What to See & Do in Herceg Novi Forte Mare & Kanli Kula — Two Fortresses, Four Empires Savina Monastery — Wine, Frescoes & a 13th-Century Crystal Cross Blue Cave (Plava Špilja) — Boat Trip from Škver Harbor Žanjice Beach — Tito's Presidential Beach Day Trip to Dubrovnik — Border Tips for Drivers Herceg Novi Old Town — The City of Stairs Igalo Spa — Dr Simo Milošević Institute What to See & Do in Herceg Novi — 7 Attractions by Car (2026) Home What to See What to See & Do in Herceg Novi The "City of 100,001 Steps" — fortresses, monasteries, boat trips, and Dubrovnik just an hour away Herceg Novi is the green-jewelled gateway to Boka Kotorska and the Bay of Kotor. Known as the "City of 100,001 Steps" — Nobel laureate Ivo Andrić described it simply as "Stairs, stairs, stairs." With a rental car, you can explore the Old Town, the Luštica Peninsula, Igalo spa, and even Dubrovnik. For arrival info, see getting here. For road rules, see driving in Montenegro. Forte Mare & Kanli Kula — Two Fortresses, Four Empires City centre · €5 + €2–4 · 1.5–2 hours Forte Mare dates to 1382 (Bosnian King Tvrtko I) and sits above the harbour entrance. It hosts one of Europe's oldest open-air cinemas, operating since 1952. Entry: €5/person. Rebuilt successively by Ottomans, Venetians, and Austro-Hungarians — a living timeline of four empires. A steep 10–16 minute walk uphill leads to Kanli Kula ("Bloody Tower"), built in 1539 as an Ottoman prison, now a 1,000-seat amphitheatre. Entry: €2–4/person. Original prisoner carvings — galleys, crosses, coats of arms — remain visible on the walls. Tip: Show your first fortress ticket at the second for half-price entry — not advertised, but reportedly honoured on request. Parking: Škver harbour €1.50/hr, Opština garage €1.20/hr. Savina Monastery — Wine, Frescoes & a 13th-Century Crystal Cross 2 km east · 5 min drive · FREE · 45–90 min Savina Monastery houses three churches (not two as most guides say): the Small Church with 15th-century frescoes by the Lovro Dobričević circle, the Great Church (1777–1799, Dalmatian Baroque by Nikola Foretić from Korčula), and the hilltop Church of St. Sava with panoramic views to Mount Lovćen. The treasury holds a 13th-century crystal cross of Saint Sava, a 1375 handwritten Gospel, and 5,000+ rare manuscripts. The monastery produces its own wine through Castel Savina vineyard — Chardonnay, Cabernet, Rosé, and Merlot sold on-site. Grounds: Savinska Dubrava park-forest, 35 hectares with 200-year-old cypresses. Parking: Free lot at monastery gate. Note (2025): Great Church was under renovation — Small Church remained open. Blue Cave (Plava Špilja) — Boat Trip from Škver Harbor Škver Harbor · €25–30/person · 2–3 hours · May–Oct All Blue Cave tours depart from Škver Harbor in Herceg Novi. Group tours: €25–30/person (2–3 hours). Full-day with Žanjice beach: from €25/person (6–8 hours). Private speedboat: €220–250 per boat (up to 6 people). Operators: Petar Boats (children 6–11: €15, under 6 free), Hulk Speedboat Tours. The blue glow is caused by sunlight entering through an underwater fissure. Best 11:00–14:00 on sunny days. Unlike Capri's Blue Grotto, swimming inside is permitted — water visibility reaches 20–30 metres. Season: May–October. Parking: Škver Harbor €1.50/hr. Park your rental car once and spend the day on the water. Žanjice Beach — Tito's Presidential Beach 35 km via Kamenari ferry · 55–70 min · OR water taxi ~40 min A 300-metre white-pebble beach personally chosen by President Tito as his retreat. Sunbeds: €15/set. Parking in olive groves: €5/day. The primary gateway to the Blue Cave — taxi boats reach the grotto in under 10 minutes from the pier. Mamula Island (5 km by sea) is now a 5-star Banyan Tree hotel — tour boats circle the 1852 Austro-Hungarian fortress but don't dock. Non-guests can visit by making a dining reservation at Kamena restaurant. Arrive Žanjice before 10 AM in summer. Day Trip to Dubrovnik — Border Tips for Drivers 42 km · ~1 hour via E65 · Border wait 15–60 min in summer Dubrovnik is one of the best reasons to base yourself in Herceg Novi with a rental car. The drive takes ~1 hour via the E65. At Debeli Brijeg border, summer waits range 15–60 minutes (worst on weekends). Check your rental agreement for Croatia permission and confirm Green Card insurance. Cross-border fee: typically ~€60. Best parking in Dubrovnik: Gruž harbour area (€2/hr). Strategy: Depart before 8 AM, return by 15:00 to avoid border queues. See driving guide for full border rules. Herceg Novi Old Town — The City of Stairs City centre · FREE · 1.5–2 hours Two main squares define the Old Town: Trg Nikole Đurkovića (lower, cafés and the medieval salt trade) and Belavista (upper, Church of St. Michael the Archangel, 1905). Connected by the Clock Tower (Sahat Kula) — 16m tall, Ottoman origin 1667, rebuilt 1850, the town's heraldic symbol. Higher up: the ruined Španjola Fortress (1538–1539) for panoramic views. Over 250 species of exotic plants across the town's parks — hence the "botanical city" nickname. Park your compact car centrally and explore on foot. Igalo Spa — Dr Simo Milošević Institute 3 km west · 5 min drive · Day treatments from ~€50 Founded in 1949 with 300+ medical staff, the Dr Simo Milošević Institute is one of the largest spa centres in the Balkans. Unique medicinal sea mud (peloid) and the proprietary "Igaljka" mineral water. Tito's Villa Galeb sits on the grounds. Parking: Free on-site. A rental car makes it easy to combine Igalo with a morning in the Old Town and an afternoon at Žanjice beach.