Budva

Old Town

Stari grad

Stari grad

The fortified core on a rocky headland, ringed by 15th-century Venetian walls, with 3 churches standing side by side on one square and narrow lanes of white stone. The 1979 earthquake destroyed nearly all of it, and it was rebuilt from original records.

Tip: Admission is free and the gates are open around the clock. The lanes are packed at midday and in the evening, and the stone gets scorching hot by day — the best time is before 9am, when the old town is empty and the white stone glows in the morning light. Restaurants inside charge the highest prices in Budva.

Admission:

free

Time needed:

2 h

Citadel

Stari grad

A fortress on the southern tip of the old town above the sea, built in its current form by the Austrians in the 19th century on older Venetian foundations. Inside is a library of nautical charts and ship models, a terrace above the walls, and views of Sveti Nikola island and the whole riviera.

Tip: Admission is a few euros, and the main reason to go up is the terrace — it's the only spot in Budva with a view of both the old town and the sea at once. Go an hour before sunset; it stays open until after dark, unlike most sights nearby.

Admission:

from €3.50

Time needed:

1 h

Mogren Beach

1 km west

2 pebble coves beneath a cliff face west of the old town, linked by a passage cut through the rock. The water is noticeably cleaner than in the central part of the riviera, since the coves face away from town and open sea currents pass through.

Tip: The only way in is a narrow clifftop path from the Hotel Avala, a 10-minute walk — there's no road access. Before 10am the beach is nearly empty; after 11am there's nowhere left to lie down. Water shoes help, as the pebbles are coarse and sharp.

Admission:

entry free, sunbeds from €15

Time needed:

half a day

Slovenska plaža

centre

Budva's main beach, nearly 2 kilometres long, starting right behind the old town and running the length of the centre. It's a mix of fine pebbles and sand with a shallow entry, plus beach bars, water slides and water sports rentals along its full length.

Tip: The shallowest section, best for small children, is at the western end near the old town; the quietest is the eastern end towards Bečići. Front-row sunbeds cost twice as much as those in the third row, despite the difference being just 15 metres. A promenade runs along the beach all the way to Bečići, a 30-minute walk.

Admission:

sunbeds from €10

Time needed:

full day

Sveti Stefan

7 km south

An islet linked to the mainland by a narrow sandy spit, home to a 15th-century fishing village turned luxury hotel resort in the 1950s. Guests once included Sophia Loren and Sylvester Stallone, and it's Montenegro's most photographed sight.

Tip: You can no longer reach the island itself since the resort closed to the public — it's private land with a barrier, and photos are taken from the viewpoint on the road above, where there's a car park. The beach on the north side of the spit is public; the south side belongs to the resort. The best light is late afternoon, when the sun lights up the façades.

Admission:

viewpoint free, beach from €20

Time needed:

half a day

Bečići

2 km east

A neighbouring resort 2 kilometres east with a nearly 2-kilometre pebble beach that won a prize in Paris in 1936 for Europe's most beautiful beach. It's wider and less crowded than Slovenska plaža, and its hotel complexes are newer.

Tip: A coastal promenade runs from Budva through a tunnel in the rock and takes about 25 minutes to walk — more pleasant than the bus. Bečići suits families better than Budva, since there's no club scene and evenings are calm, though for nightlife you still need to head into Budva.

Admission:

sunbeds from €10

Time needed:

full day

Sveti Nikola Island

1 km offshore

An uninhabited island a kilometre off Budva, known locally as the Hawaiian Islands. It has 3 pebble beaches on its landward side, a pine forest, ridge trails and a herd of wild-living deer someone once released there.

Tip: Water taxis leave from the beach by the old town once they're full, and a return ticket costs around €5 — confirm the time of the last return boat, usually around 6pm, with the boatman. The island has only 2 restaurants, and shade is limited to the forest, so bring water and food.

Admission:

boat from €5 return

Time needed:

full day

Petrovac

17 km south

A quieter town 17 kilometres south with a reddish pebble beach between two wooded headlands, a Venetian fort above the harbour and a pine-lined promenade. Two islets lie offshore, one with a 13th-century chapel.

Tip: The best beach isn't the main one, but Lučice, a 10-minute walk south behind the headland — smaller, ringed by pines and shadier, and usually less crowded. Petrovac is the best choice for anyone who finds Budva too loud; buses run every half hour and take half an hour.

Admission:

free

Time needed:

full day

Jaz Beach

3 km north-west

A 2-kilometre pebble beach in an open bay 3 kilometres north-west, separated from town by a hill. It's the widest on the riviera, and its eastern section is free of sunbeds — this is exactly where the Rolling Stones and Madonna once played concerts for tens of thousands of people.

Tip: There's no pleasant way here by bus or on foot; go by car or taxi for around €10. Parking is right by the beach and paid. Beyond the campsite at the eastern end, an unofficial naturist section follows. The water here is cooler, as the bay is open to the sea.

Admission:

free section, no charge

Time needed:

full day