small islands: one is called St. George island, and the other called Gospa od Škrpjela (Our Lady of the Rock), and each has a picturesque chapel. Gospa od Škrpjela is particularly interesting given that it is the only artificially built island in the Adriatic These are not natural island, but built up there over the years. Spectacular sighting.:

Perast is a few miles northwest of Kotor facing this scenic bay. Perast was at its peak in the 18th century under the Venetian Republic. It had four active shipyards and a fleet of one hundred ships. Many ornate baroque palaces and magnificent dwellings decorated this town that is full of typical Venetian architecture.:

This high and wide view of Kotor shows the overall area, including the Bay of Kotor. It is one of the most indented parts of the Adriatic Sea. This bay is sometimes called the southern-most fjord in Europe. It is actually a submerged river canyon. Kotor has seen a significant increase in tourism, attracted by the Gulf’s natural beauty and the old town of Kotor that is a World Heritage Site.:

I have been following some of the Kotor posts and see multiple recommendations for Milo. I have reached out to him for our day in Kotor and he is free! I was wondering if you could help me with my timeframe. We are supposed to be in Kotor from 7:00 to 16:00. We would like to use him for the 4 hour tour but am not sure what times to book him. We'd like to disembark as soon as possible and hike to the fortress first while it is still early. Then have Milo pick us up and do our tour. Then we'd like to return to town and have time to walk around and possibly grab a drink and a little food. My questions are...

 

• How long will it likely take to disembark from RCI Rhapsody?
  
• What time will we need to be getting a tender back to our ship for a 16:00 depart time?
  
• How long does the fortress hike take (on average, as I realize this depends on how fast we walk)?
  

 

I am thinking we can book him from 10:00 to 14:00. That gives us 3 hours to disembark and hike. Then I think we'd have about an hour to walk around the town, assuming we need to head back at 13:00 but I wasn't sure if that was too much time or not enough.

With a 1600 departure your last tender will likely be at 1530hrs. As to "hiking" we do not know if that is the appropriate term since you are talking about simply walking about a relatively compact town and its walls. As to "heading back" there would be no need until around 1500 since its only 5 minutes from the gate of the town to the tender pier. Instead of rushing back you might want to simply sit and enjoy a drink at one of the local cafes.

Regarding the time you need in town, it is simply a personal preference. One can walk around the entire town in an hour....or could spend several hours if one wanted to browse many of the shops.

Hank

I have been following some of the Kotor posts and see multiple recommendations for Milo. I have reached out to him for our day in Kotor and he is free! I was wondering if you could help me with my timeframe. We are supposed to be in Kotor from 7:00 to 16:00. We would like to use him for the 4 hour tour but am not sure what times to book him. We'd like to disembark as soon as possible and hike to the fortress first while it is still early. Then have Milo pick us up and do our tour. Then we'd lieke to return to town and have time to walk around and possibly grab a drink and a little food. My questions are...

 

• How long will it likely take to disembark from RCI Rhapsody?
  
• What time will we need to be getting a tender back to our ship for a 16:00 depart time?
  
• How long does the fortress hike take (on average, as I realize this depends on how fast we walk)?
  

 

I am thinking we can book him from 10:00 to 14:00. That gives us 3 hours to disembark and hike. Then I think we'd have about an hour to walk around the town, assuming we need to head back at 13:00 but I wasn't sure if that was too much time or not enough.

I just searched an answer I did last year when I looked at the time stamps on pictures of the hike. The hike up to the walls to the church ruin took 20 minutes one way...with plenty of stops for pictures. I would say that is about 1/2 way to the fortress. DH was under the weather that day so we did not continue up the whole way. Perhaps someone who went all the way up the mountain can verify if the church is half way. Of course going back down takes much less time (partly because you won't be stopping as frequently for pics, besides going down is much less strenuous.) The start of the climb is at the back end of town.

Guesstimate is that it could be done in an hour...if you don't stop every minute for pictures.

Here is the thread ...I had also looked at the time stamps for the sail in as to when it gets scenic

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2158084&highlight=kotor+church+hike

Here's my .02 about the "hike". I went half way up. It depends on your physical capabilities. Watch Tony's video above. If you are 21 years old it's going to be much easier than for someone older and not in good shape. The stairs are cobblestone and lots of the stones are loose.

We went last week to Kotor it was so hot and I didn't hear from anyone on the ship making the hike. Unless you really enjoy exercise in baking heat you could ask your driver to drive to the top then start your tour. There were many, Many taxi drivers at the ships gate offering tours for up to six people for €60 in total for 3 hours taking you to budva and around.

Once you have been round the old town in Kotor there is nothing else to see. There are some nice bars and souvenir shops. The small shopping centre next door is overpriced with only a few shops.

We went last week to Kotor it was so hot and I didn't hear from anyone on the ship making the hike. Unless you really enjoy exercise in baking heat you could ask your driver to drive to the top then start your tour. There were many, Many taxi drivers at the ships gate offering tours for up to six people for €60 in total for 3 hours taking you to budva and around.

 

Once you have been round the old town in Kotor there is nothing else to see. There are some nice bars and souvenir shops. The small shopping centre next door is overpriced with only a few shops.

Good point. Our ship arrived 7:00 am. After the hike we went to the small beach. The water was crystal clear. I also want to add that if you miss the sail in, the sail out passes everything again.

You don't say what ship you'll be on, but there are two anchorages, one close to the town, with a nice view at sail away, and one more distant with no such view. In fact from the distant anchorage, you never see the city from the ship. Irregardless of where you moore, the narrows at Perast are truly spectacular. An hour and a half early should be early enough.

We did the walls last week. The charge 3 Euros a person. An hour and a half is more than enough time for the Church of Our Lady of Health. The Fortress is more like 4 hours round trip. The Church is more like a third of the way up. Especially if you do the whole thing. You don't need a guide. It's easy to get to. Don't do it in the rain, it's very slick going from the steps to the incline for the cannons if you pass someone.

we are coming in on the celebrity constellation do you know where they anchor?

Check on cruisett.com http://m.cruisett.com/p/

To see how many ships are in Kotor when you dock. Two weeks ago there were two ships in port both docked in port.

So what happens is that if they have room...you will dock a stone throw from the ancient walls of downtown (easy stroll). If the port is too full, you will anchor and tender into the same area (a 5 min walk to the walls).

Hank

When we were in Kotor we did a private sailing with the Monty B. We were a group of six and had a fabulous day.