Sveti Stefan began as a fortified island settlement, thought to have been established in the fifteenth century as protection against Ottoman raids. For centuries its tightly packed houses sheltered fishing families who relied on both the sea and the surrounding land. In the twentieth century the village was transformed into a hotel complex, a transition that preserved the medieval layout and architecture even as it brought the island international attention. Today it remains one of the most recognizable landmarks on the Adriatic coast and a defining image of Montenegro.

July and August deliver the fullest summer spectacle, but late May and early September offer calmer seas and softer golden light that settle beautifully over the island in the hours before dusk.