Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles
The most popular hike directly from the old city of Kotor, Montenegro, is Kotor Fortress..
- 4km out and back
- 225m elevation gain
- 1,350 stone steps or rough trail beside the steps
I mostly took the trail on the way up. The steps on the way down. With headlamp.
As it was 30+C and humid, I waited until 8pm to start up the stairs.
From 8pm to 9am Fortress is effectively free as there are no guards at the gate.
Locals are irked that the daytime charge is 15 Euros (17.30 US) in 2026. They keep raising the price of this short day hike.
I started in the old city, a World Heritage site.
Though you can see the climb, it’s still a bit of a challenge to find one of the two trailheads in the maze of narrow streets. I used AllTrails.
Quite quickly you get great views of the Bay.
There’s no need to climb to the top. In fact, I think most people stop at this lookout.
The trail gets rougher from that point. I carried on.
Here’s the top of the San Giovanni Castle ruins. I was hoping for moonrise — but didn’t get it while up there.
Bats feed off insects attracted to the lights shining up the mountain. Those white blurs are bats in time exposure.
It would be quite a different experience climbing in the day time. Here’s how the fortress sits above, protecting the old city of Kotor.
Many start at 5 or 6 am, trying to get back before the ticket takers arrive in the morning.
There’s an alternative hike to get similar great vista views.
I did the Ladder of Kotor Trail, as well, next morning.
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