Herceg Novi – a town of stairs, fortresses and mimosa

Herceg Novi is one of my favorite places in Montenegro. When we, the locals, think of Novi, we imagine the sea, boats, promenade, ice cream and lots and lots of sun. So should you! The climate in Montenegro is mild and very pleasant all year round, but the weather in this town is just a bit shinier at all times.

Just like any town on our coast, Herceg Novi had a turbulent history, although it is one of the youngest towns here. It has its old town and the most significant feature in it, its fortresses. Kanli kula translates into Bloody Tower, so one can only imagine a horrifying story surrounding it. Nevertheless, today, it is one of the most beautiful and spectacular fortresses of the Mediterranean and it hosts wonderful cultural events, one of them being the well-known over 30-year-old Montenegro Film Festival, which by now has established its tradition not only in the region but also in Europe and broader.

The stunning Venetian fortress, Forte Mare, also serves this purpose and is located just a bit lower towards the sea, connected by another recognizable feature of Herceg Novi – the stairs. It is said that Novi has over 100 000 stairs, known in the local language as skaline, and thus it is called – the town of stairs. There are many great writers and poets who stayed here and adored this town and of course wrote about it.

It has always served as an inspiration to many great people, due to its buildings, fortresses, stairs, weather and a peculiar yellow flower – mimosa, which is so important to this town that it has its own festival dedicated to it. The Mimosa Festival just turned 50 and is the most important event happening every February in Herceg Novi. It is filled with music, fish and wine, carnivals, dancing, competitions and a wide array of other entertaining activities.

If you want to experience all of this and more, you should definitely book a tour involving this amazing town!