Herceg Novi is administrative, economic and cultural center of the municipality that borders with Croatia Republic, Serbia Republic and with Italy across the sea. It covers an area of 235 km2, there are about 32.000 people and in the city there are 16.000. Citizens are organized into 21 local community, 40 villages of which 12 are near the sea, along the coast and others are in rural area. Only Lustica Peninsula has 32km of coastline.
Herceg Novi is one of the youngest cities on the Adriatic, founded in 1382., as a commercial town ( salt and silk), although, according to greek sources from the 5th century BC, there was once a settlement of Illyrian tribes. The first town at the entrance of the Boka Bay, which is one of the most beautiful bays in the world, the southernmost fjord in Europe and the deepest in the Mediterranean.
It’s located on the slopes of Orjen mountain ( 1895m) which, in winter, is covered with snow and offers the possibility of practicing winter sports, being at the same time climate and hunting oasis.
Such conditions affect the diversity and richness of the entire horticulture of Herceg Novi Riviera. It’s called sun city because of vegetation, sun and artists. Unlike other Mediterranean cities, which live only in summer, Herceg Novi lives all year round and there is always something going on.
That’s why it has another name- city of festivals and cultural events. Winner of the prestigious golden hearts for hospitality and champion of cultural tourism for South-East Europe. The oldest, Mimosa festival is also winner of the golden heart as the best tourist event. It’s been organized over 40 years and it’s always at the first Saturday in February.
In recent years, 89 religious buildings had been renewed and put in function. Amog the most visited are Monastery Savina, Church of the St. Archangel Mihail and Church of the St. Spasa ( Savior), all placed in town.
There are also cities Dubrovnik and Kotor, 50 km away from Herceg Novi, called cities of ambient architecture and monumental walls, and Herceg Novi city of fortresses and towers because its urban development was based on defensive function of fortresses: Forte Mare ( XV century), Kanli Kula with meaning Blooby tower (XVI cent.) the most beautiful summer stage on the Adriatic, Spanjola ( XVI cent.), at the coastline small fortress Citadela or Macel and fortress that was built on the Mamula island ( 3,5 nautical miles away from the city), with circular shape in accordance with the configuration of the island, which in both wars served as a prison. At the very end of south-western part of the Lustica peninsula, on the foundations of an ancient fortress, there was built a fortress or tower Arza.
In 1850. in place of the western gate of the old city there is clock tower known as the Sahat (Clock) Tower or Tora, heraldic symbol of the city and cultural monument. Cultural heritage of the city lies in existing institutions: archives of the city, public library, JUK „ Herceg Fest“, Gallery „ Josip Bepo Benkovic“, house of Nobel laureate Ivo Andric, Musem of Miroslav Stumberger and many other fondations and endowments.
Today, in Herceg Novi there are 34 categorized hotels (5632 total beds ), 3 hostels (350 total beds) and few motels ( 200 total beds). In the Municipality are active 20 campsites with capacity for almost 620 vehicle. Homemade there are almost 11000 beds.
Institut of Physical Medicine, Rehabilitation and Rheumatology „ Dr. Simo Milosevic“ A.D.Igalo is one of the biggest and most famous instituts for multidiscipline spa treatment in the Balkans.
According to the last informations Municipality of Herceg Novi has 40 NGOs and two fondations. It’s also called sport city because it has 50 sports clubs.
Herceg Novi signed the Fraternity Charter with 11 municipalities, amonge them some are from Italy, Ukraine, France, and it also has 14 friends municipalities, which means that fosters inter-municipal and international cooperation. Herceg Novi is located between two international airports Cilipi ( Croatia Republic 22km) and Tivat ( 23km).
The city is a desirable tourist destination with possibility of developing eco-tourism, sport tourism, recreational tourism, religious tourism, congress, with the theme of gastronomy, wine, the study of plant and animal species….
Herceg Novi is that kind of city, where, if you once come, you will always come back, such as the poet said:
„……and I ask you sun, how can you go down
When this kind of beauty you will not find anywhere….“
Sights
Although Herceg Novi is the youngest town in Montenegro, due to its location and lush greenery, it attracts special attention. It lies on the slopes of mount Orjen, the tallest of the Dinaric massifs, while at the same time it faces one of the most beautiful bays in the world-Boka Kotorska.
They call it the „green city“, the „sun city“ and the „city of artists“ with very good reason. Due to its southern exposure, sea front position and, at the foot of a mountain location, Herceg Novi has been blessed with an unusual micro climate. It has on average more than 200 sunny days a year and 10.7 sunny hours per day in July and August. The average annual temperature of the air is 16.2 ° C, the same as the Mediterranean cities of Naples and Lisabon. The temperature doesn’t fluctuate very much; it has a daily variation of no more than 4 ° C.
The sea water in the bay is maximum 61 meters deep and has an average dept of 27,8 meters. The annual rainfall is 1.930 mm/m², with up to 80% moisture in the air in Autumn and about 63% in Summer. The average air temperature from May to September is above 25° C, with the water temperature being 22-26° C.These factors contribute to swimming in the sea being possible for more than 5 months a year.
There are number of wind factors characteristic for the area: Maestral (blows in summer from the west), Bura (blows in winter from the north), Šilok (southern-all year round) and Jugo (southern, in winter).
Herceg Novi is an administrative, cultural and business centre of the Municipality, which covers 235 km² and has a population of 31.000 inhabitants. The geographical coordinates of the town are 42“27 nort geographical width and 18“33 east geographical length.
Parks and gardens
Special attractions of Herceg Novi, in addition to churches, monasteries, fortresses, museums, gardens and parks are Herceg end. Lush greenery, Herceg Novi and its surroundings, to delight its primordial beauty and diversity of tourists, casual passers-by, and even the Novljan. The people of this region, by nature restless spirit, and especially sailors, from their distant voyages they brought various plants, as a sort of memory of the country and its people, the sea and the coast of their distant journeys. In this way, in addition to domestic Mediterranean flora, in Herceg Novi has over 250 different exotic plants.
Here, on the soil of Herceg Novi Riviera , numerous palm trees , magnolia , eucalyptus , mimosa, agave , Chivas , they found their new homeland , so that the local vegetation make up the unique green oasis . In this way , the flora of Herceg Novi and the surrounding area make the Mediterranean , tropical and suptropsak vegetation .
Park Savinska Dubrava extends in a direction east-west and connects with the Herceg Novi Meljine. On a limestone ridge that rises pyramidal , winding forest trails through oleanders , Pittosporum , pine , cypress , hornbeam , chestnut , oak leading to a beautiful vidikovaca- Belvedere, from which there are views of the Bay of Kotor and the environment. In this environment, located Savina monastery , church . Anne and memorial patriots executed in the First World War.
Near the park Heritage Museum is a park “Dream resort ” hotel ( former hotels “Centar” and ” warm ” ) .
The park is dominated silky alipicija – mimosa and palm vašingtonija from California, whose height is over 20 m, and it is one of the most decorative exotic plant species in this region . Middle part of the park stretch of Lebanese cedar and cypress, which branched crown , the summer heat , have the function of natural umbrellas. Next to the sea , on the right , there are cacti , agave and yucca, that accompany the course.
On the walls and in the gardens surrounding the house is dominated by the widely famous Herceg Novi bougainvillaea , which together with mimosas give an irresistible charm to this end.
For the park ” Boka” we can safely say that the ” botanical garden of the Adriatic” . With the realization of the park began to JIS back in 1908 , when the central part of the city , along with the hotel building ( which was destroyed in an earthquake in 1979 ) , began the formation of the park ; therefore adopted, the expression ” Park Hotel Boka” .
Park area is a rare green oasis of Mediterranean plants where over 80 species of plants that are originally from tropical and subtropical regions. The dominant position belongs to the different types of palm trees , tall and slender vašingtonijama from Southern California , dates from the Canary Islands , as well as datulama from the Arabian Peninsula and North Africa , the Brazilian coconut palms ; There are evergreen magnolia , ARALIJA and succubus . In the middle of the park is high lattice with wisteria vines that provide shade the central part of the park. In the middle of the park is a fountain with a sculpture of the goddess of hunting, the work of sculptor Peter Palavičinija ( 1888-1958 ) . The entire park is formed at a relatively steep terrain and therefore was made on terraces in the Baroque style , with beautiful vantage points which offer a magnificent view of the entrance to the Bay of Kotor , Lustica , Njivice, Žvinje , Igalo … Park ” Boka” is a kind of landscaping The historical value .
For its beauty stand out and park area in Igalo, elegant , with vegetable plantations located in most of Herceg Novi’s parks , gardens and parks : mimosa, palms and Pittosporum , eucalyptus , bogumila , lemons, oranges, kiwis , olives …
A city that lives year-round
Calendar:
Numerous events are organized in Herceg Novi which is beginning to be recognized. We mark off the ones which crossed the borders in their importance long ago and which could determine your stay in Herceg Novi.
• February – „ Mimosa Festival“ is a celebration honoring flowers, most of all the mimosa flower, which abundantly blossoms during winter in our community while the rest of Europe is covered in snow. It is a celebration which was founded and continues to live on principles of the traditions of carnivals. It was founded in 1969 by the Tourist Association of the Bay of Kotor and the Municipality of Herceg Novi. From 1991, the Mimosa Festival is the member of the Foundation of European Carnival Cities (FECC). It starts the first week of February and last a month.
• April – „HAPS“ –Herceg April Theater Festival is held in the second half of April and last for 15 days. During the two week daily are shown the most intriguing performances from professional and amateur premiere productions that are experienced previous year.
• June – „International Children´s Carnival“. Meeting of children´s carnival groups from Montenegro and the region. It is held on the first weekend in June and is an exeptional event in which young people become keys „owners“ of the city.
• July – „Days of Music“ international Classical Music Festival. Today it gathers respected authors and performers of classical music from all around the world.
• July – „Sunny Stairs“ are Music Festival, which during the three festival evening: „Prince award“, „Evening of new star“ and „Song of Summer“ brings together local and foreign singers.
• July – „Square of Books“-International Book Fair to be held in the Old Town on Herceg Stjepan Square, in July and lasts about 15 days. Every evening program follows the fair presentation of certain books and authors.
• August – „Herceg Novi FILM FESTIVAL-Montenegro Film Festival- is held since 1987. Initially known as the „Yugoslav festival of film direction“ and „Yugoslav Film Festival“ and since 2002. it is known under the name of „Herceg Novi Film Festival“. Founder is, famous film worker Milan Žmukić who was born in Herceg Novi. The festival takes place in the first week of August, on the open theatre stage „Kanli Tower“.
• August – „Guitar Art Summer Fest“ is a professional and expert event during which gets all the ages of classical guitar music students schools, their teachers, university professors and eminent guests – some of the worlds finest guitarists. With a range of outstanding concerts this festival is excellent example of working holiday guitarists.
• August – „Days of creativity- HANDS“ is an event that came up with a local artists and crafts enthusiasts, who realized the need for such creative bringing together artists and audiences, consumers, as well as potential creators.
• August –„Operosa Montenegro Opera Festival“ The Operosa Montenegro Opera Festival takes place in the stunning open air Kanli Kula Fortress Amphitheater, overlooking the Adriatic Sea, in Herceg Novi in Montenegro. Every year in August, the Festival combines unique performances of international opera talent with the rich local cultural heritage, attracting an ever growing audience and media from across the world. The Festival 2016 will be celebrating its 10th edition.