Kotor, Montenegro

Today we ventured out in a private small boat to explore the whole Kotor fjord.

Our first stop was Our Lady of the Rocks Island. This is a small island off the coast of Montenegro. It was built stone by stone around a rock in the sea where an icon of the Madonna and Child was found in 1452.

After every successful return from a voyage, rocks are added to the growing island. Today a Catholic Church is located on the site that was renovated in 1722. There is also a small museum.

We next explored submarine tunnels. These structures were used to hide submarines and small surface boats during World War II. The tunnels were connected to more internal tunnels in the mountains that sheltered soldiers, arms and ammunition.

From the submarine caves we headed out of the Bay of Kotor into the Adriatic. We passed by Marmala Island. This small island has a fort built in 1853 as part of a contingency plan to protect the entrance to the Bay of Kotor. During World War II it was used as a concentration camp. Today it is a luxury beach hotel.

Our last stop was at the Blue Cave. This is a cave deep inside the rocks along the coastline. The water is crystal clear. The coral on the bottom reflected blue in the sunlight. Brenda went swimming. The water was cold!!!

We enjoyed our hour long return trip to Kotor.

After a short city walking tour, Brenda and I decided to hike to the top of the fortress. It was a journey of 1500 steps. The views were amazing and well worth the effort.

We enjoyed our day here very much. It was not crowded.  We loved getting out on the water in a small boat, seeing Kotor and climbing to the top of the hill.

Dubrovnik tomorrow!

Narrative By PattyRead more