Travel to Charming Herceg Novi - Beyond These Borders

Herceg Novi is a charming small town along the Adriatic coast just inside the entrance to the Bay of Kotor in Montenegro. The town is built along the steep hills that climb up from the bay. Hidden stairways scattered throughout lead to various levels of the town.

Herceg Novi is a great place to spend a few days with a historic old town, nice walking path, and crystal clear water. Below are the highlights from our time in this quiet and relaxing seaside town in Montenegro.

Clock Tower

The 17th century clock tower is the most recognizable structure in Herceg Novi’s cute little Old Town. Unique by its placement at the top of a stone staircase, this is the most photographed image in Herceg Novi. The tower was built in 1667 by the Turks and was originally the main city gate. It held mechanical clocks on each side showing the Muslim prayer times. In 1995 the old clock was replaced with a new electrical one.

The clock tower is located in Nikola Djurkovic Square which is one of two main squares in the Old Town. Nikola Djurkovic Square is lined with cafes boasting outdoor seating with views of the clock tower.

^{The 17th century clock tower found in Nikola Djurkovic Square is the most famous site in Herceg Novi.}

^{A street leading away from Nikola Djurkovic Square in Herceg Novi.}

Belavista Square and Saint Michael Archangel Church

The second main square is Belavista Square which is found by walking up the stairs and under the clock tower from Nikola Djurkovic Square. The stunning Saint Michael Archangel Church commands the center of Belavista Square. Saint Michael Archangel Church is a Serbian Orthodox Church whose construction lasted from 1883 to 1905. The Belavista Square also has an old Ottoman style drinking fountain that was once the main source of drinking water for the locals back in the 17th century.

^{Saint Michael Archangel Church in Belavista Square.}

^{An old Ottoman fountain in the middle of Belavista Square surrounded by stone buildings.}

Kanli Kula (Fortress)

A bit further up the hill from old town is the fortress named Kanli Kula. The name is of Turkish origin and means “bloody tower”. It was built by the Turks in 1539 and additions were made by the Venetians in 1687 during their rule.

^{Kanli Kula is a fortress whose name means “Bloody Tower”.}

Forte Mare / Sea Fortress

Rising up from the seashore is another fortress. Forte Mare (the Sea Fortress) was built in the 14th century by King Tvrtko I (the first king of Bosnia) who founded the city. It guarded the city from invasion by sea through many periods including when the city was under rule by the Turks, the Venetians, and the Austro-Hungarians who all performed some reconstructions on the fort.

^{Forte Mare (the Sea Fortress) was built in the 14th century to protect the city from sea invasion.}

Danica Pedestrian Way

One of my favorite features of this little city is the Danica Pedestrian Way. It is a pedestrian/bike path that hugs the seashore, letting you meander undisturbed for a distance of over 5 km. Some areas of the walkway are lined with restaurants and beach clubs.

^{Danica Pedestrian Way through Herceg Novi.}

^{The Danica Pedestrian Way wrapping around the coast of Herceg Novi.}

^{Danica Pedestrian Way leading through an arch under an old stone wall.}

Beaches offering access to the bay are scattered sporadically along the Danica Pedestrian Way. Beaches here are not necessarily sand or even pebbles. They are often concrete platforms that sun-seekers relax upon and jump into the bay from. We swam at the Herceg Novi Beach which is a small pebble beach near the base of the Forte Mare. The clear water was cold but refreshing.

^{A pebble beach just off the Danica Pedestrian Way with clear, cold water to swim in.}

Savina Winery

Another popular stop in the area is the Savina Winery. We had hoped to do a tour and tasting. However when we finally got a response from the winery about options for a visit, the price was much higher than we had heard. We decided it wasn’t worth the cost for us. The lowest price to visit and taste a couple wines was about $50 USD. The winery is about a 20 minute walk from town and there is also a monastery nearby. I included this in the post since many people do decide to include this stop in a visit to Herceg Novi.

Our Favorite Hangout in Herceg Novi

Gradska Kafana was our favorite restaurant in Herceg Novi. The outdoor patio has a view looking out over the water with Forte Mare also visible. Sitting in the shade taking in the gorgeous view was so relaxing. This gem is great for any time of day being open from breakfast until midnight.

^{View from the large outside patio of Gradska Kafana restaurant.}

^{View from small balcony of Gradska Kafana restaurant in Herceg Novi.}

More Photos Around Herceg Novi

Here are a few more photos from wandering around Herceg Novi.

^{Statue of Stefan Tvrtko I (the first king of Bosnia).} ^{Herceg Novi was founded as a part of Bosnia in 1382 by King Tvrtko.}

^{Church of Saint Jerome found at the top of yet another set of stairs in Herceg Novi.}

^{I loved all the cute stone staircases with stone walls and potted plants throughout Herceg Novi.}

Time to Leave

That wraps up our time in Herceg Novi. This was our first stop on our travel throughout Montenegro and we loved it! Once again we were sad to be leaving another city that stole a part of our hearts. However, we were also excited for the following stop, the medieval fairytale city of Kotor.