Herceg-Novi

The tourist town of Kotor Bay in the northern part of Montenegro, which is definitely worth a visit - Herceg Novi, is located on a narrow strip of coast in the valley of the mountain Orjien. It is the administrative center of the homonymous municipality with a population of about 13,000 inhabitants.
 

History of the city.

Archaeological finds indicate that the first Illyrian settlements on the site of the modern Herceg Novi appeared even in the times of Antiquity. The city itself was founded in 1382 by the Bosnian king Tvrtko I as a defensive structure, and was called Sveti Stefan, now this name bears another city in Montenegro. For medieval Bosnia, this fortress was of great strategic importance and was the most important outlet to the sea. After the death of the king, the power passed to Prince Sandal Hhranic from the Kosac dynasty. During his reign, the city experienced a strong economic recovery and functioned as a major center of salt trade. At the time of the reign of Stefan Vukcic, the city became known as Herceg Novi. In 1466, the Venetian Republic made an offer to the Duke of Vukcić to exchange Herceg Novi to the city of Risan on the island of Brač and the palace in Split, but the duke refused.

The special position of Herceg Novi fueled interest in it both in the Republic of Venice and in the Ottoman Empire. In 1482 the Turks still managed to conquer the city, and it became the center of piracy and slave trade. The Ottoman period lasted just a bit more than 200 years.

In 1687, after a 30-day siege, the Turks were forced to surrender the city to the Venetian Republic, and the city became part of the Venetian Republic as part of the province of Albania Veneta. Venetian domination continued until 1797, as in the entire Boka Bay of Kotor. Surprisingly, in 1806-1807 Herceg Novi was under Russian patronage. Until 1918, the government of the city passed from France to Austria. During the Napoleonic wars, the power of the city passed to the France, and then to the Austrians owned it until 1918, then the city became part of Yugoslavia until its disintegration.
 

Attractions of Herceg Novi.

At the very entrance to the city in the park "Savinskaja dubrava" surrounded by oaks, cypresses, chestnuts and pines there is a monument of early Balkan Christianity - the Orthodox monastery Savina, one of the oldest in Montenegro.

The monastery of Savina (Manastir Savina) is a male Orthodox monastery, which is located in the same area of Savino, directly adjacent to the Old City of Herceg Novi. The monastery was founded by monks who left Trebinje (Bosnia and Herzegovina). The monastery is a complex of buildings - the Great Assumption Church, the Church of St. Sava, the Small Assumption Church. In the Great Assumption Church there is an icon of the Mother of God of Savin. This church is also considered the best example of the architectural style of baroque on the whole Adriatic coast. Russian, Greek and Italian antique icons, censers, crosses, jewelry and letters are kept in the monastery. In the vestry there are unique relics: a 13th-century crystal cross of St. Sava, an icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker of the 18th century. The shroud of 1642, the silver vessel for chrismation of 1648, and much more.

The local library has more than 5000 books, of which about 50 are handwritten. Among the most valuable exhibits are the Gospel of 1375, the Octoechos (5 voices) of 1375 and the Savinsky tavern of the 16th century. It also contains the primer published in Russia in 1692, according to which the future poet and ruler of Montenegro, Petar II Petrovic Njegos, learned to read and write.

In these places much is connected with the Russian empire. Nearby there is the Russian memorial cemetery, where Russian immigrants who came here after the October Revolution are buried.

Acquaintance with the city itself begins with the bus station. First of all, the fortifications of the city deserve attention - because of the strategically important location at the entrance to Kotor Bay in the city there are defensive structures erected by all who owned it: Venetians, Turks, Austrians, Spaniards and Montenegrins. At fortifications located at various levels, picturesque views of the surroundings burst upon the eye.

In the southern part of the city, near the coastline, there is the Citadel, built by the Venetians for protection from the sea, and then remade by the Turks and Austrians. In 1979, it was almost destroyed by an earthquake, and today you can only see the remains of the fallen walls in the sea.

Not far from the Citadel, above the mountain, going along the sea, on the rock is the Sea Fortress (Forte Mare). Since its erection by the Bosnian King Tvrtko I in 1382 the construction of the city began. This fortress was then the main observation post. Being on a steep rock, it grows as if straight out of the water. This sea fort is now used for entertainment, here the cinema opens in summer, and sometimes this fortress functions like a night club.

In the northern part of the Old Town there is another fortress - the Bloody Tower (Kanli Kula). In the XVI century it was built by the Turks at an altitude of 85 m above sea level, and originally it was part of a complex system of defensive structures. Then there was a prison here, and nowadays there are various theatrical performances here, including the festival of the same name theater Kanli Kula. It's hard to say how the visiting of this fortress will impress you, it is not very well preserved. But the fact that the view from here is beautiful cannot be doubted.

Lifehack: visiting the fortress costs 1 euro. In non-season it is very often closed.

To the north-west of the Blood Tower on the hill Bajer is situated the fortress Spanjola. It was erected in the XV-XVI centuries. At a height of 180 m above sea level to protect the upper city. The name of the fortress is associated with a brief Spanish period in the history of Herceg Novi.

To get to the Old Town, you can walk along the pedestrian street of Njegoseva and go out to the western part of the city, where one of the ancient city symbols is located - the Clock Tower or the Sut-Kula.

The main church of the proud is the Church of St. Archangel Michael - the Orthodox Church in Belavica Square, inside the Old Town. Despite the relatively late date of construction - 1911 - in the guise of this church intertwined Byzantine, Romanesque and Gothic styles, which elevates it to the rank of the most striking monuments of Christian architecture on the coast of Montenegro.

Outside the Old Town streets of Herceg Novi are smothered in greenery. The richest collection of vegetation is in the City Park. There are more than 100 species of subtropical and tropical plants, including relict ones, including palm trees, oleanders, eucalyptuses, magnolias, cacti, agaves, camellias and, of course, mimosa, a symbol of the city.

Walking a little further along the sea, you will go to the Museum of Local Lore, which has been operating since 1953. The museum features ethnographic, historical and archaeological expositions, as well as a collection of icons.

The best place to spend leisure is the embankment of Pet Danica. It stretches for 7 km along the whole city - from the village Meline to the neighboring town of Igalo. Igalo is a well-known medical and tourist center. The combination of mountain and sea air forms a unique local microclimate. These sites have long been known as medicinal properties of coastal sea mud. Here is the largest health tourism center in Montenegro.
 

Beaches in Herceg Novi and in the vicinity.
 

City sand and concrete beach Herceg Novi stretches along the embankment of Pet Danitsa. Its area is 3 km2. On a small pebble beach Savina, an area of which is 1000m2, there is a concrete platform. It belongs to the hotel Pearl and is located not far from the monastery of the same name and the park Savinskaja dubrava. In several villages located in the vicinity of the city, there are also small beaches. As a rule, they bear the name of the settlement in which they are located. These are Meline, Zelenika, Kumbor, Djenovici, Baosici, Bjela, Kamenari. They are small, with a total length of about 3 km with all the necessary infrastructure. They are located in small bays, surrounded by olive, orange and mandarin groves.

The most popular beach of the Herceg-Novi Riviera is the white pebbled beach Zhanic - the holder of the Blue Flag. There is everything necessary for a good rest, as well as water walks to the Blue cave and the island of Mamula.

Among the beaches awarded with the Blue Flag, Oblatno stands out, or rather its component part - Almara beach

One of the best beaches of Montenegro, marked by the Blue Flag, is Plavi Horizonti, which is located on the peninsula Lustica. The length of this fine sandy beach is 300 m. It is located in a picturesque bay and is surrounded by olive groves. Due to the shallow sea is perfect for resting with children.

How to get to the city?
 

To get to Herceg Novi is not difficult. Approximately 30 km from it there are two international airports - Tivat (Montenegro) and Dubrovnik (Croatia). With the cities of Montenegro, Herceg Novi is connected by the Adriatic highway (Jadranska magistrala) - a two-lane, of quite decent level, highway. In general, the quality of the roads of Montenegro, small distances between cities and a large number of rental offices encourage to travel around the country by car. Also the city has a bus service.

Lifehack: not far from Herceg Novi there is the Kamenari-Lepetani ferry crossing across the Verige Strait, which allows you to avoid making a degour of Kotor Bay and save a lot of time on the road (in future the bridge is planned to be built at this place).
 

Restaurants and cafes in Herceg Novi

The same can be said about restaurants and cafes. The cuisine here is mainly national and European. Keep in mind that portions in restaurants are usually enormous. That is why, it is strongly recommended to order one dish, they prepare them very quickly.

Lifehack: lovers of seafood will appreciate the private farms for breeding mussels (školjke) in Herceg Novi. They cost only 2 euros per kilogram.

The part of the city's infrastructure that is well-liked by lovers of night entertainment is well developed: bars, numerous shows, clubs. There is a promenade in Herceg Novi, from which it is best to admire the sea gaps and panoramas of the coast. In recent years, the Mimosa Festival has taken place in the city every winter. At this time everything around is permeated with its scent, and the blooming city is very beautiful.
 

Hotels in Herceg Novi

The number and variety of hotels in Herceg Novi city fully meets all the requirements of the tourist flow. There are also classic hotels, hotels with standard rooms and a set of services, and apartments, and private multi-storey villas with a pool and a panoramic view of the Adriatic Sea.

In Herceg Novi about hundred different species of tropical and subtropical plants grow, which during the 6 centuries were brought by sailors from different countries of the world. The ancient architectural buildings in the Old Town of Herceg Novi keep a rich history, and a large number of cafes and restaurants of national and European cuisine along the embankment and on the streets of the city will satisfy any connoisseur of delicious food. And even the fans music and dance, will have an opportunity to engage themselves in local nightclubs and bars.

In general, Herceg Novi is ideal for tourists who coming to rest, treat health and even have fun.