A Balkan BEAUTY

Historic treasures and dramatic scenery give Kotor in Montenegro a special kind of magic

- LUCY MCGUIRE

Wedged between precipitous mountains and dazzling Adriatic waters, the town of Kotor in Montenegro abounds with natural drama. Some describe this walled city as a scaled-down version of Croatia’s Dubrovnik. But Kotor has its own enchanting ancient backways, filled with trinket shops, bazaars and restaurants that spill out on to its elegant spaces, historical treasures and East-meets-West cuisine that will win you over.

Rich culture

Since its Roman beginnings, Kotor has had a turbulent history, passing through the hands of a long list of rulers, from the early Byzantines to the Austro-Hungarian empire. But its Venetian plazas, four Romanesque churches and maze of alleyways have been remarkably well preserved, thanks to the help of UNESCO, which stepped in following earthquake damage in the 1970s.