Budva: Montenegro’s Coastal Gem
Budva is a unique coastal town in Montenegro located on the gorgeous Adriatic Sea. It’s a popular destination for Montenegro tourists, known for its beaches, Old Town, and nightlife. While overshadowed by Kotor, Budva is worth a stop in your Balkan itinerary!
There isn’t a ton to do outside of the old town, and beaches, but this is the perfect place for a relaxing vacation. The old town is enchanting, the restaurants have amazing ambiance and delicious food, and if you’re looking to party, you’ve come to the right place!
Let’s get into how to spend the perfect day in Budva, Montenegro!
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Grab a Burek for Breakfast
Get an early start to your morning and grab a burek! Bureks are savory pastries, and are extremely popular in the Balkans. The best part? They are stuffed with different combinations of meat, cheese, and veggies. Spinach and cheese and beef are our favorites! Make sure to check out Pekara Mogren 2 for the best bureks in Budva!
Visit Sveti Stefan
Sveti Stefan is a typical coastal Balkan old town, and is extremely cool. The catch? You can’t actually go inside it! In a controversial move the Montenegrin government kicked all of the residents out of their homes and sold the property to Aman Resorts. Nevertheless, it is still interesting to get a glimpse of from afar, walk the beaches, explore the beach caves, and walk the pathway out to the island!
How to Get to Sveti Stefan
Sveti Stefan is around a 2 hour walk, that is super beautiful, but this isn’t the best for those tight on time.
The bus leaves every 15-20 minutes from the Budva bus station. While you buy your tickets in the station, the bus doesn’t pull into the station’s bays. Make sure to get directions from the attendants for where to wait outside. This costs 2.5 euros.
Taxis are the most expensive way to get from Budva to Sveti Stefan, but also the most convenient. They drive by the bus station frequently, but you can also ask your host to call a taxi for you!
There are a few bike, e-bike, and moped rental options in Budva, which is also a great option!
Explore the Old Town in Budva, Montenegro
After checking out Sveti Stefan, head back to Budva, specifically the Old Town. While small, it rivals that of other old towns in Montenegro. The narrow cobblestone pathways snake throughout this fortress-style old town. The walkways are lined with great restaurants, clothing stores, and bars with people overflowing outside. Check out the Church of St. Ivan, then enter the citadel for gorgeous views of the old town and greater Budva. If you want to learn about Budva’s history and culture, we recommend this private walking tour!
Old town is the perfect place to grab a bite to eat. For a traditional Montenegrin dish, try black risotto with seafood!
After exiting Budva’s Old Town, head over to the famous Ballerina. Time for a photo!
Enjoy the Budva Riviera
Budva is known as Montenegro’s Miami, and it’s one of those odd destinations where it is perfect for both partying AND family activities. What would Miami be without water activities? Put on your bathing suit and head to the Budva Riviera. There are loads of inflatable obstacle courses, boat rides, jetski rentals, paddleboarding, and more! Or, just relax on the beach and enjoy the clear-blue water! If the beaches on the Budva Riviera get too hectic, catch a boat ride over to Sveti Nikola Island!
- Book your stand-up paddleboard tour of beach caves here!
- Go paragliding over the Budva Riviera with this tour!
- Book a private boat tour with snorkeling here!
The boardwalk along the Budva Riviera is lined with impressive restaurants. Grab dinner here, and watch the sunset over a few drinks. Now is when we can tell what type of traveler you are. Are you putting the kids to bed or ready for a wild night out? Budva has great nightlife, with parties going until sunrise. Whatever your vibe is, we hope you have an amazing time in Budva!
Where to Stay in Budva
Budva Accommodations
How to Get to Budva
How to Get to Budva by Plane + Bus/Taxi
The best options for getting to Budva include flying into Tivat or Podgorica. From Tivat, you can take a 30-minute taxi ride or a bus to Budva. From Podgorica, this ride is over an hour. For those on a budget, taking the bus is easy! Book your bus tickets here!
How to Get to Budva by Bus
If you are coming from Kotor, the bus takes around 30 minutes to Budva. From Dubrovnik, Croatia, the bus ride is around 2.5 hours. As mentioned before, you can also take the bus from Tivat or Podgorica! Book your bus tickets here!
How to Get to Budva by Car
Local Rent is the cheapest option for renting a car in the Balkans. We do recommend avoiding the Kotor traffic at all costs! If you have Genius Status on Booking.com, we also recommend checking there! Outside of the Old Town and its surroundings, there are plenty of places to park your rental car in Budva. If you don’t want to drive, book this transfer service for shuttles around all of Montenegro!
Best Time to Visit Budva
Budva doesn’t get as crowded as Kotor, so other than restaurant reservations being tricky to get, you won’t have an issue with crowds. Budva is generally visited from May to October, with the more popular months being July and August. In May, the water will still be fairly cold, so keep that in mind if you’re planning on enjoying the beach activities! Many of the shops and restaurants are closed during the winter!
Keep Exploring Montenegro…
- Complete Guide to the Ostrog Monastery
- Podgorica: The Capital of Montenegro
- The Absolute Best Things to do in Kotor
Our Favorite Travel Resources
Accommodations: We use Booking.com for hotels and HostelWorld for hostels. We also use VRBO or TrustedHousesitters for longer stays.
Flights: We recommend using Skyscanner to find the cheapest and best flights.
Ground Transport: We use 12Go and Omio for buses and private transfers, and rentalcars.com and Discover Cars for rental cars.
Activities: GetYourGuide and Viator are the best websites for booking organized tours.
International Medical Insurance: We highly recommend SafetyWing for Digital Nomads and HeyMondo for those not traveling full-time, or who frequently engage in higher-risk adventure activities.
eSIM: We recommend Airalo or Holafly for getting data internationally.
Check out our Travel Resources Page for more of our favorite travel-related products and services!
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Budva, Montenegro FAQs
Is Budva Worth Visiting?
If you have the chance, absolutely! There are tons of beach clubs, restaurants and water activities along the boardwalk, and the old town and Sveti Stefan are very cool to visit. We don’t have plans to return to Budva as we feel that we hit the big things during our couple day stay, but if we’re in the area and looking to do water sports or lay on the beach we now know the place to be!
Should I go to Budva or Kotor?
If you have to choose one or the other, go with Kotor. You simply cannot beat the beauty of the mountain ranges surrounding the Kotor Bay. However, if you have time, I would also stop by Budva/Sveti Stefan for a few days or as a day trip!
Read: The Absolute Best Things to do in Kotor
How Many Days do you Need in Budva?
One or two full days is plenty of time to see everything that is unique to Budva. The water activities can be done anywhere else.
What is Budva Known For?
Sandy Beaches. Most Balkan beaches are rocky, so finding sandy beaches is rare. Definitely take advantage of this if you are there!
Is Budva, Montenegro Expensive?
No, Budva is very cheap (as is most of Montenegro!). Kotor is the most expensive area of Montenegro, as it is the most touristy.
