2 Days in Herceg Novi: The Perfect Montenegro Itinerary
Need help planning your upcoming trip to Herceg Novi? We've got you covered with an ideal two-day itinerary that you can customize to fit your vacation goals and length.
Herceg Novi is a beautiful, sunny beach town on the Adriatic Coast of Montenegro with a rich history and friendly locals. But, compared to more popular neighbors like Kotor, Budva, and Dubrovnik, it’s rather unknown. This makes it the perfect place to enjoy all the perks of a beach resort city without the crowds – or the jacked up prices that come with them. With over 25 km (15.5 miles) of picturesque coastline, a seemingly endless run of bars, restaurants, and beach clubs, and several fascinating historical sites to explore, you’ll be spoiled for choice.
In this post, we’ll share our ideal itinerary for two days in Herceg Novi, including where to stay, the top sites, and the best places to eat. Pare it down to a day trip or extend to a longer trip (see Honorable Mentions) based on your time and interests. Look out for bolded items as the can’t miss priorities!
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Activities At A Glance
(Click each Day to jump down for more information)
Itinerary
- Walking tour through Old Town
- Lunch at Konoba Feral
- Explore Forte Mare fortress
- Hike to Kanli Kula fortress
- Golden hour drinks at Gradska Kafana
- Dinner at Barbarella
- Drinks at Pivnica, Caffe Radio 2B
- Take a stroll down Pet Danica Walkway
- Soak in the sea and sun at the beach!Â
- Grab a refreshment at Lobelia
- Dinner at Amber Restaurant
- Drinks at People’s, Giardino Pub
- Savina Monastery and Winery
- Spanish Fortress
- Boat tour of the Bay of Kotor
- PVK Jadran professional water polo (fall/winter/spring)
Why Visit Herceg Novi?
Of all the coastal cities we visited in Montenegro (five of them, to be precise), Herceg Novi is our favorite spot for a beach vacation. This town just radiates relaxing, happy vibes. And, with an average of over 200 sunny days a year, it’s one of the sunniest cities in Montenegro! So you can count on waking up to ocean views, clear blue skies, and a smile on your face every day of your vacation.
Life in Herceg Novi revolves around the beach. The town is long and narrow, with most of the activity centered around the Pet Danica Walkway, an oceanfront promenade stretching over 6 km (3.7 miles). This pristine pedestrian boardwalk is nothing but stunning views and beach clubs to your left and an unending series of restaurants and bars to your right. But Herceg Novi isn’t just for beach lovers. It’s great for history buffs, spa enthusiasts, and families as well. The charming Old Town dates back to 1382 and is surrounded by three incredible fortresses you can visit. Igalo, on the north end of town, is famous for its mineral-rich mud and healing waters, with several luxury spas in the area. While Meljine, on the south end of town, is quiet and offers family-friendly activities like paddleboat rentals. Â
Needless to say, Herceg Novi has a little something for everyone.  And the best part? It’s all offered at a significant discount when compared to the other coastal Montenegrin destinations like Kotor, Budva, and Tivat. A word to the wise though – this city is built on a steep slope, so there are a lot of stairs. Nothing compared to our old nemesis, Positano (see our guide here), but still not real friendly to anyone with mobility issues.
Where Did We Stay?
We stayed in an Airbnb on the east side of Old Town, and while it was nice, we would recommend differently for you depending on your activities preference:
- If you’re most interested in history and culture, stay in Old Town proper. We recommend Apartments Master 5 in the city center or Apartmani Skver Sanja to be closer to the beach.
- If you’re looking for a quieter trip with kids, we recommend Meljine. Try Lazure Hotel & Marina for a luxe stay or Wellness & Spa Hotel ACD to save a few bucks (but still with a pool!).
- If you’re looking for beaches and nightlife, stay in Topla. We recommend Hunguest Hotel Sun Resort for its excellent pool, or Tamaris Beach Apartment if you prefer your own space.
- Finally, if you’re in it for the spa time, try Igalo for their famous healing mud spas. We recommend Palmon Bay Hotel & Spa, featuring a 500m mineral water pool, steam bath, saunas, and massage center.
How to Get There?
If you’re not renting a car, the easiest way to get to Herceg Novi is by bus. Herceg Novi is located in the northwest corner of Montenegro, and can be accessed from Tivat (40 min, ~4 EUR), Kotor (1 hour, ~5 EUR), Budva (1 hour 30 min, ~7 EUR), or Podgorica (3 hours, ~10 EUR) in Montenegro, as well as from Dubrovnik, Croatia (1 hour 20 min, ~24 EUR). The closest airport is Tivat Airport (TIV) in Montenegro, just outside of Kotor.
Pro-tip: If you’re traveling in Montenegro, the country has a very well-connected and affordable bus network with comfortable, air conditioned coaches. Routes and prices are detailed on their website, BusTicket4.me, which you can also use to purchase tickets online. Note, however, that if you buy online you will need to pay the ticket counter to print the tickets for you before you can get on the bus. Generally, we found it easiest to use this site for planning but purchase our tickets in person. Undercarriage luggage costs 1 EUR per bag.
Be Prepared - Cash is King
Note that the above-mentioned travel options (including some rental cars!) will require you to pay cash. While you typically won’t have any issue paying with card at a restaurant, Montenegro is still otherwise a largely cash-driven economy. Throughout our time in Montenegro, we paid for transportation (taxis, buses), personal services (haircuts, nail salons, massages), activities (tours, tips) and even some hotels through Booking.com with cash. All that to say, you’ll want to plan to have plenty on hand during your trip.  Montenegro uses the Euro, so it’s fairly easy to get some in advance of your trip, otherwise you can always use an ATM. But pay attention, or they’ll hit you with a hefty fee! Make sure to follow this tip:
Pro-tip: When offered an exchange rate by an ATM, you can – and should – always decline the rate displayed. This rate often includes a heavy markup. In Montenegro, they add a standard 10%! on top of the market exchange rate. This means you are paying an extra $30 on a draw of 300 EUR, a fee that really adds up in a cash-based economy like this one. Declining the rate will not stop your transaction, but rather allow your personal bank to set the rate instead.
Day 1 - Explore Herceg Novi's History
- 10:00-12:00 – Take a walking tour through Old Town. If GuruWalk isn’t available, read below for the main sights to hit on a self-guided tour.
- 12:00-1:00 – Grab lunch at Konoba Feral, a nautically decorated seafood restaurant in Å kver Harbor. It’s a great place to try the regional speciality, black risotto!
- 1:30-2:30 – Work your way back uptown with a first stop at Forte Mare fortress. Entry is at the top of the building and costs 4 EUR (cash only). Here you can enjoy a historical video and some exceptional views. Note – this fortress includes some very steep steps, so it may be tough for those with kids or mobility issues. Â
- 2:45-3:15 – Need a refreshment? Hit Koffein Specialty Coffee Shop. Also a great place to get some work done if you need to!
- 3:30-5:00 – Continue your hike up to Kanli Kula fortress. A must-see 16th century fortress that’s not only a historical site, but also used today as an open-air theater. Plus, in our opinion, it’s the best photo op in town.
- 6:00-7:00 – Freshen up and then head to Gradska Kafana for a pre-dinner cocktail. This bar and restaurant features a massive terrace with spectacular views of the bay and a friendly waitstaff that loves pups 🙂
- 7:30-9:00 – Dine on sushi and craft cocktails at Barbarella while you enjoy its waterfront views.
- 9:30-1:00 – In the mood for after-dinner drinks? We recommend Pivnica, near Barbarella, which features waterfront views and excellently priced drinks, and Caffe Radio 2B, in Old Town, which offers a more intimate vibe and a great DJ.
The Details
Walking Tour
If you’ve read any of our itinerary posts before, you know we love to recommend a free walking tour with GuruWalk to start off your trip. It’s a great way to get the lay of the land, hit some of the key sites, and walk away with some additional recommendations from a local. However, Herceg Novi is such an undiscovered gem that there is currently only one tour on GuruWalk here, and it’s in Spanish! We hope this will grow as tourism here continues to increase, but in the meantime, take yourself on a self-guided tour. Make sure to hit the following landmarks:
- Clock Tower – the iconic landmark of the main town square, which was built by the Turks in the 17th century;
- St. Michael’s Church – located in Belavista Square (which offers great views and a lovely fountain), a Serbian Orthodox church that was built in 1911 and blends Byzantine, Gothic, and Romanesque styles;
- St. Jerome’s Church – built in 1856, featuring a white stone bell tower and an array of old cannons and ship anchors on a nearby terrace.
- Å kver – finish in this harbor near Herceg Novi beach and the water polo pool.
Kanli Kula Fortress
Kanli Kula fortress was one of the highlights of our trip. Meaning “Bloody Tower” in Montenegrin, it has a gruesome and fascinating history. Built in the 16th century by the Ottomans, who were ruling Herceg Novi at the time, it originally served as a brutal prison and execution site. Over time, the fortress evolved into a military outpost and defensive fortification and then, in the 1960’s, it was restored and now serves as an open-air amphitheater. In fact, during our time in Montenegro, Colby and I attended an incredibly cool EDM festival held here called Get Lost Montenegro. On your visit, you can expect to see the amphitheater, one of the old prison cells, and an informative – albeit a bit cheesy – 13-minute video on the history of the fortress. It’s also one of the best viewpoints in the city, and a great spot for photos.
Pro-tip: Tickets to enter Kanli Kula cost 4 EUR, but if you show your Forte Mare ticket from earlier, you can get in for only 2 EUR instead.
Day 2 - Hit the Beach
- 09:00-10:00 – Take a stroll along the Pet Danica Walkway to start your day with some beautiful views and scope out which beach you’d like to post up at.
- 10:00-5:00 – Have a beach day! We recommend Beach Žaba, Rafaello Beach, or La Bamba – more on these below.
- 5:00-6:00 – Grab a refreshment – and some air conditioning – from Lobelia before heading back to your room to freshen up.
- 7:30-9:00 – Dine at Amber Restaurant for amazing Georgian cuisine. It’s a little off the beaten path, but it was by far our best meal in Herceg Novi and well worth the extra navigational effort. Plus, if you’re lucky, you might catch karaoke night.
- 9:30-1:00 – If you’re looking for more nightlife, head to nearby People’s, a nightclub with live music, or Giardino Pub, a more classic beach bar across the street.
The Details
Herceg Novi Beaches
Herceg Novi stretches across 25 km (15.5 miles) of coastline, so there is no shortage of places where you can access the crystal clear water of the Bay of Kotor. But, there’s one really important thing to mention when discussing their “beaches” – the majority of these are not beaches at all, but rather large cement slabs set up with chairs, umbrellas, and ladders. There are a handful of small, rocky beaches, and even fewer (and smaller) true sandy beaches. This threw us for a loop at first, but, honestly, it wasn’t that big of a deal. Without sand, the water is stunningly clear (as is the inside of your swimsuit), and with concrete instead of rocks, your feet don’t hurt every time you get in and out of the water. We encourage you to lean into it and enjoy a new type of “beach” here in Herceg Novi.
We’ll highlight below the beach that we went to (Beach Žaba) as well as two of the more popular beaches (Rafaello Beach and La Bamba), but there are several other popular beaches in different parts of town as well, such as Beach Topla (cement-style with free rocky section, Topla), Herceg Novi Beach (rocky beach, Å kver Harbor), and Beach Meljine (rocky beach, Meljine). Just pick the beach closest to you that suits your needs, it’s hard to go wrong!
Beach Žaba
This small beach between Old Town and Topla was perfect for Colby and me. One of the cement-style beaches, it was relatively kid-free and quiet, which was super relaxing. There is a bar on site where we could get drinks and water, and everything was really affordable. When we visited in June, our two chairs and an umbrella cost 10 EUR. For comparison, Herceg Novi Beach planned to charge us 15 EUR and the serviced beach at Yachting Club 32 was charging 25 EUR. We ordered a bottle of wine and enjoyed the unimpeded view of the bay from our chairs, happy as clams.
Rafaello Beach
Rafaello Beach is a beach club located in Topla that’s a great option for those with kids. The beach is rocky, rather than cement, and its half-moon shape keeps the water calmer. In addition, the beach club offers a full-service restaurant, ensuring nobody goes hungry. Chair rentals are a bit pricier than somewhere like Beach Žaba, but it’s also more conveniently located and includes other amenities like toilets and changing rooms. In addition, there are free areas without chairs where you can lay your towel on the rocks if you want to save a few bucks.
La Bamba
La Bamba is a beach club and nightclub located in Igalo. It’s the perfect option if you like to party or are easily bored, as you can also rent jet skis here! You can order both food and drink from the bar restaurant, and at night they often have live music or DJs. Be warned – a lot of people complain about the noise here, so if a loud club isn’t your scene, this probably isn’t the beach for you.
Honorable Mentions
While we thoroughly enjoyed this itinerary for two days in Herceg Novi, there are several other popular activities you can enjoy during your visit.
Savina Monastery and Winery
Savina Monastery is a beautiful Orthodox monastery in the hills outside of Meljine. Established in the 11th century, the complex includes three historic churches, most notably the Church of the Assumption, which is revered for its beautiful carvings and frescoes. Savina Monastery is a great little peaceful escape from the beach parties and you can visit it for just a small donation. Afterward, you can reward yourself for being so cultured and refined by stopping by Savina Winery, where you can sample some local varietals like vranac, Montenegro’s most popular red wine. From both the monastery and the winery, you will be spoiled with stunning views and excellent photo ops.
Spanish Fortress
If Forte Mare and Kanli Kula didn’t fully scratch your fortress itch, Herceg Novi has one more to offer – Spanjola Fortress, or the Spanish Fortress. Spanjola is an impressive 16th century stronghold built by the Spaniards during their brief rule of the city, located in the hills between Old Town and Topla. It’s now partially in ruins, but this just adds to the intrigue of the visit and also makes it an excellent place for photographs. The Spanish Fortress is free to visit, but likely easiest to access by taxi as it’s all uphill.
Boat Tour of the Bay of Kotor
Though Kotor is the main hotspot for boat tours, you can rent a boat from Herceg Novi as well. From Herceg Novi, you can explore all the same sites of the Bay of Kotor, including Kotor, Perast, Our Lady of the Rocks, Mamula Island, and the Blue Cave. Most boat tours from Herceg Novi are for a private boat rental, so they’re a bit pricier and will make more sense if you’re traveling in a group. Otherwise, if you happen to visit Kotor on your trip, you can buy individual tickets on a boat tour for 30 to 40 EUR (learn more here).
PVK Jadran Professional Water Polo
If you’re visiting outside of peak season (September – May), you may be lucky enough to catch a water polo game in Jadran pool in Škver Harbor! PVK Jadran, established in 1922, is Herceg Novi’s professional water polo team, and they’re quite good. In fact, in 2023 they secured their ninth consecutive championship title in the Montenegrin League. In addition to the Montenegrin League, PVK Jadran competes in the Adriatic Water Polo League, as well as in European competitions such as the LEN Champions League. Water polo is a beloved sport here and attending a game at their outdoor pool is sure to be a blast cheering with the locals. Tickets are typically under 10 EUR and can be purchased at the pool. Visit the team’s site for more information.
We hope this post sets you up for an amazing two days in Herceg Novi. Though a great place to visit, Herceg Novi is but one of many incredible locations that Montenegro has to offer! If you’re also visiting Budva, be sure to check out our city guide here, or if you’re looking forward to adventure sports in Durmitor National Park, check out our epic itinerary here. Check out all our Montenegro travel guides for more inspiration. Comment below what you loved most about Herceg Novi!
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