Lustica Peninsula
The Lustica peninsula is a small holy paradise that hides many secrets rich in history, stories, and legends. Lustica Bay is a modern gem of the peninsula. It is located at the entrance to the Bay of Kotor, and due to its location is known as an ideal place for escaping from the city noise. It is a peninsula that we will sail around on the Montenegro sailing route and explore many hidden beaches and attractions.
Luštica itself covers an area of about 47 km2, while the length of its coast is about 35 km. There are 15 settlements and as many as 20 churches in that area. The peninsula alone has about 400 permanent residents, although that number increases significantly during the summer season. Roughly speaking, the territory of this peninsula is divided between the municipalities of Tivat and Herceg Novi.
One of the best attractions of the peninsula besides churches and small settlements are beaches, which vary from small and pebble to big and sandy. These are some of the hidden and magnificent places that have caught our attention.
Lustica Bay
Luštica Bay is one of the magical destinations on our Montenegro sailing route that beckons you to discover, explore and connect with the dramatic beauty of Montenegro. Since its inception in 2008, Luštica Bay has been rising from its roots up to now becoming a town connecting communities who choose to live life as it should be. The development of this charming village at is constant so now looks like this.
With an objective for your life to be beautifully convenient and your time well spent, our coastal town is now home to the renowned Chedi Hotel, four beaches, more than 20 retail spaces offering a full dining and shopping experience, sports courts, a bustling marina village, and perfect family living neighborhoods.
Marina Village is home to a state-of-the-art marina, the amphitheater, a vibrant 2 km promenade lined with waterfront lifestyle shops and dining options, and a charming Lighthouse that illuminates Lustica Bay’s skies.
Luštica Bay is home to a collection of vibrant communities that reflect the diverse lifestyles of its residents. Choose stunning waterfront views and the buzzing life of Marina Village. Or why not make your home at Centrale, a combination of a residential and commercial neighborhood with lively streets, lined with retail, restaurants, cafes, and a buzzing Piazza. It is part of the sixth day of our Montenegro sailing route.
Arza fortress
Arza is a fortress built on the Luštica peninsula during the hundred-year rule of the Austro-Hungarians, in this part of the Montenegrin coast. This masterpiece of architecture is the first thing you notice, as you sail through the entrance of the spectacular Boka Bay.
This fortress, together with the fortification of Mamula on the island of Luštica and the Prevlaka Fort on Cape Ostro, formed the fortification system ‘Primorska Fortress of Boka’, which was the second most important military base of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy on the Adriatic coast. Nowadays, the fortress is private property and is closed to visitors.
Mamula fortress
The fortress known as Mamula was built on a small rocky island Lastavica, which is located at the entrance to the Bay of Kotor. According to many experts, the fortress is still a masterpiece of military construction. The fortress, which was designed for exclusively military operations, was built by Austro-Hungary in 1853, as one of the most important fortifications that protected the entrance to the Bay of Kotor.
Interestingly, the fortress never served its purpose, that is, not a single cannon shot was ever fired from its walls. Due to its isolated position, the fortress was used as a prison in both world wars. During WWI the fortress was used as a prison by the Austrians, and in WWII the fascists made the prison one of the most notorious concentration camps.
Today, the fortress is under reconstruction and this defensive fortress will become a voluptuous hotel with a memorial gallery.
Blue Cave (Blue Grotto)
The Blue Cave (Blue Grotto) is a beautiful, secluded little cove situated near Zanjice beach and is a must-see for nature lovers and photographers. It is on our way from Lazure Marina to Budva on the Montenegro sailing route.
The Blue Grotto is one of the biggest and most picturesque caves in the series of caves located along the coastline of the Bay of Kotor. The cave’s width is approximately 15 meters. The sea depth is only three meters so more adventurous types can dive from the boats and swim in the dazzlingly crystal blue water, a color which results in the reflection of the sunlight off the surface during clearer days.
Dobrec Cove
If you are a fan of hidden, isolated places, then the right place for you is Dobreč cove. In the silence and shade of this place, you will find peace on the pebble beach. Only 70 meters long, the beach has a Blue Flag, which is awarded to the cleanest beaches in the world. The cove and the beach Dobreč are not accessible from the mainland and can only be reached by boat.
The indescribable beauties of the Mediterranean vegetation will not leave you indifferent. This wild Luštica beach also lured film producers in 1979, so it was here that the famous scene from the movie ‘Ten’ was filmed, where the enchanting Mary Kathleen Collins emerges from the depths of the sea on the mast of a submarine.
The building of this stunning, isolated beach and its surrounding area is easiest to understand on a Youtube video.
Rose
Rose is an old settlement located at the entrance to the Bay of Kotor, on the Luštica peninsula. It is considered to be the oldest settlement in the Bay of Kotor, where foreign and domestic ships were supplied with food and other necessities, and it is believed that at one time there was a customs zone for the entrance to Boka.
The name comes from the Italian word ‘rose’ which means – rose. This is the place with the biggest sunny hours during the year along the entire Boka. The settlement is dominated by the Austro-Hungarian fortress Forte Rose, which includes a diving centre. This place is very suitable for divers and can be reached both by land and sea.
