Budva is a city that dance between history and modernity, a coastal gem with stunning beaches & an historical center of Venetian influence, where you can get loose for a few hours or few days. It can be visited as a day trip from Kotor or, if you want to go on to Bar, Ulcinj and then Albania, as a stopover on your journey.
MONTENEGRO PRACTICAL INFORMATION
First and foremost, if you’re planning to visit Budva, it’s worth checking out some practical information about the city and Montenegro in general.
- As Montenegro is not in the UE or Schengen area, it is required to travel with a valid passport (and a visa for certain nationalities).
- The national currency in Euro.
- Always carry cash with you as many shops (restaurants, accommodation and souvenirs) only accept cash.
- Remember to bring water, sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat. If the narrow streets allow you to stay in the shade, the sun is quite aggressive once you leave the old town, especially in summer
- As always, arrive early in the morning if you want to enjoy the vibe of the old town waking-up, before the tourists groups come around 9/10 am.
GETTING TO BUDVA
By bus : the buses from Kotor depart every hour to Budva (5,30 one way from Kotor to Budva / 5,70 from Budva to Kotor and I don’t know why the price is different [september 2024]) it takes 1hour to reach the city. From Podgorica to Budva, it’s around 1h30 and the tickets cost 7 euros. For more information about schedule and price, the website Busticket4.me will answer all your questions.
By car : Budva is 3h from Dubrovnik ((but as you cross the border between an UE and non-EU country, this time can could multiply by two). From Kotor, allow 40min to 1h30 – depending on the traffic- the reach Budva. Finally, Budva is 1h from Podgorica with good traffic conditions.
ACTIVITIES IN BUDVA YOU CANNOT MISS
BEACH HOPPING: Budva is one of the best beach destinations on the Montenegrin coast. The main beach, Slovenska Plaža (Plaža meaning beach), offers some good street food spots. For more peace and quiet and a view, we head for Pizana Beach, which unfortunately only has a small area where you can lay your towel without paying, as most of it is privatised by the hotel at its back.
Nevertheless, a short walk to the east of the old town will take you to a beautiful panorama of the ramparts and the buildings of Stari Grad, with Budva’s most photographed monument in the background, the Ballerina statue, a young woman frozen forever in a graceful pose. The story of this statue is one of lost love between a ballerina and a Budva sailor. The ballerina went to the shore every day, waiting for her lover to return, and watched the waves in the hope that they would bring him back. However, her lover did not return from his journey and the young lady died of a broken heart, still keeping her faith and love for him.
Continue your walk and you’ll come across Mogren Beach, where there’s plenty of space to put your towel down, a few refreshment stands and a great view of the old town and Sveti Nikola Island, which can be reached by regular boats and where you can also spend the day on the beach.
STROLLING IN BUDVA STARI GRAD : spending a few hours in the old town is ideal after or before spending some time at the beach. The city is like a mini Dubrovnik / Kotor. You can walk on the old wall (admission 3 euros), a citadel to visit (5 euros admission), numerous restaurants serving more or less the same menu, small shops selling more or less the same souvenirs, as well as a few designer jewellery shops. The Budva Museum condenses 2500 years of history of Budva. Make sure to enter into the Church of the Holy Trinity. It dates back from the 19th with impressive Orthodox frescoes inside. St John the Baptist’s Church is also an interesting Catholic place to see and is on the main place of the old town. There’s also some remains of the roman empire period with the Roman altar, Roman baths dating back 3rd/4th century AD and a necropolis from the hellenic and roman period.
DIVE IN BUDVA : the clear water around Sveti Nikola island are a good spot to diving around octopuses, eels, lobsters and sponges, with underwater tunnels, caves, reefs and a wreck sunked during the WWII to explore.
WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK IN BUDVA
HAVE A DRINK : to start the day with a coffee or have a drink I highly recommend Casper Coffee Roastery, they have an extensive choice of top quality coffees, a good selection of cocktails and regional wine. Rakija & wine bar is also great to have some good quality wine, good Rakia (local fruit spirit from plums and grapes appreciated in the Balkans) and cocktails.
GRAB A BITE : since you’re in the historic old town, you’ll generally pay more for your meal than outside the city walls, but it’s worth checking out these addresses : Konoba Punta (seafood) Konoba Dragičević (seafood) and for a quick lunch La Mia Pasta Budva (fresh pasta made in front of you)