See Herceg Novi’s Best Sights in a Quick Stopover!, Herceg Novi, Montenegro

Tucked away on Montenegro’s northern coast, Herceg Novi is often overlooked by travellers rushing toward Kotor or Budva, yet it has a quiet charm that rewards anyone who slows down long enough to notice. During my drive along the Bay of Kotor, I decided to stop here for a few hours — a spontaneous detour that turned out to be one of the most memorable parts of the trip.

Herceg Novi sits at the entrance to the Bay of Kotor in Montenegro, where the sea opens wide and the hills rise steeply from the shore. Driving in, the first thing I noticed was how the old stone houses and churches climb the hillside, softened by palms and bright bursts of bougainvillaea. It feels different from Kotor — less polished, more lived-in — but no less striking. There’s a sense that life here moves at its own pace, unhurried by tourism and still deeply tied to the rhythm of the sea. Locals gathered on benches shaded by pines, chatting easily, while fishermen worked on their boats below. The town seemed to blend Mediterranean warmth with the ruggedness of the mountains behind it, giving it a charm that felt both coastal and alpine at once. Even before stepping out of the car, I could smell the salt in the air mixed with jasmine and pine resin, a scent that instantly told me I was somewhere special. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).