Backed by a phalanx of Montenegrin mountains, the historic spot of Stari Bar sits protected by limestone peaks, some four kilometers back from the rollers of the Adriatic and the yacht-dotted jetties of the modern-day town. It’s thought that this crumbling collection of fortresses, churches and varied architecture was trodden by the Romans, and eventually touched by the Byzantines, Slavs, Serbs, Ottomans and Venetians alike before being largely abandoned to wallow in its own past.

Today, most all Bar tour guides are based in the shiny new side of the city, which hugs the rugged coast of southern Montenegro with its blend of condominiums, pebbly coves and palm-dotted boulevards. Here, travellers are often found kicking back on the beaches of Šušanj just a short drive north of the centre, or dutifully ticking off the quirky superlative of the oldest olive tree in the world. Others eagerly await their ferry crossing to the Italian Boot, or sit sipping Slavic beers in the joints lining Sutomore, soaking in the Adriatic sun.