24 Hours in Budva
‘Miami of Montenegro’, ‘Hawaii of Montenegro’, ‘little Dubrovnik’ – these are just some of the names describing the metropolitan city of Budva. One of the pearls of Montenegro, the land of fairy tales, Budva proudly carries the title of Montenegro’s most visited tourist destination. Budva welcomes visitors with great food, amazing beaches, historic monuments, beautiful Old Town and vivid nightlife. If somehow you find yourself in Budva for just a day here are some things you should not miss in those 24 hours!
08:00 – There is no better way to start a day than with a good breakfast! We suggest that you head to the Old Town, pick the most adorable cafe bar you can find and order some kafa (coffee). Since the gastronomic traditions of Budva are shaped by its neighbouring countries everyone can find something to their taste. You can’t go wrong if you decide to try Montenegrin meals such as prosciutto, cheese from oil and doughnut-like priganice. Don’t forget to visit the nearest bakery for some burek (filo pastry filled with cheese, meat, spinach or potato).
09:00 – After you have finished your burek get ready for some sightseeing. You could spend half of your day exploring the Old Town but it still won’t be enough. Start your tour by entering the thick stone walls through the main city gates Porta di Terra Ferma, the western entrance to the city. Then follow the Njegoševa street until you reach the southernmost end of the city where you will find some of the most important sights such as Church of Saint Maria, Church of Saint Ivan and The Budva Citadel, a place of historical importance (and a great place for taking pictures!). If you make your way north you will come across The Roman Villa remains and the Museum of the Town of Budva that are also worth checking out.
11:00 – After walking around and enjoying the sights it is always nice to learn a bit more. Museum of the Town of Budva, situated in the very centre of the Old Town, is a great place to start. The Museum offers a great insight into the long and complex history of the town. You can also head back to The Citadel and visit the Maritime Museum of Budva if you had missed it. Modern Gallery of Budva, worth visiting, is also located inside the city walls.
14:00 – You are probably getting hungry by now, so why not treat yourself with some of domestic cuisine? Offer on the table is: various types of lake and sea fish, lamb, and even Italian cuisine. You can choose between the restaurants inside the Old Town, such as Konoba Stari Grad with its Mediterranean dishes and vine, Smsom with its vegetarian/vegan food. Outside the city walls, right on the seaside promenade you might stumble upon the restaurant Jadran kod Krsta which serves great fish dishes. Restaurant Kužina focuses on international food but there you can also try some traditional food, like riblja corba. Also try some of the traditional drinks such as: Montenegrin rakia, Vranac (red wine) and Krstac (white wine). After all that sightseeing and feasting make sure that you treat yourself with some ice-cream at Il Gelato di Salvatore.
15:30 – In the early afternoon the sun is still too high to go to the beach, so why not spend some time shopping or just lounging in a cafe somewhere overlooking the blue sea? For some peace time head to the Book Caffe Zen, Casper Bar or Coffeein, the latter praised as serving the best coffee in Montenegro, but it’s up to you to find out if that’s true. When it comes to shopping, the Old Town and the main promenade are dotted with little boutiques and souvenir shops. Also make sure that you visit the summer bazaar situated right next to the promenade.
16:30 – Is there a better way to spend summer afternoons than hitting the beach? Well, in Budva you can choose between 35 different beaches and here are some of the best ones. Only 150m from the Old Town you can find the Mogren beach, where you can see The Dancer from Budva, a symbol of the city. Among the locals there are many legends on who the bronze girl may be, but they will all tell you to rub certain parts of the statue – for it might give you good luck! Ricardova glava is also right next to the Old Town Walls, so if you are tired of walking through the streets of Budva it is a great place to go. Little bit further from the city walls you can find the small Pizana beach and Slovenska beach where many bars offer cool drinks. Beach Jaz, one of the more popular resorts, is located 2.5km from Budva, while the exclusive hotels on the Becici beach are 3.3km from Budva.
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19:30 – Swimming has probably made you hungry again, so if you have had enough of fish and wine, head down to The Old Fisherman’s Pub and treat yourself some great burgers or chicken and wash it all down with some good beer. Make sure that you try the most famous local beer Niksicko pale lager while you enjoy the great view from the terrace. Those on a budget can head to the Grape Cafe or restaurant Verde. The most popular places to go and eat are the Forsage Gastro Lounge offering both local and international cuisine, a small traditional family restaurant Konoba Bocun and Konoba Portun with its lovely rustic interior.
21:00 – Why call it a night when you can enjoy the nightlife of Budva? Sleepless summer nights are best when you have great clubs and beach bars to go to. There is something for everyone, from Top Hill overlooking the city of Budva, Trocadero on the Slovenska beach where the party does not stop until the dawn to Emporio club located inside the city walls. If you are not the type for dancing, head back to the Old Town where during the summer months you can also enjoy the Budva Theatre City Festival. During the summer the whole city becomes an open stage with many different activities such as poetry readings, theatre performances and exhibitions. And finally end the night with a long peaceful walk on the beautiful Budva promenade.
