Difficulty: Moderate ◼︎
Length: 1.5 miles round trip
Elevation Gain: 850 feet
Dog Friendly: No
Trailhead coordinates (copy + paste): 42.4257, 18.7728
Directions: Park outside of the old city walls and pick up a map of the area, which will lead you to the starting place. You can also look for signs pointing to the fortress. There is a booth at the trailhead, where an €8 entrance fee is required.
A climb that takes you up rocky paths and 1,355 stairs, the hike above Kotor to the Castle of San Giovanni is one you'd be hard-pressed to forget. The path has incredible views over the Bay of Kotor and passes by the Church of Our Lady of Remedy, which dates back to 1518. The second half of the hike after the church is steeper and harder but not technical and definitely worth the experience (plus, the view gets even better). At the top, take some time to explore the 1,500+ year-old fortress and hide in the shade before heading back down to the city. The trail is completely exposed and very hot during the summer, so take lots of water or bring cash to purchase some from vendors along the way.
