What the Church of St Nicholas is and where it stands

The Church of St Nicholas stands on St Luke square in Kotor Old Town, in the lanes north-west of the main squares. It shares its name with the Franciscan Church of St Nicholas in Prčanj, a separate Roman Catholic church with an attached Franciscan monastery further round the Bay of Kotor, so check which one you are searching for before setting off. This page deals only with the Kotor Old Town church.

St Luke square is a small paved space with more than one church on it, which is why the square, not a street name, is the useful landmark. Look for the church rather than the neighbouring buildings; the square sits inside the old town's lanes. If you are orienting yourself across the town as a whole, the wider Kotor attractions guide covers the other churches, museums and walls within the same compact area.

How to reach it on foot from the Sea Gate

Enter Kotor Old Town through the Sea Gate on the waterfront, then walk inland and north-west towards St Luke square. The route is short and goes through the lanes, so follow the flow of the streets rather than trying to hold a straight line. Allow a few minutes of wandering even if you know the way.

If you arrive by bus from elsewhere on the coast, the old town gates are within easy walking distance of the stops on the main road; if you come by car, park outside the walls and continue on foot. Save the climbing for a separate outing: the ascent to the Kotor Fortress starts on the opposite side of the town and is a different kind of visit.

What the facade inscription records

An inscription on the facade gives the church's construction dates: building began in 1902 and the church was completed in 1909. Read the inscription on the exterior rather than relying on guidebook summaries, and take the dates as the building's own record.

This is a working church rather than a monument with a visitor circuit, so what you can see, and how much of it, depends on what is happening at the time. Adjust your visit to whoever is there and keep the stop short.

Whether you can take photographs inside depends on what is happening at the time. Use judgement: if a service is in progress, put the camera away and come back later. Confirm any restrictions locally on the day.

How long to allow and fitting it into an old-town walk

Allow a short stop for the church itself and rather longer for St Luke square and the lanes immediately around it, which brings in the neighbouring churches and a coffee stop. Build the stop into a half-day walk of the old town rather than making a special trip.

Cruise days change the experience more than the time of day does. When large ships are in, the lanes between the Sea Gate and the main squares fill up and the quiet of a small square disappears; on days without a ship, the same walk is calmer. If you want to avoid the busiest hours, go early in the morning or later in the afternoon.

Nearby: St Luke square, St Tryphon's Cathedral and the rest of the old town

St Luke square is the immediate setting, and the Church of Saint Luke, Kotor stands on the same small space, so you can see two churches without moving more than a few paces. From there, walk south-east towards the main squares for St Tryphon's Cathedral (Katedrala Svetog Tripuna), Kotor, the town's cathedral and its most substantial interior.

Two modest museums sit within the same lanes: the Maritime Museum of Montenegro, Kotor in a historic building near the waterfront, and the Cats Museum, Kotor, a small collection that appeals to children. Both are indoor stops that work well if rain sets in. The Clock Tower marks the square where the lanes converge, useful as a meeting point before you split up.

A little further on, the Drago Palace, Kotor is one of the old town's surviving noble houses, its carved stone doorway worth a pause as you pass. Above the town, the Church of Our Lady of Remedy, Kotor sits on the hillside and is reached on foot from the old town, a steeper outing for another part of the day. Together these give a fuller circuit without leaving the walls.

Practical points for visiting a working church

This is a working church, not a museum. Dress modestly, covering shoulders and knees, remove hats, and keep your voice down. Stand aside when someone approaches an icon to venerate it, and do not step in front of them.

If a service is under way, wait at the back or return later rather than walking through the congregation. If you want to light a candle, look for the stand near the entrance and follow what other visitors do.

Where the Church of St Nicholas fits in a Kotor walk

Make the Church of St Nicholas part of an old-town circuit rather than a destination in its own right: it is a short, straightforward stop on St Luke square, and its position next to the Church of Saint Luke makes the square the reason to go. Combine it with St Tryphon's Cathedral and one museum, and you have a solid half-day inside the walls.