A Complete Guide to Herceg Novi, Montenegro: Things to Do, Food & Drink and Where to Stay

Herceg Novi is a surprising gem at the mouth of the Bay of Kotor and is known as the sunniest city in Montenegro. If you’re planning a visit or looking for some inspiration, I’m here to help with my complete guide to Herceg Novi!

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Montenegro is almost certainly Europe’s most underrated destination with its stunning coastline along the Adriatic Sea, dramatic mountain ranges and the unforgettable Bay of Kotor. Despite being smaller than Wales, Montenegro packs in so much for so many all within its borders. Whether you’re looking for a relaxing beach holiday, to explore UNESCO World Heritage old towns or mountain top hikes, Montenegro has it all.

Herceg Novi is a small but charming town nestled between Mount Orjen (Montenegro’s tallest peak at 6210ft) and the Bay of Kotor and, for me, is the perfect place to base yourself within the country for a relaxing family holiday as it also sets yourself up nicely to explore the wider region.

For those looking to visit for a day or to base yourself for a week’s holiday, I’ve pulled together this guide to Herceg Novi covering the best things to do, where to eat and drink and where to stay to help plan your visit.

If you’re more into your street and travel photography, here’s a virtual wander around the streets of Herceg Novi.

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A COMPLETE GUIDE TO HERCEG NOVI, MONTENEGRO

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BRIEF HISTORY OF HERCEG NOVI

Herceg Novi was founded way back in 1382 as a fortress by the first Bosnian King before being ruled by the Turks, the Spaniards and the Venetians until 1798. Since then its history has been a little more troubled with control shifting between Russia, the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Italy. Montenegro itself became an independent country as recently in 2006.

THINGS TO DO IN HERCEG NOVI

Forte Mare

The Forte Mare (Sea Fortress) dominates almost every view of Herceg Novi so it’s no surprise to head up my big list of things to do here. The fortress was built way back between the 14th and 17th century by the Venetians as a means of defending the Bay of Kotor given Herceg Novi’s strategic location overlooking its entrance from the Adriatic Sea. In the 19th century further improvements were made to the fortress by the Austro-Hungarian empire and now you can spend half an hour or so wandering around admiring those beautiful views.

Cost: €5 per person (as of October 2023)

Clock Tower

Make your way to the Nikola Djurkovic Square, Herceg Novi’s main square, and you’ll spot the 17th century Turkish clocktower atop a steep staircase. It originally served as the gateway to the Old Town as well as a reminder for Muslims when the time came to pray. Nowadays, there’s not too much to see but it makes for a great photo opportunity and is one of the highlights of any trip to Herceg Novi.

Church of St Michael the Archangel

Once you pass through the arch under the Clock Tower, you’ll arrive in Herceg Stjepan Square (also known as Belavista) where you’ll find the Church of St Michael the Archangel. It took 22 years to build the church, completion was in 1905, and is designed in the shape of a Greek cross though features Romanesque arches, a Byzantine dome and a Serbian Orthodox interior. Either side of the church used to be hundred year old palm trees but sadly they were no longer there when I visited!

The church is open daily and admission is free.

Kanli Kula

Perched high above the town is Kanli Kula, an old Spanish fortress featuring an amphitheatre and the best panoramic views over Herceg Novi and out into the Bay of Kotor. The climb up to the fortress is pretty tough to be fair especially trying to carry a toddler. It’s steep and, if you somehow choose the way we did from Saint Michael Archangel Church, a bit rough underfoot but honestly the views are more than worth it!

The entrance fee is €4 per person though for some reason, probably due to the amount of sweat dripping from us climbing those steep stairs, we were able to enter free of charge. We had a good wander around, mostly admiring the views, before taking a much more normal route back down.

Šetalište Pet Danica Walkway

The Šetalište Pet Danica Walkway is a 7km long waterfront promenade that stretches from Igalo all the way to Meljine. The walkway follows a former train line that once linked the area to Sarajevo until 1968. We initially wandered to the right of Stari Grad past concrete bathing platforms full of locals sunning themselves and diving into the sea. From Igalo to Herceg Novi however is a lot more lively with bars and restaurants lining the promenade. October was a little out of season so quite a few weren’t open but this is the place to be if you like your music a little louder; it’s a lot more touristy this side.

Gradska Pijaca – Market

I love visiting a local market on any trip abroad so it was a nice surprise to stumble upon Gradska Pijaca whilst actually looking for a pharmacy. The market itself is only small but we wandered up and down the aisles admiring the fresh fruit and vegetables, a huge array of different meats and cheeses and as well as beautiful colourful flowers. This is the place to come if you’re after some fresh local produce perhaps for a picnic or a quick snack.

Savina Monastery

On the outskirts of Herceg Novi, accessible by taxi or car, is the Serbian Orthodox Savina Monastery made up of three separate churches. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to visit during our trip, I mean it’s never a good idea to cram in constant sightseeing with a toddler, so this is one that remains on the list of places to see when we return! I’ve seen that it has some beautiful views too but, to be fair, there are beautiful views to be had almost all over Herceg Novi!

Bay of Kotor Boat Trip

One good thing about Herceg Novi is its proximity to the jewels of the Bay of Kotor meaning that a boat trip to see Our Lady of the Rocks, Perast and Kotor is an absolute must when staying here. We paid €30 each (Evelyn was free of charge as she is under 6) for an all day boat trip. First up we docked at Our Lady of the Rocks, a stunning Catholic Church on an islet for a quick wander followed by a few hours in Kotor’s UNESCO world heritage Old Town.

There was nothing better than getting lost in the maze of cobbled streets stumbling upon medieval churches, pristine squares and Venetian palaces. Kotor is also known as the city of cats which, for someone who can’t get away with cats, might have put me off but we didn’t see that many. There are however a symbol of good luck not only for Kotor but Montenegro as a whole.

The final stop on our boat trip was Perast; possibly the most beautiful town in Montenegro and it perhaps has to be right towards the top of Europe’s most beautiful towns too. We only spent an hour or so here which, on the face of it worked out fine, as Perast is only about 1.5km in length. There are plenty of waterfront restaurants, ice cream shops and so many photo opportunities with the mountains in the background. You could easily spend a few extremely relaxing nights here.

FOOD & DRINK IN HERCEG NOVI

Peter’s Pie & Coffee

Peter’s Pie & Coffee is a very popular vegetarian café and bakery situated along the Šetalište Pet Danica Walkway with unrivalled views out to sea. We stopped in for a coffee and a salted caramel milkshake but most people come here for the pastries and desserts that are handmade and baked on site daily. Many locals will pre-order freshly baked sourdough bread (dark rye & gluten free buckwheat) to take home with them and the spinach pies, well, they looked incredible!

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Tri Lipe

This popular restaurant can be found up a little alleyway not far from the marina as you make your way up to Nikola Djurkovic Square. The food here is very traditional but what drew me to it was the little hole in the wall BBQ which serves up Pljeskavica; the national dish of Serbia. The meat patty, similar to a burger, is a mixture of spiced minced pork, beef and lamb, cooked over flames before being added to a soft bun with chilli flakes, ketchup and mustard. You can’t go wrong for €3.50 if you’re looking for a quick bite to eat!

Moritz Eis

If you’re wanting to find where scoops up the best gelato and ice cream in Herceg Novi, well you’re spoiled for choice. There’s an outlet of Moritz Eis in the town that honestly delivers on the gelato front; salted caramel was the obvious winner for me but the white chocolate flavour too was awesome.

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Koffein

One of two great coffee shops in Herceg Novi, you’ll find Koffein on the stairs up towards Nikola Djurkovic Square. The Flat White was beautiful though Emma was a little disappointed they didn’t offer any black tea! It was quiet when we visited so we enjoyed a break from the surprising October heat and let Evelyn rest her little legs.

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Fabrika Coffee

Fabrika Coffee is the second of my two favourite coffee shops offering up coffee made from their freshly roasted beans. The space is small but head outside and grab a seat in the courtyard under the huge rubber tree and you’ll never want to leave!

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Gradska Kafana

We set our sights on checking out Gradska Kafana as we meandered our way up the steep road to the top of Herceg Novi whilst pushing Evelyn in her pram as she enjoyed a rare afternoon nap. After every twist and turn we caught glimpses of this beautiful building between the palm trees and decided that we had to head straight there to quench our thirst. Thankfully the beer was cold, the views exceptional and Evelyn stayed asleep; you can’t ask for much more as parents. The building too was just as beautiful inside as on the outside, there are two terraces with one being a little balcony reminding me of the south of France or perhaps Portofino in Italy.

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WHERE TO STAY IN HERCEG NOVI

Iberostar Herceg Novi

We spent seven nights at the Iberostar Herceg Novi hotel in October 2023; a return to all-inclusive since a trip to Cyprus way back in 2013! This is not your normal ‘all-inclusive’ resort, this hotel is on another level. The location is incredible, over the water from Herceg Novi itself, with a private beach that slips into the crystal clear calm waters of the Bay of Kotor. If you’re looking for a luxurious stay in Herceg Novi, look no further than this hotel. We loved staying here and will certainly be returning!

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