Vranovo Brdo - Panoramic Hike Above the Bay of Kotor
Hike description
A little-used hike linking the seaside village of Donji Orahovac with the historic town of Perast. It follows old, almost forgotten stone paths and shepherd trails past abandoned hamlets and the ruins of an old fortress, with outstanding views over the Bay of Kotor as the reward.
Start of the hike – Donji Orahovac
The hike starts in the village of Donji Orahovac and climbs steeply along an old shepherd trail, rocky in places and sometimes overgrown. Some sections of the path are faint and partly covered by vegetation, but basic navigation is not difficult – we still recommend checking your GPS from time to time. Views of the bay begin to open up quite soon and only get better as you gain height.
Chapel and abandoned hamlets
The steeper climb ends at the small St. Nicholas Chapel, from where the trail continues over gently rolling terrain. It leads through low forest, overgrown pastureland, past the ruins of barracks, and through the remains of abandoned settlements with crumbling stone houses – quiet evidence of what was once a hard life here.
Vranovo Brdo and Sveti Andrija Fortress
About 1.5 kilometres beyond the chapel, the ascent to the summit of Vranovo Brdo (743 m) begins. At first the trail runs through forest, and only shortly below the top does a panoramic view open up over the blue waters of the Bay of Kotor far below. From there it is only a short distance to the summit, where the ruins of Sveti Andrija Fortress stand. The top offers magnificent views of the Bay of Kotor and the surrounding slopes. The fortress invites exploration, but be careful – there are no railings or other safety features here.
Descent to Perast
Beyond the summit, a long descent begins on a historic trail toward the town of Perast. This section is highly photogenic – the views of Perast and the islands of Our Lady of the Rocks and Sveti Đorđe are among the finest on the whole hike. The path is again overgrown and stony in places, but still easy enough to walk.
Recommendations
- The route is not well marked – use GPS with an offline map. It is especially useful in the overgrown sections.
- Set off (very) early in the morning, especially in summer – the trail is mostly exposed to the sun and there is no water source anywhere along the route.
- From Perast, we recommend taking a boat trip to the islands of Our Lady of the Rocks and Sveti Đorđe. Boats are easy to find along the waterfront promenade – local boatmen actively approach passers-by. With a bit of luck, you may even be able to negotiate a ride back to Donji Orahovac, perhaps with a swimming stop.
- Because of the high temperatures, lack of water, overgrown terrain, and possible navigation issues, this hike is better suited to experienced hikers with good fitness.
Useful info
By car
Drive along the coast to the village of Donji Orahovac, then continue uphill above the village to the church on a narrow concrete road that is quite steep in places. You can park along the roadside near the start of the hike.
By bus
Take a local bus connection from Kotor.
There is no water along the route, so bring enough with you - much of the hike is exposed to the sun.
