Two Islands, Two Stories
Tivat sits at the mouth of a shallow bay dotted with small islands, and two of them — Prevlaka (also called Ostrvo Cvijeca, the Island of Flowers) and the peninsula that leads to the ruins of Sveti Mihajlo monastery — are accessible by car and on foot. These are not tropical islands with white sand; they are rocky Adriatic outcrops covered in Mediterranean pines, wild herbs, and the crumbling walls of medieval churches. Their appeal lies in the quiet, the history, and the swimming.
Prevlaka sits at the tip of a narrow spit of land extending south from Tivat's waterfront. You can drive to within a hundred metres of the monastery ruins and walk the rest. The peninsula was once a genuine island, connected to the mainland by a causeway built in the nineteenth century. The name Ostrvo Cvijeca (Island of Flowers) comes from the Mediterranean botanical garden that covered the grounds — remnants of which still bloom between the stone walls.
Getting There
From Tivat centre, drive south along the waterfront road past the ferry pier. After 2.5 kilometres, the road narrows to a single lane and crosses the old causeway onto Prevlaka. A small car park at the end of the road holds about fifteen vehicles. In summer, arrive before 9 am or after 5 pm to find a space — there is no overflow lot and turning around on the narrow spit is awkward.
The drive from TIV airport takes about eight minutes. Turn left from the airport, follow the waterfront through Tivat, and continue south past the ferry terminal. The route is flat and straightforward. No tolls, no tunnels, no mountain roads — just a pleasant seaside drive with the bay on your left.
The Botanical Gardens
The original garden was planted in the nineteenth century by the Buca noble family, who introduced exotic Mediterranean species to the naturally occurring pine and olive groves. Palms, agave, oleander, and jasmine still grow among the ruins, and the air smells intensely of rosemary and sage on warm afternoons. It is not a maintained botanical garden in the modern sense — nobody trims the hedges or labels the species — but the wild overgrowth has a beauty of its own.
Walking through the garden paths takes about thirty minutes. The trails are unpaved earth and stone, manageable in sandals but easier in trainers. Some paths lead to small rocky swimming platforms on the south-facing shore where the water is clear and deep. Bring a towel and swim shoes — the entry is over smooth rocks, not sand.
The Monastery Walk
The ruins of the Sveti Mihajlo (St. Michael the Archangel) monastery sit at the highest point of the peninsula, surrounded by cypress trees. The original church dates to the tenth century, making it one of the oldest religious sites in Boka Bay. Archaeologists have been excavating here intermittently for decades, and you can see exposed foundation walls, column fragments, and carved stone lintels. The site is unfenced and unattended — walk in and explore freely. For another nature walk near Tivat, see our Solila birdwatching guide.
The monastery's location was strategic — it commanded views of the entire bay entrance and the open Adriatic beyond. Stand at the south wall and you can see Lustica peninsula to the left, the Mamula island fortress straight ahead, and the mountains of Herceg Novi across the water to the right. On clear days, the Croatian coast is visible in the distance. It is one of the best viewpoints in Tivat that does not require climbing a mountain.
A Brief History
Prevlaka has been continuously occupied since at least the ninth century. The Benedictine order established the first monastery here, which was destroyed and rebuilt multiple times during Ottoman raids, Venetian rule, and Napoleonic occupation. At its peak, the monastery operated a scriptorium that produced illuminated manuscripts for churches across the bay. Some of these manuscripts survive in the Kotor Maritime Museum.
In the twentieth century, the Yugoslav government converted the peninsula into a public park and recreational area, planting additional trees and building the causeway that connects it to the mainland. The monastery ruins were partially excavated in the 1960s and again in the 2000s. Today, the site is managed by the Tivat municipality as a cultural heritage area, though signage and facilities remain minimal.
Practical Notes
There are no shops, cafes, or toilet facilities on Prevlaka — bring everything you need. The swimming spots have no lifeguards. Shade is plentiful under the pines but direct sun hits the south-facing rocks hard in summer. Mosquitoes appear in the evening near the causeway where standing water collects. The site is free to enter, open year-round, and never crowded — even in August, you are unlikely to share the monastery ruins with more than a handful of other visitors.