Kotor tide times

The hero block at the top of this page shows the next predicted high at Kotor in local Central European Time (CET/CEST, UTC+1/UTC+2). The spring tidal range at Kotor is approximately 0.35 to 0.5 metres — one of the smallest in the Mediterranean, attenuated by the journey through the Verige Strait and the enclosed bay geometry. High and low labels on this page describe a slow, small water-level change. The jugo (south-easterly wind) and the bora (north-easterly wind) both produce larger short-term water-level anomalies than the astronomical tide alone. The Croatian Hydrographic Institute (HHI) publishes regional Adriatic harmonic data that serves as the reference for the Boka Kotorska.

Kotor's low-lying Piazza of the Arms and the waterfront cobblestones occasionally flood not because of unusually high tides but because of storm surge driven by the jugo, the sustained south-easterly wind that funnels northward along the Adriatic and pushes water into the closed end of the Boka Kotorska. A multi-day jugo event can raise the water level 30 to 60 centimetres above the astronomical prediction — enough to lap over the lower quay stones. The effect is similar to Venetian acqua alta, and for the same meteorological reason: the Adriatic is long and narrow, and a southerly wind has a large fetch over which to pile the water. The astronomical tide itself changes the water level by less than half a metre even at springs.

The Verige Strait — the narrow 90-metre gap between Tivat Bay and the inner bays — has the most significant current in the Bay of Kotor, reaching 0.3 to 0.8 knots on spring tides. For an experienced kayaker, that is manageable; for a casual paddler in a rental sit-on-top, the crossing is easier near the change of tide when the flow is at minimum. Check this page for the predicted high or low time and plan to cross within 30 minutes of it. The return journey from Kotor Old Town to Our Lady of the Rocks island near Perast covers roughly 7 kilometres one way; allow 1.5 to 2 hours each direction in flat conditions. Vessel traffic through the Verige is continuous in summer — keep to the sides of the channel.

Vrulje are submarine freshwater springs that rise through fissures in the karst limestone floor of the Bay of Kotor, fed by the Orjen and Lovćen mountain aquifers. They deliver water at 8 to 12°C year-round into a summer bay where the surface temperature can reach 27 to 28°C. Snorkellers encounter the mixing zone as a shimmering optical boundary — refraction at the freshwater-saltwater interface creates a visible blur in the water column. The springs are scattered across the bay floor and are most noticeable in summer when the surface-water temperature contrast is greatest. Swimming near the springs is safe; the cold upwelling creates a startling temperature shock but poses no hazard. The springs lower the bay's surface salinity slightly compared with open Adriatic water, particularly after heavy winter rainfall recharges the karst system.

Open-Meteo Marine, a free gridded global ocean model. The model estimates tidal height from oceanographic equations applied across a geographic grid rather than from harmonic analysis of a dedicated gauge record at Kotor. Accuracy is typically within plus or minus 45 minutes on timing and 0.2 to 0.3 metres on height. For a location where the spring range is only 0.35 to 0.5 metres, that uncertainty is a significant fraction of the total signal. The Croatian Hydrographic Institute (HHI) provides the authoritative harmonic reference for the eastern Adriatic including the Boka Kotorska; their predictions and the Open-Meteo output are closely correlated for this bay. Neither source replaces a marine chart and official port authority guidance for vessel operations.