Perched high above the rooftops of Kotor's Old Town, the Church of Our Lady of Remedy rewards anyone willing to climb its famous stairway with one of the finest views in Montenegro. This small chapel on the slope of St. John Mountain has been drawing pilgrims and hikers alike for centuries.

The climb itself is part of the experience - a zigzagging stone path with over 650 steps that winds up alongside the old city walls, offering ever-widening views of the Bay of Kotor as you ascend. In summer the stones can heat up fast, so an early morning or late afternoon climb is far more pleasant. In spring and autumn the light is softer and the walk feels calmer, with the turquoise bay, jagged limestone peaks, and terracotta rooftops of Kotor unfolding below at every turn.

How to get there

• Kotor Old Town (from the city walls) — stone stairway trail, approx. 45-60 minutes, moderate difficulty

Practical information

• Reachable only on foot, via a stairway of more than 650 steps
• The church was completed in 1518
• Beneath the church lie the remains of a 6th-century early Christian basilica - the oldest known building in Montenegro

What makes this spot even more remarkable is what's hidden beneath it: a basilica older than the city walls themselves, discovered close to the old main gate of Kotor.