By bike around a bay with a seafaring history: Perast, Risan and Kotor, known as little Dubrovnik.
We cycle from Dubrovnik in Croatia into the Bay of Kotor towards evening. We pitch our tent at a campsite by the sea near Herceg Novi. The next day we plan to explore the whole bay along the coast; at its far end lies the most interesting historic town in Montenegro – Kotor.
Wonders of nature
The bay is about 30 km across as the crow flies and the road around the whole coast is about 100 km. To the west it is enclosed by the Dinaric Alps and the Orjen range, to the east by Lovćen. It divides into three bays – Tivat, Risan and Kotor. Thanks to the high mountains it is one of the rainiest inhabited places in Europe.
In the footsteps of seafarers
In Kamenari we board a small ferry to Lepetane. A narrow road takes us through settlements with old houses, restaurants and moored boats. In the 18th century the Boka had a fleet of around 300 ships and was a maritime rival of both Dubrovnik and Venice. In Perast captains built villas at the foot of the mountains; Risan is the oldest town in the bay.
Little Dubrovnik
Kotor lies at the far end of the bay below the Lovćen massif and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The old centre is triangular and surrounded by walls up to 15 metres high, which continue up to the fortress of Sveti Ivan high in the rocks. From there you have a wonderful view of the town and the bay.
Be sure to keep a free day to explore the centre – besides the monuments you will find restaurants and markets with local produce. There are many tourists in summer, yet the Bay of Kotor keeps its charm thanks to its blend of nature and history.
