The best way to get to know charming little Mediterranean places is by bike or on foot, and the waters of the bay, with its seven islets scattered along the way, are best explored by the local eco-boat “Bella Boka” on solar and electrical energy. Tivat is ideal for cycling, while Luštica Bay and agency Montenegro Plus have e-bicycles on offer for rent. There is also the option of specialised tours with fully electric “Tuk Tuk” vehicles. The well-kept trails at Vrmac will take hiking lovers to dream-like villages and offer most amazing vistas. All glorious beauties of Montenegro are just a bus-drive away. As the day draws to its end, Tivat will be the scene of the most spectacular sunsets imaginable.
Tivat
A wonderful blend of luxury & Mediterranean charm
Why visit Tivat
The youngest town in the Boka Bay area conceals rich culture and tradition. Its memory spans across eras, as testified by the archaeological finds, noblemen’s palaces, old churches, its maritime heritage and the legends passed on from one generation to another.
Tivat is proud of its century-old traditions of music, dance and gastronomy. Entertainment does not come in short supply, and the same goes for peace and tranquillity. The chirrup of birds is the only sound in the Solila Special Nature Reserve. The scattered islets, hidden beaches and hiking trails bring serenity and open up to magnificent vantage points. The love of greenery is ubiquitous; apart from its botanical garden, magnolia, whose fragrance pervades the streets, is the town’s floral symbol.
Read further to discover more about green holiday in Tivat!
Destination’s sustainability performance
The remnants of Tivat saltpans – or Solila, as its local name goes – is the precious Mediterranean heritage, one of the best preserved examples of natural and cultural landscapes intertwined. Today, this brackish bird sanctuary is a treat for bird lovers.
Tivat’s story about music and courage is underpinned by the values that cannot be tarnished even when we begin to fear that art might have lost its significance. Even today, more than 100 years, no event of any importance can go by without being accompanied by the town’s brass band.
GOOD BUSINESSES
Discover accommodations, restaurants, shops and activities that are committed to sustainability. Their efforts are summarised in a SCORECARD (click on the picture). For the Good Travel Seal, the higher the level, the more things are checked by an independent auditor.
Culture & Local Life
Many aspired to call the Boka Bay, once described as the “Bride of the Adriatic”, their own. At one point or another, it was under the domination of Illyrians, Romans, Venetians, Turks, and Austro-Hungarians, all leaving their mark and enriching its culture, making its beauty timeless. Tivat is very much part of this story, with diverse cultures blended into one, making it unique and quite distinct.
Various events that merge history, imagination and legends, with Tivat’s brass band as the background, give an insight into this wealth. The belief in God, and the belief in coexistence of civilisations is the bedrock of life here. From the mid-11th century monastery at Miholjska prevlaka to the sanctuary of Our Lady of Mercy, Tivat Bay is an inspiration for all in quest of faith and purpose.
Sustainability
Sustainability through balanced economic, environmental and social development is recognized as one of the main goals in the tourism development strategy to 2024. That means that sustainability must be considered as an integrated part of the brand of Tivat. Hence, the new ways for our sustainable future should be stimulated, so that they ensure added value in all three dimensions from tourism activities, not threatening development of Tivat as a place to live and as a destination at the same time. Tivat should retain all the features of an authentic Mediterranean small town and will provide unique and diversified experiences to guests of modern, sustainable lifestyles – based on our rich historical, natural and cultural heritage, with quality as our priority.
Health & Safety
All Tivat business partners act in accordance with the recommendations given by the Public Health Institute of Montenegro and the World Health Organization. All partners in tourism implement the strictest safety procedures, which enable guests to feel safe and protected. For example, there are high standards for food handling, as well as the frequency of cleaning and disinfection of all premises and areas in properties and public spaces. Physical distances and masks are obligatory. When we talk about personally safety and security, according to guest surveys, Tivat and Montenegro have high rates in this aspect. Certain number of Tivat businesses is working now on Good Travel Seal and Virus-Aware Seal.
Good Practice Story
Solila is the first Special Nature Reserve in Montenegro. However, few people know that it used to be a valuable salt pan – and later, a site for careless dumping of waste. From a dump to an eco-protected area? Yes, it is possible. Thanks to good cooperation with the public company for Public Enterprise for Coastal Zone Management, the Municipality, the Local Tourism Organisation of Tivat and the Centre for Bird Protection and Research, Solila became an eco-tourism site equipped with info-points, a visitor centre, revived old bridges and paths, bird watching stations, furniture, and offering guided tours. Quite deservedly, Solila is widely recognised as an excellent example of good management of a protected area: Tivat was one of the Top 100 Sustainable Destinations in 2020 and the winner of the Green Destinations Sustainable Story Award 2021 in the “Nature and Ecotourism” category, thanks to the good practice story on “Restorative Change Management of the Special Nature Reserve Solila”.
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Nature & Wildlife
Tivat’s scenery boasts a rugged coastline, mountain slopes and a Special Nature Reserve. No wonder that over 100 bird species frequent this sanctuary. The highlight of the site are flamingos, with their pink plumage adorning Tivat salt pans to the delight of its visitors.
The Vrmac hill offers an abundance of medicinal and aromatic herbs, including wild-grown chicory, the star of a gastronomic event designed and hosted by the locals. Add to this many a hidden inlet, islet and the largest botanical garden in the Adriatic, Tivat comes as a natural choice!
Getting there
Landing at the Tivat airport is an attraction in itself, love at first sight. No less interesting, international road transport provides easy access by bus, private car or bike; the EuroVelo 8 will soon be the long-distance trail of choice. For those for whom life is unimaginable without sailing, Tivat offers top-notch yacht service, thanks to the high-end marinas at Porto Montenegro and Luštica Bay. Nearby there are commercial ports that connect Montenegro with the rest of the world, offering also scheduled ferry service to Italy. Tivat is connected with other towns along the shores of the Boka Bay with a line operated by the eco-boat “Bella Boka”, while frequent coach lines link it with the rest of Montenegro.
Getting around
Travel tips from our editors
SOLILA – Scent of the sea and singing birds
If you are a traveller who likes to explore, experience and learn, make sure to visit the Special Nature Reserve Solila. The brackish sanctuary came under protection in 2008. Spanning across 150 hectares, this wetland is a home to 111 bird species. Enjoy the animal and plant life there, breathe in sync with the nature; you may even get to see some of the most endangered bird species, such as flamingos, cranes, cormorants, or hawks. If an avid birdwatcher, we are awaiting you from February to late April, and late September to November.
TOWN’S PARK – Guardian of green beauty
At one time, seamen would bring along plants from all parts of the globe on their return voyages. Thus, the largest botanical garden in the South Adriatic, dating back to 1892, is located at the heart of Tivat’s urban core. This is a living tradition, where each resident can mark important life events, such as weddings or child births, by donating a tree to be planted in the park. This monument of nature boasts diverse tree species, including Bunya pine, eucalyptus, the Aleppo pine, and cedar. Some trees are 130 years old, and over 25 meters tall.
VRMAC – The guardian of the Bays of Tivat and Kotor
Tivat claims some of the most striking trails in the Boka Bay area, located at the peninsula of Vrmac. It is ideal for biking, and the hiking trails are not too demanding. Vrmac overlooks Kotor and the waters of its bay on one side, and the Tivat Bay on the other, with its Prevlaka peninsula and the islets of St Marko and Our Lady of Grace. The highest peak, Sveti Ilija (785m above sea level), towers above a village representative of the unique beauty of the local rural architecture, where you can enjoy the hospitality of its residents.
LUŠTICA – Experience & Enjoy Local Life
Experiencing the Luštica Peninsula is a must. Grab an e-bike, a car or a boat and visit a multitude of authentic coastal settlements, beaches and inlets with turquoise waters, olive groves, lush woods and cute gardens. You can also explore the Luštica Bay up-market resort and marina, blending perfectly with the surrounding pristine environment, which put Tivat on the map of high-end destinations. Enjoy your breaks with local specialties such as cheese, olives and olive oil, prosciutto; try special wild fruit “maginje” and homemade juices, wines and brandy.
Stand-up paddling and kayaking
Tivat calm waters of the bay are ideal for stand-up paddling and kayaking, increasingly more on offer. You can enjoy paddling along the rugged coastline making a stop at many an enjoyable bathing spot. Kayaking, in turn, can offer both adrenaline-packed activities and serene moments. Gliding along the perfectly still waters of the bay at dawn or dusk, with the magnificent Mount Lovcen as the backdrop, will leave you speechless.
Hike & Bike in Tivat
Hiking lovers can find their perfect adventure at the Vrmac peninsula, nestled at the foot of the Mount Lovcen, or the Lustica peninsula, offering both the panoramic views towards the open sea, and the inland shoreline of the Boka Bay. You will be the judge which is more enchanting while taking one of the many hiking trails. On your way up, apart from Tivat, you will also be able to see Kotor, Perast and Risan, all the gems of the Boka Bay area. Vrmac is ideal for hiking tours, so once you got to know the town, which is bike-friendly, be it noted, take a hike and see it from the bird’s view. Vrmac is also ideal for biking – take a ride to dreamy villages nestled along its slopes and take in the deep blue of the surrounding sea waters. On your bike, you can also reach Solila and enjoy a magnificent ride along the paths of this protected area.
Join our volunteers
Environmental protection is high on the agenda in the first ecological country in the world. The locals and community organisations have ongoing clean-up campaigns on the beaches, hiking trails and vantage points. If you wish to join in and get to know the town and its residents better, contact the Tourism Organisation Tivat.
Sustainability Recognitions
Tivat was selected in the 2020 Sustainable Destinations Top 100.
Tivat is the Winner in “Nature and Ecotourism” category Green Destinations Sustainable Story Awards 2021.
Tivat has been awarded with Green Destinations Award 2022 – Bronze.
Damir Pjetrović | Green Coordinator
Employed in Tourism Organisation Tivat since 2014. Working on statistics analysis and information about the tourism traffic in Tivat. Pjetrović is actively involved in process of Green Destinations and in daily contact with stakeholders.
Magdalena Tujkovic | Page Editor
Employed in Tivat Tourism Organisation since 2006. Working on tourism promotion, organizing tourism exhibitions and study groups, writing texts about destination. A lover of nature and photography.
What does it mean?
- They have shown at least 60% compliance with the Green Destinations Core Criteria.
- They have submitted a story that was selected to the list for its innovative, effective and / or transferable good management practice.
Torroella de Montgrí-l’Estartit Good Practice Story
Torroella de Montgrí-l’Estartit submitted a Good Practice Story. It was about combining various tactics sustainability became the departure point for tourism development. Read the full story here.
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