10 Top Things to Do in Budva

The Citadela is the great stone fortress at the seaward tip of the old town, its ramparts rising straight from the rocks above the Adriatic. The main defensive structure of medieval Budva, it offers the best views in town from its walls and terraces.

Inside are a small maritime museum and a historic library, and the wide terrace is a spectacular spot to watch the sun set over the sea and the island of Sveti Nikola offshore. The fortress also serves as an atmospheric stage for concerts during the summer Theatre City festival.

Pro Tip: Entry is about 5 EUR. Time your visit for late afternoon so you can linger on the terrace for sunset, the finest free-standing view over Budva and the sea.

Mogren Beach is Budva's most scenic beach, a pair of sandy coves tucked beneath cliffs just west of the old town. It is reached by a lovely cliffside path that hugs the shore, passing the famous Ballerina statue along the way.

The two small beaches, linked by a short tunnel through the rock, have clear water backed by dramatic cliffs, feeling more secluded than the busy town beaches despite being a short walk away. The setting, with the old town walls visible back across the bay, is the prettiest close to the centre.

Pro Tip: It is a scenic 10-minute walk from the old town along the cliff path. It is small and popular, so arrive early in summer for a spot, and bring water as facilities are limited.

Sveti Stefan is the postcard image of Montenegro, a tiny fortified islet of terracotta-roofed stone houses joined to the shore by a narrow causeway. Once a fishing village, it was transformed into an exclusive island resort and remains one of the most photographed sights on the Adriatic.

The islet itself is a private resort closed to non-guests, but the view from the road and the beaches on either side is the real draw, especially glowing at sunset. The public beaches flanking the causeway are open to all and offer the classic framed view of the island.

Pro Tip: Come for the view rather than access, as the island is closed to visitors. The viewpoint on the road above is free; a short local bus ride south from Budva drops you nearby.

The Ballerina, or Dancer, statue is one of Budva's most beloved landmarks, a slender bronze figure of a woman arching gracefully on a rock above the sea on the path to Mogren Beach. She has become an unofficial symbol of the town and a favourite photo stop.

Local legend ties her to a dancer who waited faithfully for her sailor love to return from the sea. Poised against the backdrop of the old town walls and the open Adriatic, she is especially striking at sunset, when photographers gather along the cliff path.

Pro Tip: She sits right on the free cliff path between the old town and Mogren Beach, so combine the two. For the classic silhouette shot, come at sunset with the sea behind her.

Slovenska Plaza (Slovenian Beach) is Budva's main town beach, a long arc of sand and fine shingle stretching east from the old town along the heart of the resort. Backed by a lively promenade of bars, restaurants, and hotels, it is the busy, social centre of Budva's beach life.

The shallow, gently sloping water suits families, and the beach offers every kind of watersport, from jet skis to banana boats, plus rows of sunbeds and umbrellas. Its central location, an easy walk from the old town, makes it the most convenient place for a swim in the thick of the action.

Pro Tip: It is a flat 5-10 minute walk from the old town. It gets crowded and lively in summer; for a quieter swim, head to the eastern end of the beach away from the centre.

The old town shelters a remarkable cluster of historic churches within its small walls. The Church of Santa Maria in Punta, founded in 840 AD, is the oldest, a simple pre-Romanesque stone chapel near the Citadela that now hosts concerts and exhibitions thanks to its fine acoustics.

Close by stand the Church of St John, with its tall bell tower and a revered icon of the Madonna, and the small Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity with its striped stonework and colourful frescoes. Together they trace Budva's layered Catholic and Orthodox heritage in a few steps.

Pro Tip: The churches sit within a couple of minutes of each other near the Citadela, so see them together. Check whether Santa Maria in Punta has an evening concert on during your stay.

Beyond the town beaches, the wider Budva Riviera offers some of the best sand on the Montenegrin coast. Just east, Becici is a long, award-winning stretch of golden sand and shingle, wider and more resort-like than the town beaches and lined with hotels and beach bars.

To the west, Jaz Beach is a broad open bay popular for its space and for the big summer concerts it has hosted, while smaller coves dot the coast in between. These beaches give you room to spread out and a change of scene from the busy central sands, all a short hop from town.

Pro Tip: Becici is walkable via the coastal path or a short bus ride; Jaz is best reached by car or taxi. Go early on summer weekends, when locals and visitors fill the sand.

Budva is known as the party capital of Montenegro, and its nightlife is a genuine attraction in its own right. As the sun goes down, the old town's squares and the seafront come alive with bars, lounges, and clubs, drawing a young summer crowd from across the region and beyond.

You can start with cocktails at an atmospheric bar tucked into the old-town lanes, then move on to the beach clubs and larger venues along the coast that keep going until dawn in high season. Even a quiet evening drink on a floodlit stone square has an unmistakable holiday buzz.

Pro Tip: The old-town bars suit an earlier, more relaxed evening; the big clubs get going late, after midnight. Nightlife peaks in July and August and is much quieter outside the summer season.

The finest day trip from Budva is to Kotor, less than an hour up the coast at the head of a spectacular fjord-like bay ringed by steep mountains. Its UNESCO-listed old town is a labyrinth of medieval squares, churches, and palaces enclosed by mighty Venetian walls.

The great challenge and reward is the climb up the fortifications behind the town to the fortress of San Giovanni, some 1,350 steps rewarded with a breathtaking view over the bay. The drive or boat trip along the Bay of Kotor itself, past the town of Perast, is half the pleasure.

Pro Tip: Frequent buses link Budva and Kotor in about 40 minutes. Start the walls climb early to beat the heat, wear proper shoes, and carry water, as there is little shade on the steps.