The ancient Montenegrin town of Kotor is an ideal holiday destination for those travelers who like to combine rich history, an impressive number of attractions, and a comfortable beach holiday. Surrounded by picturesque mountains, like Mount St. John, on the one hand, and washed by the azure waves of the Adriatic Sea on the other, Kotor is known as one of the most beautiful towns in Montenegro and one of the most popular tourist destinations in the entire Balkan Peninsula.

The famous Bay of Kotor, adjacent to the town, annually attracts surfers and divers, the colorful historic center—lovers of ancient architecture, and the majestic Citadel of Kotor—connoisseurs of medieval defensive fortifications.

The monumental stone fortress rises above the cobblestone streets, red-tiled roofs, and tall bell towers of ancient churches and cathedrals. Its impregnable defensive walls, up to 16 meters thick, stretch for almost 5 kilometers, surrounding the Old Town of Kotor. Even in the ancient times of the Illyrians, the ancient fortifications stood in the same place. The ancient Romans, the conquerors of the Adriatic coast, did not like Illyrian buildings. They razed everything to the ground and began to build their citadel. Unfortunately, the Romans did not complete their fortress either. The Venetians came to these lands and built a new citadel on the Roman ruins. Fortunately, this building has survived to this day.

Kotor’s Citadel was repeatedly raided by warriors of the Ottoman Empire and stormed by soldiers of the Great Army. But no one managed to conquer this impregnable defender of the town. Even the strongest earthquake of the 17th century did not destroy it. So today, the citadel with its 20-meter-high walls is a venue for annual carnival processions and folklore costume festivals, in which you should definitely take part at least once in your life.