Review of Kotor, Montenegro - Climb to the Fortress

[roothy123]

I don't know. It sounds like crazygirl found something else, but maybe I'm reading too much into it, with mention of goats tinkling and a house being built to sell snacks. I've found a reference to a hole in a wall from someone else, which makes me think it's something that is off the regular path, but who knows? Maybe it's just that place that one person on here has captured in a photo - I suppose the ruins of an old church, but now just something you have to climb past to get up to the top!

[Kooolmomma]

Do you know if you can take a tour to the Fortress without climbing all the steps--we have mobility issues with steps.

 

Mary Lou

[roothy123]

I thought I answered this question this morning, but now I don't see it. Here's info:

 

I don't think there's a road up to the fortress. However, there are apparently a couple viewpoints that are accessible by car. I have heard mention of Trojica mountain, which is not far from Kotor. Tour guide Milo of Tours by Milo goes there, and I assume other tour guides and cabs go up there, but I don't know what the charge would be. There's also the route up to Lovcen National Park, but that park is an hour away with many switchbacks, and once you get there, some people may not feel it's worthwhile.

 

I'm hoping to do part of the trek to the fort above Kotor, and then spend the rest of my time in the old and atmospheric town of Kotor walking around and then taking a public bus to Perast, which isn't far from Kotor. With the bus you have to walk down the hill to the water, so a cab or shore excursion to there would be easier. Perast is also supposed to be a nice town (though perhaps a lot like Kotor; not sure) and while there you can take a short boat ride for 5 euros to see the church on one of two tiny islands in the Bay of Kotor. I hear there are also trips to the island from Kotor itself. Someone on our Roll Call did a sailboat tour in the Bay of Kotor that sounded affordable and nice - although may be repetitive after the nice cruise ship sail in through the Bay!

 

Some people go to Budva and Sveti Stefan - resorty areas about an hour away.

[flrose]

We also were just in Montenegro and had a wonderful tour with monttraveler. Diko was a great guide and we were really impressed with

the country and Diko's knowledge of the country. We loved Montenagro

you will not be disappointed.:)

 

Nice to hear you enjoyed your tour with Diko. We are going to tour with him the first week in June! Looking forward to it!

[Got2Cruise]

Is there a beach to cool off close by? I figure after hiking the fortress a dip in the ocean would be a nice thing to do. Then lunch in town. Is this a doable idea. Our ship offers an excursion which includes a visit to someplace an hour away on a bus. Wasting time on a bus for two hours of the day when it is not necessary is not something we want to do. We are physically capable of hiking the fortress.

[Cornishpastyman1]

Is there a beach to cool off close by? I figure after hiking the fortress a dip in the ocean would be a nice thing to do. Then lunch in town. Is this a doable idea. Our ship offers an excursion which includes a visit to someplace an hour away on a bus. Wasting time on a bus for two hours of the day when it is not necessary is not something we want to do. We are physically capable of hiking the fortress.

 

The very end of the video in post 19 shows us doing just that. The beach is shingle rather than sand but it was a perfect way to end a hot day. All the best, Tony

[Got2Cruise]

Thanks Tony! Your videos of the various ports are so helpful.

[Host Jacquelyn]

I know it's many months later, but I'm going to Kotor this year and trying to figure out where the hole in the wall is where you can walk to the ruins of a church. I'm not talking about the church halfway up the mountain, but a little, ruined one. If anyone reading this has any information, please see my recent post on Kotor if you can help me!

 

Yes, there is also a lovely stone church, which can only be accessed by climbing through the hole in the rampart window, or by climbing the Mule Trail. We climbed the old Mule Trail, passed the old ruined church, and met up with the main path by cimbing through the window.

 

A great map can be found on THIS THREAD. See post #17.

[Got2Cruise]

Yes, there is also a lovely stone church, which can only be accessed by climbing through the hole in the rampart window, or by climbing the Mule Trail. We climbed the old Mule Trail, passed the old ruined church, and met up with the main path by cimbing through the window.

 

 

 

A great map can be found on THIS THREAD. See post #17.

 

 

Ok so there are 2 churches? Gotcha. Thanks Host J for pointing the map out. I realize that I was on that thread looking at Tony's video, but didn't read it closely. Was there anyone selling bottled water on the trail when you visited ? Is the mule trail any easier or more difficult than the regular trail?

[roothy123]

Yes, thanks from me, too. Now things are clearer. I wasn't able to bring up the pictures from the old post showing the hole in the ramparts through which I need to crawl to get to the old, more ruined church, but between the links mentioned and narrative on that thread, I think I have a good idea of what to expect.

 

I was hoping the hole in the ramparts and old church were lower down, but it looks like they're all the way up top, right before you get to the area of the fortress itself. Oh well, I may not be able to make it that far, but if I have time, I'll try! If nothing else, I imagine I can make it to Our Lady of Health church and a little past it for the view.

 

I think the fee to walk (when someone is there to collect, which somebody says is probably starting at 8) is up to 5 euros this year.

 

The article by Terence Carter on the walk shows a couple pictures of the old ruined church. His article and pictures on Old Town Kotor are great, too.

Edited June 26, 2015 by roothy123

[CoralReef]

We paid €3 pp on 6/3/2015 for access to the stairs.

 

There were three places where vendors were selling drinks on the main path: Our Lady of Health (snacks also), halfway up (this guy was packing up to leave as we came down at about 10:00), and at St. John's fortress at the top. All had water, sodas, and beer.

[roothy123]

We paid €3 pp on 6/3/2015 for access to the stairs.

 

There were three places where vendors were selling drinks on the main path: Our Lady of Health (snacks also), halfway up (this guy was packing up to leave as we came down at about 10:00), and at St. John's fortress at the top. All had water, sodas, and beer.

 

That's interesting, because in late April 2015, someone on Viking Star blogged: "On this 2015 visit, there was now a man at the entrance sitting at a fold up table and charging 5 Euro per person to enter the long series of steps that lead to the fortress. He had a little adding machine that printed receipts. That was probably the only reason we did not challenge his authority to collect money from us. Beside the adding machine there was just a simple sign on the table with the price handwritten on it."

 

Oh well, maybe someone decided to try to get 5 euros, since this was the first time the Viking Star was visiting Kotor and nobody on it would know the difference! I suppose in late September I'll just pay what the person wants, whether it's 3 or 5 euros!

 

Does anyone have any idea how long the person sits there? I plan to go up mid-afternoon, not morning.

[Host Jacquelyn]

Ok so there are 2 churches? Gotcha. Thanks Host J for pointing the map out. I realize that I was on that thread looking at Tony's video, but didn't read it closely. Was there anyone selling bottled water on the trail when you visited ? Is the mule trail any easier or more difficult than the regular trail?

 

I don't recall seeing anyone selling bottled water, certainly not on the mule trail itself. Maybe after meeting up with the main trail. The mule trail is longer, as it is less steep and there is more back and forth. Some people say it is easier, but it not "easy" per se. No one was collecting any 3 Euro fee on the mule trail. We descended down the regular trail.

[Got2Cruise]

I don't recall seeing anyone selling bottled water, certainly not on the mule trail itself. Maybe after meeting up with the main trail. The mule trail is longer, as it is less steep and there is more back and forth. Some people say it is easier, but it not "easy" per se. No one was collecting any 3 Euro fee on the mule trail. We descended down the regular trail.

 

I understand what you are saying, you need to be in relatively good shape to attempt. :) I have all day in Kotor since hiking the fortress is the only thing planned besides taking a dip and shopping after we get back down so I'm in no rush. Thanks to you and the others here on CC I'm really looking forward to my visit to Montenegro, it seems like a hidden gem.

[CoralReef]

roothy, when we went up, the stairs were shady until about 10:00. They got really hot as we were coming down. If you can go up first thing in the morning, it will be less strenuous. I wish we'd started even earlier!

[roothy123]

Thanks. At least we'll be there at the very end of September, so I'm hoping it won't be totally brutal!

 

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[Pushka]

Thankyou for all the details about the stairs - I was thinking of climbing but just decided - and booked a kayak tour instead but not through the ship. Privately it will cost 25 euros per person - through the ship $129 each! I think for the same trip. Hmmm.

[hun]

Could you please let us know/give a hint about Kayak group you're going with, we're going this fall and haven't finalized what we'll do in Kotor. Thanks!

[Pushka]

I'm using this group - excellent reviews on Trip Advisor. http://www.adventuremontenegro.com/page6.html

[moviefan2010]

 

A tough climb which I did in early October. It is best to start before 9AM.

 

 

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[roothy123]

That Kayak trip looks fun!

 

Would anyone happen to know if there's a way to get to the walk to the fortress other than the mule path (too long) and the steps that start from behind the church? The map I'm attaching shows another path, that converges with the more commonly-used one. I'm curious if I could take that one instead after touring Kotor, and if there's anyone collecting money on that one. Nobody much has mentioned that route and I don't want to go on a wild goose chase if it's not possible to start from near the southern part of the city (near Triphon cathedral, although I probably spelled that name wrong). However, there is a map that someone published a while back that showed the various routes to the fortress, categorized by how strenuous they were. Unfortunately, the quality of that one is poor, so it's of limited help to me.

 

Also, what I can't figure out is what the two little buildings that show up on this map are - parts of the fortress, ruins of churches, abandoned houses? Anyone know? Thanks.

 

(Sorry, "My" map ended up posting very small (probably because I didn't compress it) and probably isn't readable EITHER. However, I found it by going to vesselfinder.com and looking for a map of Kotor if you want to see it.)

Edited June 29, 2015 by roothy123

[MissDaisy87]

Hi Roothy123,

Are you still after information on the alternate route to the fortress? I took the path in June this year and it was easy to follow, not strenuous and gets you there in half the time. Let me know and I can give you more details.

[roothy123]

Yes, I'm still interested in going up to the fortress, although I think I've pretty much figured out how to do it confidently. However, any details would be appreciated. I'm probably going to use the path from near the river gate to go up, and the steps from the fortress back down.

 

For the path, it's pretty clear where I need to go to find it, but I like a lot of info, and so I'm still unclear on a few things. On one map I found, it looked like there were two different paths that went off from the zig-zaggy path - one at what looks to be a stone cottage (perhaps where cheese etc. is sold or something else?) and one farther along, which looks to start behind the old church. Would you happen to know which path off the main path you took? Was it marked with red dots? (I also read there is a route back marked with red dots.) What did you see when you took the path, or what did you come to first, where you veered off for the fort - the old house?

 

When you're up top on the fortress and facing Kotor (or the water) which way is the flag that's up there - on the left of you or the right?

 

So the path really took only half the time as the steps? That's good to know, as I don't want to spend the whole day huffing and puffing up there and back! Kotor looks worthy of some time as well, as does Perast!

 

Thanks!!

[hun]

Hi Roothy123,

Are you still after information on the alternate route to the fortress? I took the path in June this year and it was easy to follow, not strenuous and gets you there in half the time. Let me know and I can give you more details.

 

 

We're going in October and would love to know the non-strenuous route! Thanks [emoji4]

[roothy123]

We're going in October and would love to know the non-strenuous route! Thanks [emoji4]

 

Maybe missdaisy can bless/correct/expand on this, but this info (attached - hope it's readable)will at least get you started. The 1m in the narrative means 1 minute.

kot walk'g alls maps & narr alr ptd.pdf

Edited August 16, 2015 by roothy123