Things to Do at Piazza of Arms (Trg od Oružja)

The Piazza of Arms, or Trg od Oružja, isn't just Kotor's main square; it's the city's living room. You'll likely arrive here after squeezing through the Sea Gate, and the space opens up in front of you, a broad stone stage framed by the kind of architecture that makes you stop and just look for a minute. The air here often carries the scent of roasting coffee from the cafes and, depending on the hour, the faint, savory smell of grilled fish from nearby kitchens. It's a place where the clatter of cafe chairs and the murmur of a dozen different languages bounce off the stone facades, when cruise ship passengers spill in for a few hours. For whatever reason, the sunlight tends to hit the square in a particular way in the late afternoon, warming the pale stone of the Clock Tower and making the green shutters on the old palaces seem to glow. This piazza gives us a sense of Kotor's layered history, from its days as a Venetian arsenal to its current life as a meeting point for everyone from local students to awestruck travelers.

You'll almost certainly enter the Piazza of Arms on foot through the main Sea Gate from the waterfront. It's the first large square inside the city walls. If you're coming from elsewhere in the warren of Kotor's Old Town, just follow any of the main narrow streets leading toward the center. They all tend to funnel you here. Reaching Kotor itself is straightforward by bus from nearby towns, which is a budget-friendly option, or by taxi which is a bit more of a splurge but convenient with luggage. Driving isn't recommended for entering the Old Town itself due to the restrictive pedestrian zones.