I visited Kotor area in July of this year on a day-trip from Dubrovnik. I first drove along practically entire perimeter of the uniquely-shaped bay to the town of Kotor, spent half a day there, then crossed the bay via ferry at its narrowest point, and stopped for a short time in the town of Herceg Novi (which is not part of the WHS proper but rather of its buffer zone).

The vistas around the bay are reminiscent of Italian lakes, only the mountains are higher and less lush, and the towns on average are less picturesque. The shores of the bay are dotted with historic fortifications, modern resorts, and relatively contemporary settlements. The town of Kotor that donated its name to the whole region is tucked away in the south corner of the eastern wing of the bay. In addition to headlining this WH site, its fortifications are separately inscribed as part of the serial Venetian Works of Defense property. The historic core of Kotor is a delightful maze of narrow streets that open up to occasional wide public spaces. Commercialization is unavoidable in a popular destination such as this, but somehow even the plethora of boutiques and souvenir shops do not make Kotor any less lovely. The churches of Kotor enjoy an explicit mention on the WH inscription, and a connoisseur of religious architecture will find several interesting examples of both Catholic and Orthodox churches to explore and compare.

The next most popular destination after Kotor is Perast, with two distinctive islands in front of it, each home to a single point of interest. Sadly, visiting Perast did not fit into my schedule. Herceg Novi, on the seaward side of the bay, is considered one of the main tourist playgrounds of the Kotor Bay area and manages to combine resort feel with some historic charm.

In pure driving terms, it takes less than an hour to reach the edges of the bay from Dubrovnik, and less than an hour and a half all the way to Kotor town. Border controls, unfortunately, can be insane; crossing the border on the Croatian side could take up to two hours, regardless of whether you are coming or going. Not only are your passports thoroughly checked and rechecked, but holders of foreign ones are also required to present their vehicle documentation, which was a definite first for me at any border control. I was reasonably lucky to get through Croatian checks in about 30 minutes in each direction, and breezed through Montenegrin controls in seconds.

A full day is enough to get acquainted with the area, but if you want to visit Perast and/or other places and give your exploration more depth, you will need more than one day. Kotor the town merits 3-4 hours; if you want to follow its walls up the mountains for reputedly magnificent views – something that I did not intend to do on a hot July day – you may need to give just this one town closer to a full day.