Mamula Island

Mamula is a small island at the mouth of the Bay of Kotor entirely occupied by a circular fortress built in 1853 under the Austro-Hungarian general Lazar Mamula to close the entrance. During the Second World War it was used as a prison camp, and after the war it stood empty for decades. It was converted into a luxury hotel that opened in 2023.

History

Under Venetian rule the island was known as Rondina. The fort, which covers about 90% of the island, was built in 1853 on the advice of General Lazar Mamula, together with forts on Cape Oštro and Cape Arza, to guard the entrance to the Bay of Kotor (Wikipedia, Mamula).

The main sights

• The circular fort - an 1853 Austro-Hungarian sea fortress filling the island.
• The island position - the fort commanding the entrance to the bay.
• The wartime history - the island's use as a camp in the Second World War.
• The conversion - the fortress rebuilt as a hotel, opened in 2023.

When to go

May to October is the season for boats. Access is largely through the hotel and its transfers. Sea conditions can cancel crossings.

Good to know

The island is now a private hotel and general access is limited. Boat trips circle it more often than land on it.

Nearby

Lustica is east, and Herceg Novi is northeast.