Tivat holidays

How to reach Tivat

• Flight time: Flights to Tivat from London and other major UK airports take around 2 hours 45 minutes.

• Transfer time: There’s no public transport from the airport to town, so you’ll have to rely on a taxi, which takes about 10 minutes.

• Price: A taxi from the airport to the city centre will cost around €10.

Best time to visit Tivat

Tivat enjoys a Mediterranean climate - very hot in summer and very mild in winter - making it an appealing year-round destination. Deciding when to take your travels will depend on your preferences for heat and crowds.

• April to June: Temperatures ramp up markedly month on month, ranging from 18°C to 26°C, with around 8-10 hours of sunshine daily and minimal rainfall. It's a great time to explore the city's attractions and enjoy outdoor activities without the crowds.

• July to August: These are the peak summer months, so be prepared for larger crowds, full hotels and slightly higher prices. Temperatures soar to 30°C and beyond, there’s endless sunshine (up to 12 hours a day) and almost no rain whatsoever.

• September to November: Autumn in Tivat is still extremely pleasant, with temperatures gradually cooling from 25°C in September to around 14°C in November. Rainfall increases, particularly in November, but there are still plenty of sunny days. It's the best time of the year for hiking too.

• December to March: Winter is very mild compared to the UK, with temperatures ranging from 6°C to 12°C. Rainfall is more frequent, and there are fewer hours of sunshine, about 4-5 hours a day.

Practical information

• Spoken languages: Montenegrin is the official language, though it’s essentially the same as Serbian (except that it uses the Roman alphabet rather than Cyrillic). English is widely spoken in Tivat.

• Local habits and customs: Montenegrins are proud of their nationality and are known for their hospitality and laid-back manner. The vast majority of locals belong to the Orthodox Church and try to dress modestly if visiting religious buildings. A tip of around 10 percent is the norm in restaurants and taxis.

• Currency: Though not yet a member of the EU, Montenegro uses the euro (€). ATMs are widely available, and credit cards are accepted in most places.

• Getting around: Central Tivat is extremely compact and most spots within the town can be reached on foot, but there are plenty of buses to the outlying areas.

• Electricity and plug types: Montenegro uses the standard continental 220 volts with two-pin round plugs. UK travellers will need a plug adaptor.

• Time zone: Tivat is in Central European Time (CET), which is 1 hour ahead of GMT. Daylight Saving Time is observed.

Best things to do in Tivat

Tivat is a glitzy port town whose appeal lies in its waterfront, a pleasant promenade rammed with convivial bars, cafés and restaurants, and the glistening marina filled with superyachts.

Viewpoints and panoramas

• Ladder of Cattaro: Thrilling old mule road that makes a series of ever more impossible hairpins with breathtaking views at each of the 25 ascending turns.

The best districts

• Porto Montenegro: The coast’s flagship resort, this luxurious marina is the heart of modern Tivat and home to a choice selection of cafés and restaurants, as well as upmarket and designer boutique shops - the place to see, and be seen.

• Pine: The flower-scented waterside promenade is the location for an endless string of convivial terrace cafés-cum-bars, all perfectly suited to supping and gazing.

Museums

• Buca Museum: A fine assemblage of mostly Bronze Age finds, alongside an ethnographic display starring a selection of beautifully embroidered ječerma (waistcoats) from the Dobrota region.

• Naval Heritage Collection: Occupying a restored Austro-Hungarian sawmill, this marvellous museum documents the Boka’s strong naval associations; better still is the opportunity to clamber inside the dry-docked submarine Heroj - not one for claustrophobes though.

Parks and gardens

• Big City Park: Also known as Veliki Gradski Park, this lush green space is an expansive area of fir, cedar and pine trees, as well as a range of exotic plants brought here by seafarers.

Historical monuments

• Church of the Holy Trinity: A pretty little edifice whose brilliant white stone frontage manifests a beautifully carved rosette and three window arches, while inside there’s a stunning wood-carved iconostasis.

• Gornja Lastva: A traditional Montenegrin village located on a hill high above Tivat which offers a glimpse into the past with its old stone houses.

Day trips in the area

• Kotor: Perched on the edge of a majestic bay, the medieval Old Town of Kotor is the undisputed jewel in Montenegro’s crown. Explore the Old Town, hike up to the ancient fortress and enjoy the colourful local markets.

• Budva: Filled to the brim with bars, restaurants and limestone houses, its Old Town is almost as pretty as the one in Kotor and there’s plenty of fun to be had on its many beaches.

• Perast: As picturesque a place as any along the coast, Perast is known for its stately waterside palaces, as well as one of the coast’s showpiece landmarks, the Our Lady of the Rocks island.

Activities for families

As a family-oriented destination, Tivat holidays are just the ticket for those with kids in tow. Not as busy as most other resorts but still with plenty of activities on offer.

• Beaches: A small but neat gravelly beach with shallow waters and excellent amenities, plus lifeguards, makes Kalardovo one of the area's finest family-friendly beaches. There’s a cool little beach bar here too.

• Adventure Park: Located in Lovćen National Park about an hour’s drive away, this ace park is a series of aerial walkways, zip-lines, cargo nets and hanging log poles, with different challenges depending on age and fitness - be prepared to have a blast.

• Watersports: The gentle, sheltered waters of Tivat Bay allow for many safe, family-friendly activities on the water, for example, sea kayaking or stand-up paddleboarding.

• Boat tours: Numerous companies operate out of the harbour offering trips around the Bay of Kotor, as well as further afield.

Free things to do in Tivat

Holidays to Tivat need not be all about spending money. As well as spending time chilling on the local beaches or enjoying one of the many festivals, there are simple pleasures to be had just by strolling.

• Free events: The best of the region’s many fab festivals take place in nearby Kotor: these include February's Masked Ball, with processions through the Old Town and April’s Montenegrin Dance Festival, but all pale in comparison to August’s Boka Nights, when boats fill the bay and fireworks electrify the night sky.

• Promenade walks: A lovely way to spend an evening without the cost, save perhaps for the odd ice cream, is to take a leisurely stroll along Tivat’s nightly korzo, which flows past a string of lively café-bars.

Nature and outdoor activities

Outdoor activities holidays to Tivat come in two main flavours: mountain and coastal, with superb hikes in the hinterland complemented by all manner of water-bound thrills - there’s wonderful nature to observe here too.

• Hiking: From Gornja Lastva, it’s possible to partake in a number of walks along the narrow ridge of the Vrmac Massif just above Tivat, the highest point of which is Sveti Ilija at 785m. The most enjoyable of these is a 7km-hike along the main ridge, via Pasiglav, if only for the superlative views of Boka Bay.

• Birdwatching: Twitcher alert! Just outside Tivat is the Solina Nature Reserve, a vast sweep of tidal seawater and marshy vegetation that’s home to both migrating and wintering birds, including waders, common crane, herons, snipe, osprey and pygmy cormorant.

• Diving: The clear waters off Tivat have long been seen as a diving mecca; explore underwater caves, reefs and shipwrecks, such as the magical Blue Grotto on the Lustica Peninsula. ​​Diving Club Neptun offers a range of diving excursions as well as multi-day courses.

• Sea-Kayaking: A great way to explore the gorgeous coves and inlets of the Bay of Kotor, intermittently stopping off at a beach or village for a spot of light refreshment; the best way to go about it is with a reputable operator such as Black Mountain Montenegro.

While Montenegrin cuisine is overwhelmingly dominated by meat, here in Tivat there are limitless opportunities to sample some of the finest, freshest seafood going.

Some typical dishes

• Prsut: A type of prosciutto traditionally salted and pressed to remove excess liquid, then smoked and dried in the cool mountain air.

• Pasulj: A thick bean soup flavoured with bits of bacon or sausage, this is a particularly welcoming dish in cooler weather.

Meat dishes

• Karađorđe vasnicla: Artery-clogging and gut-busting - but oh so delicious - this rolled veal steak stuffed with cheese and coated in breadcrumbs is named after the national hero, Karađorđe Petrović.

• Lamb under the bell (Lamb peka): Slow roasted over hot coals under an iron pan, allowing for a juicier, smokier flavour, this is quite simply spectacular.

Fish and seafood dishes

• Black Risotto (Crni rižot): Made with cuttlefish or squid, this dish gets its distinctive black colour from the squid ink - and as any seafood connoisseur will say, the blacker the better.

• Buzara: A steaming seafood stew made with mussels, prawns and clams, cooked in a white wine, garlic and tomato sauce.

Street food

• Burek: A substantial wedge of flaky pastry filled with meat, cheese or spinach, and occasionally mushroom, that’s just the job for a quick snack on the go.

• Ćevapi: These morish rissoles of spiced minced meat served with onion and a cut of thick, doughy bread are sold at street stalls all over town.

Sweets and desserts

The most popular sweet treat is priganice, fluffy, fried doughballs usually served with honey or jam. Look out too for syrupy baklava sweets, while Montenegrin ice cream (sladoled) is excellent, and sold on the streets almost all year round.

Local drinks

• Rakija: A potent fruit brandy that comes in various flavours, such as plum (šljivovica) or grape (loza) - but pace yourself to avoid waking up with a shocked head and raw throat.

• Vranac: A robust red wine made from the indigenous Vranac grape, known for its deep flavour and smooth finish.

• Coffee: Coffee (kafa) is consumed with almost religious fervour, usually served Turkish-style with unfiltered grounds, but also available in espresso form.