Herceg Novi
It was the year 1382 when Tvrtko I Kotromanić, king of Bosnia, had a fortress built on a stretch of coast disputed between the Rep...
Updated 8 July 2026
Herceg Novi
This season · July · Summer
What to do in Herceg Novi now
The story
The story of Herceg Novi
A frontier town: from its origins to foreign rule
Founded in 1382 by the Bosnian king Tvrtko I as a fortified outpost on the sea, Novi soon passed under the control of the Herceg of Sant'Sava, who in the second half of the fifteenth century gave it the compound name still in use today. In 1482 the town fell into Ottoman hands and remained so for about two centuries, a period during which the first great defensive works were built, including the Kanli Kula. In 1687 the Venetians wrested the stronghold from the sultan, expanding the fortifications toward the harbor. With the fall of the Serenissima in 1797, Habsburg administration took over, interrupted by a brief Napoleonic interlude between 1806 and 1814, before returning to Austrian rule until the First World War and finally becoming part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. The earthquake of 15 April 1979, which struck the entire Bay of Kotor hard, also damaged Herceg Novi, which was later rebuilt without losing its layered urban design.
The old town and its stairways
The old core unfolds across several terraces linked by flights of steps that cut across the hillside, often squeezed between light-colored stone houses and wrought-iron balconies. The historic point of entry is the Sat Kula, the clock tower erected in 1667 above the main gate, which still today ideally separates the old town from the more modern district. From here alleys branch off leading to tiny squares shaded by century-old plane trees, such as Belavista, where evening life gathers in summer among cafés and gelaterias. Walking through Herceg Novi means accepting constant changes in elevation: there is hardly a flat route, but it is precisely in this up-and-down of time-worn steps that the most authentic character of the old town lies, designed for defense rather than for the comfort of strolling.
Forte Mare, sentinel of the harbor
Jutting out on a rocky outcrop right at the entrance to the small old harbor, Forte Mare — also known as Fortemare or Citadela — is the first bastion one meets arriving by sea. Its origins date back to the Venetian period, when it was reinforced to control access to the bay, though the structure also incorporates older sections. Its thick walls and stone walkways today make it a panoramic vantage point suspended between the rocks and the first houses of the old town, connected to the rest of the settlement by a short ramp. The fort has gained a certain international notoriety as a film location, notably for Emir Kusturica's Time of the Gypsies, and remains one of the most photographed spots at sunset, when the stone glows in warm tones above the clear water.
Kanli Kula, the fortress that became a stage
The name literally means "bloody tower" and is of Turkish origin: the Kanli Kula was built by the Ottomans in the sixteenth century as the town's main military stronghold, with massive walls and loopholes facing both the sea and the hinterland. Long used as a prison, it owes its sinister fame precisely to that carcerary past. Later passing under Venetian and Austrian control, the fortress underwent a radical transformation in the second half of the twentieth century: the large inner courtyard, once the scene of confinement, today hosts the open-air performances of the Herceg Novi Film Festival and other summer events, with tiered seating set among the ancient walls. Climbing up here also rewards visitors with one of the widest views over the gulf, from the Luštica peninsula to the mouth of the Bay of Kotor.
Španjola, the balcony over the sunset
Higher up, on the ridge that dominates the whole town, stands Fort Španjola, the Spanish fortress, so named because it was built in the second half of the sixteenth century by a contingent of Spanish troops allied with the Austrians against the Ottomans, before being completed by the Turks themselves. It is reached by a steep climb through the alleys of the old town or along scenic paths through the Mediterranean scrub, but the effort is repaid by one of the most spectacular viewpoints on the Montenegrin coast: from here the eye takes in the rooftops of Herceg Novi, the entrance to the Bay of Kotor and, on the clearest days, the Croatian coast in the distance. It is the spot locals choose to watch the sunset away from the bustle of the waterfront.
The Pet Danica waterfront promenade
Šetalište Pet Danica is the long coastal promenade linking Herceg Novi to Igalo, running for about two kilometers lined with palms, oleanders and Austro-Hungarian-era villas overlooking the water. Its name, "the five Danicas," recalls five women who bore this name and are tied to the local history of the promenade. It is the place where the town slows its pace: early in the morning people go swimming from the small concrete steps that descend into the sea, in the late afternoon they stroll among bars and gelaterias, and in every season it remains the most pleasant pedestrian link between the center and the spa districts. From here one can also glimpse the historic piers and small private landings that dot this entire stretch of coast.
Igalo and the Simo Milošević spa
Just west of the center, Igalo has been known for over a century for the curative properties of its marine mud, the peloide, used in thalassotherapy. The heart of this tradition is the Dr Simo Milošević Institute, one of the largest rehabilitation and spa treatment centers in the Balkans, frequented in Yugoslav times also by Josip Broz Tito, who stayed here regularly for treatment. The complex today continues to welcome patients and wellness tourists for treatments related to respiratory, rheumatic and cardiovascular conditions, benefiting from a particularly mild microclimate sheltered by the Orjen massif. Around the institute a small seaside district has grown up, with bathing facilities, parks and its own waterfront that joins, to the east, the Pet Danica promenade.
Rose, Luštica and the pebble beaches
On the opposite side of the bay, the Luštica peninsula preserves some of the least developed stretches of coast in the Herceg Novi area. The fishing village of Rose, with its small church and stone houses gathered around a sheltered inlet, is the ideal starting point for reaching beaches such as Žanjic or Plavi Horizonti bay, where clear water contrasts with white pebbles and Mediterranean scrub running down to the sea. The peninsula, historically more isolated and tied to fishing and olive growing, can be comfortably visited in half a day by scenic road or by boat, and is the preferred destination for those seeking quieter coves away from the town waterfront.
The mimosa festival
Herceg Novi is known throughout the region as grad mimoza, the city of mimosas, for the extraordinary winter bloom that covers gardens, walls and surrounding hills in yellow as early as January. The plant, introduced to the area after the Second World War, found ideal conditions in the local microclimate, so much so that it became the town's symbol. This gave rise to the Mimosa Festival, a tradition celebrated since the 1970s, which for an entire month, between late January and February, enlivens the town with costumed parades, concerts, markets and the election of the "mimosa queen." It is one of the most beloved popular events on the Montenegrin coast and coincides with the period when the townscape takes on the most intense colors of the whole year.
Flavors of Herceg Novi
The local cuisine reflects the town's dual soul, maritime and mountain. On the tables of the harbor restaurants, grilled fish, raw seafood and brudet dominate — a fish stew slow-cooked with tomato and served with polenta, a heritage shared across the whole eastern Adriatic coast. From the hinterland come the smoked ham of Njeguši and the aged cheeses of the mountain pastures of Orjen and Lovćen, often paired with a glass of vranac, the native Montenegrin red grape variety. Sweets tied to Mediterranean tradition are not lacking either, from dried figs to scrub honey. In the neighborhood markets one still finds local producers selling olive oil, citrus fruits and, inevitably, potted mimosas during the flowering season.
When to go and how to experience the place
The shoulder seasons, May–June and September, offer the most balanced climate: the sea already warm or still mild, bright days and a more modest tourist influx compared to the height of summer, when July and August bring high temperatures and the waterfront fills with visitors. Those who love popular events can plan their trip around the February Mimosa Festival, when the climate is still mild thanks to the shelter of the hills behind the town. Autumn and early spring remain ideal for those seeking a slower pace, with strolls along the waterfront, visits to the fortresses without queues, and dinners at fish restaurants without the summer crowds. In every season it is worth packing comfortable shoes: between stairways and scenic paths, Herceg Novi is best explored on foot.
- Climb to Fort Španjola for sunset over the Bay of Kotor
- Stroll along Šetalište Pet Danica from Herceg Novi to Igalo
- Watch a summer performance in the courtyard of the Kanli Kula
- Take an early-morning swim from the rocks below Forte Mare
- Reach the fishing village of Rose by boat or by car
- Try a thalassotherapy treatment with Igalo's marine mud
- Visit the town in February during the Mimosa Festival
FAQ
Come si arriva a Herceg Novi?
Qual è il periodo migliore per visitare Herceg Novi?
Cosa vedere in un giorno a Herceg Novi?
Dove si parcheggia in città?
Quanti giorni servono per visitare Herceg Novi e dintorni?
Herceg Novi è adatta a famiglie con bambini o animali?
Getting there
- Aeroporto di Tivat (TIV), circa 25 km
- Aeroporto di Dubrovnik (DBV), Croazia, circa 45 km
- Aeroporto di Podgorica (TGD), circa 140 km
- Herceg Novi si raggiunge dalla Croazia tramite il valico di frontiera di Debeli Brijeg, vicino a Igalo, oppure da Podgorica e dal resto del Montenegro seguendo la strada costiera che costeggia le Bocche di Cattaro.
- Per andare verso Kotor o Tivat conviene imbarcarsi sul traghetto tra Kamenari e Lepetane, che accorcia il giro della baia di parecchi chilometri e offre uno scorcio ravvicinato sulle Bocche.
Perfect for
Quattro secoli di dominazioni si leggono nelle mura sovrapposte di Forte Mare, Kanli Kula e Španjola, tre fortezze diverse per epoca e stile costruttiva.
Scogliere basse, piccoli moli e l'ingresso alle Bocche di Cattaro rendono la costa cittadina ideale per bagni e passeggiate sul lungomare.
A Igalo la tradizione della talassoterapia e dei fanghi curativi continua da oltre un secolo, in un microclima protetto dal monte Orjen.
Il contrasto tra il massiccio spoglio dell'Orjen e la vegetazione mediterranea della costa regala paesaggi che cambiano nel giro di pochi chilometri.
Pesce fresco e brudet sulla costa, prosciutto di Njeguši e formaggi di montagna dall'entroterra, accompagnati dal vranac locale.
To see
What to see in Herceg Novi
Routes · Trovido Route
