Budva – 8 lucruri de facut pe litoralul muntenegrean

If you are tempted by a holiday on the Montenegrin coast, Budva is definitely the first place you should put on your list. It is the largest and most famous resort on the Adriatic Sea in Montenegro, and at the same time one of the most popular tourist destinations in the region.

With beautiful beaches, active nightlife, an elegant promenade and a remarkable historical center, Budva is a perfect destination to spend your summer holiday.

We spent a few days in Budva during our week-long road trip in Montenegro, which I invite you to read about here: 7 Days In Montenegro - Road Trip In The Balkan Country.

About Budva

Budva is the coastal city in Montenegro with a population of almost 20,000 inhabitants and which dates back more than 2500 years, being one of the oldest cities on the shores of the Adriatic Sea.

The area of the Adriatic coast around the city of Budva, called the Budva Riviera, is the center of Montenegrin tourism. With an old medieval walled city, sandy beaches and an active nightlife, Budva is a real magnet for tourists, one of the main tourist destinations visited in Montenegro, along with the Bay of Kotor. 

Budva

Budva is a city that meets all the prerequisites for you to have a successful holiday. With a relaxed atmosphere, a beautiful sea, welcoming hosts, good conditions and a lot of activities to spend your time, Budva will delight you and make you enjoy your time here.  

Budva is considered the fun and entertainment capital of Montenegro. With many terraces, restaurants and night clubs, Budva is the favorite resort of the partygoers. If you are young and energetic and want an active holiday, this is the right place! 

Budva

But even if you are looking for a quieter place, don't worry! You can choose to stay in one of the nearby towns, which are more of an resort for families, where you can have uninterrupted sleep all night. One such location is Becici, a resort with a very beautiful beach, and from where you can go to Budva directly on the seafront.

You can combine the days in the sun, on the beach, with a visit to an extremely chic city and with short trips near the city. Montenegro is a beautiful country, and Budva can be an excellent starting point to visit the rest of the country.

Budva

What to do in Budva

1. Visit the old town of Budva

Even if Budva is mainly considered a tourist destination due to its beaches and holiday atmosphere, Budva also has an impressive historical center, being a very well-preserved former fortress.

The old town, also known as Stari Grad, is one of the best preserved medieval settlements in the Balkans. It is smaller than Kotor, but the maze of narrow cobbled streets and Venetian walls are just as charming.

Budva

St. Ivan Church

What you can admire here, in particular, is the Church of St. Ivan, an old church whose bell tower rising above the roofs of the buildings has become the emblem of the city of Budva.

Budva

Citadel of Budva

In the old town, I recommend you to visit the Citadel. It also has a museum, but what is most beautiful here is the panorama you have from above, over the entire city of Budva, the cliff with the beach and the Adriatic Sea. An entrance ticket costs 4.5 euros.

2. Take a photo of the Ballerina from Budva

If you want a perfect picture for your social media from Budva, then you must not miss the Ballerina, a statue of an elegant dancing ballerina. It is one of the most Instagrammable places in Budva, and the statue itself is an emblem of the city. You can find it, by the way, on many souvenirs in the city.

Budva

At the same time, here you can find a perfect place to watch the sunset!

Budva

3. Walk along the promenade and the port

Budva has an elegant promenade, full of terraces, you can take here a leisurely walk to the neighboring town, Becici. What I admired here was the design of each individual terrace. It's as if each of them tried to impress the visitors with more interesting architectures and cheerful colors, each terrace seems authentic here, in its own way.

Budva

At the end of the beach you can find the port of Budva. Maybe not as impressive as Porto Montenegro, the opulent port in Tivat full of luxurious boats, but here too you can admire different boats. You can choose different boat trips or taxi boats to more distant beaches (for example to Hawaii Beach on the Sveti Nikola island).

Budva
Budva

4. Go to the beach

Obviously, the most important thing to do in Budva is... to go to the beach, yes!

In Budva you can choose between the following beaches:

  • The main beach in the city, a long, pebbly beach surrounded by the promenade full of terraces. 
Budva beach
Budva beach
  • Becici Beach – another long beach, not so crowded and more quieter than the one in Budva. The advantage here is that the beach is sandy. Just like in Budva, this beach is surrounded by a promenade, and you can find different terraces where you can eat.
Becici Beach
Becici Beach
  • Mogren Beach – beyond Ballerina, on a small path next to the cliff, you will find this hidden beach. 
Mogren Beach
Mogren Beach
  • Jaz Beach
  • Hawaii Beach this beach is located on the island of Sveti Nikola, and to get here, you have to take a boat or a taxi boat from the port.

5. Try nautical activities

If you are a fan of water sports, here you have the chamce to try different activities, including parasailing, jet skiing, scuba diving or snorkeling. On the beach you can find several merchants who offer such services.

Budva

6. Take a boat ride to the island of Sveti Nikola

The island Sveti Nikola (St. Nicholas Island) is the island located off the coast of the city of Budva.

The island is covered with Mediterranean vegetation and offers beautiful beaches that are less crowded than those in Budva. There is also a tourist complex here that includes hotels, restaurants and bars.

To get to the island you have to take a taxi boat from the port of Budva or other types of organized trips.

Budva

7. Visit Sveti Stefan and Petrovac

Sveti Stefan

Located 8 km from Budva, the island of Sveti Stefan is another symbol of Montenegro. It is an island with traditional stone houses, connected to the shore by a bridge. Unfortunately, the island cannot be visited freely, today a luxury resort operates here, where only hotel guests are allowed to enter the island.

If you don't stay at the hotel, you can still admire Sveti Stefan from a distance, from the beach, from the terraces, or from various panoramic points, which you will find even on the main road, outside the city.

Sveti Stefan
Sveti Stefan

Petrovac

A little further (18 km from Budva), there is another very lovely city, another resort on the Adriatic Sea. Petrovac is very picturesque, it offers a perfect combination between the beach, clear water and rocks rising from the sea.

The beach in Petrovac is not very big, but the surroundings are wonderful. The beach is surrounded by a seafront with many terraces, restaurants and shops.

An attraction here is the castle, located on the right side of the beach. Visitors can visit the towers and walls of this old castle for free, and the views are wonderful.

8. Organize day trips to other locations in Montenegro

If you have more time, you can also organize trips to other wonderful places in Montenegro: you can choose to visit Kotor Bay, you can go to Skadar Lake for a boat ride, you can visit Podgorica, the old capital Cetinje or other cities of on the coast of the Adriatic Sea (Day trips from Budva).

You can find here the list of the most beautiful places to visit in Montenegro: Montenegro - The Most Beautiful 15 Places To Visit.

Skadar Lake
Skadar Lake

Where to stay in Budva

In Budva you can find a lot of accommodation for all needs and budgets. Keep in mind that Budva is a crowded city, a resort with many outdoor terraces and clubs, and if you want quietness, it would be advisable to avoid accommodation directly in the center of the resort. In addition, parking can also be a problem, accommodation with parking included is rare, and the streets of Budva are quite narrow and can be complicated to park your car for days in a row.

In this case, you can look for accommodation in nearby cities, such as Becici or Petrovac. They are quieter cities, but also cheaper, compared to Budva.

This was our accommodation in Becici, for which we paid 60 euros / night in June 2023: Apartment Ivanovic Family.

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