The house is as described: a restored village house on beautiful Kotor Bay with stunning views of the mountains across the bay. I was worried when we first arrived that it might feel a bit cramped, but the house is properly equipped for large numbers and it easily accommodated 11 of us (three generations in the first week, four adults and 7 university-aged children in the second week). We alternated lazy days at home – swimming, kayaking (Kotor Bay Tours delivered kayaks to us), fishing and retreating in the heat of the day to the shade of the fig tree and grapevine on the terraces – with expeditions to Kotor, Tivat, Rose, Lake Skarda and Perast. With the temperature in the mid-30s we were glad of the air con in the bedrooms, and it was a huge boon not to have to drive anywhere if we didn’t want to. The bakery is ten minutes’ walk away and is open 6am–11pm, and Dago’s amazing general store, which sells EVERYTHING, from wine and food to lilos and goggles, is two minutes’ walk at most and is open 7am–10pm. The fish man comes daily, and if you tire of cooking for yourself there are plenty of konobas within walking distance. The drive from Dubrovnik airport was frustrating, taking anywhere between 90 minutes and over three hours depending on the queues at the border, so a day trip to Dubrovnik from Kotor as recommended by our guide book might be pushing it, but we had a great day in Dubrovnik at the end of our stay. Flying to Tivat, just 15 minutes away, is much easier unless you’re keen to incorporate some time in Croatia.

The bay of Kotor promised something different and didn't disappoint. Wonderful swimming. Stunning fjords. The laid back feel of locals on holiday. Fresh squid at the delightful restaurant a hundred yards down the road. Lunches on the terrace. A well equipped house. Shopping for fruit and veg outside the walls of Kotor. The fish truck. And further afield, a trip into the mountains to Cetinje, the old capital that inspired that classic tale of Ruritanian intrigue - The Prisoner Of Zenda. All in all, a memorable week. Thank you.