When I was in Montenegro, I headed a short drive down the coast from Budva to the island resort of Sveti Stefan. Mostly I was looking for a decent place to eat; I had been advised that the restaurant in the resort was open to the public. I didn’t know much more than that about the place.

It had been a fishing village for centuries, but eventually was bought by the Yugoslavian government and turned into a top-end resort in the 1950s. They refurbished the buildings and the walking paths and turned it into the kind of place that attracted stars like Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor. So you’ve got a number of small, huddled buildings scattered throughout the grounds, in and around all the twisting passages and stairs you’d expect from a medieval town center.

I arrived just after dark and kind of snuck over the walkway connecting it to the mainland. And I spent the next half-hour wandering aimlessly over those paths in the hushed darkness, all the lights of the bay twinkling in the distance, utterly charmed by the landscaping and the architecture.

I eventually found the restaurant — open air, of course — and had an excellent (if pricey) Italian dinner by moonlight. I checked the room rates after I left and I just can’t justify staying there unless you’re independently wealthy. But if you’re in the area, I strongly recommend waiting until dusk, sneaking across the bridge, and at least ordering a drink and dessert.