Montenegro: Prčanj

 The Bay of Kotor

We have just arrived in Prčanj (pronounced Pr-chang) on a last minute trip for some sun and swimming, as well as some sight seeing. It is located on the innermost part of the Bay of Kotor, a large area of water that runs inland from the Adriatic (it is correctly a ria - a drowned river valley that remains open to the sea). Prčanj is the area on the left.

This is the view of the high cliffs across the bay from Prčanj.

As ever our first instinct is to get oriented and so we turn right out of the hotel (which is right on the water) and follow the coastal road for a way. The firs thing which stands out is that are no beaches, only concrete areas jutting out into the bay. This is the view back to Kotor, which we were astonished to discover, after we had made our hotel booking, is a walled town on the UNESCO World Heritage list - we plan to go there tomorrow.

After a short while we come to an interesting building, which a sign tells us is the House of the Three Sisters.

It was built in the 15th century and owned by the aristocratic Buca family. The legend of the three sisters is that all fell in love with the same sailor. When he went to sea, they stood at their windows waiting for him to return. The years went by and the sisters still waited for their sailor who never returned. As the sisters passed away one by one, their windows were boarded up – all except for the last sister, who had nobody to board up her window, and so it remains unsealed to this day. A nice little story!

A bit further on there is a zone with a couple of nice-looking restaurants, a chapel and a whole series of mansions, not all in good nick.

A headland looms ahead: the Birth of Our Lady church, Bogorodičin hram in Montenegrin. It is said to be the biggest religious building on the Adriatic coast. It was begun in 1789 but not completed until 1908.

It is positioned on a high base - here is the front-on view.

 Inside is a classic Baroque basilica.

Interestingly, on one wall of the nave is a wonderful representation of a cross. To me, it suggest a multitude standing before an altar.

While behind the church is a small and rather battered bell tower.

We turned round here and headed back past a betting shop in the small settlement by the church (how does it keep going?) and walked back along the Molo di Capitan Lorenzo, with lots of lovely Oleanders. It is the only path along this section.  

Finally, we spotted a minute stretch of sandy (actually gravel) beach - possibly the world's smallest.

Conditions: hot, hazy sunshine.

Distance: three miles or so.

Rating: four stars. An interesting introduction to the locality. Tomorrow Kotor!