Try Montenegro! Medieval cities and yacht clubs - the rising star of the Balkans.

Waking up to a Mediterranean morning, you can enjoy the mesmerizing sight of yachts on the horizon. Elegant super yachts with metallic paint squeeze, their hulls reflect the sun-dappled waters of the port as their owners head ashore and make their way to local boutiques for shopping. But this is not Monte Carlo, this is Montenegro - a small country nestled between Croatia and Albania,350 miles east of Italy across the Adriatic Sea.

In the north, the mountains descend to green bays reminiscent of New Zealand or Norway.

The country is one of the best sun magnets in Southern Europe, and the Regent Porto Montenegro hotel, where I stayed, is part of a luxurious residential complex near Tivat, owned by the Dubai Investment Corporation.

The facades of the Regent hotel and its majestic colonnades evoke the grand palaces of the Italian lakes. The rooms are not luxurious, but they are very comfortable, and many of them offer a magnificent view of the beautiful Bay of Kotor from the balcony.

The breakfasts at the hotel are very elegant and calm, while dinner at the Murano restaurant is simply excellent, featuring modern Mediterranean dishes, including a memorable bonito tartare.

It's also worth noting the affordable prices for food and drinks in the marina's restaurants and bars: a bottle of local beer costs €3.65 at the hotel, pizza starts at €8 at the upscale restaurant Roberto's Mare, and main dishes of pasta and risotto can be found for €10 at Navale Kitchen & Bar.

A 40-minute taxi ride south to the city of Budva the next day offers a unique opportunity to see all the beauty of Montenegro: the bright blue waters of the Adriatic Sea on one side and the snow-capped mountain peaks on the other.

With its stone houses, red roofs, and sturdy churches, the central part of Budva resembles a medieval Venetian republic, which once also owned these lands.

On the way, you can stop in the town of Perast, where you can enjoy a delicious lunch at the elegant restaurant Conti, which features special dishes on the menu, such as penne "Soprano" with steak, white mushrooms, and white truffles.

It is also worth visiting the island in the Bay of Kotor, called "Our Lady of the Rocks," with its beautiful church featuring blue domes adorned with silver votive offerings left by sailors fearing storms over the centuries.

The Savina family winery, located above the Bay of Kotor, produces some of the best wines in Montenegro, and tasting their wines will be a true celebration as you enjoy glasses of rosé Grenache on the terrace while sampling white cheese.

Breathing in and absorbing the magic of the Mediterranean Sea, I feel the enchantment of these places.