An Off-Season Trip to KoTOR Montenegro

I recently had to go to Belgrade, Serbia for work. Because I was so close to Montenegro, a country I’d previously dreamed of visiting, I decided to go there for the weekend. I arrived about midday on Friday and left on Sunday in the early evening.

I decided to splurge and spent 2 nights at the Regent, with access to their spa utilities. The room was beautiful with a tub and a spacious balcony overlooking the marina. My stay included dinner for one night and a foot massage.

The low season and COVID made it difficult to find an organized tour so I had a private tour with Mr. Traveler for a few hours.

Kotor and Perast

Kotor has been a Unesco World Heritage site since 1979 (the year I was born!) but it it needs to work on adhering to the rules of that status. In recent times, tourism has been too high in high season and not all the construction has remained true to its history.

I didn’t know much about Montenegro but I learnt that Kotor had been part governed by Venice. Its reason for being added to the heritage list is for Venetian Works of Defence between the 15th and 17th centuries. The small alleyways and design of the fortified city speak of this history. It also has Illyrian, Byzantium, and Austrian history.

Perast

Perast is a UNESCO World Heritage site, designated as an area of outstanding natural beauty

Kotor

Montenegro is part of the EU and uses Euros. The Regent and some of the hotels in Porto Montenegro are quite expensive but in general, you can travel significantly more cheaply than in Western Europe.

I enjoyed the visit to Montenegro, the palm trees, warm weather and beautiful, clear water. I would like to visit again and explore some of the nature, for example, Lake Skalar and some national parks. I’d also like to have a more local stay experience with a bit more time for relaxation. Unfortunately, there is no direct flight from Prague.