ALTERNATIVE TRAVEL GUIDE: HERCEG NOVI, MONTENEGRO

Hitchhike to Belgrade, take a train to Uzice and negotiate the price of the ticket; take another (this time) overcrowded train to Montenegrin capital city Podgorica and continue with hitchhiking to Herceg Novi – a small and beautiful city nestled in the southwest of the country.

The financial goal for the route: €10
How much I actually spent: 15

People often ask me if I’m risking a lot with traveling unconventionally, and I usually tell them that there is no such thing as certainty in life, cause, well… Ya know. Bad things usually don’t choose time and place to happen.

With that being said, we were firstly picked up by a police officer, a postman, a farmer and when least expected – even an empty tour bus returning to Belgrade without charging up a penny for the ride… Which was so amazing, of course.

The shock (if I can even use this term) happened in Uzice where we took a train to Podgorica when we realized the train was so full with people in the hall who didn’t have a place to seat, and we were at least 8-10 hours away from the final destination…

So, logically, we all slept on each other on the floor.

We finally arrived to Herceg Novi after a day and a half of traveling, and I was so destroyed, so exhausted that I actually slept for more than 18 hours straight.

***

Herceg Novi is located at a strategic and attractive geographic area between the highest mountain of the Dinara massive, Orjen (1,895 m) and the entrance of one of the most beautiful bays in the world, the Bay of Kotor. It’s a place of an alternative charm collided with the beautiful architecture and that awesome Mediterranean slow living feeling you get when visiting summer destinations across southeast of Europe.

It’s a city of stairs, amazing food, festivals and visibly different nightlife vibe comparing to other popular (or fancy) Montenegrin coastal towns.

Herceg Novi is without a doubt different. Artistic. Truly indie.

EAT

In “NVO Orka” – a small and beautifully decorated place with awesome sea food and wine and rakija for just one euro each. The place opens every day at 6pm and it’s the best place to start your night, meet tourists and locals, and occasionally listen to guys live playing guitars. Check it out:

CHILL

In “Prostorija” – again awesomely decorated club located on the stairways that hosts DJs every night till 1am.

SHOP

Beautifully made jewelry by Afro Blue:

PARTY

In “Tondo” – a nightclub with the spectacular view over the bay, with some awesome DJs and the unique atmosphere of summer clubbing/alternative underground music vibe that will tear you apart every single night till the early morning hours.

Just chill in one of the dozens of local cafes with awesome music of your choice. Chill on the beach. Go night swimming. Visit one of many festivals organized in the city including Herceg Novi Film Festival or Summer Saxperience, for example…

And, of course, have fun with the stairs.

If the whole journey to Herceg Novi can fit into one single thing, it would definitely be the stairs… as you know, they always lead somewhere from where you can see better and think wider.