{"id":121028,"date":"2023-10-29T10:59:08","date_gmt":"2023-10-29T10:59:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gendermyn.com\/?p=121028"},"modified":"2023-10-29T10:59:08","modified_gmt":"2023-10-29T10:59:08","slug":"the-beautiful-2000-year-old-town-thats-one-of-europes-top-destinations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gendermyn.com\/world-news\/the-beautiful-2000-year-old-town-thats-one-of-europes-top-destinations\/","title":{"rendered":"The beautiful 2,000-year-old town that’s one of Europe’s top destinations"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Nestled between stark limestone rockfaces and azure waters at the tip of the southernmost fjord in Europe, Kotor, Montenegro\u2019s oldest town, has sat for over 2,000 years.<\/p>\n

Despite being only a few hundred metres wide, the Old Town is steeped in history \u2013 its secluded bay on the Adriatic having been sought after by every seafaring power since Medieval times.<\/p>\n

Its UNESCO World Heritage Site-certified fortifications have withstood centuries of weather and warfare, and now face the onslaught of international tourism.<\/p>\n

Back in 2019, Kotor welcomed some 250,000 visitors \u2013 roughly ten times the resident population. Its reputation has only grown since then, being singled out as one of Travel + Leisure\u2019s most beautiful coastal destinations in the world in 2023.<\/p>\n

Reputable guidebooks will tell you the peaceful charm of Montenegro is key to what makes it so special, so get there fast and then take it slow.<\/p>\n

READ MORE: <\/strong> Breathtaking European country has four tourists to every resident<\/strong><\/p>\n

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About 17 miles long and 30 metres deep, the Bay of Kotor proved an irresistible strategic haven for the navies of European empires, from the Dalmatians to the Serbians and Hungarians.<\/p>\n

Each left its mark on its buildings and cultural sites, but it is the Venetians \u2013 who controlled the area around the town they called Cattaro from 1420 to 1797 \u2013 whose influence is most visible in the architecture today.<\/p>\n

Nowadays, the docks once lined with wooden galleys from across the Mediterranean cater to cruise ships from around the world.<\/p>\n

The secret of the bay\u2019s natural beauty was already well out back in the Sixties, when Hollywood stars like Elizabeth Taylor and British royalty like Princess Margaret graced Kotor\u2019s shores. The Yugoslav Wars in the Nineties decimated the tourism industry, but it is now back in force.<\/p>\n

Montenegro, a country of 600,000, counted just under 2.2 million tourist arrivals in 2022, according to the state statistics bureau Monsat. The recent opening of budget airline routes from Western Europe and a scramble for less-crowded alternatives to Croatia and Greece is thought to be behind the renaissance.<\/p>\n

Don’t miss… <\/strong>
\u2018Idyllic\u2019 Mediterranean destination is \u2018perfect\u2019 for a budget[REPORT] <\/strong>
Queen of the Adriatic: A royal cruise through history[INSIGHT] <\/strong>
The gorgeous little islands that are one of Europe\u2019s best kept secrets[REVEAL] <\/strong><\/p>\n

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