10 Reasons to hire a private tour and a licensed tour guide

Travel planning during the last decade has become more and more of a personal side job, every year independent travelers chose to take over the load of organizing all the details of their trip. Definitively tours are an essential part of the itinerary whether it is history, culture, gastronomy or adventure the options are endless and the process can become overwhelming.
One way to start the narrow down your options is to choose a private tour over the group tours, well done if you have come this far, there are some major differences and even though the value is bit higher every additional euro it is well worth it. Here are a few reasons why a private tour should be your number one choice while visiting a new destination.
 
1. We love what we do and it shows! Finding a passionate guide should be easy. We are a small team of local professionals who found the passion for guiding later in life, we enjoy meeting new people and sharing our love for Montenegro and Bay of Kotor.
 
2. We offer the quality value for money tours – Great quality, personalized and customized excursions at reasonable costs. When you have a small-group tour you enjoy a personal service, with us quality comes first!
 
3. We have a team of guides and driver-guides that speak English very well. Have you ever been on a plane or a bus tour where the person speaking switched to English and you thought that they were still speaking in another language?
You won’t have this problem on our tours, guarantee.
 
4.  We are are professional local guides, knowledgeable and fun to spend the day with!  We take our job seriously but enjoy having fun while doing it. It is not just ‘another day in the office’ for us…
 

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It all began in the year 809, when relics of Saint Tryphon arrived a saint who died in martyrdom in the era of the Roman emperor Decije, legend says that the original plan was to ship the relics to Dubrovnik however the voyage encountered stormy seas and the embarkation changed its course arriving in Kotor. On the site of today’s Cathedral, there was a much smaller church where the relics were stored.
The chroniclers testify that that temple most probably disappeared in the fire, in the X century, and as the economy of Kotor flourished, locals wanted to create something more impressive for their patron saint so the construction began in the XII century. The cathedral of St. Tryphon was built in the Romanic style, with the elements of the Byzantium architecture. It survived several earthquakes, so its appearance also changed. Especially visible on the cathedral are the elements of renascence and baroque. It was not simply a religious object, standing vastly in the heart of the Old Town of Kotor. It also showed every sailor that came to Kotor that this town may be small in size, but with the achievements of its people, it was as great as any bigger town in Europe!
Unfortunately, this area is prone to earthquakes, so the Cathedral was not left out of it. It was damaged few times, especially with the one in 1667, when both bell towers collapsed. The most recent, in 1979, also caused some damage, but the cathedral, as well as the Old Town of Kotor, was completely restored and is standing proudly for all visitors who will certainly admire it exterior beauty and it is open for those who are willing to peek inside this extraordinary monument.
European Union and organization Europa Nostra, gave in the year 2002 to the cathedral a diploma for the great reconstruction and great seismic security measures of the oldest Romanic cathedral on the Adriatic coast. As the most important monument and symbol of the Old town, the cathedral of St. Tryphon, possess a rich treasury of the precious items among which we have: a gilded altar, baroque frescoes, and a great number of ornaments of great value. 

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The church of Sveti Luka is also situated in the old town and it deserves a special mention since it represents the harmony and togetherness of the citizens of Kotor and Montenegro. It was built during the reign of the Serbian dynasty Nemanjic, at the en of the XII century.

Until the middle of the XVII century the church of Sveti Luka was a catholic temple however the number of Orthodox people in Kotor increased after the war with the Turks and it became an Orthodox. Catholic believers had their altar in that temple as well until the first half of the XIX century, during almost two centuries this church hold two altars and to its present day it holds a special place in the hearts of the locals because it remind us that both Roman Catholics and Christian Orthodox believers could pray together in despite of their differences.
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Once you visit the interior of the church you will notice the floor  consists of tombstones of the common tombs of the people of Kotor, because until the thirties of the 20th century, burials were performed in the church itself.

​The church of St Nicholas is the most significant Orthodox Church in Kotor. It is located in the North part of the town; the construction of the church began in 1902 after the area was given to the Orthodox by the French in 1810, it was built on the basis of and old Dominican Monastery from the 16thcentury which was ruined by fire towards the end of the 19thcentury.  
The church was completed in 1909 and printed on the front of the building where we can see it today. Built in the Byzantine style, with only one nave and two bell towers on the main façade, the church is also visible behind the large city wall, which is located directly next to it.
The interior of the church fills a space that impresses with its richness and beauty of the iconostasis completed in 1908.
The Church of Saint Nicholas is known for its large collection of icons, the most famous of which is the Icon of the Holy Mother of God Trojerucica. The church keeps many religious documents and books, works of art, clothing and other valuables, which were donated to the church, mostly by rich Kotor families.
The Church of St. Nicholas is the only Orthodox church in Kotor, where services are held daily. The flag of the Serbian Orthodox Church hangs from the front façade

It is believed that in Kotor in the period from the 13th to the 20th century there were about 50 churches that disappeared due to different causes, mostly during the catastrophic earthquakes of 1667 and 1979.
Of the remaining churches, a few of them hold regular services however many have lost their original purpose.

St. Mary of the River of St. Mary’s Collegiate, is considered one of the oldest churches in Kotor. However, the present building dates back to 1221 built on the remains of an early Christian Basilica from the 5th 6th century.

St. Claire church dates back to the 17th century with a gorgeous marble altar from the 18th century and excellent work by Francesco Cabianca. Next to the church we will find access to Saint Claire’s convent as well as the remains of the old St. Bartolome’s church from the 14th century. Today the church has been divided in a convent and a Franciscan monastery with a rich library holding thousands of books including 100 incunabula.

St. Anne, is a Romanesque church from the 12th century however underwent unusual works during the 19th century especially in the facades, which where completely plastered hiding its nice hewn stone. Only during the aftermath of the earthquake, the church regained its original appearance.

St. Michael church, the Romano – Gothic church erected at the end of the 13th or at the beginning of the 14th century. It was constructed on the foundations of an early Romanesque church, which came to be mentioned in the Charter of the consecration of St. Tryphon’s Cathedral from 1166. Located in a small square in the middle of the city where we can also find one the few trees inside the walls of Kotor, a 300 years old Poplar tree planted after the 1667 earthquake, the small church turned into a lapidary.

Our Lady of the Remedy or Lady of the Health became a votive church after one of the many plague epidemics is Kotor.  build during the 16th century in the middle of the ascent to St. John’s fortress after.
The Church of the Holy Spirit now there is a concert hall of the Kotor Music School. In the past it also had an orphanage that was turned into a seminary at the end of the 19th century, and after the WWI into the Hotel Graz.

St. Joseph’s, Baroque church was originally built over a church that was probably dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene, it is interesting that the wall of the church next to the stairs leading to the church belonged to the monastery that was demolished when the prison was built, so the windows on that wall remained facing the interior of the church. work of Francesca Cabianca. It should be noted that in the bell tower of St. Josip finds the oldest bell in Kotor cast in Venice in 1461, transferred from the old monastery of St. Francis near Gurdić entrance endowment of Queen Jelena of Anzujska. After some years it was used as a school for young girls who could not attend the grammar school.

St. Paul’s church used to be completely hidden by a high wall, so that it was only the Romano-Gothic portal that was indicating the existence of significant architecture. Pavle Bari a citizen of Kotor had the church had the church built in 1263. When the Church was turned into barracks during Napoleon’s occupation (1807-1814) its interior was divided in two levels by means of the floor system, so that the original character of a homogenous space completely disappeared. During Italian occupation in the World War II, it was turned into prison, while during the Cominform and the conflict between Tito and Stalin in 1948, this edifice became female prison, so called Little Prison.
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The excavations that were carried out in the narrow courtyard in between the western wall of the Church and the high Street wall uncovered that the 13th century church had been accessed from the lower level of the present-day street via a two-flight stairway. Underneath the stairway there was an arcosolium, within the niche of which there was a built-in sarcophagus, possibly the grave of the founder of the older church. This invaluable edifice was revitalized and adapted as a single exhibition museum space for the rich collection of stone monuments from the Town Lapidarium, and/or multi-purpose space for exhibitions, concerts, scientific meetings etc.

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When you think about Kotor, first will come to mind the rich culture of the area, it's wonderful old town which is UNESCO protected as as the tradition  and legends.

Kotor farmer's market it is indeed a cultural asset part of the city tradition and holds a long and interesting history.

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The market in Kotor was first mentioned in the first half of the 15th century, it was held on Sunday in the square in front of St. Tryphon's Cathedral. This made it difficult to hold services so the Bishop of Kotor Marin Contareno, decided to change the market day from Sunday to Saturday and it as remained a tradition to this day.  Therefore nowadays as you explore the old town you will visit squares such as, Milk square, Flour square, Salad square.

​It was only after 1900 that the market moved to its current location outside the city, positioned between  the Valier Bastion on the western ramparts, to the right of the main city gate , named after the Venetian providor  Dolphin Valier ( 1560-1653  ) and to the right of the Corner Bastion market , named after the Venetian providor  Zorzi Corner  (1663-1763). 1665). In 1901, the municipality of Kotor intended to buy the space between the aforementioned Valier and Corner Bastions from the then Austrian military administration and to place a market in this area, which was realized from 1905 to 1907 .

Do not forget to visit the market when in Kotor you will experience first hand the liveliness of our town and its beautiful people, most rush as early as possible to get the best produce but all come to enjoy the atmosphere both locals and vendors enjoy a nice chat with neighbors and friends as well as being up to day with all the latest news.
Try to visit the market hungry there is a lot to try, fruits, veggies, cheese, prosciutto you name it they have it, as fresh and tasty as it can be!

There are a lot of places to visit, explore and enjoy while you visit Kotor old town, here we will number a few locations and activities in order to enjoy your time while exploring this gorgeous UNESCO protected town, either with one of us as your guide or by yourself. ​

​The town of Kotor has three entrances:

South gate also known as Gurdic entrance is the first of the three and was very important since people from Budva will have to use in its way to Dubrovnik when they could afford a boat trip, it had a drawbridge which will be lowered on the strange of the river Gurdic, this entrance is the best option during the summer in order to avoid crowds.

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​North gate also Known as skurda door entrance built  in the Renaissance style to preserve the memory of Kotor's victory over the ottoman empire back in 1539, the famous Turkish admiral Hajrudin Barbarosa also known as Red beard the pirate led the attack. You can still read the inscription above the entrance, Barbarosa besieged the town with 2000 ships and 30000 soldiers, but still did not manage to conquer it. 

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Main Gate or Sea Entrance located on the western side of the old town, dates from the 16th century and was build by the Venetian Providur Bernard Renier in 1555 in Renaissance and Baroque style even tough the top par of the entrance has change over the centuries the pillars and the arch still remain in the Bunjato technique. The gate is surrounded by massive stone blocks and stone pillars and is has a vaulted passage, right after you walk pass the entrance there is a Gothic relief from the 15th century showing Mary and baby Jesus, St. Tryphon saint patron and protector of Kotor who is holding the town on his hands and St. Bernard holding the holy bread "hostia"

 
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The gorgeous medieval town of Kotor was originally established by the Bizantine emperor Justinian I, the building of fortifications continue extensively over the years, each ruler will add them to the city's defense system in order to deter ambitious invaders and rivals.  Here we will mention some stops you shouldn't miss out, like the towers of Kotor.

Kampana Tower ,  is indeed on of the most distinctive features of the medieval fortifications that surround the old town of Kotor. Built in the 13th and 14th centuries the impressive Kampana Tower is located close to Skurda river right where it empties into the innermost part of the Bay of Kotor. From the top you will have breathtaking views of of the surrounding  mountains and as well a glimpse of the historic importance of Kotor, once should walk along the river Skurda as a great way to introduce yourself to our magnificent town. After walking into town through the Sea Gate take a full left passing the caffes  located in the Square of the arms , then take the steps up Maximus Discoteque and enjoy Kampana tower
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Clock tower is a symbol  of Kotor and one of its most important towers, it is located in the center of the Square of the arms/ Trg od Oruza it will be the first important building you will notice as walking into town using the Sea Gate.
The building of the Baroque and Gothic styled clock originally began in 1602 however it was damaged after the earthquakes of 1667 and 1979, if you look closely you will notice the tower tilted towards the South, works of restoration could not fixed this inclination. 
In front of the tour you will also notice a pillory "the pillory of the shame" use to same wayward citizens during the medieval times.