The Bay of Kotor looks like a fjord but is really a drowned river canyon, a series of linked basins surrounded by limestone mountains that rise nearly straight from the water. Kotor itself sits at the innermost end, a walled town tucked under a steep cliff, with a fortress that climbs the slope behind it in a zigzag line of walls. It was a Venetian possession for centuries, and its narrow lanes, stone churches and small squares have kept their medieval layout. The Cathedral of St Tryphon, from the twelfth century, is the main landmark, and cats are everywhere, as the town's unofficial mascots.
The climb to the fortress takes about an hour on steps, past a small church halfway up, and rewards you with the best view of the bay. Go early or late, since midday is hot and cruise ship groups arrive in numbers. In the evening the lights come on across the water, and the town takes on a quiet, theatrical charm.
For riders, this is among the great roads of the Balkans. The Adriatic Highway comes down the coast from Dubrovnik and winds around the bay, passing through villages with stone houses, little harbours and old churches. A short ferry runs between Kamenari and Lepetane at the mouth of the bay, saving time. From Kotor, a famous mountain road climbs the Lovćen range in around twenty-five hairpins, to a pass with views of the bay below and then on to the old royal capital Cetinje. The tarmac is fair, the bends are tight and narrow, and large buses sometimes block the corners, so patience helps. The best months are May, June, September and October.
Kotor has a small population but good services, with fuel stations around the bay and nearby Tivat, restaurants serving seafood, and a market outside the walls. The old town is pedestrian only, with parking outside the gates. In summer, thunderstorms can roll over the mountains with little warning, and winter brings rain and fog. Keep passports and vehicle papers handy, and remember that Montenegro uses the euro. Try the local cured ham from Njeguši, the village along the Lovćen road, and a glass of Vranac red.