Sail Montenegro, discover Tivat
Sail Montenegro and discover Tivat, it’s hidden gem, with its incredible sailing experiences and diverse on-land activities. A perfect vacation destination!
Tivat, Montenegro, is a unique blend of sailing adventures and on-land experiences, making it a must-visit destination for tourists. Tivat is located in the Bay of Kotor, surrounded by stunning mountains and the shimmering Adriatic Sea. It’s a perfect place for sailing enthusiasts who want to experience the region’s beauty from the water.
Tivat is also known for its charming old town, historical landmarks, and lively marina, making it a popular destination for sailors and non-sailors. Whether you’re looking for a peaceful escape or an action-packed adventure, Tivat has something to offer everyone. With its natural beauty, rich history, and endless opportunities for exploration, Tivat is a sail Montenegro destination you won’t want to miss.
The History of Tivat
There are three stories about how the City of Tivat got its name. The first story is that Tivat got its name from the Illyrian queen Teute, who, at some point in time, had weekend houses near the today’s City of Tivat.
The second story claims that Tivat got its name from Christian holy men such as Sanctus Theodorus, Theodosius, Theodotus or similar. The third story is simple, claiming that it got its name from the Celtic word “touto”, meaning City.
The history of Tivat began around the 3rd century BC when the first Illyrian settlement appeared here. Tivat experienced the Illyrian, Roman-Byzantine, Serbian, Venetian-Turkish, and Austrian periods.
Tivat is situated in the central part of the Bay of Kotor, at the foot of the mountain Vrmas (765m). Being in near-perfect geological placement, shielded by the hills on one side and the open sea on the other, it managed to thrive during its history.
Unfortunately, only a little history remained from the Illyrian period. However, a few discoveries of ancient burial sites did manage to give a better understanding to historians about the life that Illyrian people had in Tivat.
On the other hand, the Romans left a lot of evidence of their influence on this tiny City, ranging from some small estates to more significant structures. Historians also discovered ancient coins and tools from the Roman period.
In the middle ages, the City was ruled over by the Serbian kingdom of Nemanjici. After the kingdom broke down, Tivat was ruled over by their successors. After that, Tivat was a border town between the Venetians and the Ottoman empire for almost two centuries until the end of the 18th century when a lot of foreign influence wanted to conquer it.
The City experienced the most significant changes during the Austro-Hungarian empire when it was decided that Tivat harbour would be used as an arsenal for the Austro-Hungarian war navy. Until that point, most of the citizens of Tivat were focused on agriculture and fishing. After that period, they switched to trade and significantly increased their industrial capacity. The City itself experienced a boom in infrastructure, and the number of citizens increased considerably.
After the first world war and the fall of the Austro-Hungarian empire, Tivat became a part of Montenegro, was a part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenians, and later Yugoslavia. As of 2006, Tivat is a part of the sovereign state of Montenegro.
Tivat Today, Must Visit Sail Montenegro Destination
Today Tivat is a modern Mediterranean city oriented towards tourism and the professions accompanying it. From 2007 the harbour that was meant as an Austo-Hungarian navy base has been completely transformed. Now it is a big marine filled with yachts and luxury stores called Porto Montenegro.
Tivat is connected with the whole world, by sea, by land, but also by air, with the airport situated not that far from the heart of the City, and it is the only airport on the coastline of Montenegro.
Tivat is a city of culture, one of the main parts of its tourist attraction, which extends the periods of tourist visits and ensures it’s not just a summer vacation spot. Tivat is also a city of sports with over 40 sports clubs and many soccer fields. Tourists can easily find recreational facilities everywhere.
With its numerous modern hotels of the highest class and many restaurants and bars that offer multiple cuisines, you can experience the whole world in this small town. The symbioses of modern objects and traditional ambience make Tivat a great sail Montenegro experience. Mixing old and new, traditional and modern lifestyle, you will find no place like this.
What to Visit?
Holly Sights
In the city center, you can find the church of St. Sava, built-in 1967. It is the main city church, but it is not the only one. The other significant church in the City is the church of St. Roko, which was built in the first part of the 20th century. The most interesting holy place to visit is outside the City itself. There you can find a few monasteries, where one is specifically for women. In this area, scientists found old rocks dating back to roman times dedicated to their gods. The holy archipelago is just a few minutes away by boat and one of sail Montenegro must visit spots.
As mentioned before, once an Austo-Hungarian war navy has been re-imagined as a luxury bay with one of the most excellent yachts you will ever see. Besides the marine, there are fantastic bars, restaurants and walkways to explore and enjoy the beautiful sights. If your eyes get tired from all the sightseeing, you can treat yourself to a shopping spree. Most famous brands from Dior, Rolex, Louis Vuitton, Tom Ford and many others have their stores in this luxury part of town. Currently residing in the port is the second biggest sail yacht in the world. The black pearl is over 100m long and magnificent. It towers over all other yachts and is visible from almost every part of town.
City Park
Many tourists love visiting the city park, and it’s no wonder why. This vast park covers 4 hectares of land and has many recreational and sports facilities. It is also home to one of the biggest botanical gardens in this part of the world. The greenery mixed with social and sporting activities and beautiful scenery will leave you breathless. The park has some of the rarest species of plants and trees, and all of them are marked so that you can understand what they are and where they came from.
Pino
Although Tivat does not have a classical city centre, this part of town is considered the centre of all activity. Located just at the edge of Porto Montenegro, must visit location on your sail Montenegro road, this beautiful seaside walkway is perfect for afternoon walks and enjoying the scenery. If you need to rest, hop in one of the bars or restaurants along its path.
Seljanovo & Donja Lastva
When you sail Montenegro along the coastline of Tivat, there are two more beautiful places that tourists love. Seljanovo is the northern part of Tivat, and it has a beautiful rocky beach with a few beach bar restaurants where you can relax. Donja Lastva is a little further north. The best thing here is that you can walk right next to the water and see all the little stone houses made in Mediterraneo style.
The island of Flowers, sail Montenegro must see
This island of Flowers belongs to Tivat, along with two other islands. It used to be called the island of Sveti Mihailo. The name Flower Island comes from local stories that this small island is the birthplace of all kinds of palm trees, flowers and plants that have developed since ancient times. A Serbian Orthodox monastery is dedicated to St. Michael, representing an ancient Serbian stronghold in these areas. Once, the monastery complex occupied the entire surface of the island. However, only a small church and a building with monastic cells have been restored today. Three monks live in the monastery.
What Can You Do?
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Nightlife
Nightlife in Tivat comprises a typical combination of nightclubs, bars and restaurants. The party is generally in the City and along the walkway of Pino. Bars usually work until 12 or 1 am. After that, the party continues in a selected few nightclubs.
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Shopping
You can expect luxury shopping in Porto Montenegro. It does not have a big shopping mall or supermarket store, but it’s filled with small branded speciality stores offering high-quality products.
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Food
In Tivat, several good restaurants and beach bars offer reasonably priced food. When sail in Montenegro many restaurants will be available from the sea. There are also speciality restaurants that offer Italian and Mediterranean cuisine.
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Swimming
Even though Tivat is a marine for many super yachts, there are beaches dedicated where you can swim and enjoy the beach bars. The water, as well as the beaches, are surprisingly clean. Expect rocky shores and limited sea access since many ships go in and out.