Budva Riviera
3
Day Itinerary •
Montenegro
Three days on the Budva Riviera takes you along the finest stretch of coastline in Montenegro, from the extraordinary walled old town of Budva and the iconic island hotel of Sveti Stefan to the hidden monastery beaches of the south coast and the wild Platamuni cliffs above the Adriatic. This route covers the complete Budva Riviera. The Budva old town Citadella, the view from above Sveti Stefan at sunset, the hidden beach of Crvena Glavica, the extraordinary monastery of Rezevici perched on the cliff, the wild Buljarica beach and the finest grilled fish, local Vranac wine and Montenegrin prosciutto at every stop along the coast.
Best Time To Visit
May to October
Getting There
Fly into Tivat (TIV), 30 min drive to Budva
Getting Around
Car recommended; old town walkable
Budget Per Day
Approx 60 to 110 euros per person per day
Difficulity
Easy, walking and driving
DAY 1
BUDVA OLD TOWN
MORNING
BUDVA OLD TOWN, THE FINEST WALLED CITY ON THE RIVIERA
Budva old town is the finest medieval walled city on the Montenegrin coast, a compact Venetian settlement on a small peninsula enclosed by 15th-century walls with the Adriatic on three sides. The Citadella fortress at the tip of the peninsula gives extraordinary views along the coast in both directions. The Church of the Holy Trinity, the Cathedral of Saint John and the medieval lanes between them are all extraordinary. Arrive before 9am when the old town is empty and the morning light on the stone is perfect. Citadella entry approx 3 euros. Drive: 20 min walk
MIDDAY
MOGREN BEACH AND THE TUNNEL WALK
Mogren beach just west of Budva old town is one of the finest beaches on the riviera, two pebble coves separated by a rocky headland connected by a short tunnel cut through the cliff. The walk from the old town through the tunnel to the second Mogren cove takes 20 minutes along an extraordinary coastal path with views back to the old town walls and the mountains above Budva. The water at both coves is extraordinarily clear. Beach free, sunbeds available. Drive: 10 min walk back
AFTERNOON
OLD TOWN WALLS AND THE CITADELLA AT SUNSET
The Budva old town walls can be walked in their entirety in 30 minutes, giving extraordinary views over the Adriatic to the south and the mountains above Budva to the north. The Citadella at the southern tip of the peninsula is at its finest at sunset when the light falls on the old town from the west and the sky turns extraordinary colours over the open Adriatic. The evening old town fills with local life and the restaurants and bars along the walls are the finest on the coast.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The small island of Sveti Nikola just offshore from Budva is the largest island on the Montenegrin coast, a forested hill with a lighthouse and a series of extraordinary pebble beaches accessible only by boat. Water taxis from Budva harbour run throughout the day in summer for approx 5 euros return. The beach on the far side of the island is the finest.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Cafe in Budva old town Coffee on the old town waterfront before the crowds. Extraordinary views of the Adriatic walls. | Lunch: Konoba Stari Grad, Budva Local Montenegrin food in the old town. Grilled fish, local prosciutto and Vranac wine. | Dinner: Restaurant Jadran, Budva Finest seafood restaurant on the old town waterfront. Fresh Adriatic catch and local wine.
DAY 2
SVETI STEFAN
MORNING
SVETI STEFAN, THE MOST ICONIC IMAGE IN MONTENEGRO
Sveti Stefan is the most iconic image in Montenegro, a 15th-century fortified island village connected to the mainland by a narrow causeway, entirely converted to the extraordinary Aman resort in the 1960s. The island itself is accessible only to hotel guests but the viewpoints above from the coastal road are extraordinary and entirely free. The public beaches on either side of the causeway, Milocer to the north and Sveti Stefan beach to the south, are among the finest on the riviera. Drive: 20 min drive south
MIDDAY
CRVENA GLAVICA, THE HIDDEN BEACH BELOW THE CLIFFS
Crvena Glavica is the finest hidden beach on the Budva Riviera, a small pebble cove below extraordinary red limestone cliffs reached by a 10-minute path down from the coastal road between Sveti Stefan and Petrovac. The water is an extraordinary shade of turquoise and the beach is shaded by pines in the afternoon. Almost no organised beach facilities make it the finest natural beach on the coast. Free to access. Drive: 15 min drive
AFTERNOON
PETROVAC, THE FINEST SMALL TOWN ON THE RIVIERA
Petrovac is the most extraordinary small town on the Budva Riviera, a compact Venetian settlement with a small beach, a Venetian fortress at one end and a 16th-century fortified tower at the other. The beach at Petrovac is sheltered and extraordinary. The walk along the old town waterfront at dusk, with the fishing boats in the harbour and the pine-covered hillside above, is the finest evening experience on the riviera outside Budva.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Milocer royal beach below the former Yugoslav royal villa at Milocer is one of the finest stretches of coastline on the entire Adriatic, a series of small pebble beaches below pine forest with extraordinary water clarity. The villa itself was used by the Karadjordjevic royal family and later by Tito. Beach entry approx 10 euros in peak season.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Cafe above Sveti Stefan Coffee at the viewpoint cafe with the extraordinary island view before the day visitors arrive. | Lunch: Beach konoba, Crvena Glavica Fresh grilled fish at the small beach bar below the red cliffs. Simple and extraordinary. | Dinner: Konoba Stari Grad, Petrovac Local fish, Montenegrin cheese and Vranac wine on the Petrovac waterfront at sunset.
DAY 3
SOUTH COAST
MORNING
REZEVICI MONASTERY, HIDDEN ON THE CLIFF ABOVE THE SEA
The Rezevici monastery complex on the cliff above the southern Budva coast is one of the most extraordinary hidden monasteries in Montenegro, a two-church complex dating from the 13th century almost entirely unknown to foreign visitors. The smaller church of St John contains extraordinary Byzantine frescoes in a remarkable state of preservation. The monastery sits in an olive grove above the Adriatic with views along the coast that are extraordinary. Free to enter, open daily. Drive: 20 min drive
MIDDAY
BULJARICA BEACH, THE WILDEST BEACH ON THE RIVIERA
Buljarica beach south of Petrovac is the longest and wildest beach on the Budva Riviera, a 2km stretch of pebble and sand backed by a nature reserve wetland where the Buljarica river meets the sea. The beach is entirely undeveloped at its southern end, with no sunbeds, no bars and extraordinary natural setting. The wetland behind is a remarkable bird watching site. Swimming in the extraordinary clear water with the mountains behind is the finest natural beach experience on the coast. Drive: 30 min drive
AFTERNOON
BAR, THE ANCIENT OLIVE TREES OF MONTENEGRO
The ancient olive grove near Stari Bar above the coast contains olive trees documented to be over 2,000 years old, the oldest olive trees in the world still producing fruit. The extraordinary gnarled trunks of the oldest trees are among the most remarkable natural objects in the Balkans. The ruined medieval town of Stari Bar above the grove, destroyed by the Ottoman bombardment of 1878, is the finest archaeological ruin on the Montenegrin coast. Stari Bar entry approx 2 euros.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The underwater archaeological site off the Budva coast contains the extraordinary remains of an ancient settlement submerged by a earthquake in the 5th century AD, visible from glass-bottomed boats in clear conditions. The site includes walls, ceramic vessels and mosaic floors at depths of 3 to 5 metres. Glass-bottomed boat tours from Budva harbour approx 15 euros.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Cafe in Petrovac Final riviera breakfast before the monastery drive. Petrovac in the morning is extraordinary. | Lunch: Beach bar at Buljarica Simple fresh fish at the beach bar at the northern end of Buljarica. Local and excellent. | Dinner: Restaurant in Budva Final dinner back in Budva old town. The waterfront restaurants are finest in the evening light.
DAY 4
MORNING
MIDDAY
AFTERNOON
💎 HIDDEN GEM
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
DAY 5
MORNING
MIDDAY
AFTERNOON
💎 HIDDEN GEM
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Where To Stay
Budva Old Town, all nights Hotel Astoria or apartments in the old town. Approx 70 to 160 euros per night. Sveti Stefan area Aman Sveti Stefan for the extraordinary experience. Or guesthouses from 60 euros. Budget option Apartments outside the old town walls in Budva from approx 35 euros per night.
Top Tips
1. Budva old town at 7am before the beach crowds arrive is extraordinary. The medieval lanes are entirely empty and the Adriatic light is perfect.
2. The viewpoint above Sveti Stefan on the road south is free and gives the finest photograph of the island hotel. Arrive at dusk for the best light.
3. Sveti Stefan island is an Aman resort and only hotel guests can enter. The viewpoint above and the public beaches either side are free and excellent.
4. Crvena Glavica beach south of Sveti Stefan is one of the finest hidden beaches on the riviera, reached by a 10-minute path down the cliff. Free.
5. Montenegro's Adriatic coast is significantly cheaper than the Croatian coast directly across the water. Everything costs roughly half as much.
6. The monastery of Rezevici is free to enter and almost entirely unvisited. The 13th-century frescoes in the small church are extraordinary.
Total Budget
60 to 110 euros/day