Stuffed vine or cabbage leaves, raznjici meat kebabs and cevapcici charcoal grilled minced meat bring a Greek influence to the menu. Njeguski smoked ham adds a touch of Italian style cuisine.

The sweet called lokum is Turkish Delight. And you may recognise alva as a southern Med / North African dessert of honey and nuts. There’s more of the Mediterranean theme in the pastas, pizzas and pasticadas, seafood risottos and squid in its ink, so while pronouncing the names may be hard to master, the dishes themselves are often familiar. Speciality restaurants in the coastal region have access to feast of fresh fish, so the catch of the day may be sea bream or sea bass, mussels or red mullet, oysters, prawns, crab or lobster.

Try the mussels in bouzzara sauce – a tastebud tickling blend of oil-fried onions and tomatoes, seasoned with salt and herbs. Perhaps the most famous wines from the region are the Rieslings, Ljutomer and Traminer. Try the Krstac, Vugava and Chardonnay whites and the Vranac reds. Or raise the national spirits in a toast with slivovica plum brandy or maraskino - made with morello cherries.  

Lace, leatherwork and embroidered linens, Pec filigree work and Turkish-coffee sets are among the locally hand-crafted souvenirs. There are plenty of gift shops in Petrovac around the port area. For something arty and individual, tour the boutiques and galleries tucked away in Budva’s old town. And for a day of serious shopping, head for the cobbled streets and squares of Kotor, where atmosphere is added to a wealth of choice.

The gentle Montenegrin coast incorporates a blend of expansive beaches, some of small, sea-smoothed pebbles, others of fine golden sand. There’s a choice of beaches either side of Budva, and Milocer – once a royal summer residence – is home to the magnificent Queens Beach. A water’s edge stroll from here will take you to the rock-mounted resort of Sveti Stefan – from where a sandy promontory leads to two beautiful beaches. Popular Petrovac has a series of bays hemmed with a mix of pebbles and coarse sand.

Sailing enthusiasts can hire boats and berths along the coast, and various watersports are available from most of the main resort beaches. Hiking is popular in the hills and some of the rivers, especially the Tara, are excellent for white-water rafting. 

The national rail network links Bar with Belgrade and other major cities … but services are often overbooked and unreliable, so road travel is much the better alternative. Coaches connect most towns and cities and are efficient if infrequent. A hire car is a good way to explore independently, though you may be well advised to avoid the minor roads at night, as some are in poor condition.