About Herceg Novi
Herceg Novi — the City of a Thousand Steps — tumbles down a hillside at the mouth of the Bay of Kotor, just 6 km from the Croatian border. Founded in 1382 by Bosnian King Tvrtko I as a salt-trade fort, it has since been ruled by Bosnians, Spaniards, Venetians, Ottomans, Austro-Hungarians, and Yugoslavs — each leaving behind fortresses stacked up the slope like a stone timeline. The elevation gain from the seafront to the upper neighbourhoods is roughly 200 metres, and locals say the town contains over 100,000 stone steps in total — nobody has counted them all, but the nickname stuck. Its microclimate, the mildest on the Montenegrin coast, lets Mediterranean and subtropical plants run riot: palm trees, agaves, magnolias, and citrus trees line nearly every staircase and courtyard, earning it the reputation as the greenest town on the Adriatic.
The 7 km car-free promenade — Šetalište Pet Danica — runs along an old railway line from Meljine to Igalo, linking pebble coves, concrete sunbathing platforms, and seafront cafés under a canopy of palm trees. At its heart sits the old town (Stari Grad), a maze of cobbled alleys and arched passages anchored by the 17th-century Clock Tower (Sahat Kula), which once served as the main Ottoman gate. Above it rises Belavista Square, the town's best viewpoint, dominated by the pale limestone Church of St Michael the Archangel (consecrated 1905), whose Byzantine dome and Serbian Orthodox interior glow gold in late-afternoon light. Higher still, three fortresses command the skyline: the 14th-century Forte Mare (Sea Fortress) on a rocky promontory at sea level; the Ottoman Kanli Kula ("Bloody Tower") at 85 metres elevation; and the ruined Španjola at 170 metres, the highest and most strenuous to reach.
🗓 Best Time to Visit
May–June and September are the sweet spots: warm sea (22–25 °C), fewer crowds, and prices 15–20% lower than July–August. Late spring brings wisteria and jasmine blooming over the old town staircases. July–August is peak season — the promenade hums until midnight, beaches fill with locals and regional tourists, and every restaurant terrace is full. October is still pleasant (around 20 °C daily), but many waterfront restaurants and beach clubs begin closing for the season. The Mimosa Festival (Praznik mimoze) actually runs in February, transforming the town with concerts, exhibitions, and street performances during the early bloom of the subtropical mimosa trees.
🍽 Food & Drink
Seafood dominates here — Konoba Skver, right on the harbourfront terrace, is renowned for black risotto with cuttlefish ink, tuna tartare, and oysters. Konoba Feral, tucked in the old town, edges it for grilled octopus and fresh Adriatic brancin (sea bass). For a splurge, Casa Epico (run by Michelin-starred Chef Eros Picco, open June–September only) serves black tagliolini with cuttlefish in sea-urchin sauce and an 11-course "Casa Epico Experience" tasting menu. Rosemarine at Lazure Hotel does legendary beef-ribs pappardelle and a separate sushi menu. Budget tip: Bife Beograd on Njegoševa Street has a roof terrace with bay views and does linguine in truffle sauce and Salad Nicoise with raw tuna for under €12. Classic Montenegrin dishes to try: njeguški pršut (smoked ham), kačamak (buckwheat porridge with cheese), and slow-cooked lamb or veal under the sač (bell-shaped lid) — Stari Mlin (Old Mill) in the Podi neighbourhood serves a fixed meat-heavy tasting menu for groups of 6+ with no written menu, just homemade wine. Drink Vranac red wine, loza (grape brandy), or a local craft beer.
🚗 Getting There & Around
By car: From Tivat or Budva, take the Kamenari–Lepetane ferry (€5, 10 minutes) — it cuts up to 2 hours off the drive around the bay. From Dubrovnik Airport (30 km), expect 30–60 minutes at the Croatia–Montenegro border in summer. The main road through town is one-way, so drive slowly. Parking: Use the multi-storey Parking Opština (€1.20/hour, ideal for old town access) or Parking Skver (€1.50/hour). Free street spots are nearly non-existent. By bus: Regular buses connect Herceg Novi with Kotor (€5–7, ~1 hour), Budva (€7–10), and Podgorica. Check schedules on busticket4.me. Water taxis: From the small harbour by the old town, a taxi to Rose village costs €5 one-way/€8 return (15 minutes), to Žanjice Beach also €5. Private transfer: From Tivat Airport about €35–45. Walking: The town is compact but vertical — good footwear with non-slip soles is essential; flip-flops on the stone steps are a bad idea.
🏨 Best Hotels in Herceg Novi
Accommodation clusters in four zones. Old Town / Centre (steps everywhere, maximum atmosphere): Guesthouse Villa Stari Grad has fantastic views and a communal terrace (from €70/night). Igalo (west, quieter, spa district with mineral springs): Hotel Perla offers modern resort-style rooms with free sunbeds at its beach area, a 20-minute waterfront walk from the centre (from €80/night). Meljine / Zelenika (east, quieter, near the Tivat ferry): apartments from €25–40/night. Đenovići (southeast, best beaches, luxury): One&Only Portonovi (from €350/night), Lazure Hotel & Marina (5-star, home to Rosemarine restaurant), and Iberostar Waves. For self-catering, Boka Apartment 7 (modern, steps from the water) and Savina Bliss Residences (seafront balcony studio) are top-rated Airbnb options. For an unforgettable splurge, Mamula Island by Banyan Tree — a 19th-century fortress turned 32-room luxury retreat on its own islet — is accessed only by boat or helicopter.
🍽 Where to Eat in Herceg Novi
For fresh seafood on a harbourfront terrace, Konoba Skver serves black risotto, tuna tartare, and oysters sourced from the Adriatic that morning. Konoba Feral, tucked into an old-town alley, is locals' favourite for grilled octopus and brancin (sea bass). For breakfast, Kantina 65 (steps from the old town) does avocado toast on whole-grain bread and a classic Montenegrin breakfast of eggs, Njeguši prosciutto, cheese, sausages, and kajmak. Koffein Specialty Coffee Shop on the 28 Oktobra stairs serves the best flat white in town (also cocktails at night). Peter's Pie & Coffee on Šetalište Pet Danica is a popular vegetarian cafe with savoury pies and vegan options. Gradska Kafana, operating since 1924, has a sweeping outdoor terrace overlooking Forte Mare — Nobel laureate Ivo Andrić once drank coffee here. For wood-fired Neapolitan pizza, La Terrazza near the old town rates among the best in Montenegro. La Pasta di Bocca, a tiny family-run pasta spot run by chef Dule, requires booking in summer. Moritz Eis gelato on the promenade is a cut above the fluorescent alternatives, especially the sorbets.
🎯 Things to Do in Herceg Novi
🏰 Climb the three fortresses. Start low at Forte Mare (€4, 9am–5pm) — the staircase to its rooftop is ruthlessly narrow and steep, but the view over Herceg Novi Beach and the Lustica Peninsula is worth it. Higher up, Kanli Kula (€4, 9am–9pm summer) was built by the Ottomans in 1539 as a prison — inmates left ship drawings on the dungeon walls that date the prison to the 16th century. Today its interior is a 1,000-seat amphitheatre hosting the Herceg Novi Film Festival (first week of August), Guitar Art Summer Fest, and the Operosa Opera Festival. The upper ramparts offer the finest bay panorama in town. Tip: buy one ticket and get 50% off the other. Highest of all, Španjola (free, partially ruined) sits at 170 metres — the climb is punishing but the views stretch across the bay to Mount Orjen.
🏖 Hit the beaches. Most sunbathing spots are concrete platforms and small pebble coves rather than sand. Herceg Novi Beach (the largest, with a beach-club vibe and shallow water), Bla Bla Beach (Italian-vibe concrete platform, sunbeds €18 for two with parasol), Saturnus Beach Club (renovated, chill atmosphere, good restaurant), Beach Žaba (quiet concrete platform, closest to the old town steps), and Pješčana Plaža (fine pebbles that almost pass for sand, always busy with families). For a proper swim, take a water taxi (€5 one-way) to Žanjice Beach — white pebbles, crystal-clear water, and a café — or to Mirište, the quieter neighbour.
🛥 Take a boat tour. Half-day trips (€25–30 per person, 6–8 hours) from the old-town harbour run along the Luštica Peninsula, stopping at the Blue Cave (sunlight refracts through the water creating an electric blue glow), the abandoned submarine tunnel at Rose, and past Mamula Island (the 19th-century fortress, now a Banyan Tree hotel). Some day trips continue to Perast, Our Lady of the Rocks, and Kotor (€40 per person).
⛵ Visit Rose. A 15-minute water taxi from the old-town harbour drops you at this sleepy fishing village on the Luštica Peninsula. Walk the narrow strip of old stone houses, swim off the jetty, and settle into a long lunch of fresh tuna at one of the waterfront tables. Return boats run roughly hourly — check the last departure.
🌿 Savina Monastery. A 13th-century Orthodox complex 2 km east of the centre, set among cypresses, towering palms, and Mediterranean gardens. Inside: icons and manuscripts over 500 years old. Free entry; modest dress code applies. The monastery sits above Savina Beach, a peaceful pebble cove for a post-visit dip.
💡 Insider Tips: Enter Herceg Novi from the top (the E65 main road) and walk downhill — the climb up is punishing in 35 °C July heat. Keep your Forte Mare ticket and ask for half-price entry at Kanli Kula (they don't advertise this). The Šetalište Pet Danica promenade is best in the early morning (quiet, €1 pastries at Pekara Škver) and at sunset (golden light on the bay). For a sundowner, head to the 28 Oktobra stairs — Koffein does cocktails, Pub Got (cash only) has craft beer, and the spot called Drunk Octopus has a resident French bulldog. The Mimosa Festival is in February (not September), when subtropical mimosas bloom and the town bursts into concerts and street art. Best coffee in town: Koffein. Best burek: Pekara Škver. Wear shoes with grip — the old-town steps are slick in places and punishing in sandals.
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