Budva | Trendiest Montenegrin Seaside Resort and its Dazzling Beaches.


 Budva,is considered the trendiest Montenegrin seaside resort,a magnificent destination,highlighted by the beauty of a scenic Adriatic coastline and its dazzling beaches which conquered since long time ago a multitude of tourists,transforming that coastal town in a destination of notable relevance.

All the charming environment around that resort is a mosaic of beautiful things,amazing inlets and natural bays,the wild nearest mountains which embrace the crystalline waters of the Adriatic Sea,marvellous sunsets and sunrises furthermore are something unique all to immortalise in a giant picture.

Those peaks overlooking the coastline are the symbol of the Country which gave it the name,Crna Gora meaning in Slavic language Dark or Black Mountain which dominating villages and towns are part of that fantastic scenery making that land so attractive and fascinating.

Another beautiful feature is definitely the Mediterranean vegetation rich in olive groves,pines and different kind of trees and plants as frame of that place which with its 11,0 kilometres of coast forms the splendid Budvanska Rivijera

In addition to all those marvellous natural details Budva also has an outstanding artistic and historic patrimony due the several civilisations which left important marks in its territory and also due that,there are millions of reasons to decide to plan sunny stays enjoying complete holidays also with a cultural tourism.

That seaside resort is situated at 73,0 kilometres east of the capital Podgorica,close to the Nature Reserve of Lovcen Nacionalni Park and just 25,0 kilometres south of Tivat which is also the place where is situated the nearest airport serving that wonderful town (I wrote a post about that other splendid place).

Located along a shoreline with a succession of three bays ,the charming Budva is located in the third and from there the coastal road continues towards south, leading to the captivating resort of Sutomore and the historic Bar.

The relevant increasing incoming flows which Budva receives for its enchanting beauty has transformed that resort in a very trendy destination hosting,several events,very famous in the recent years the concerts of famed artists such as the Rolling Stones,Lenny Kravits and Madonna among others,furthermore it is also a special destination able to host congresses,conventions and also an ideal place for Incentive Tourism.

The local territory offers a multitude of activities ideal to develop several tourist projects also  linked to historical and gastronomical tours too.

Budva currently with its almost 20,000 inhabitants is historically known to be one of the most ancient towns of the coast of Montenegro and the archaeological artifacts found in its surrounding confirmed all  that.

It was one of the few centres of the entire country settled by the Phoenicians.Legends or history linked that place to the Mythological Prince Cadmus son of the King Agenor the Phoenician,which was the founder of the powerful ancient city of Thebes in the Central Greece,well known to be rival of Athens many centuries ago B.C.

Cadmus after the fall of his stronghold lived a golden exile in the current territory and founded a small centre living with the wife Harmonia the immortal Goddess daughter of the Gods Ares God of the War and Aphrodite Goddess of love and beauty.

According historic documents,the land was also settled by the Ilyrians an ancient population probably coming from the current Slovenia and pretty active with other colonies in all the Balkan area and Central Italy since the 5th or 6th century B.C.

Another legend says that Illyrus the father of the first dynasty of that civilisation was a son of Cadmus who continued the cycle in that land but all that is not certain according other sources which determined that Budva was inhabited by Greek colonists and he was not son of that famous figure,mythology sometimes is a puzzle full of mysteries and different stories and another supposition is that  Illyrus was son of the Cyclope Polyphemus and the Nymph Galatea.

The former town was already Greek about four centuries before the first Illyrian settlement and there is another story linked to the classic Hellenic world which says that the resort took its current name from a Greek explorer called Boutouas.

Despite mythological or historic realities Budva which was colonised by important civilisations had a  splendid cultural life and all that  left magnificent marks in architecture and history including the Romans and Slavic populations who settled the area in medieval time developed there intense activities leaving an important cultural patrimony.

 Montenegro and Budva were governed in the middle ages by the dynasty Zeta who founded a powerful realm at the border of the Principalities of Bosnia and Dukgajni,west of the Kingdom of Brankovic and including the current capital of the Nation Podgorica but also Skadar and Bar

The changes of different rulers and several disputes between the Slavic Principality and the Marine Republic of Venice ended when the powerful city of St.Mark after the conquest of Budva ruled since the year 1442 for more than three century.

Venice built around the town an impenetrable defencive system,with high strong walls,an organised fortification and towers,all that became a stronghold which resisted for about 350 years to the attacks of the Ottoman Empire.

The fall of that former of the Venetian domain is dated the year 1797 when the town moved under Austrian Empire influence.

After that event,he current resort lived a tumultuous period with different occupations under rule of Russia,France and Austria once again.At the end of the 1st World War and in occasion of the disappeared Austrian-Hungarian Empire,the current seaside resort like all the current Republic of Montenegro joined the Kingdom of Serbian,Slovenian and Croatian. 

In the 2nd War the town was occupied in two occasions before by some Italian divisions with the temporary reign of the Queen Elena of Montenegro wife of the King of Italy and Duchy of Savoy Vittorio Emanuele III, incorporated for a short period to Italy as a sort of protectorate and later occupied by German troops.

After the 2nd World War born the former Republic of Yugoslavia and the local history followed that of the entire country next to Serbia until the year 2006 when the Montenegrin decided for the independence with the constitution of a new State,the current Republic of Montenegro.

A big part of its historical patrimony is concentrated in Stari Grad,the old town,once an island transformed by a causeway in a peninsula.Stari Grad has kept despite the terrible earthquake of the year 1979 all its charm,the main monuments and architectonic gems were saved,restored and  in a walk strolling its narrow streets and typical Venetian alleys,it is like to come back to its flourishing past.

Fortified in the15th century,it is still possible to see today the rampant and five gates which were the access to the old centre and the Venetian influence left a secular mark still visible in the artistic and historic soul of the town,the symbol of the city of Veneto,the Lion of St.Mark is still presents on the fortified walls

The centre also conserves many rests of the Greek and Roman colonisations with columns,mosaics,the remains of an ancient necropolis and its important Historic and Ethnographic Museum which is undoubtedly one of the highlights of that pearl of Montenegro.

.The old citadel which suffered a big damage in the year 1979 (for the mentioned earthquake) was restored with a hard work and today it shows a similar aspect of its past.The old local core is a maze of narrow streets,tiny squares,medieval rests the major part of them well restored and preserved.

Crkva Svetog Ivana is the Church of St.John dating back the 7th century and it was until the early 19th century the official Bishopric Residence.That medieval Religious construction is a wonderful example of that period on the eastern Adriatic coast.

The Venetian style is present in some architectonic details,the building is located between a high palace on the right and a majestic bell tower on the left side.That stoned construction was erected on a square plan,it has a red gable roof surmounted by a small cross and a rose in the centre of the facade surmounting two arched wide windows placed over an ample rectangular doorway.

The construction which lies on the right side has as the Church a gable roof,a small rose window on the top of the facade over two double windows of Byzantine inspiration and another semicircular one which complete the architectonic order of the facade.

The bell tower remembers for its style some Venetian Churches you can see today,those of Sant´Erasmo and San Giorgio in that glorious city of Veneto city.It was erected on a square plan,it has a white circular watch on the front facade,the roof consists in a big conical element added over a polygonal small section placed over the bells section placed inside a square space with opened windows.

In its interior that Church hosts relevant icons of Venetian school dating back the period of the Marine Republic rule among them,one very famous depicting the Virgin Mary and in addition an old library and a historic archive.

Crkva Sveti Marjibdt is the Church dedicated to St.Mary in Punta and it is another beautiful architectonic masterpiece.Erected in the 9th century,it is located next to a high cliff flanked by a stoned wall and it consists in a large building which main body was developed on an irregular rectangular plan,covered by a red roof.The main facade is one of its magnificent highlight with a splendid Romanesque window which was placed over the portal and flanked by charming stained curved arched windows.

The building you can admire on a side of that Religious construction is the Crkva Sveti Sava,a Church adjacent to a rock overlooking the Adriatic sea and it is a cylindrical structure erected in the 14th century.It has a sort of rounded protrusion,with a semi dome topped by red bricks and also highlighted by an ample pediment.Thanks to its relevant acoustic qualities it often hosts music and concert events and the particularity of that Religious temple is its position,adjacent to the former defencive walls.

Crkva Sveti Trojice,younger than the previous is another Church which was built at the beginning of the 19th century over an old monastery.Erected on a rectangular plan,the high hexagonal facade consists in a portal surmounted by a splendid mosaic inside a lunette depicting in Byzantine style three angels sitting and talking.

In the upper section there is a replica of a Romanesque rose and on the roof were placed the bells on two levels while on the top you can see a Christian cross.The Church has a single nave and a special highlight is its cylindrical dome.

In proximity of that Church there is the tomb of one of the most prominent figure of Budva the writer,novelist and politician Stjepan Mitrov Ljubisa,born in the town and died in Vienna,an important figure during the period of the Independence of the Dalmatian Peninsula.

Very interesting and an excellent chance to discover and know better the local history is the Budva Muzej.That museum is an ample exhibition of artifacts and archaeological founds dating back over five centuries B.C.

The immense patrimony contained in that site is very relevant with in addition a Ethnographic collection introducing the history of the town and the coast of Montenegro in the medieval era under the Zeta Dynasty and the Republic of Venice.

Very interesting is also a section dedicated to the country during the last three centuries.Visiting that place the tourist has the opportunity to enjoy a wide chronological walk inside the national history also discovering the local lifestyle and the culture with all the traditions and professions developed in different periods. 
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Immediately outside the old town facing the Citadel on a rock you can see a monument consisting in statue depicting a dancer and called the Dancing Girl.There is a controversial opinion about that sculpture, someone said it depicts an individual died in the sea,other people thinks it is a simply statue to ornate the spectacular local scenery.

Despite that,it is is anyway protagonist in may tourism spots of Montenegro Tourism  in posters,wallpapers and covers with panoramic photos of the bay and Otok Sveti Nikola the small island visible a short distance from the coasts and that figure lies on the road leading to the famed beach of Mogren.

The name of that so promoted,stunning and dazzling beach was given in honour of a Spanish sailor called Mogrini who landed on the local coast after a shipwreck.The locals welcomed him and the man thanking the inhabitants for the warm welcome he received,decided build a Church.That beach is over 300 metres long reachable by a step and it provides many opportunities to practise water sports including diving near a splendid cliff.

The beaches of Budva are definitely something of extremely relevant and all together are one of the most important highlight of that resort.There are about 30 beaches which form the Budvanska Rivjera,some are next to the inhabited centre,others are situated along the coastline towards Sutomore.

Apart Mogren among the most important worth to be mentioned those of Petrovac,Sveti Stefan, Przno, Slovenska, ,Jaz,Maestral,Milocer,Kamenovo,Guvance,Becici,Ricardova,Glava and Mogren.


Jaz beach is another gem of the entire coast.Along that beach was celebrated the famous Rolling Stones concert.Approximately 2,6 km long,as Mogren,it is the most promoted as a distinctive symbol of the local riviera,its longitude is of course a great attraction,to enjoy every kind of activity related to water sports, a great place to enjoy long walks and much more easier than other places for sunbaths due its relevant length. 

Becici is another one among the most famous and it was chosen by Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie as favourite place for their favourite holidays in Montenegro some years ago.The Pop Star Madonna (despite the famed Mogren and Jaz) also choose that one which is approximately 2,0 kilometres long and furthermore,it received an important international title in an event celebrated in Paris in which it was awarded as best beach in Europe in the year 1935.

The beach of Petrovac despite its beauty and charming environment between heights and coast is also famous for historical events as a meeting between Yugoslavian partisans and British Agents during the 2nd War and apart that it was also used as set for some scenes of successful movies as Casino Royale and Brothers Bloom.

For its wild beauty and its virgin environment,Sveti Stefan is another idyllic place of the Budvanska Rivijera. An exclusive place with a splendid beach on an island connected to the coast by a splendid hallway,a peninsula attached to the coast by a isthmus.In that place landed to spend holidays prominent people such as the Italian actress Sofia Loren,the Queen of England and some American stars of the cinema such as as Marlon Brando and Kirk Douglas

Facing the coast,you can admire the small island Otok Sveti Nikola,the island of St.Nikola.It is about 1,2 kilometres far away from the coastline,its length is a little bit more of 800 metres and it is surrounded by a series of small beaches,some sandy some pebbled and it is accessible by boat and it is of course a small paradise for divers.

That island is particularly loved by people who wants peace and tranquillity,including,it is very appreciated by several photographers who have the opportunity to take several pictures in a strategic point in front of the coast and with a magnificent panoramic view of the town.

All those magnificent beaches form a sort of ample fan to to satisfy the taste of every tourist.There are sandy and rocky beaches,that is very important with options and alternatives,not only people loves the classic sandy stretch but there is a wide number of tourists who are enchanted to enjoy wild corners under the warm rays of the Mediterranean sun.

Another great chance next to those  dazzling beaches is the presence of pretty wide bays but also small inlets,some are situated just beneath the mountains,there are furthermore picturesque coves and some hidden corners behind scenic rocks,in other words a complete little paradise packed of surprises and choices.

The presence of approximately 80 Hotels in the surroundings is another important further notable detail,a wide range of options in terms of accommodation,apart that,there is also an ample chance consisting in extra hotelliere facilities with a big number of houses,apartments and villas.

The resort provides many other facilities satisfying to the most demanding clientele,such as restaurants,bars and establishments offering local and international cuisine very appreciated by visitors of different nationalities who wants to have an ample offer also eating out.

Budva in the last years was transformed in an international destination thanks to new investors and from there started an excellent promotion of Montenegro Tourism Board reaching notable results with a t capacity to receive an intense demand but what is more important apart the number of overnights and beds,the mission was also focused to satisfy the tastes of everyone.

Another attractive and loved detail and very considered by many people is the vibrant nightlife,with clubs and cafes as Renaissance,Maine,Trocadero,Caffe Greco,Raffaello,Torine,Miami Caffe,Jef and many others located in different areas of the town some inside or in proximity of Stari Grad,others in some coastal neighbourhoods.The presence of so many venues is  of course a great incentive to spend holidays enjoying excellent music and fun at night too.

Also the interior offers a big number of very interesting destinations.The wild mountains are the ideal place to practise trekking and hiking,exploring old ruins and picturesque villages,historic old towns and villages furthermore Croatia and  Serbia are very close,that is of course another attractive incentive to visit different places or planning day by day some interesting excursions crossing the borders visiting two other splendid countries.

In the neighbourhoods of Budva there is also a relevant presence of Orthodox monasteries such as Gradiste near Petrovac and Rezevici which are other notable attractions making that land very interesting also in less known place but with a historic past and history very important.

 The cuisine of Montenegro is the result of many civilisations who influenced flavours,use of particular ingredients and spices.Greek,Turkish,Venetian and Slavic cultures formed a culinary mosaic generating a wide offer consisitng in different kind of plates.

The local Mousaka of clear Greek heritage,the delicious Sarma cooked in almost all the Balkans in particular in Serbia,Croatia,Bulgaria but also in Romania or the tastefully Burek,the Kacamak a sort of Polenta,the dried fish and soups of fish are of clear Venetian origin are among the most traditional plates..

Along the coast there is a wide variety of restaurants offering fresh grilled and fried fish,seafood but also other traditional plates of the interior as the famous Corbast Pasulj a stew prepared with beans and sausages or the classic and popular Cevapcici,minced meat in rolls served with potatoes or vegetables very common in all the Southern Slavic countries.Other highlights are the several cheeses and the presence of fine wines such as the Krstac and the Vranac very appreciated for their smooth and palatable taste.

The proximity of two airport such as Podgorica and Tivat permitted the resort to receive in the last years an average media of over 200,000 tourists,a year,a date which probably will increase in future thanks to the good services and the constant development of the incoming and hospitality Industry activities.

Spending holidays in that country and discovering the beauty of Budva,the trendiest Montenegrin seaside resort is something you will remember for ever.

Budva is history,it is the beauty of the Adriatic Sea melted with the dark mountains of the Crna Gora,the colours of its charming buildings,the splendid lights always present day and evening and that detail to admire admiring the scenic Mediterranean horizon along a coast which is a mine of natural treasures.

That wonderful corner of Southeastern Europe is something absolutely great,an ideal place for all people who wants to be delighted by an unforgettable corner of Eden,enjoying magnificent holidays.

Francesco Mari


Recommended Hotels in Budva

Hotel Max Prestige
Hotel Villa Bojana
Hotel Poseidon
Hotel Astoria
Avala Resorts & Villas
Hotel Aquamarin

Recommended Restaurants in Budva

Restaurant Kuzina
Restaurant La Bocca
Restaurant Konoba
Restaurant Zlatibor
Restaurant Velji Mlin
Restaurant Jadran Kos Krsta


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