Welcome to Budva, Montenegro

If you’ve never heard of Budva, Montenegro, don’t worry, I didn’t know anything about it a year ago, either.

But I’m glad I discovered it, and now I’ll tell you a little bit about it.

Where is Montenegro?

Montenegro was part of the former Yugoslavia. It’s located in the Balkans, just south of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

See Balan Tourism – Sarajevo post for a geographical orientation.

What’s Budva, Montenegro Known For?

I discovered Montenegro because I’d heard about the beach town of Budva. Budva is the most popular city, but not the capital. The capital is actually Podgorica.

Budva is known for its incredible mountain scenery and friendly people. But for a solo male traveler, Budva Montenegro is known as the vacation destination for beautiful Russian tourists.

Also, Budva is about one hour south of Dubrovnik Croatia.

The Famous Belgrade to Montenegro Train

The train from Serbia to Montenegro is known as one of the most scenic train rides in the world. It lives up to that reputation.

To get to Budva, I think the most convenient route is to go from Belgrade to a small town called Bar. I think that’s the last stop on the route.

Then you’ll have to take a taxi to Budva.

In Bar, there’s only one bus to Budva per day. While probably cheaper, it’s much more convenient to take a taxi. The driving time is one hour along the canyons and coast.

The taxi ride is about $35.

You could probably do it a bit cheaper if you take the train to the capital city of Podgorica, then take a bus to Budva – but I didn’t do it.

Regarding the train ride, the scenery starts about 2 hours before getting to Bar.

(That is why you can take the overnight train from Belgrade. At least in the summer, because the last two hours are in daylight.)

Finally, the train itself is anything but a modern train. But who cares, you’re on it for the scenery.

Accommodations in Budva, Montenegro

Budva is a beach town. There are tons of hotels near the beaches, and there are beaches all up and down the beautiful coast.

I stayed at the Hotel Tre Canne in the Slovenska section of Budva. This area of the Budva Riviera felt like the center of town. This part of town was very nice.

This was a nice hotel; however, it looked and felt like a condo that was converted into a hotel. Yes, there was daily maid service, but it felt like something was missing.

The view from my room over the Adriatic was amazing.

Also, the bar on the top floor of the hotel had an amazing view too. The bar itself is a bit old and stuffy.

What to Do in Budva, Montenegro

Old Town Budva

This really is the old section of Budva. Apparently, it was the first part of Budva built many years ago.

You walk into the town through the “gates.”

When you’re inside, there are small cobblestone streets and shops. Old Town is a fortified medieval town on the Adriatic coast, with narrow cobblestone streets and charming architecture dating back to the 15th century. It features a picturesque harbor, a variety of restaurants, and many historical and cultural landmarks, such as the Citadel and the Church of St. John.

At night, there are bars for partying. Unfortunately, I didn’t see too many hot girls in this area. But in fairness, I didn’t spend much time at the bars in Old Town Budva.

The Rocks & Ballerina Statue

There are a ton of beaches in Budva. Just outside the Old Town section, you can walk up the coast along the rocks to another beach called Morgen Beach.

Here you will see the Ballerina Statue that is famous in Budva. If you like the beach, you can stop anywhere around here, put down a towel, and relax.

Casino in The Splenda Hotel Budva Montenegro

The Splenda Hotel is supposedly one of the nicest in Budva.

I went there because there is a casino on the tenth floor. The rumor is that one of the James Bond movies was filmed in this casino. I don’t think that’s true.

The casino was ok. It was small because it was only on one floor of a hotel.

I was there on a Thursday night, and it was dead.

Mediteranska Street Budva Montenegro

I think this street was the main street in Budva. There’s a small mall on it.

There are decent restaurants on the main street that are good for people-watching.

Also, there’s a cool coffee shop to enjoy the busy street. It reminded me of when I used to sit at Coffee Bean on Sunset Blvd in Los Angeles and watch the traffic go by.

Girls Montenegro

Budva, and Montenegro in general, is not known for beautiful local girls.* As stated above, the reason travelers, or single guys, come here is for the Russian tourists.

*However, like all Balkan girls, Montenegrin girls are cute and in shape.

I understand that Russians don’t need visas to come to Montenegro. That is why it’s a popular spot for Russians.

Yes, you’ll see beautiful Russian girls in Budva. The only problem is that most of them are not girls there to party but instead moms with kids in strollers.

It’s funny, you’ll see a beautiful Russian girl walking in 5-inch heels, and a tiny skirt, pushing a stroller in Budva.

Summary

I went to Budva to relax on the beach. This is exactly what you can do here. The scenery is amazing, and I suspect you get a similar vibe to Dubrovnik and Split, Croatia, a little north.

O, and by the way, there’s tons of construction here, and foreigners are buying property in droves. There is clearly an appeal to Budva, Montenegro.