Coasting Through Kotor, Montenegro & Bari, Italy: Kimble Adriatic Cruise Part Two

After a few amazing days in Venice, it's officially time to start this Adriatic Cruise!

May 10: Board the Cruise in Venice, Italy

After a late check out at our AirBnB we made our way to the rideshare pickup location, where Mom noticed the multiple newspapers announcing the new Pope from Chicago! Mom was so excited to be in Italy when the Vatican made this announcement!

Marittima

Our Bolt driver picked us up and drove a short way across the island to Marittima, the cruise terminal in Venice. We were quite confused, since all our cruise documents said the ship left from Porto di Marghera...come to find out, all cruises out of Venice check in at these cruise terminals on the island, but are then bussed 20 minutes to the shipyard to actually board the boat.

As you can imagine, this was chaos. Bryan and I also had to explain over and over again why we had a gap in our passport stamps for entering Europe. After showing our orders, Spanish military ID cards, and Spanish national identification numbers, we were finally granted permission to board the boat. Holy crap. Hopefully, things go smoother on the boat!

Di Porto Marghera: Porto di Marghera

We finally made it on the boat around 1:30 and headed to the top deck for lunch. Eventually, we made it to our rooms, where we were welcomed with a note saying our excursion in Bari, Italy was canceled.... no more Italian cooking class...

While Mom and Dad went to an information session about the ship, Bryan and I went to the excursion desk to find a new excursion for tomorrow's port call. We also realized that we weren't sitting together at dinner, so Bryan and I went to the main dining room and waited almost an hour in line to request a dinner table change.

By 5 pm, we were finally on the upper deck, playing cards and drinking while the boat departed Venice! NOW let the vacation begin!

As you can tell from the photos above, we did get to sit together at dinner! No thanks to the dining crew, we lucked out with an empty table, so Mom and Dad joined Bryan and me for our first dinner experience with Costa.

While Day One was filled with stress, organizing, and re-planning, we ended the day with a beautiful sunset! A stressful day on a cruise ship is better than a calm day at home!

May 11: Bari, Italy Port

Our first port visit started with breakfast in the main dining room. On every other cruise we have done, the main dining room is a relaxing breakfast with table service...but apparently Costa Cruises didn't get that memo. Expecting a quiet meal, we were shocked when we walked into the pure chaos of a crowded, small breakfast buffet, similar to the upper deck location.

After a disappointing breakfast, we headed off the ship to meet our day tour to the nearby town of Matera! While the skies may be cloudy, we were ready for a great day!

Matera

The town of Matera is famous for its stone-cave homes, which are built into the side of a limestone cliff-face. I was shocked to learn that archaeologists found evidence of people living in these "cave habitations" since the Paleolithic era; that's right, these caves have housed humans since the time of woolly mammoths!

Another little fun fact: James Bond's 2021 film No Time to Die was partially filmed in Matera! Two famous scenes were filmed in this southern Italian town: the grave explosion scene and the big car chase scene! I found this cool clip where the director and film location supervisor discuss the city's transformative use in the film:

Casa Grotta del Casalnuovo

As it started to rain, we sought out shelter inside one of the remaining homes-turned-museum. This three-floor house contained original furniture from when the last family moved out in the 1950s. That's right; poor families lived in these homes even though they lacked electricity, running water, and a sewage system until after WWII.

When we left Casa Grotta, it was really raining! Unfortunately, we didn't have rain jackets, but at this point we were already damp from the drizzle all morning, so we just stuck it out! After a little bit of free time in the city, we boarded the bus to dry off and head back to the ship!

While it wasn't a cooking class, the day trip to Matera was a fun way to spend a wet day!

Back on board, we enjoyed dinner in the main dining room! While we hadn't been updated about our dinner seating request, we made the executive decision to sit at our large table and hope people didn't show up, and it worked out!

May 12: Kotor, Montenegro

Mondays may normally be the worst day of the week, but THIS Monday was spent in the BEAUTIFUL Montenegro!

Port of Kotor: Лука Котор

We ported at 8 am, and the Kimbles and Johnsons were off the ship and already snapping pictures of the stunning surroundings by 8:30! Just look at those mountains and crystal clear waters- THIS place is a hidden gem!

Kotor Boat Tours, Submarine and Speedboat

Just outside the port was the meeting point for our day cruise! We had enough time to walk around and enjoy some sunshine before meeting up with our boat for the day!

Saint George Monastery: Manastir Svetog Đorđa

As we headed outside of the main city of Kotor, the landscapes continued to take our breath away! As we made our way through the bay, we reached Saint George Monastery, a small private island with a single church planted on it. At one point, Bryan leaned over and said Montenegro reminded him of North Macedonia's Ohrid, our favorite lake in the Balkans.

Our Lady of the Rocks: Госпа од Шкрпјела

Our first stop of the day was at Our Lady of the Rocks, a 17th-century church built upon sunken rocks and old ships. Legend has it that sailors spotted an "icon of the Virgin Mary" along the reef, and they vowed to build a church on top of the spot.

We were given 30 minutes to walk around the small island and explore the church and the tiny garden. While we turned down the €5 entry fee to see the inside of the church, we passed our time by taking stunning photos of our surroundings and seeing the famous city of Perast from across the water.

Marinebunker

Our next stop was a submarine bunker for the now-defunct Yugoslav Navy. Back during the Cold War, Yugoslavia (modern-day Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia) built several of these hidden ports for military use. During the Cold War, the Yugoslav Navy would hide submarines in these bunkers, wait for enemy ships to enter the bay, and then they would come out and attack.

You can also see pictures of heavy metal doors from inside the tunnel. We learned there are intricate tunnels throughout this area that were used by the military to flee counterattacks and allow for escape if any of the tunnels were discovered.

You can't help but feel part of a spy film when entering these tunnels! Just add the famous background noise, and we are there:

Mamula Island Hotel

As we continued our boat journey, we made our way outside of the Bay of Kotor and spotted the Mamula Island Hotel. The hotel rooms start at $950 a night and have a nice casino and spa. Either way, we won't be staying there- it's a little more than Bryan and I budget for our hotels!

Blue Cave: Плава шпиља

Iceland has the Blue Lagoon Spa, Turkey has the Blue Mosque, Malta has the Blue Lagoon, and Montenegro has the Blue Cave! Named for the bright blue waters, this cave highlighted the clear waters! It was quite dark, and I feel like the photos just don't do it justice!

Natural Arch Rock Formation

When our captain offered some swim time, I don't think he believed any of us would take him up on the offer- but if you know Bryan and I- we don't say no to a new experience! I was surprised to see Mom and Dad strip down to their swimsuits as well and dive in!

Were the waters ice cold? Yes.

Did Mom and Dad treat it as a polar plunge? Yes.

Did it stop Bryan and I from going numb and swimming around for the full 20-minute swim break? Not a chance!

Eventually, it was time to head back towards Kotor, and while most of us enjoyed the sunshine, Mom was bundled up under a sweatshirt, two blankets, and a towel! I think we will all agree, this was a stunningly beautiful excursion! I'm in LOVE with Montenegro!

Gradska knjižara Kamelija

But that's not all! Our day is still going strong! The minute we stepped off the boat, Bryan was headed towards the one bookstore in Kotor- Gradska knjižara Kamelija. Located in the nearby mall, we were so excited to get our hands on the Montenegrin version of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. While not considered an official translation, the Montenegrin version was translated from the Serbian translation into Montenegrin for more access. Long story short- this translation is a rare find for our collection!

Clock Tower: Сат кула

With our main souvenir in hand, we headed to Kotor Old Town. Our first stop was the clock tower! Right outside the main square was a tiny shop with handmade souvenirs and PAINTINGS! Bryan and I found the perfect watercolor of Our Lady of the Rocks island we visited earlier in the day, while Mom got an oil painting of the same island at sunset! I can't wait to get these back home and framed for both our walls!

Saint Tryphon's Cathedral: Катедрала Светог Трипуна

All Old Towns have a big cathedral, and Kotor's main cathedral is Saint Tryphon's Cathedral, with the two towers!

Saint Luke’s Church: Православна Црква Светог Луке

Inside the Old Town walls is Saint Luke's Church. This Serbian Orthodox church was established in 1195. It's not every day you get to visit a church from the 12th century!

As we wandered the tiny streets of Old Town Kotor, we spotted local artists painting, lovely alleyways to explore, and plenty of touristy shops for Mom to wander through! Eventually, it was time to head back to the ship! We were back on board by our all aboard time at 5 pm.

Back on the Boat

After showers, it was time for some cards! Mom and Dad taught us how to play Shanghai on this trip, and we passed many nights playing this long game at one of the private tables in the casino!

Now is the time to make a confession: Bryan and I did not buy a drink package for this cruise. Instead, we mooched off Mom and Dad's drink package for the entire week.

Now, before you come after me, I did try to add it. Multiple times. After sending four different emails to our cruise coordinator through Vacations to Go, I vented to my Dad about how our cruise coordinator was ghosting me. And Dad replied, "if he's not going to reply, then just use ours." Sooooo there we go!

So while we spent our evenings playing cards, Mom and Dad also played bartender by keeping our hands filled with a beverage!

Puppy Update

The first two days of this cruise have been amazing! Our excursion in Bari, Italy, may have changed last minute, but visiting Matera was a great movie-famous city to explore! And then Montenegro!?! I'm adding that to my "off-the-beaten-track but must-visit" places list FOR SURE!

So while we are off with Mom and Dad, the best dog sitter is in Rota, Spain, watching over our favorite two pups! Just look at those smiling faces- they love Miss Jessi!

We still have four more stops on this cruise, so stay tuned!

--Katie