Kotor

The ramparts climb 1,350 steps to St John's fortress, with unforgettable views over the bay. Leashed dogs can make the ascent, but start at dawn in summer: the wall faces the afternoon sun, there is no shade or water, and the uneven steps tire paws quickly.

Between the Sea Gate and the River Gate, the old town unfolds Venetian squares, crested palaces and cats curled on windowsills. An on-lead wander here is delightful early in the morning; St Tryphon's Cathedral and the museums do not admit dogs.

The bayside promenade runs from Kotor towards Dobrota for several kilometres, past sea captains' palaces, Baroque churches and stone jetties. Flat, shaded in places and lined with cafes, it is the ideal daily on-lead walk, with the mirror of the bay as a backdrop.

The 25-hairpin road climbing above Kotor is one of the most spectacular in the Balkans, each bend widening the panorama over the bay. In the national park, leashed dogs are admitted on the trails; the Njegoš mausoleum at the summit cannot be visited with a pet.

Twenty minutes from Kotor, this single-street Baroque village faces the two islets of St George and Our Lady of the Rocks. The quayside walk on lead is superb; for the islet, the boats often take calm dogs, ask the boatman before boarding.

The wooded ridge separating the Bay of Kotor from that of Tivat is crossed by an old Austrian military road with gentle gradients, ideal with a dog. From the Trojica pass, the trail gives alternating views over both bays, far from the rampart crowds.