We awoke to a pastel sky to begin our day of exploration in Montenegro. As we approached the harbor of Zelenika, the “Black Mountains” of Kotorfjord grew larger in our view. Although referred to as a fjord in the local name, Kotorfjord is not a true fjord since it was created by the uplifting of plates and carving force of water rather than glaciers.
On land we made our way to local boats that ferried us to one of two islands in the middle of the bay, one of which houses Our Lady of the Rock Chapel. On a celebration day annually in July, locals still come to throw stones onto the island, which was artificially made in the 15th century to house a newly discovered miraculous icon of the Madonna and Child. We then crossed the water to Perast, a village rich in Venetian architecture including a bell tower, which matches the one in Piazza San Marco.
Bolstered by a break at cafes in Perast, we ventured up the dramatic limestone mountainside, which was covered in a light haze from nearby fires, by driving up a series of 25 vertiginous switchbacks. Safely arriving at the top, we alighted at Njegusi, a small village known for its smoked prosciutto-like ham. We had a lovely meal at a local restaurant followed by a tasting of ham and grappa. Then many of us wandered through the shops and purchased local handicrafts or food products.
After managing the dizzying descent from the mountain, we arrived in Kotor, another Venetian-style town for a walking tour before returning to the Sea Cloud. In the evening we closed our time in Montenegro by having a cocktail hour with local Kotor oysters and champagne while navigating out of the stunning bay.
