Kotor Off The Beaten Path

Lovcen is beautiful mountain and National Park which is covering 6.400 ha. Mount Lovcen has two peaks – Stirnovik at 1.749 m and – Jezerski at 1.657 m. The fastest way to come on Lovcen is from Kotor. The road from Kotor is made up of a series of serpentines but the view is great.
When you come in Lovcen park (in summertime) there must be paid a fee 1 euro a car.
If you want to visit Njegos mausolem the entrance cost 2 euro for adults and 1 euro for children.
For walking you will have red and white dots which you lead trough the park.

This isn't a great tip because I can tell you nothing about this little church which we spotted on the way up to the fortress. I have looked in many books and trawled the web looking for any info on this little church but have found nothing. This is really frustrating for me because I would love to know more about this pretty little church which sits so isolated up the mountain behind Kotor's Old Town. The church has a real lost world quality to it with its overgrown surroundings, moss covered roof and crumblin stone walls which surround the church.

If anybody knows anything about this church PLEASE let me know.

To get to the church you need to leave the track up the mountain walls and cross unmarked ground towards the church which is away from the main walls. Keep an eye out for the church in the distance as you pass through the upper positions and Bastions of the walls. We left the track through what is called the 'Small Fort' to get over to the church.

Typical small towns are visible along the Montenegro coastline... such beautiful places are built under venetian style who rules the area making commercial deals and fighting for them with turks for many years during the Modern european age...
The montenegro coastline sights are one of the most impressive ones that i've ever seen ..so if you can despite of all prejudices go there to enjoy your hollidays before the local prices rise in this part of the world

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The Austro-Hungarian period seems to drown in the rich historical past of the Kotor area. Thus the fort on top of Vrmac is sort of off the beaten path in a double sence.

Kotor, then Cattaro, was a part of the Dalmatian province of the Austrian, and later the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until the end of WWI. It was an important naval port with strong fortifications. A great mutiny started here on the ships Sankt George and Kaiser Karl VI, 1 feb 1918, which came to involve 8000 sailors in the Adriatic fleet. The sailors had had enough of bad food and war. Even though it lasted only a couple of days, it is said to have contributed to the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Habsburg Dynasty.

It is a shame to see the condition of the fort now. They used to have everything up her, like a bakery and their own water supply system. Imagine how it must have been to build all this on top of a steep hill around 1900! When I was here in 2005, I commented to my friend that somebody should buy this property and make something out of it. Now somebody HAS bought it, but nobody knows exactly what they intend to do with it. I hope it will not become a closed resort for rich tourists only.

More pictures in TL Utvrda Vrmac.

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On the way from Kotor to Risan among the high pine trees lays Banja Monastery. It is difficult to notice it as it is amoust wripped out in the greenery. However, there is a sign on the road so it is not hard to find it. The Church dates from 17th century renovated in early 18th c..and Monastery buildings were added in 19th century. Everybody is welcome here. Once, we were invitied in the guest room and were served with cookies and drinks.

The Remains of Roman Villa with Mosaics are situated in town Risan just about 15 km from Kotor on the way to Herceg Novi. They date back to the 2nd centyry AD.
The Villa includs an atrium. The most of the rooms were floored with mosaics but only few are preserved. One of them represents the Hypnos.

8km far from Kotor, there's this so-called aerial spa, where the air from Lovcen and Mediterranean air mix. Here you can relax and sunbathe on the many beaches. Or just explore the town and admire its several monuments from the past, such as the 15th-century palace Tre Sorele, the Franciscan Monastery or the New Church of Our Lady.

You can take a local bus along the water's edge for about a half-hour to the peaceful village of Perast. It, like Kotor, is an ancient walled city, but much smaller, more peaceful, and a great getaway. Besides, there are two small islands there with beautiful old churches on them. In general, the scenery around perast is exceptional. You can even find accommodation there. It would be an ideal honeymoon site.