On one night each August, Kotor's bay fills with dozens of illuminated and decorated boats in the Bokeljska Noć maritime festival, a 600-year-old tradition that draws 20,000 people to the city walls and shoreline.
Bokeljska Noć (Boka Night) is Kotor's most significant traditional celebration, with origins in the 15th century when the Boka Kotorska naval guild, the Bokeljska Mornarica, organised processions to honour their patron saint. The modern event takes place across a single night in August and involves a procession of decorated boats carrying musicians, performers, and flag-bearers through the Bay of Kotor. The boats are lit and decorated from bow to stern; the procession moves from the outer bay into the inner channel before Kotor's city walls, where the fireworks finale takes place over the water. The event draws an estimated 20,000 people to the waterfront on the night.
Kotor's old town is enclosed within 4.5km of medieval walls and sits at the innermost point of the Bay of Kotor, one of the deepest natural harbours in Europe. The setting for the Bokeljska Noć, with the walled city illuminated against the water and the Lovćen mountain rising behind it, is among the most dramatic natural and architectural combinations in the Adriatic. The festival is free to watch from the waterfront promenade; reserved positions on moored boats and at waterfront tables at restaurants are available at cost. Accommodation in the old town or the immediate surrounding area books out weeks in advance for the Bokeljska Noć night; book two months ahead. The old town's pedestrian streets have bars and restaurants within the walls that stay open until 2am.
Party hostels within reach of 's main celebrations. Ranked by guest rating.
Day-by-day breakdown
The Kotor city walls walk runs 4.5km and climbs to St John's Fortress at 260 metres above the town; the ascent takes about 45 minutes and entry costs €8. The view over the bay is the definitive Kotor daytime experience. The old town within the walls is compact: the main square (Trg od Oružja), St Tryphon's Cathedral, and the Maritime Museum cover the historical material in a few hours. Water taxis from the town quay run to Perast, a smaller village 12km north around the bay, with a 15-minute crossing.
The boat procession begins at dusk, typically around 9pm. Position on the waterfront promenade south of the main gate (Vrata od Mora, the Sea Gate) for the best viewing angle as the boats enter the inner harbour. The procession takes about 90 minutes before the fireworks finale directly over the water at approximately 10:30pm. After the fireworks, the crowds move into the old town; the bars on Trg od Drva and the restaurants on the waterfront run to midnight or later.
Pre-booked private transfers and shared shuttles for your arrival.
