A Sunny European Port Town With Mountain Views And Mega Yachts Feels Like A Hidden Riviera

With all that Tivat has going for it — balmy summer weather, a luxurious marina, and limestone peaks, for starters — it's surprising that it still manages to remain under the radar. The pretty town sits on the Bay of Kotor (also called Boka Bay) beneath the Dinaric Alps, which stretch from Slovenia to Albania along the Adriatic Sea. Its port is filled with expats and superyachts. But Tivat is in the Balkan country of Montenegro. Despite bordering on popular Croatia, Montenegro receives only a fraction of the visitors that its northern neighbor does. That makes Montenegro the perfect spot for your next crowd-free beach vacation, and Tivat feel like its hidden riviera.

Tivat's transformation into a lavish seaside playground began in 2007, when Canadian businessman Peter Munk purchased the town's old shipyard, a 19th-century Austro-Hungarian naval base, and turned it into a superyacht marina. The area, renamed Porto Montenegro, soon had a waterfront promenade, expensive hotels, designer boutiques, and gourmet restaurants. The massive marina has room for 400 vessels. Those who do not arrive by sea can land at the expanding Tivat Airport, located just under three kilometers south of Tivat. Flights connect to all of Europe's major cities.

Though Porto Montenegro feels shiny and new, the rest of Tivat's coastline has a historic vibe that is utterly charming. The heart of town is Big City Park. The green oasis is home to the largest botanical garden in the South Adriatic. The nearby Naval Heritage Collection museum showcases Tivat's longstanding maritime history, with exhibits that include two Yugoslavian submarines. Grand villas with a mixture of Ottoman and Venetian architecture overlook the Bay of Kotor's glistening turquoise water. Many of them now house cafes, which serve fresh seafood, black risotto, homemade olive oil, and local wine.

If you are not gazing at the mesmerizing shoreline from one of Tivat's cafes, then you are probably out on the water. You can join a boat tour, for example with Knez Lipovac Excursions or Montenegro Water Tours, to explore the Bay of Kotor. They visit islands and destinations, including the church and monastery of Our Lady of Mercy on Školj and the Austro-Hungarian fort on Mamula, as well as the natural Blue Cave. Perast, another underrated European town good for a relaxing vacation, is on the other side of the bay and worth a boat visit. You can also rent a stand-up paddleboard from the Porto Montenegro Yacht Club and go for a swim in the crystal-clear water at one of Tivat's many beaches. In fact, you should make time to do all of these things while you are here.

The other thing you should do is head up. Yes, up. The Dinaric Alps are just as beautiful as the Adriatic Sea, and their hiking trails are awe-inspiring. The tiny village of Gornja Lastva sits in the hillside above Tivat and has a 16th-century church, stone houses, an olive mill from the 19th-century, and a panoramic view of the Bay of Kotor. That view is even more impressive from the ridge where Vrmac Fortress stands. The 19th-century Austro-Hungarian fort was abandoned after World War I, but you can still explore the crumbling building once you reach the top.

About an hour further east, you will find Lovćen National Park, with its rocky peaks, steep hikes, and the highest mausoleum in the world. As you look down at the karstic mountains and the green forests, the fjord-like inlets and the blue water, you will feel like you are on top of the world. It may even motivate you to continue on to Durmitor National Park in Northern Montenegro, the country's largest protected area. You can expect to find beautiful glacial lake views in the UNESCO World Heritage Site. This hidden part of the Balkans feels like a secret you'll want to keep all to yourself.