You landed in Tivat, and the car you rented is waiting for you, but you don‘t know a thing about Tivat. We are here to help!
History of Tivat
The town‘s name is derived from the name of the Illyrian queen Teuta that ruled over the area. The name the Venetians used for Tivat was Teodo.
It is situated in the central part of the Bay of Kotor, at the foot of mount Vrmac, which continues from the nearby mountain range Lovćen. The Vrmac peninsula, which divides Kotor bay from Tivat, is God-made for hiking, and from its top, you can enjoy the stunning views of the bay and the surrounding mountains.
The Austro-Hungarian fortress – Fort Vrmac – was built on the mount, at 486m from the sea level. The older fortress was built before the existing one between 1858 and 1860. In the late 19th century, a new heavily-armored fortress was built in its place. Austrians used it heavily against Montenegrins in the First World War. Montenegrin army bombarded it with 1300 grenades of 120 mm and 150 mm. The Austrian report was that the 240 mm was used, but the Montenegrins didn‘t have 240-mm cannons at the time. From the Fort, you can go all the way to the top of the mount via an old Austo-Hungarian military road. The top of the mountain is Saint Ilija (766m).
During the middle ages and the Venetian times, Tivat was popular among the noblemen from the surrounding towns, and they built quite a few summer houses in it. The most famous one is the Bucha-Lukovic palace (Palata Buća – Luković), which belonged to the merchant Bucha (Buća) family, probably the wealthiest family in the history of Kotor. It was built in the 16 century. In the late 18th century, the power and wealth of the Bucha family fade. By 1812 the Palace was already in the ownership of Tripo Luković. Today, it is the center of Tivat cultural life. It is the Museum and Art Gallery, as well as the popular summer stock theatre.
What to visit
In Tivat Bay, you can find a so-called „Sacred archipelago“ (Svešteni arhipelag) which consists of Our Lady of Grace island (Gospa od Milosti), St. Marko island (Ostrvo svetog Marka) and the Island of Flowers (Ostrvo cvijeća) also known as Miholjska Prevlaka.
Our lady of Grace is the smallest of the three islands, and there is a Catholic convent on it.
Saint Mark‘s island is the largest in the Bay of Kotor. The alternative name of the island is Stradioti (or Stratioti, from the greek stratiotes, meaning a small landowner with military obligation during wartime.). The legend about the name says that Greek Gods presented them with the island to brave warriors for their victories in many battles. Tired and wounded, they would come here to rest and recuperate. They were enchanted by the beauty of the place and made an oath to never harm anybody again if it wasn‘t in self-defense. They planted an Olive tree, as the Oath tree. And from it stemmed the great olive garden. After a time, they had broken the oath and were punished by the Gods. In the end, only the Olive trees, now a symbol of the broken oath, remained.
At the Island of Flowers, in the monastery of Saint Archangel Michael, was the seat of the Archdiocese of Zeta established by saint Sava in the 13th century. The original church does not exist anymore, but one can still see its remains. Today, there is a homonymous monastery there, with the church of Holy Trinity as its main church.
“Not far from Tivat, in Radovići, there is a famous crescent-shaped beach with soft sand called Plavi Horizonti (Blue Horizons). The beach is known for its crystal-clear waters and stunning views of the surrounding hills.
Tivat airport is one of two international airports in Montenegro. If you land there, you will already be in the heart of The Bay of Kotor. Our car can wait for you there, and both Kotor and Herceg Novi are close by.
Close to the airport is the Solila natural reserve, a wetland area named after the saltworks that used to operate there. The area where the saltworks used to be is now covered with salty vegetation, and it is home to a diverse range of birds, reptiles, and aquatic life. The reserve is home to 10 vulnerable and 3 endangered species, including the Skadar frog and the glass lizard. Solila is also a part of the Adriatic flyway, and a regular stop for more than 100 species of birds, during their migrations.
Porto Montenegro is a luxurious nautical town within the town of Tivat. It‘s the largest marina in Montenegro and has won several prestigious international awards. One of Porto Montenegro‘s most prominent landmarks is Naval Heritage Collection (Zbirka pomorskog naslijeđa). As part of the Collection, you can see submarines, ships, and other naval artifacts from Austro-Hungarian and Yugoslav times. Porto Montenegro hosts many cultural and sports events, such as Jazz fest, Fashion shows, Regattas, Polo, and many others. It also offers a variety of high-class cafes and restaurants.
Conclusion
Tivat has much more to offer, but it wouldn‘t be fun to tell you all its secrets. Rent a car with us and explore it at your own pace!