Boka Kotorska
Boka Kotorska, Bay of Kotor, Kotor Bay, Bocche di Cattaro, or just Boka: all these names refer to the most beautiful bay on the adriatic sea in southwestern Montenegro.
Sometimes referred to as a fjord, Boka is in fact a submerged river canyon whose breathtaking scenery inspired the great English poet, Byron, to pronounce it 'the most beautiful merging of land and sea'.
The magnificent karst mountains which follow the winding coastline protect the bay from the vagaries of the open sea and the cold climate of winter. And, in between the quaint, handsome, stone houses and ancient Venetian settlements, lush, mediterranean plants such as mimosa, agave, palm, pomegranate and oleander prick the rocky mountain slopes and provide a rich emerald backdrop to the glinting sapphire sea waters.
Its butterfly shape, naturally divided into four smaller bays, begins with the bay of Herceg Novi, which lies at the entrance to the adriatic sea, followed by the bay of Tivat, Risan bay and, then, finally the bay of Kotor. Each bay has its own distinct character and beauty: Herceg Novi enjoys magnificent views over lustica, prevlaka, and the sea entrance; Tivat bay's expansive views include Lovcen, Stradioti, Lustica and Vrmac; Risan's charms includes the breathtaking islands of Perast village, St George and Our Lady of the Rocks; as well as, Perast itself and many idyllic, traditional, Montenegrin villages; and, lastly, Kotor bay showcases the epic wall of its Venetian city.
The magnificent karst mountains which follow the winding coastline protect the bay from the vagaries of the open sea and the cold climate of winter. And, in between the quaint, handsome, stone houses and ancient Venetian settlements, lush, mediterranean plants such as mimosa, agave, palm, pomegranate and oleander prick the rocky mountain slopes and provide a rich emerald backdrop to the glinting sapphire sea waters.
Its butterfly shape, naturally divided into four smaller bays, begins with the bay of Herceg Novi, which lies at the entrance to the adriatic sea, followed by the bay of Tivat, Risan bay and, then, finally the bay of Kotor. Each bay has its own distinct character and beauty: Herceg Novi enjoys magnificent views over lustica, prevlaka, and the sea entrance; Tivat bay's expansive views include Lovcen, Stradioti, Lustica and Vrmac; Risan's charms includes the breathtaking islands of Perast village, St George and Our Lady of the Rocks; as well as, Perast itself and many idyllic, traditional, Montenegrin villages; and, lastly, Kotor bay showcases the epic wall of its Venetian city.
Herceg Novi
Risan
Our Lady of the Rocks
Perast
Kotor
Rose
Situated at the north at the north westernly tip of Lustica peninsula, at the entrance of Kotor Bay, Rose is considered the oldest settlement on Boka Kotorska and, despite its diminutive size, has enjoyed a rich a nd varied history well documented by historians.One of the earliest settlements of ancient Roman times, when it was called Resnium, it was pillaged by the Saracens during their military campaigns in 841 and, then, later served as a customs and port authority and a quaratine centre for sailors arriving in the bay.
Characterised by its stone houses built during the 17th and 18th century, it is dominated by the small church of the Holy Trinity which dates from the seventeeth where Boka sailors are buried, the church of St Assumption, built in 1783 by the Venetian prince Antonio Alberto and an Austro-Hungarian Fort which today serves as an upmarket restaurant with accommodation.
With its west facing location it enjoys spectacular summer sunsets and entrancing views of Orjen mountain.
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