Walking Montenegro And The Croatian Islands

Our trip begins at Dubrovnik Airport (DBV) at 12pm, you will need to arrive by this time to join the complimentary single transfer from the airport today. The latest your flight can arrive is 11.30am. We will travel together as a group to our hotel in Dobrota a one-and-a-half hours' drive. Dobrota is a quaint little seaside settlement within walking distance of the walled city of Kotor. Described as one of Kotor Bays' more stylish enclaves, the seafront at Dobrota consists of old captain's villas, restored as seaside cafes and small hotels offering picturesque views of Mt Vrmac and the bay itself.

Today we start our walk from Kotor for one of the most scenic walks you can do on the Montenegrin coast. We walk up a zig zag meandering pathway to the top of Vrmac Mountain and then along the Vrmac Ridge that divides the Bay of Kotor and Bay of Tivat. The first part of the hike is mostly through forests, gradually ascending on the old Austro Hungarian stone pathway to the highest point on the Vrmac Ridge, Sveti Ilija (785m) with views of the inner bay at Kotor and then on the other side to the Adriatic and the town of Tivat. We descend from the ridge to the small beach at Markov Rt for a refreshing swim in the clear waters before we return to the hotel by bus along the coastal road. Today's moderate 15 kilometre trek is expected to take around five hours with 650 metres of ascent and descent.

This morning we explore the prettiest and best preserved city in Montenegro, Kotor. The old city of Kotor is a well preserved urbanisation very typical of the middle ages, situated on one of the world's most beautiful bays. Kotor's fortifications stand up to 20 metres high and completed their protective loop of the city by the 14th century. The walls rise improbably from the surrounding slopes and we will walk to the top of them, a steep walk of around 1350 steps, to take in the magnificent views of the fjord and the winding, maze like streets of the city itself. On our way back down from the city walls we will visit the small church of Saint Jovan before taking some free time to explore the rest of the town where you might chose to visit the Sea Gate, the 12th century Saint Tryphon Cathedral or the Maritime Museum. This afternoon there is the option to take a boat trip to the Lady of the Rock and Perast Town in the bay of Kotor. The Lady of the Rock is an artificial island created by dropping multiple rocks into the sea to lay on top of each other until an islet is formed. Legend has it that over the centuries, after they found an icon of Madonna and Child on the rocks, local seamen kept an ancient oath to lay a stone in the bay every time they returned safely. Over the years the islet was formed and now is home to the Church of Our Lady of the Rocks. Today's leisurely four kilometre trek is expected to take around two-and-a-half hours with 300 metres of ascent and descent.