Herceg Novi: The Town of Staircases

The town is built on a slope, and instead of streets it has staircases. They are counted in thousands: getting from the waterfront to the upper town means several hundred steps. Locals joke that nobody here has a fitness problem.

It stands at the very mouth of the Bay of Kotor, which makes it a useful base: 9 kilometres to the Croatian border, 20 to the Bosnian, and about 50 to Dubrovnik — an hour’s drive plus the border. The town was founded in 1382 by the Bosnian king Tvrtko I.

What to see

Forte Mare — a 14th-century fortress right above the sea, later extended by the Ottomans and the Venetians, with a summer cinema inside and a terrace looking out at the bay and Mamula. Entry €4.

Kanli Kula (“the bloody tower”) — a 16th-century Ottoman prison, now an open-air summer stage. From the walls you see the whole entrance to the bay. Entry is €4, or €6 for both fortresses on the same day. Both are open daily from 9:00 to 19:00.

The Sahat Kula clock tower of 1667 — the town’s symbol and the gate into the old quarter.

The town market. In the centre, by Nikola Đurković Square; on Saturday mornings it sells fruit, olive oil, cheese and dried figs. Hours and prices are in markets in Montenegro.

The botanical garden. Herceg Novi calls itself the town of mimosa and plants: for two centuries sailors brought back cuttings from everywhere. Agaves, cacti, magnolias and palms grow here, and February brings the mimosa festival. Dates and programme are in Montenegro’s holidays and festivals.

The promenade

The pedestrian Pet Danica path runs for about seven kilometres along the sea, from Igalo through the centre to Meljine. People walk, run and swim from platforms every hundred metres.

It is the best evening walk in town.

Beaches

Beaches here are concrete and shingle, and the water is always calm — the bay is closed to swell.

The best are on the Luštica peninsula opposite: Žanjice, Mirište, Dobreč. Boats leave from the promenade; a group trip that also stops at the Blue Cave costs from €30 per person. Žanjice can be reached by road as well, while Dobreč cove is accessible only from the water. Which beach to pick and how to get there: Luštica and Mamula.

The Blue Cave is close by from there. Boats stop at the mouth of the grotto; you go inside by kayak or swim in from the boat, because motor boats have been banned from entering since 2026. More in the Blue Cave.

Igalo

The neighbouring village three kilometres away, known for medicinal mud and the Simo Milošević institute of physiotherapy, one of the largest rehabilitation centres in the Balkans. People come here for treatment rather than the sea: mud, mineral water, rehabilitation.

As a base

For Croatia. The border is 9 kilometres away, 15 minutes by car, and Dubrovnik about 50 kilometres — an hour plus the border. In summer the border queue takes anything from half an hour to two or three hours. To cross in a hire car you need the rental company’s written permission and a Green Card (€25–50 per rental with most companies); arrange both in advance: insurance and deposit.

The EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) is in full operation at the Croatian border. It applies to non-EU passport holders, British travellers included: on your first entry into the EU officers take your photo and the prints of four fingers, and your passport is no longer stamped. Children under 12 are not fingerprinted. The first crossing takes longer than usual.

Coming back from Croatia is a new entry into Montenegro. British citizens can stay up to 90 days in any 180, with a passport issued less than 10 years ago and valid for three months after you leave; EU citizens can stay up to 90 days on a passport or 30 days on an ID card. Full rules are in entry requirements for Montenegro.

A bus to Dubrovnik runs six times a day, with tickets at €24–30 and a journey of 1–2 hours; the timetable is on busticket4.me.

For Bosnia. Trebinje is an hour away, Mostar three.

For the bay. The loop around Boka starts here — the Bay of Kotor in a day. The Kamenari–Lepetane ferry, 12 kilometres away, saves about 30 kilometres and anything from half an hour to an hour, depending on the traffic round the bay. A car costs €5.

Parking and the drive

The town is on a slope, and parking takes some planning. Paid parking along the waterfront costs €0.70–2 an hour depending on the zone; there are free spaces higher up, but you then walk down the stairs.

From Tivat airport it is an hour including the ferry. Without a car, the bus to Kotor runs about 20 times a day, takes about an hour and usually costs €5.

Hire options are on the car rental in Herceg Novi page.

Excursions from here

In 2026 only three coach routes leave from Herceg Novi: Dubrovnik (from €43 per person), the evening Bay of Kotor by ship (from €43) and Trebinje (from €54). The first two run in season and are not held from October to May. The Ostrog and rafting departures from the riviera are not running in 2026; rafting the Tara and the Piva canyon leaves from Budva, Kotor, Tivat, Bar and Podgorica instead, from €82 per person. These tours, group and private, run only with a Russian-speaking guide. All routes are under things to do.

How the drive to Dubrovnik actually works — Green Card, border queue, parking in the old town — is covered in driving to Dubrovnik.

Entry tickets, boats, the ferry and parking: prices checked in September 2026.