Kotor, Montenegro: Unexpected Beauty

«Now I know: Montenegro is the hidden jewel of the Adriatic Sea. Our first glimpse into this country's beauty began with a two-hour, early morning sail through the scenic fjords of Kotor. As the Sea Cloud II headed toward the harbor, I could hear "oohs" and "aahs" from my fellow passengers. None of us imagined Montenegro would be so majestic and lush.»

After docking at port, we boarded buses for a short drive along the coast of Perast, where a local boat waited to take us to the islet of Our Lady of the Rocks, the ever-watchful guardian of the bay formed by piling stones around a large underwater rock.

Our Lady of the Rocks, near Kotor, Montenegro. Photograph by Suzanne Shenton

After viewing the small, beautiful church so adored by generations of seafarers, we headed back to Kotor, where we had a choice between a walking tour of the city or a brisk climb with Tom, our cruise director, to the Kotor Tower (some 880 feet above town). I chose the latter, and the views from the top of the tower were magnificent.

Kotor Tower. Photograph by Suzanne Shenton

None of us wanted to leave, but Tom wisely enticed us down with promises of "the best pizza ever." And he was right, it was the best piece of pizza I've ever consumed (outside of New York, of course).