Our sail to Montenegro was anything less than spectacular and by that, I mean we motored all 25 miles into the Bay of Kotor. We did manage to sail one WHOLE hour inside the bay, which was quite exciting as we were going with 7.5 knots(!) but we soon had to stop in Zlenika and tie to the customs quay to enter the country officially. After a relatively short trip from customs to police to the harbor master, we were given permission and all necessary paperwork and we set off to continue our motoring trip into Kotor. The Kotor bay is simply breathtaking. The fjord, which feels like a huge lake is surrounded by tall, steep mountains, all looming over the green-ish waters and the biggest contrast: tiny quaint villages at the feet of the mountains but the waters are super busy with enormous ferries, superyachts, and all sizes and shapes of motorboats and sailboats.

For our first night, we anchored in Uvala Velika, opposite the Sveti Marko Island and a monastery. Beautiful, quiet bay and amazing sunset.

On Thursday, 18th August we moored in the city of Kotor, yet another Unesco heritage city but this time justified. The city is enveloped by thick brick walls, like a fortress while its center is cheerful, lively, and full of cobblestone narrow streets. We spend a few days here, also visiting the nearby mall and the playground and it’s safe to say we all had a great time.

All good things come to an end though, and we soon set sail to Budva. However, the wind was against and so was the current, with waves smashing against Libra so after a not-so-pleasant trip we reached our destination only to discover it was not suitable for anchoring-too much swell and not too much space. Instead, we opted for the island of Sveti Nicola, where we threw our anchor and prepared dinner quickly. The next day we explored the tiny islet and even swam a bit! Although the landscapes are amazing, it was hard not to miss the crystal blue waters of Croatia. Still, we had fun on the beach!

On 22nd August we (finally!) had a nice sail to Bar, our last destination in Montenegro. And what a great last stop that was! Bar is a coastal and resort town and although not architecturally interesting, it has a very friendly, relaxed vibe; the boulevards were wide, spacious, and full of trees and flowers, the people were friendly and smiling, the food was tasty and the general atmosphere made you feel very welcome. We enjoyed a delicious dinner in a transformed greenhouse in the middle of a garden and had coffee by the seaside. We stayed at the spacious Bar marina, conveniently located in the middle of the city and we managed to do all our long-trip drill: fill up on water, electricity, fuel, and groceries. We only stayed 2 days because we had to catch the good weather window to sail to Greece, but it was definitely worthwhile!

Wednesday 24th of August and exactly a week after we arrived in Montenegro, we were preparing to sail to our final destination for the year: Greece. Interested to find out how our longest trip went? Stay tuned for the upcoming post! Cheers!