Walking Kotor’s Promenade to Dobrota: Views & Quiet Corners.

Walking Kotor’s Promenade to Dobrota.

September 2021.

Having spent a month based in nearby Tivat, Sladja and I were lucky to have ample time to get to know the neighbouring town of Kotor. In fact, we made several visits, allowing ourselves to take things slowly and soak it all in.

One of those outings saw us dedicate a day and a half to wandering the magnificent old town, while another afternoon was set aside for the steep, rewarding ascent along the city walls to the summit of Kotor Fortress.

We’d really enjoyed getting to know Kotor, even if it was a bit on the touristy side. With one more afternoon to play with, we fancied something low-key and a little off the beaten path.

A quick glance at the map showed that the neighbouring town of Dobrota was just a thirty-minute walk away. Even better, we could get there by following the scenic Kotor Promenade along the water. It was a no-brainer.

After the excitement of discovering the old town and the physical demands of the fortress hike, lazy promenade walk felt like just the ticket. Indeed, we had barely been walking for five minutes when we realised that we’d left it all behind.

Walking Kotor’s Promenade to Dobrota.

Just like that, we’d swapped the tourist buzz for the sleepy rhythm of local life. An elderly woman shuffled past with a bag of groceries from the mini market. A little further on, two ladies sat quietly on a bench, lost in their own world. Down by the water, a family enjoyed a laid-back picnic.

Before long, the path led us into the small, pretty Freedom Park with its busts of Montenegrin folk heroes. Two of these, Nikola Đurković and Sava Ilić, were high-ranking members of the Communist Party of Yugoslavia and fought as part of the Partisan resistance movement during World War II. Both died in 1943 when occupying fascist Italian forces raided a secret meeting in the village of Podi, near Kotor.

The park’s centrepiece is the handsome Partisans Monument, which honours all Montenegrins who fell during The Second World War. “To the sons of this region who died for freedom”, states one of several engravings.

Freedom Park.

Just beyond the park, we came upon a brief burst of activity around a small, waterside section of the bay that has been turned into a public swimming pool.

And then we reached Kotor Beach—unassuming yet lovely, and perfectly peaceful. Just a handful of people were scattered along the shore, soaking up the views without urgency. It was idyllic—a scene that had me briefly kicking myself for not bringing my swimming shorts.

With the beach fading behind us, everything grew quieter. Those keen to avoid the beach’s scratchy shingles had simply laid their towels out on smooth stone platforms around which little boats bobbed gently in the water. It all felt wonderfully low-key—sunbathers dozing, boats creaking, and the mountains keeping watch.

Thus we figured—why not follow their lead and take a breather ourselves?

Back on the path, we came upon a seemingly deserted eatery called Kadena Restaurant. On closer inspection though we spotted a reluctant waiter hiding in the shade.

Walking Kotor’s Promenade to Dobrota.

Perusing its menu, we decided that the prospect of some cold drinks and a Margherita pizza was too good to turn down. With some more bay views, naturally.

Leaving Kadena behind, we pressed on until the path delivered us onto a long, leafy residential street—the true beginning of Dobrota.

Some of the houses were certainly striking: elegant, multi-storey villas with names like Milena, Marija, and Angjelija etched into their gates and façades. A mix of guesthouses, summer retreats, and lived-in family homes.

The street was still and empty—except for the cats, of course. Little clusters of them lounged in the shade, stretched out on warm stone, barely flicking an ear as we passed by.

Back down by the water, there was another catticus, this one perhaps an outcast.

Off the Beaten Path in Montenegro.

Or just above the whole tribe mentality. Perfectly content, queen of the bench.

With a population of around 8000, Dobrota functions as a de facto extension of Kotor, stretching along the peninsula towards the nearby village of Ljuta. Like Kotor, it flourished throughout the Venetian era, at one time having the highest number of anchored ships in the region.

Moreover, the village became known for its lace production and for producing several of Montenegro’s most renowned poets. In 1953, meanwhile, the country’s first psychiatric hospital opened here, and still operates today. According to several online articles, the hospital is infamously underfunded and outdated, operating well below global standards.

The village’s most recent addition, and its sole major tourist attraction, is the grand Boka Aquarium. It opened its doors in the summer of 2021, a multi-million Euro facility that houses over 150 species of local marine life.

Not tempted by the aquarium (not to mention the hospital), we settled on a visit to just one of Dobrota’s many churches. And boy did we pick the right one, because Saint Matthew’s Church is incredibly pretty, with a sublime elevated perch overlooking the bay.

Walking Kotor’s Promenade to Dobrota.

Built in 1670 atop the foundations of a 13th-century church destroyed in Montenegro’s devastating 1667 earthquake, St. Matthew’s is a delightfully baroque affair with twin domes and an 18th century belfry.

Apparently, the church is renowned for its beautiful interior—though it’s so rarely open that few ever get to see it. Unfortunately, we could only confirm the latter. Still, it was hard to feel disappointed with those spectacular bay views keeping us company.

We could have explored Dobrota further. Somehow though, it felt like our work was done. After a month in Tivat and wonderful trips to Gornja Lastva, Perast and Kotor, it was time to move on to a new long-term base. Another month lay in wait in another gorgeous corner of Montenegro…

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