Why Kotor, Not Dubrovnik, Is the Adriatic's Next Quiet Obsession

Kotor sits at the innermost point of the Bay of Kotor, a deep inlet on Montenegro's Adriatic coast often described, loosely, as Europe's southernmost fjord, even though it was carved by a river rather than a glacier. Its walled old town, wedged between the water and the cliffs of Mount Lovćen, has been inhabited since Roman times and has stayed remarkably intact, a compact tangle of stone squares and churches that a growing number of travellers are now reaching for instead of an increasingly crowded Dubrovnik, ninety minutes up the coast.

A fortress wall that keeps climbing

Kotor's old town is ringed by defensive walls built up over centuries, mostly under Venetian rule, that climb more than a kilometre up the hillside to the Fortress of St John. Around 1,350 steps connect the town below to the fortress, a walk that takes in views back down over the bay's terracotta rooftops and the water beyond.

Still smaller than its reputation

Montenegro has followed the same wave of discovery as much of the Balkan coast, but Kotor's old town covers barely more than half a square kilometre, and cruise ship crowds, when they land, tend to clear by early evening. Restaurants and guesthouses here still run at a noticeably smaller scale than the polished, rental-heavy centre of Dubrovnik.

Why it keeps being compared to Dubrovnik

Both towns share Venetian-built stone architecture and a walled historic centre backing onto dramatic coastal scenery, but Kotor's bay setting, hemmed in by mountains on nearly every side, gives it a more enclosed, theatrical backdrop than Dubrovnik's open coastline. Montenegro also uses the euro despite sitting outside the eurozone, and prices across the country, for now, still run well below its more established neighbour.

Traveller tips

• Climb to the fortress early morning or late afternoon, since the stone steps offer little shade and the midday sun is intense in summer.
• Kotor's own airport is small; many visitors fly into Dubrovnik or Podgorica and drive in instead.
• Cruise ships typically dock mid-morning; visit the old town before 9am or after 5pm to avoid the day's crowds.
• Base yourself in the old town rather than the newer waterfront strip for easier access to the fortress climb.