We started the hike really early (about 6am) as we went there in the summer and the temperatures had been reaching 35C then. Also, we are not too keen on crowds, so wanted to start the climb before all the cruise liners’ passengers. The hike starts at the beautiful Kotor Old Town and it took us about 1.5h (with lots of photo stops) to get to the fortress. The views from the top are out of this world - the azure Adriatic Sea, the charming historical buildings of Kotor and the mountains. This hike wouldn’t be suitable for people with knee problems as there are around 1350 steps to the top, also, I cannot imagine climbing it if the temperature was over 30C. But it’s definitely worth doing if you like stunning views and a bit of a physical exercise.

Excellent experience. Stunning views. We climbed on a dull day so temperatures were lower I wouldn't like to do it during the mid day sun. Wear good shoes if it rains it can be slippy in places. Nice and quiet when we did it as there was no large cruise ship around when everything gets very busy. I didn't see much litter there were several bins provided. No toilets just go before you climb! Took us 45 mins to go up much less coming down.

Incredible medieval fortress built into a mountain. Stunning both day and night. Tons of venetian influence. Love the fresh fruit market outhouse the main gate. Entrance is free. Lots of varied shopping and eating options. Gelato, souvenirs, antiques, cocktails, churches and more. Lots to see, great photo opps and lively.

Epic views all the way up. For the best sunlight and to get the fjord reflection from the bay, go at sunrise. Note: entrance is now 8 Euro but if you make it down before 7am (when ticket office opens) it's free.

It was a nice experience with a great view. The entrance fee is 8€ from 7 AM to 8 PM. If you want to enter for free you should start hiking up at around 5 AM in order to be down before the ticket office opens. For me the hiking took 1 hour up and approximately 1 hour down with a slow tempo as I was taking a lot of pictures. Unfortunately, I started hiking at 6 AM and I was down at the entrance at 8 AM, so I was charged. :(

We were here as part of a group tour in September 2022. We only had about 3 hours in the city so a few of us grabbed a quick lunch so that we could head up here - others have commented about the fee and how you can avoid it by going early / late. We had to pay but it was slightly cheaper back then and compared to the cost in Dubrovnik, much better value! You'll need decent shoes to climb the steps up. There's the church part of the way up and for some people, that's enough of a view (worth it just going there). If you keep going, you'll reach the fortress itself for a fantastic view over the bay. We rushed up and down in around 2 hours, with 10 mins or so at the top for photos, but it was definitely worth it. As others have said, it's a shame people drop their litter in places - guess all we can do is set a good example and take our rubbish home.

I'm not clear on the differences between this "Kotor Fortress" and the similar entry "Castle of San Giovanni" - possibly they are the same thing, or perhaps different locations along the same walk up the walls from Kotor. Either way, it's a highly recommended walk. We took about an hour to go up, stayed at the fortress about half an hour exploring and taking photos, and then took about 45 minutes to return down to the Old City. The fortress itself is old and not hugely well maintained but felt safe enough to wander and explore. It was fairly crowded on the morning we were there with a mix of people from cruise ships and those staying in town, but it's large enough that we were able to explore and take photos as we wished. This was probably our favorite activity in/around Kotor itself.