Herceg Novi

Herceg Novi was founded in 1382 by the Bosnian king Tvrtko at the mouth of the Bay of Kotor, and it changed hands repeatedly between Ottomans, Venetians, Spanish, French, Austrians and others, each leaving a fortress: Forte Mare on the water, Kanli Kula above it, and the Spanjola higher again. The town is built up a steep slope so that everything is connected by stairs, and the mild climate has filled its gardens with subtropical planting.

Background

The town stands at the western entrance to the Bay of Kotor, below Mount Orjen. Tvrtko I Kotromanić raised its fortress in early 1382 on the site of a small fishing village, meaning it to anchor a new centre for the salt trade. He named it after Saint Stephen, but people called it Novi, meaning New, or Castelnuovo, New Castle, in Italian. The modern form Herceg Novi first appears in a Turkish document of 1726. An earthquake devastated the town in 1608. It was once a Catholic bishopric and remains a Latin titular see under the name Novi. The municipality covers 235 km2 and counted 30,864 people in the 2011 census.

Source: Wikipedia, "Herceg Novi"

What's there

• Kanli Kula - the Ottoman fortress above the town, now an open-air theatre.
• Forte Mare - the sea fort at the water's edge.
• The stairs - the flights connecting the levels of a town built on a slope.
• The subtropical gardens - the planting the mild climate supports.

When to go

May to October is the season; the town is mild in winter and stays partly open. The Mimosa Festival falls in February. Summer fills the promenade.

Practical notes

The town is built on a steep slope and everything involves stairs, which is hard going in heat. Beaches are small and mostly concrete platforms. Parking is very difficult in summer.

Nearby

Savina Monastery is east, and Mamula is at the bay mouth.

Key facts