An absolute "must" while visiting Kotor!
Dramatic and magnificent views of Kotor and the bay are the major rewards of this hiking tour. Well worth the physical effort involved!
To reach the San Giovanni fortress, we begin our hike outside the walls on the Old Centinje Caravan Road (aka “Cattarro Ladder”). We’ll meet the only family living in the otherwise abandoned rock village Špiljari, where we’ll rest and sample homemade smoked ham and delicious cheese. Afterwards, we begin our ascent to the upper elevations - from where you’ll be able to see every house, palace and church in the city - along with a large expanse of the Bay of Kotor and surrounding mountains.
Now for the easy part comes – descending the 1,350 stairs inside the fortress walls. The views are simply spectacular - and we’ll have plenty of time for memorable photo ops along the way.
THINGS TO NOTE!
12:00 h Start from Kotor (from the agreed location)
13:00 h Arrival at Špiljari, snack break
13:45 h Reach the top
14:00 h Descend the fortress stairways
15:00 h Arrival back at Old Town Kotor
The Old Town of Kotor is well-sheltered from the open sea, situated at the end of the Kotor Bay, encased by formidable mountains – Mt. Lovćen and Vrmac hill. Strategically, it has proven to be an ideal position for safety in times of war, exemplified by the relative security the town has enjoyed given the turbulent history of the region.
The Walls of Kotor, built between the 9th until 19th century on St. John’s hill, secured Kotor from enemies for more than 1.000 years.
To conquer the walls and fortress of the Kotor Old Town we follow the Old Path up the mountain. In the past it was the main caravan road connecting Kotor with the rest of Montenegro. This spectacular serpentine road leads us to a small old village called Špiljari. This is where the only family remaining in the village lives. The perfect spot to get some rest and try some unique homemade products while enjoying breathtaking views!
After the break, we’ll explore the remains of old houses and the abandoned church of St. John. For those courageous enough, you can experience the nearby cave path that exits on a cliff outside the city walls.
Finally, we will leave the ruins and proceed through a concealed passage to enter the fortress of San Giovanniat a 260 meter elevation above the sea.
On the return we descend 1.350 stairs, enjoy the spectacular landscape, 14th centuryChurch of Our Lady of Remedy and take (plenty of) opportunities for memorable photos
SEE YOU ON THE TOUR!
Maria Thomason
24.07.2019 16:27:34What an amazing tour. Our guide, Ilya, was awesome guiding us up the mountain and telling us all about the history of Kotor. Beautiful place, extraordinary climb and the views from up top were breathtaking. I strongly recommend this tour. Enjoy!! Kotor is Gorgeous!