Island of Flowers

What this place is

The Island of Flowers (Ostrvo Cvijeća / Miholjska Prevlaka) is a small green isle by Tivat in the Bay of Kotor, linked to the mainland by a narrow sand spit and a low bridge. It preserves the ruins of the medieval Monastery of St Michael the Archangel and a small active monastic compound; the shore serves as a quiet swimming spot.

Key features

• Footprint ~300×200 m; the “island” often acts like a peninsula – high water can wash over the spit.
• Monastic tradition since the 6th c.; from 1219 it became the seat of the Zeta bishopric organized by Saint Sava.
• The cathedral monastery was destroyed in 1452 during Venetian expansion; today foundations and wall fragments remain beside functioning chapels.
• The Church of the Holy Trinity was built in the 19th c.; the isle’s lush Mediterranean flora earned it the name “Island of Flowers.”
• Easy reach from Tivat (airport ~2–4 km); modest beaches and a handful of bungalows on site.

What to see

• Ruins of St Michael the Archangel Monastery and the Holy Trinity Church.
• The causeway and low bridge with views to Tivat Bay and nearby Sveti Marko Island.
• Quiet bathing spots with sand/fine-pebble patches and shallow entry.

History

A monastic community is recorded here from the 6th century; after Saint Sava organized the autocephalous church in 1219, the seat of the Zeta eparchy was established on Prevlaka, and by the 13th century the monastery extended across the whole isle.

In 1452, amid Venetian push along the Zeta coast, the cathedral monastery on Prevlaka was destroyed and the metropolitan seat moved around the region. In the 19th century the Holy Trinity Church was erected; in the 20th century the isle served as a closed military resort, then reopened after Yugoslavia’s breakup and is partly inhabited again.

Practical information

Location: Tivat Bay mouth, SW of Tivat, opposite Kalardovo.
How to get there: drive/taxi from Tivat via the airport road then follow signs “Ostrvo cvijeća”; on foot ~5 km from Tivat center; small shore parking by the causeway.
Access: public access to the spit and shoreline; monastery yard open in daytime – modest dress required (no swimwear).
Visiting hours: year-round; best swimming May–October.
Visit duration: 40–90 minutes for a stroll and church visit; half-day with a swim.
Best time: morning and golden hour for softer light and calmer wind.
Special conditions: bring water shoes for pebbly patches; the spit can be wet after rain/high water; respect monastic rules.