Craftsmen Street, Kotor

Likely the oldest thoroughfare in Kotor, dating all the way back to Roman times, Craftsmen Street stretches from the South Gate to the North Gate, tracing the ancient town's entire length at the foot of the mountain.

Throughout the Middle Ages and beyond, Kotor was renowned for its skilled artisans, with workshops clustered along this narrow alleyway according to their trades. Shoemakers, tanners, butchers, stonemasons, goldsmiths, blacksmiths, swordsmiths, bakers – you name it, they were here. Records from as far back as 1326 list 46 different trades operating in the town, but while the street's golden age has faded, its vibrant past lives on, and a stroll down the cobblestones is certainly worth your time.

Amidst the souvenir shops and studios, several monuments paying homage to the toil of the working class endure, alongside revered religious sites such as Saint Anne's, dating back to the 12th century and rebuilt after the 1979 earthquake. Similarly, Saint Paul's Church, erected in 1263, and the Saint Francis monastery from the 17th century add to the street's historical tapestry.