The most beautiful places in Montenegro

In Bulgarian Budva sounds like the word awake, and in this city really worths staying awake enjoying the 35 beaches in the area during the day, followed by an active nightlife. Located on the Adriatic coast, Budva is one of the most visited resorts of Montenegro with wonderful architecture and undisguised charm accumulated by the millennial history of the city.

The area around Budva has been inhabited since ancient times. According to local legend, the city was founded by Cadmus, a Phoenician who was exiled to Thebes and after leaving it, he and his wife Harmonia found shelter here. Thus, the city was founded by the Phoenicians, who are the oldest navigators, as early as the 5th century BC. After that, Budva became part of the Roman Empire, Venice, Austria-Hungary, from 1944. is part of Yugoslavia, and since 2006 is officially within the borders of Montenegro.

Due to the devastating earthquake that shook the city in 1979, Budva was rebuilt, and today the resort is thriving and attracting tourists from all over the world.

Before reaching Budva, we made a short break at Skondren Lake, which is the largest lake on the Balkan Peninsula, located on the border between Montenegro and Albania. The Montenegrin shores of the lake have been declared a national park and here you can see some of the largest bird colonies in Europe, with representatives of 270 species of birds. We were impressed by the clear lake waters and the hospitable local people.

On the way to Budva, we were also impressed by the famous island of St. Stefan, where the luxurious 5-star Aman Sveti Stefan hotel is located, which a number of world-famous show business stars regularly visit. There are  3 churches on the island,  the oldest of which is dedicated to St. Stephen, and the others are respectively dedicated to Alexander Nevsky and the Transfiguration of the Lord.

Arriving in Budva, we left our luggage at the hotel and began our walking tour along the narrow streets and squares, reaching the Cathedral of St. John. It was built at the end of the 12th century, on the remains of an old Christian basilica and is very beautiful inside.

The old town of Budva also impressed me, as it is located on a small island that was connected to the mainland by a sandy strip and over time turned into a peninsula. It is surrounded by 15th-century fortifications, with fortresses, walls, and towers. They were destroyed during the great earthquake, but then restored.

The old part of the town is in close proximity to the marina, where luxury yachts constantly dock.

It is also worth climbing to the top of the Citadel, from where there is a wonderful view of the nearby island of St. Nikola and the entire Budva Riviera. Some call Budva the “Montenegrin Miami” and it is no coincidence that the entire coast bears its name Budva Riviera. The resort is mostly known for its active nightlife and many cultural events in the summer. Although most of the beaches here are pebbly, there are always a few sandy beaches among them. In any case, it is worth visiting Budva, just allow yourself less time for sleep, and more for waking and enjoying it!

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT BUDVA:

Location: Budva is located on the Adriatic coast of Montenegro.
Area: 122 sq. m.km
Altitude: 3 m
Population:  13 338 people (2011 data)
Official language: Montenegrin, which is a dialect of Serbo-Croatian and uses both the Cyrillic and Latin alphabets.
Climate: Mediterranean, with mild and rainy winters, and hot sunny summers.
Time zone: UTC+1
Currency: euro (EUR)
Additional information: www.budva.me  

TRIP TIPS FOR BUDVA: