Savina Monastery

Time your visit right, when the weather is still mild, and you can unwind on one of the old stone benches, sampling the local wine, and taking advantage of the fantastic vistas. The wines produced by the monks are sanctified in the monastery on February 14th (St. Tryphon’s Day) and are made from grapes grown behind the monastery.

You can visit the monastery shop to buy these exquisite ‘holy’ wines, a range of bitters, and of course, Loza (Grappa) – the gold standard of Montenegrin spirits. Chardonnay, Cabernet, Rose, and Merlot are the four grape varieties composing the Savina Monastery’s vineyard. They are cultivated on small lots surrounded by cypress trees.

You can walk up a forested path to a scenic viewpoint in front of the Church of St. Sava to enjoy a picture-postcard-worthy panorama, with the other two churches in the foreground. The chapel (as well as the monastery and the entire Savina neighborhood) is named after Saint Sava, a Serbian prince (1169 – 1236) and founder of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

Besides the beautiful churches, the terraced graveyard, and the ornately landscaped Mediterranean gardens, there’s a museum (with a small entrance charge) aimed at giving insights into the history of the Orthodox Church from the times of Saint Sava until the modern times. Besides many interesting church relics, the most important item on display is St. Sava’s crystal cross which dates back to the 13th century.

Almost 100 years ago, Alexander I, the King of Yugoslavia who oversaw the unification of the southern Slavic constituent republics into one state after World War I, was murdered during a state visit to Marseille, France. As legend has it, on the day of his departure, he rang the church bells here, but unfortunately, he rang the ones used exclusively for death knells, which many saw as a bad omen.

Some of the most vibrant frescoes can be found inside the small Church of the Assumption while the larger church distinguishes itself by a beautifully-adorned iconostasis. You will need to come appropriately dressed (long trousers or skirts), covering up your bare legs and shoulders, or make use of the provided attire by the monks.

Award-winning Serbian movie director and screenwriter Emir Kusturica, who came to fame with quirky productions such as Black Cat White, Cat and Time of the Gypsies, was baptized in the Savina Monastery, changing his faith from Islam to Orthodox Christianity, and changing his name into Nemanja – after Saint Sava’s father Stefan Nemanja.

The monastery finds itself in a serene and secluded environment, surrounded by dense Mediterranean forests. You can continue past the upper chapel on a forested path toward Herceg Novi’s Old Town. A taste of history combined with some of Montenegro’s best grapes comes courtesy of a visit to the adjacent Savina Winery, where you can learn more about the production process on a wine-tasting tour.