Sights in Budva: where to go and what to see

Budva is one of the most popular resorts in Montenegro. It was founded two and a half thousand years ago and is one of the oldest settlements on the Adriatic. At different times, Budva was ruled by the Roman and Ottoman Empires, Serbian feudal lords, the Venetian Republic, Austria-Hungary, as well as the Kingdom of Serbia, Croatia, and Montenegro. The rich past has left its indelible mark on every brick of the city.

The resort is located in the center of the Adriatic coast. Today it is a modern center of summer recreation, where tourists are attracted by:

numerous sandy and rocky beaches

to suit any taste;

cozy cafes and restaurants

The trail to the mountains invites tourists to the most original of them - Rybnyak (next to the restaurant there is a waterfall, a wildlife corner, and a farm where they grow their own trout, eels, and carp);

Market Zelena Pjaca

where you can not only buy fresh fruit but also get acquainted with the national flavor;

noisy nightclubs

The most famous of these is Top Hill;

one of the largest water parks on the Adriatic coast

The water park has an area of 40 thousand m2 and can accommodate up to six thousand guests per day;

Monuments of culture and religion

the age of which can reach up to one and a half thousand years;

theater, music, and even poetry festivals

St. Sava Church in the Old Town of Budva

Popular Cultural and Religious Attractions

The district of Old Budva is the main cultural attraction of the city, its calling card. It is the outskirts of the settlement, where about three hundred inhabitants live and three times as many tourists settle in season. The narrow winding streets of the Old Town are surrounded by a strong fortress wall.

At every turn you'll find quaint cafes and restaurants serving ethnic cuisine. Strolling through Old Budva is especially lovely in the early morning when it's still quiet and peaceful.

The heart of the Old Town is lined with temples:

the ninth-century church of St. Mary on the promontory ("in punta")

It was once the site of a monastery of the same name, but history has preserved only one small church;

The Church of St. John the Baptist

built in the seventh century;

The Church of St. Sava

a mere 15 m2 in size, created in gray and red stone in the twelfth century;

Church of the Holy Trinity

Orthodox cathedral, designed by an architect in Byzantine style.

Old Budva is home to Montenegro's main archaeological museum, as well as an ethnographic museum that traces the complicated fate of Montenegrins as a nation.

Podmaine Monastery

The exact date of construction of Podmainje, or as it is also called Podostrog, is unknown. It is believed to have been created in the 12th to 14th centuries. The monastery is a silent witness to the complex centuries-long struggle of religious denominations: Podmajine was burned several times, rebuilt, given to the Austrians, and even used as a defense structure. In 1995, the monastery was finally reconstructed, and now it receives thousands of Orthodox pilgrims every year.

The two main churches of the monastery (Big and Small) are named after the main religious holiday of Montenegrins, the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. It was on this day that the Serbian Orthodox Church gained autonomy six centuries ago.

Kosmac Fort

Not far from the city, at an altitude of 800 meters, is a sight rarely mentioned in Russian-language guides to Budva - Fort Kosmač. This fortress of the ХІХ century was formerly located on the border of Montenegro and Austria-Hungary. People come up here to take great panoramic pictures of the Riviera.

St. Mary's Fortress

In Old Budva, there is the Citadel or St. Mary's Fortress. The citadel is a castle with impregnable towers and 10-meter walls, built in the IX-XV centuries. On the wall of the fortress opposite the entrance to the library is the symbol of the resort - a bas-relief with two fish. They are associated with the legend of the mason Marko and the daughter of a rich citizen Helena, whose love gave Budva its name. It is said that by touching the symbol of the city you can find your happiness.

The Citadel is home to the Maritime Museum with models of the famous Mayflower and Bounty ships, as well as a library with unique publications.

Budva City Beaches

There are several beaches in the Old Town, such as Richard's Head and Mogren beaches. Budva itself has one of the longest beaches in Montenegro, Slavic Beach, and the tiny Pisana Beach. Pizana is only one hundred and fifty meters long but has a well-developed infrastructure (the beach has toilets, showers, a playground for children, and a cafe).

Richard's Head

For lovers of a classic summer vacation, you can warm up on the beach of Richard's Head: the entrance to it is located in the Citadel. Territorially, it is a small piece of Slavic beach, covered with large pebbles. Here the sea has a gentle bottom and absolutely transparent water.

Richard's Head has all the necessary amenities for recreation:

free space for towels

for free relaxation;

paid sun loungers and umbrellas

to relax in comfort;

toilet, showers, changing cabins
restaurants

where you can have a tasty and quick snack;

sports equipment for rent

Basketball, volleyball, soccer, tennis, boat, and kayak rentals.

If you turn right from the beaches of Old Budva, it's easy to walk to the famous gymnast statue. A local sculptor created it from a fourteen-year-old Serbian track and field girl vacationing on Mogren beach with her parents.

Mogren Beach

Mogren 1 and Mogren 2 are beaches that are territorially located in the Old Town. These classic sandy beaches are among the most famous in Budva. They are located at the foot of steep cliffs. At the bottom of the sea, there are smooth pebbles. The water is amazingly clear, absolutely transparent, unique turquoise color.

Comparative characteristic of the beaches:

Mogren 1 is usually overly crowded

There are a lot of young people and families with children.

Mogren 2 is wilder

There is worse infrastructure, tourists are more often on towels than on sun beds, but prices for services are noticeably lower.

To enjoy the picturesque beach panorama, you can enjoy the restaurant Vista Vidikovac. Its summer terrace is located on a hill above the beaches of Mogren.

Beyond the restaurant on the same hill are the century-old ruins of the Mogren fortress, offering a wonderful view of the Budva Riviera and the island of St. Nicholas.

Slovenska Plaža

Slovenska Plaža is the largest beach in the region, about one and a half kilometers long, stretching from Budva Port to the tunnel leading to Becici.

The undoubted advantages of the beach are as follows:

entry to the beach is free

Loungers and umbrellas are inexpensive;

it's fairly clean

Slovenian beach is cleaned daily in the morning and evening;

there are fresh water showers on the beach;
changing cabins and toilets are plentiful;
some children's playgrounds;
the local cafes and restaurants don't just prepare food

It's possible to ask for delivery of a dish, and it will be brought directly to the specified lounger;

For those who like to live by the sea, there are several hotels on the beach
Half of the beach is sandy, half is fine pebbles

So every tourist can choose the kind of coastline he likes.

The disadvantages of Slavyansky beach include:

its crowdedness

In the high season, the beach from a bird's-eye view because of the number of vacationers looks more like an anthill;

a slight odor of gasoline

Because of the large number of boats, motorboats, jet skis, and ships passing by;

it's always noisy

There are a lot of young people on vacation. There are also plenty of tourists with children, so those who like to relax at sea will be uncomfortable.

Beaches near Budva

Budva is girdled by several beaches that officially belong to its territory. The most famous of them are Jaz and the beach on the island of St. Nicholas.

"Hawaii" or the beach on the island of Sveti Nikola

"Hawaii" is a remote cozy beach for lovers of quiet rest. Sveti Nikola, the largest island in the southern Adriatic, can be reached by boat. From the waterfront, the island looks like a sleeping bear, from above it looks like a crocodile, from the sea, it is an impregnable rock, from the resort side, it is a green hill.

The length of the beach is approximately 800 meters. Because of its seclusion, Hawaii is a great place for diving and snorkeling. There are many small picturesque coves along the shore. There is a wonderful restaurant on the island where you should try the fish dishes.

The only disadvantage of the beach and vacation on the island, in general, is the cost of a quiet vacation: prices here are higher than in Budva itself.

Sveti Nikola is home to another attraction on the outskirts of Budva, the Church of St. Nicholas. The first mention of it dates back to the 16th century.

Jaz Beach

Jaz is a huge sandy beach spreading three kilometers from Budva. In addition to the standard infrastructure that ensures the comfort and hygiene of the vacationer, there is boat rental, jet skis, catamarans, kayaks. In the season on the Yaz several music festivals.

Other popular beaches near Budva

Besides the ones mentioned above, there are also the following beaches:

Guvance

The beach is not more than a hundred meters long on the road to Becici, located at Cape Zavala. Here on the cape, in addition to the emerald sea, sun, and sand, there is unspoiled picturesque nature;