Montenegro
Budva
Montenegro's beach capital: a walled Venetian old town on the sea, with the Riviera's sand and Sveti Stefan just down the coast.
Budva is the busiest resort on Montenegro's coast: a small walled Old Town on a rocky peninsula, with beaches running away on either side and a summer nightlife that draws crowds from across the Balkans. The stretch of coast south of town, the Budva Riviera, strings together resort villages and coves as far as Petrovac, and its best-known view is Sveti Stefan, a walled fishing village on an islet joined to the shore by a sandbar.
Suggested stay
3–6 days
Language
Montenegrin
Currency
EUR
Timezone
UTC+2
Why you'll love Budva
The Old Town a compact walled peninsula of stone lanes and churches, rebuilt piece by piece after the 1979 earthquake
Beaches from the town sand and Mogren's cliff-backed coves to the long resort strands of the Riviera
Sveti Stefan the walled island village on its sandbar, the most photographed view on the coast
Summer nights the liveliest nightlife in Montenegro, from promenade bars to open-air clubs above town
Best time to visit
May-Aug
24-30° days
42.289° N, 18.842° E
UTC+2 · Europe/Podgorica
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Weather & when to go to Budva
Month by month: typical highs and lows, rainfall and rain days.
✓ Best May-Aug
Cards tinted by calculated verdict · big number = typical daily high, small = low · hover for conditions
When to avoid Budva
July and August bring the best weather and the biggest crowds, with packed beaches, loud nights and slow traffic on the coast road. Out of season much of the beach strip closes, and late autumn into winter is the wettest stretch of the year, leaving little beyond the Old Town.
Top things to do in Budva
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Budva Old Town - the walled peninsula
history culture arts 👍 PopularWalk the marble-paved lanes of Stari Grad inside its Venetian walls, past small squares, stone houses and cafes, and out to the seaward end where the churches stand together. It is small enough to cross in ten minutes and busiest on summer evenings.
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Citadela - the fortress at the tip of the Old Town
history scenicThe old fortress on the seaward corner of the walls gives the best views in town, across the rooftops to the island of Sveti Nikola and along the cliffs towards Mogren.
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Old Town churches - Holy Trinity and St John
history culture artsA cluster of churches sits by the Citadela: the striped stone Orthodox church of the Holy Trinity from the early 19th century, the Catholic church of St John with its bell tower, and the small medieval Santa Maria in Punta beside them.
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Mogren Beach - coves under the cliffs
scenic ⭐ Highly recommendedA cliffside path from the Old Town walls, past the Dancing Girl statue on the rocks, leads to two sheltered coves joined by a short passage through the headland. Clear water and steep cliffs make it the most attractive beach within walking distance of town.
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Sveti Stefan - the island village on a sandbar
scenic history 👍 PopularA 15th-century fortified fishing village on an islet, long since turned into a private luxury resort. Most visitors take in the classic view from the road above and swim from the pinkish sand beaches either side of the causeway.
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Sveti Nikola island - beaches across the bay
scenicThe wooded island facing the Old Town, known locally as Hawaii, has pebble beaches on its landward side. Small boats run across from the harbour through the summer for a swim away from the town crowds.
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Slovenska Plaza - the town beach and promenade
nightlife music 👍 PopularBudva's long main beach runs east from the harbour, backed by a promenade of bars, stalls and beach clubs that stays busy late into summer nights. It is the centre of the town's nightlife, alongside the open-air clubs in the hills above.
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Museum of the City of Budva - finds from the ancient town
historyA small museum inside the Old Town shows Greek and Roman jewellery, glass and pottery from the ancient necropolis found outside the walls, along with later local history.
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Jaz Beach - the long strand west of town
scenicA long beach in a broad bay a few kilometres towards Tivat, with more room than the town beaches and space that hosts large open-air concerts in summer.
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Coastal food - seafood, black risotto and Njegusi ham
foodKonobas around the Old Town and along the Riviera serve grilled fish, black squid-ink risotto, mussels buzara-style in wine and garlic, and plates of smoked Njegusi prosciutto with local cheese from the mountains behind the coast.
Best areas to stay in Budva
$ Budget $$ Mid-range $$$ Premium
Old Town (Stari Grad)
First-time visitors $$$Walled stone lanes on the sea
Explore hotels in Old Town (Stari Grad) →
Slovenska Plaza
Nightlife seekers $$Main beach, promenade and nightlife
Explore hotels in Slovenska Plaza →
Becici and Rafailovici
Families $$Long sandy resort strand, family hotels
Explore hotels in Becici and Rafailovici →
Sveti Stefan and Przno
Couples $$$Quiet coves and upmarket villas
Explore hotels in Sveti Stefan and Przno →
Petrovac
Quiet beach stays $$Small pine-backed bay, slower pace
Explore hotels in Petrovac →
Live nightly prices from Booking.com, Agoda and others, centred on Budva
Getting to & around Budva
Getting there
Fly into Tivat (TIV), about half an hour up the coast by road, or Podgorica (TGD), about an hour inland
Flight
Tivat Airport (TIV)
Tivat airport sits about 20 km north-west, roughly half an hour by taxi or transfer over the hill road via Jaz. Podgorica airport is about an hour's drive, and some travellers fly into Dubrovnik and drive down across the border.
Coach
Budva bus station
Coaches run often from Kotor, Podgorica and Bar, with longer routes from Dubrovnik and Belgrade
Train
Bar station
The Belgrade-Bar railway ends at Bar, about an hour south by bus; Budva has no railway
Getting around
Walking
The Old Town, harbour, Slovenska Plaza and Mogren are all within an easy walk
Free
Local bus
Buses and minibuses run along the Riviera linking Budva, Becici, Sveti Stefan and Petrovac, most frequently in summer
TBC
Taxi
Plentiful in town; agree the fare or confirm the meter before setting off
TBC
Boat taxi
Small boats from the harbour run to Sveti Nikola island and nearby beaches in summer
TBC
Car hire
The easiest way to reach Lovcen, Cetinje and Lake Skadar, though summer coast traffic and parking are slow
TBC
Day trips from Budva
Kotor and Perast
Full dayWalled town and bay
Kotor's walled old town sits at the head of the Bay of Kotor under a mountainside of fortifications you can climb for the view. Further round the bay, Perast's baroque waterfront faces the islet church of Our Lady of the Rocks.
Getting there
bus | car | tour
About 30-40 min to Kotor by bus or car
Lovcen National Park and Cetinje
Full dayMountain mausoleum, old capital
Climb to the Njegos Mausoleum on a Lovcen summit for views over much of the country, stop in Njegusi for smoked ham and cheese, and finish in Cetinje, the old royal capital with its monastery and former embassies.
Getting there
car | tour
About 1 hr up into the mountains by car or tour
Lake Skadar
Full dayLake and wetlands
The Balkans' largest lake is a national park of reed beds, water lilies and birdlife, including pelicans. Boats leave from the village of Virpazar, and the hills around it are dotted with small family wineries.
Getting there
car | tour
About 1 hr by car or tour to Virpazar
Sveti Stefan and Petrovac
Half dayRiviera villages
Head down the coast for the view of Sveti Stefan from the road above, a swim from the beaches beside the causeway, then on to Petrovac's pine-backed bay and small fortress for a slower afternoon.
Getting there
bus | car
About 15-30 min south by bus or car
Ostrog Monastery
Full dayCliff monastery
Montenegro's most visited pilgrimage site is a white monastery built into a sheer cliff face high above the Zeta valley, and the drive up through the mountains is part of the experience.
Getting there
car | tour
About 2 hr inland by car or tour
A little history of Budva
Budva claims to be one of the oldest settlements on the Adriatic. Illyrians and Greek traders knew it as Butua, legend credits its founding to Cadmus of Thebes, and the Romans held it after them. For close to four centuries from 1420 it belonged to Venice, which built the walls that still ring the Old Town.
After Venice fell the town passed through Austrian, Russian and French hands before a century of Habsburg rule, and joined the new Yugoslav state after the First World War. An earthquake in 1979 wrecked much of the Old Town, which was restored over the following years. Tourism, already strong in Yugoslav times, grew fast after Montenegro became independent, turning Budva into the country's busiest resort.
Butua is settled by Illyrians and Greek traders, and later held by Rome
Budva comes under Venetian rule, which lasts until 1797
The Venetian Republic falls and the town begins to change hands between Austria, Russia and France
Austria takes control, beginning a century of Habsburg rule
Budva joins the new Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, later Yugoslavia
Building work outside the walls uncovers an ancient Greek and Roman necropolis
An earthquake badly damages the Old Town, which is restored over the following years
Montenegro becomes independent
Know before you go
Payment
Cards & cash mixed
English
Widely spoken
Wifi
Reliable
Power
Type C / F
230 V, 50 Hz
Dialing
+382
FAQs about Budva
▸ When is the best time to visit Budva?
May to August has the best weather. July and August are the peak, with the warmest sea, the busiest nightlife and the biggest crowds. May and June are calmer, and September is quieter again once the summer rush ends. In winter much of the beach strip closes.
▸ Is Budva a party town?
In summer, yes: the promenade along Slovenska Plaza and the open-air clubs above town make it the nightlife centre of the Montenegrin coast. If you want quiet, stay in Becici, Sveti Stefan or Petrovac and visit Budva for an evening.
▸ Can you visit the island of Sveti Stefan?
The islet is a private luxury resort, and access to the village itself has generally been limited to hotel guests, so check current arrangements before you go. Anyone can enjoy the view from the road above and swim from the beaches beside the causeway.
▸ Should I base myself in Budva or Kotor?
Budva is the better base for beaches and nightlife; Kotor suits travellers who want the bay scenery and a quieter old town. They are close enough that most people visit one from the other as a day trip.
▸ Do I need a car in Budva?
Not for the town and the Riviera, where buses and boats cover the beaches. A car makes it much easier to reach Lovcen, Cetinje, Lake Skadar and Ostrog, although summer traffic and parking on the coast are slow.
▸ Is Budva expensive?
It is the priciest resort on the Montenegrin coast in high summer, especially for stays in the Old Town and around Sveti Stefan. Becici, Petrovac and the shoulder months are noticeably easier on the budget.
More in Montenegro
Herceg Novi
The town of stairs at the mouth of the Bay of Kotor, with a fortress for every empire that held it.
✓ best Jun-AugKotor
Venetian walls zigzagging up a cliff above the most fjord-like bay in the Mediterranean, which is not actually a fjord at all.
✓ best Jun-AugUlcinj
The Adriatic's longest sand beach, ending at a river island, below a former corsair stronghold.
✓ best May-Aug