Spičanska noć

The evening opens with a parade of majorettes and the folklore ensemble Rumija, then turns to the table: hosts in traditional dress offer free tastings of the region's signature foods — stufada (a slow-cooked meat dish), priganice (fried dough puffs) and lokum. Stands sell local honey, wine and crafts alongside.

The tastings are the heart of it: dishes that belong to home kitchens rather than restaurant menus, offered by hosts who will happily explain what you are eating and where it comes from. It is the quickest education in the region's food culture you will find.

The night builds to a headline concert on the square — recent editions have closed with stars such as Sergej Ćetković — turning the heritage evening into a full-scale end-of-summer party for locals and lingering visitors alike.

Everything, including the tastings, is free. Sutomore's long sandy beach is steps from the square, and early September offers warm sea with the summer crush gone — swim through the afternoon, then follow the music to the square as Spičanska noć shows the town's character after the season.