Tivat
Tivat

Tivat is a young Mediterranean port city located in the Bay of Kotor at the foot of Vrmac Mountain. Tivat is one of the smallest but most developed regions of Montenegro. Today, Tivat is a symbiosis of modern facilities and traditional unique attractions. It is a mixture of new and old, customs and rich traditions of the local population and the cosmopolitan spirit of people from all over the world who choose Tivat for life and recreation.

Tivat on map

Set a route

Overview

Panorama of Tivat

Tivat boasts the largest marina in the Mediterranean, and its construction has played a significant role in turning the city into an elite destination for international tourism.

What makes the tourist destination, in addition to its natural potential, attractive is, of course, the cultural and historical monuments that the municipality of Tivat can boast of. Twenty-six immovable and nine movable cultural assets have the status of cultural heritage in the territory of the municipality of Tivat. Numerous churches, monasteries, monuments, plaques and collections are of particular value, which attracts adherents of cultural tourism.

Tivat Airport

Tivat Airport

What distinguishes Tivat from other Montenegrin destinations is the presence of an international airport, which makes it easily accessible to tourists. Today, Tivat is an attractive place that tourists visit all year round.

Tivat airport is called the gate of the Adriatic (Vrata Jadrana), the acquaintance with Montenegro for most tourists begins with it. The airport is located just 5 km from Tivat.

The history of the city of Tivat

There are three different stories about the origin of the city's name. According to the first, the name comes from the name of the Illyrian queen Teuta, who for some time owned her capital in Risna and mansions near modern Tivat. Another story claims that the name "Tivat" was formed from the names of Christian saints. The third story is short and without serious explanation, so "Tivat" comes from the Celtic word 'tuto', which means city. In written sources found in the archives of Kotor, the following names of the city have been mentioned for centuries: Teude, Teode and Teudo.

The following epochs can be noted in the historical development of the Bay of Kotor and, consequently, Tivat: Illyrian, Roman-Byzantine, Nemanich, Venetian-Turkish and Austro-Hungarian before 1918. Research confirms that it was founded in the III century BC, although documentary evidence of the beginning of the existence of Tivat indicates the 14th century.

From 1814 to 1918, the Austro-Hungarian Empire ruled in this region. After the end of the First World War in 1918, the Bay of Kotor was annexed to Montenegro, and after that to Yugoslavia. After the end of hostilities in the 90s, Tivat and Montenegro became part of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and then the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. Tivat has been a member of the independent State of Montenegro since 2006.

Geography

The landscape of the Tivat suburb

Tivat occupies a special place on the tourist map of Montenegro, primarily due to its outstanding geographical location and natural beauty.

Tivat is located in the central part of the Bay of Kotor, on the southwestern slopes of Vrmac Mountain. Opposite stretches the Gulf of Tivat, which is also the largest of the four bays in the Bay of Kotor. On the western side is the Lustica Peninsula. There are small harbors, coves and numerous beaches along the entire coast of Tivat.

Tivat covers an area of 46 km2, of which about 5 km2 overlook the open sea.

Climate and weather

Tivat Bay of the Bay of Kotor

Tivat has a typical Mediterranean climate with mild winters and warm summers. The average annual air temperature is 15 °C. Tivat is the sunniest city on the coast. The most common winds here are the Bura (northeast wind) in winter and the Mistral (northwest wind) in the summer months. It is rainy in the autumn-winter period on the territory.

Business card

Bucha Castle, Tivat

The business card of Tivat is the medieval Bucha Palace. This architectural monument is more than 5 centuries old, at one time it belonged to the Bucha family. The palace complex is represented by a residential building, the Church of St. Nicholas. As a result of the earthquake, the family palace was reconstructed several times and lost its original architectural style. Therefore, today several styles can be distinguished in the building: the first floor is decorated in Roman Gothic style, the architecture of the second floor, decorated with biforiums and triforiums, is also Gothic, the third floor is characterized by Baroque and Renaissance elements.

What to see in Tivat

Butch's mansion. Today it is a museum and Gallery, in the garden of which there is a summer stage.

Boko Kotor Bay is a beautiful bay, which is called the southernmost European fjord.

Marina Solila Port (Tivat Marina Solila)

The city embankment of Tivat. Tivat does not have a classical center. Here you can walk to the sea or enjoy delicious pastries and coffee.

Beaches of the Lustica peninsula. Tivat lacks sandy and pebble beaches. Along the coast you can find concrete pontoons. However, there are also beautiful sandy beaches in the suburbs or on the Lustica peninsula.

The city park, landscaped on the lands of former Kotor noble families, is a real botanical garden, a place where you can find many exotic plants brought by sailors from their travels around the world.

Gornaya Lastva is a village with stone houses and a church dedicated to the birth of the Virgin. It is located just 3 km north of Tivat, on Vrmac Mountain, with a beautiful view of the bay and the Lustica peninsula.

Three islands in the Gulf of Tivat: The Island of Flowers, with the remains of the monastery of St. Michael the Archangel of the 13th century, St. Mark's Island, the largest island in the Bay of Kotor, Our Lady of Mercy – the island on which the monks built the church of the Immaculate Conception, once belonged to the Jesuit Order.

Entertainment and active recreation

Boat trips in Tivat

All kinds of outdoor activities are available in Tivat - there are many sports clubs, a wide range of water attractions, yachts, catamarans, boats. Hiking will delight trekking enthusiasts. You can move around the city on scooters, take bike tours and rent watercraft. All kinds of entertainment and excursions along the coast and to the mountainous areas are available for tourists.

Local cuisine and wines

Montenegrin snacks

Montenegro has absorbed the traditions of Italian, Hungarian, Turkish and Austrian cuisine for centuries, but its foundations have remained unchanged. Montenegrin cuisine itself is geographically determined: seafood is mainly preferred in coastal areas, while meat and dairy products predominate in mountainous areas. Montenegrins love healthy food, the climate allows herding herds most of the season, no one irrigates the land with chemicals. The food here is environmentally friendly and healthy.

Montenegrin wine is mostly sour and dry, and is considered the hallmark of the region. It is made from local grapes of various varieties, the most famous of which are red Vranac and white Krstach - the latter grows exclusively in the territories near Podgorica.

How to get to Tivat

The most convenient way to get to Tivat from other countries is by air service.

The official borders of Montenegro are currently open. Flights are operated daily. You can use a direct flight from Serbia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Germany and Switzerland. However, air communication with Russia has not been resumed, there are no direct flights. The timing of the opening of direct flights to Montenegro from Russia is unknown.

Where is the best place to stay in Tivat

There are a lot of small hotels in Tivat at very reasonable prices, mainly on the coast. The tourist organization of Tivat has a very good catalog of private housing, both in the city itself and in the suburbs.

Porto Montenegro also offers accommodation in luxury villas with stunning sea views, as well as numerous cafes, bars and restaurants with local and international dishes.

Help us make your travels better
Share your experiences, photos, videos and useful tips

Articles

Tivat
@spacehorsetravel
Lana Gardmann