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Budva is a coastal peninsular town on the west coast of Montenegro, situated on the Adriatic Sea. It is considered the center of Montenegrin tourism, making up the Budva Riviera. Its origins date back nearly 2,500 years, making it one of the oldest settlements on the Adriatic.

The history of the city is LONG, and has been under the control of many ethnic and cultural groups like the Greeks, Romans, Slavs, Saracens, French, Austrian, Italians…etc.

My time in Budva was in April, coupled with a few days spent in Kotor, just an hour north and further inland from the sea. We flew into Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro, took a train to the city center, and then a bus to Kotor (which stops in Budva along the way). This bus journey takes about 2 hours.

We elected to make our home base in Kotor and take a bus to Budva for the day. This is a popular option, but people also do the reverse arrangement, which is just as good I feel. It really depends on what you like to do/see on your trip. If you like a more chill vibe, stay over in Kotor, and if you want something upbeat, go to Budva. But make sure you go to BOTH!

If you like some of my photos that you have come across, just know that I have many prints showcasing a variety of landscapes, including Budva, available for purchase below! (Sold as Posters, Canvas, or in Metal-Frames).

(Side bar and fun fact: We experienced a minor earthquake in Kotor, its epicenter being in Bosnia and 5.2 on the Richter Scale. Budva was devastated by an earthquake on April 15, 1979, which destroyed a lot of the old town. Luckily, the area was completely restored and there is no sign that an earthquake even occurred.)

The Budva Old Town is perhaps the most popular of destinations to see in Budva. With its iconic city walls and rocky cliffside, to its orange rooftops and enchanting alleyways, this was easily my favorite place in all of Montenegro. It is said that the Venetians were responsible for erecting the wall structure during their rule.

Citadela Fortress is situated in the Southeast corner of Budva old Town and requires a 3.5 Euro/person fee to explore. Nestled right along the city walls, you get a great view of the sea waves hitting the rocks below with a seating area containing panoramic views of the water. The citadel itself dates back to the 5-6th century BC. Present day, it also contains a library and a museum that you can explore not to mention a restaurant and a space for concerts and exhibitions.

Church of St. John (Sveti Ivan) can be seen from most of the Old Town since its bell tower is taller than any other building. The church’s origins date back to the 7th century and was actually built over the remnants of an older church. An earthquake occurred in the year 1667 that ended up damaging the structure, but was repaired (on more than one occasion). The bell tower, or belfry, was built in 1867. This church is also known as St. John the Baptist Church.

Holy Trinity Church sits just nearby the Church of St. John and the Citadela Fortress. It was built at the request of the orthodox population in Budva in 1804. What is most recognizable about it is its facade containing a rosette. And just in front of the church is the tombstone of a famous Budva-born author and politician Stefan Mitrov Ljubisa.

There are two beaches on either side of the Budva old town: Pizana Beach that sits across from Sveti Nikola Island, and the larger and more popular Mogren Beach which contains numerous restaurants and cafes along the shore. The latter is extremely well maintained and known for its water quality. And surrounding it are rocky cliffside with plush vegetation making for a very serene setting.

Mogren beach is essentially two smaller beaches that are joined together with the Door in Stone in the middle. This geological feature sits right up against the waterline of the beach and features a little shaded cavern, made by the stone over the years.

Budva Vista Point is a great place to go if you don’t have a drone with you (like me) to get that overhead shot. It is situated near Mogren beach and takes some hiking to get to. You walk along road E80 until you reach Mogren Fortress and walk to the cliffside.

Speaking of which, Mogren Fortress is a sight to see in itself. The fortress was built in 1860 by the Austro-Hungarian empire for the protection of Budva. Unfortunately, due to its location amidst a thick, plush forest, a forest fire burned down the fortress. You can still see its ruins and just imagine what it looked like during its heyday.

I imagine what Budva will look like in years to come. It is a popular destination in this part of the world and will only become more so. As such, so many new hotels are being erected to attract larger tourist numbers. While the hotel Avala was being built in the 1930s, numerous graves from the Roman period were found with many artifacts. After some excavation, the Ruins of Roman-era Necropolis was ultimately unearthed. This small plot of land features this piece of history dating back to the 1st and 2nd centuries AD.

Just across the beach from the Old Town sits Sveti Nikola Island (Nicknamed ‘Hawaii near Budva’). There are countless boats along the Budva harbor that will offer you passage to the island. As for the island itself, it has its own exclusive beach and restaurant/bar, just in case you wanted a little more exclusivity to your beach holiday. The island even boasts some flora and fauna and is frequented by deer, rabbits and birds.

I would say a weekend in Budva is plenty of time to see everything, but we saw it on just a day trip from Kotor and felt that we experienced it the right way. If you’re still traveling around this part of the world, consider spending more time in Montenegro to see Kotor. Also, check out neighboring countries like Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina and their cities of Dubrovnik and Mostar, respectively. You can check out my blog posts on them below:

• Dubrovnik, Croatia (Blog post: A Guide to the Walled City of Dubrovnik)

• Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina (Blog post: Why the Stari Most bridge makes Mostar, Bosnia worth seeing)

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