The Adriatic coast and its many islands are a sailor’s paradise. This year try something new and visit the southernmost part of the Adriatic: the beautiful Montenegrin coast
This summer we have set sail for the tiny, yet intriguingly beautiful waters of Montenegrin coast. Significantly smaller in maritime territory than its neighbor Croatia, Montenegro is a rough pearl whose many charms can put to shame many a larger tourist country.
Explore the Adriatic & Montenegro: Jump to specific sections and discover the beauty of the Adriatic coast and Montenegro’s southern shores effortlessly.
- Yachting hotspots at Montenegrin coast: Modern marinas and the finest hotels
- Bay of Kotor: The southernmost fjord in Europe
- Porto Montenegro: Glamorous yachting spot
- Perast: Enjoy their mouthwatering appetizers, seafood and wines
- Our Lady of the Rocks: A man-made island created by local fishermen
- Kotor: Stunning UNESCO protected town
- Ćatovića Mlini: Sailing along the peninsula
- Blue Cave: Fresh fish, sandy beaches and quiet coves
- Sveti Stefan: Delightful town with narrow alleys
Yachting hotspots at Montenegrin coast: Modern marinas and the finest hotels
Tumultuous history, imposing religious monuments, rugged nature, modern marinas and the finest hotels in the whole of Adriatic – and charming hosts to boot. What’s not to like? If you are looking for peaceful waters and stunning scenery, Montenegro is the place for you. The coast of this southern Adriatic country is unusual to say the least: mountains descend all the way to the sea, the three-hundred kilometer long stretch of coast is dotted with caves, beaches and dramatic cliffs hurtling toward the deep blue sea.
Bay of Kotor: The southernmost fjord in Europe
The Kotor Bay – the southernmost fjord in Europe – is a thing to be marveled, shaped by the river that long ago used to meander through the Orjen mountain range. The waters of Montenegro are the deepest in Europe, surrounded by mountains up to 1.700 meters tall, spotted with river mouths brining fresh water into the sea. The bay and its surroundings are on the UNESCO World Heritage List, as are the towns rising around it – Herceg Novi at the entrance, Risan north-east, Kotor south-east and Tivat south-west.
Porto Montenegro: Glamorous yachting spot
Start your round-trip in Tivat, in the super-luxury megayacht marina Porto Montenegro. This glamorous yachting spot is a megayacht mecca with luxury residences and hotels, five-star Regent hotel, restaurants, bars, coffee shops and stores of all kinds. Throughout the summer, their events calendar is filled with a series of ongoing cultural, leisure and arts events across the village.
Perast: Enjoy their mouthwatering appetizers, seafood and wines
The town of Perast is but a short sail away, but you will feel as if you have gone back in time. Signs of the 21st century are few and far between in Perast, which still looks pretty much the same as it did when it was part of the almighty Venetian Republic. The last place on earth to lower the Venetian flag after their surrender to Napoleon, Perast has six defense towers – among them the fortress of Saint Cross – keeping vigil over its sixteen palaces and nineteen churches.
Stroll the narrow streets of Perast and than take a break in the beloved restaurant Conte down by the sea. Hundreds of years later, the locals still gather there on June 22 and honor their promise. and enjoy their mouthwatering appetizers, seafood and wines, topping it all up with the delicious Perast almond cake.
Our Lady of the Rocks: A man-made island created by local fishermen
Those interested in religious content will be delighted with the nearby isle of St. George and its 12th century monastery of the order of Saint Benedict, or the isle of Our Lady of the Rocks – a man-made island created by local fishermen. The legend has it that after an apparition of the Virgin Mary in the 15th century, fishermen vowed to drop a stone in the sea at that exact location every time they sail by.
Kotor: Stunning UNESCO protected town
After Perast, set sail for Kotor, where you can anchor at the marina in front of Kotor Old Town – a stunning UNESCO protected town brimming with history. For centuries ruled by the Venetian Republic and the Ottoman Empire, Kotor is a living exhibition of their respective styles. Take a stroll in the narrow alleyways before dinner at the exceptional restaurant Galion on the waterfront facing downtown.
Enjoy the stunning view of the harbor and old city walls. The best place in town for a lazy cocktail before dinner – or a loud and energetic trip to the dance floor – is club Maximus in the heart of the city.
Ćatovića Mlini: Sailing along the peninsula
Across the bay, gourmets will find their new favorite place in Ćatovića Mlini, a picturesque old water mill whose owner, Mr. Lazar Ćatović, gave it a new life as a tavern equally beloved for creative food and atmosphere. Enjoy their famous fish pate or catch of the day served to the relaxing sound of bird song and water. Take a leisurely sail around the Bay of Kotor before heading back to the outskirts of the Bay. On your way out, you will sail by the island of St. Mark (named after the patron saint of Venice), the largest island in the area, beloved for its beautiful beach.
Hidden between the island of St. Mark and the Luštica peninsula, on a small islet only 200 meters across, stands the monastery of the Virgin Mary. Make your way to Krtole for a nice brunch at Vino Santo restaurant, and drop your anchor directly in front of the restaurant. Sailing along the peninsula, you will come upon the tiny port of Rose, standing there since the antiquity and serving, over the centuries, as a Greek trade outpost, and a quarantine in the Venetian era.
Blue Cave: Fresh fish, sandy beaches and quiet coves
Today, this tiny fishing village is perfect for those looking for fresh fish, sandy beaches and quiet coves. Rose is also popular with divers, partly due to its proximity to the famous Blue Cave. The cave, nested between the Zlatna luka bay and cape Mokra gora, is a former pirate nest, only accessible by boat, through a narrow opening in the rock. The cave is similar, but not identical to the Blue Grotto on the Croatian island of Biševo.
Sveti Stefan: Delightful town with narrow alleys
Four of the most visited locations in these waters are Bigova, Budva, Sveti Stefan and Miločer. Drop your anchor in Bigova cove, take the tender to the coast and spend the evening in Budva. This delightful town with narrow alleys and endless restaurants is the perfect spot for unwinding, a cocktail in hand.
At the end of your trip, right before you enter Porto Montenegro, you will sail by an isle of Mamula, easily recognizable by the military fortress standing on it. The fortress, erected by a general of the Austrian Empire Lazar Mamula near the end of the 19th century, was to serve as defense from a possible attack from the sea. The canons resting in the fortress – that looks as if was built mere weeks ago – were never used, but the fortress itself served as prison for a while.
The once abandoned island with an old fortress was transformed by careful restoration into a boutique hotel Mamula Island and spa with unique architectural design and modern interior.
Montenegrin coast is a place whose rugged beauty and old culture will delight you no matter how you choose to visit and explore it – but can be best enjoyed lazily sailing around and discovering its many charms.
Cover photo Mathias Falcone
Photos Porto Montenegro, Regent Porto Montenegro, Luštica, Mamula & Archive
