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Budva
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Budva is a coastal tourist resort in Montenegro. It is often called "Montenegrin Miami", because it is the most crowded and most popular tourist resort in Montenegro, with beaches and vibrant nightlife.
[edit] Understand
Budva[1] is on the central part of Montenegrin coast, called "Budvanska Rivijera". It has developed around small peninsula, on which the old town is situated. It is by far most visited destination in Montenegro, attracting mostly domestic, Russian, Serbian and other Eastern European tourists with an old town, bars and nightclubs, and beaches mostly consisting of small rocks. It is base for mass tourism, while in it's near vicinity there are luxury resorts such as Sveti Stefan or Miločer.
There are as many as 35 beaches in the greater area, mostly rock and a little sand (8 beaches are marked with blue flags). There are 84, mostly three- and four-star hotels (capacity of over 13,000 beds), about 100 private villas and bed and breakfast inns and private accommodation (60,000 beds) of various options.
During the summer in particular, the day and night-life offers opportunities to enjoy theatre plays and performances, music events and entertainment programs.
Many nightclubs use half prostitutes to attract customers, and families might be offended by the open display of almost naked girls in the street. There is mainly one street, the main promenade, where all the action happens.
Budva appears to be undergoing poorly planned, unchecked growth with towering unattractive apartment buildings and hotels being built wherever there is open space - which unfortunately includes building directly on the seaside. As of the summer of 2009, the most notable of such developments includes a multi-storey building under construction directly outside the walls of old town that blocks what was once a stunning view of the beach, sea and sky from the stone paved area around old town, and greatly detracts from the beauty of the old town area.
Many tourists may find Budva disappointing and cheesy because of the over-crowded beaches filled with chairs, umbrellas and contantly thumping house music, the carnival atmosphere, the litter on the streets, beaches and inside of old town, and the excessively high prices in relation to quality for accommodation, drinks, food and taxi service.
[edit] Get in
[edit] By plane
Tivat Airport [2] is 20km away. During summer, there are daily flights to many European destinations. Throughout the year there are flights from Tivat to Belgrade and Zurich. Charter flights also to Moscow, Helsinki and other cities. Transportation between the airport to Budva is easy to find.
Podgorica airport [3] is 65km away, and has flights throughout the year to Belgrade, Budapest, Zurich, Frankfurt, Ljubljana, Paris, Rome, Vienna and as of October 2008, London Gatwick. Buses run between Podgoricia and Budva year round. Taxis run €50 to €100. (Fix a price beforehand, do not just accept the meter!)
Dubrovnik airport [4](DBV) in Croatia is around 80km away from Budva, and maintains flights to many European destinations throughout the year, providing a good alternative to the Montenegrin airports.
[edit] By bus
Budva is very well connected by bus with cities within Montenegro and major cities in neighboring countries. Buses are usually on schedule though the schedules vary from season to season, with more buses running during the summer. There is no good online source for the frequently changing schedules so it's best to call the bus station directly at +382 33 456 000.
The bus station is a 20 minute walk, or €5 taxi ride, from the old town.
Budva to Sarajevo runs daily at 8:10 (Balkan Express minibus) and the journey takes about 7 hours, stopping at Podgorica and other cities. The price ticket is €16.5 one-way.
Budva to Herceg Novi (and vice-versa) buses run daily approximately every 30 minutes. The journey takes 1.5 hours and costs around €6 one-way.
Budva to Dubrovnik continuing to Split runs 3 times a week. There are daily buses during the summer in the morning (check current bus schedule for accurate time) which can get full quickly so arrive early to get a ticket. The journey takes around 3 hours. There is a spectacular view from the bus during this route.
[edit] By car
- Car rental in Budva [5] , Car Hire and airport transfer shuttle service from Budva to Tivat, Podgorica and Dubrovnik.
[edit] By thumb
[edit] Get around
If you came to Budva with your own car, use it inside the city only when you have to. Traffic is terribly congested during the summer, and parking space around the old town is almost impossible to find, and very expensive when you do.
There is no public transportation within the city other than little tourist "train" that operates between Budva and nearby Bečići through the main Budva promenade.
Taxis are abundant in Budva, but are not cheap - a ride anywhere within Budva will cost you around €5 - and prices vary depending on which taxi company you happen to get. Try to choose a taxi that has a rate card displayed and a meter visible on the dash - and then watch to insure the meter is set appropriately when starting - to avoid getting ripped off.
There are many tourist boats that dock in Budva harbor which offer rides to nearby beaches, Sv. Nikola island, or one-day trips to various destinations on Montenegrin coast, but these are also expensive. Unlike other seaside cities, there are no €1 water taxis here.
During summer 2009, Olimpia Express ran reasonably priced shuttle buses from just outside old town to Jaz beach, Petrovac, and Sveti Stefan:
Budva to/from Jaz: every 2-3 hours
Budva to/from Sveti Stefan: every 30 minutes or less for 1.50€.
Budva to/from Petrovac: approximately every 2 hours
You can also get into Inter-City-Busses,for example Igalo-Bar etc.
[edit][add listing] See
- Stari Grad, the Old town on the peninsula in Budva center.
- Sveti Stefan, most picturesque part of Montenegrin coast.
- Mogren beach, secluded beach near the old town. (entrance fee: €1)
- Excursion with a travel agency, there are many agencies offering boat trip around Boka Kotorska (I recommend), Albania, Sv. Stefan, diving trips etc.
- Some of the most beautiful beaches are located in the vicinity of Budva, and you can expect that, by car, you will travel to them up to 1 hour! That is especially the case with beaches south-east of Budva, such as Bečići, Miločer, Pržno, Kamenovo...when you get there - you will have to pay for the parking, anywhere from €2 to €5.
- Note that the Kraljičina beach in Miločer is operated in part or wholly private as of summer 2009. If accessible, it boasts the highest prices on Budvanska Rivijera, together with Sveti Stefan. Kraljičina and Mogren beaches are the only ones where they can charge you for entrance, all the other beaches are free to access. However, on most of the remote beaches you will have to pay for the parking.
[edit][add listing] Do
- Sunbathe on some of the most beautiful beaches Montenegro has to offer.
- Stroll through narrow streets of Stari Grad, the old town.
- Drink coffee at some of many crowded open bars.
- Enjoy the nightlife at the many bars and clubs.
- Walk the 10km long hiking path to Sveti Stefan. At first the path follows the Slovenska Plaza and then passes the village of Becici until it reaches the village of Rafailovici. Here the path continues through a recently built tunnel, passes the Kamenovo beach area and follows the coast to a place called Zoff’s fish restaurant. Now the path turns to the left and up to the main road. Turn right at the Kusta grill restaurant and walk along the main road for about 300 metres. Before the end of the viaduct there are steps leading down to Przno beach. Walk through the local beach restaurants and keep your eyes open for signs saying hotel Maestral. Enter through the arch gate. Keep walking, and after the next hotel, Kraljicina Plaza, you can either continue along the same road or choose the more beautiful beach path. Both options take you all the way to Sveti Stefan.
- Get to know the local people – Pastrovices, Mains, Grbljans and others - and their culture better, by trying traditional cuisine in a warm and hospitable environment.
[edit][add listing] Buy
Old town is packed primarily with boutiques selling very expensive shoes and clothing, but beware of counterfeited variants of world famous brands.
The main Budva promenade has a long string of stands with very cheap - in quality, not always in price - clothing, sunglasses, souvenirs, etc.
Friendly service in Budva shops is not the norm. Service people usually do not smile or make eye contact and are often brusque.
Alert: When buying anything in Budva, be on the lookout for overcharging. In particular, when buying fruits and vegetables from street vendors or in the local farmer's market, avoid buying from vendors who don't display prices as it is likely you will be charged more than the "normal" rate. Also, keep an eye on the scale when the vendor weighs your purchase as it is common that they will claim the produce weighs more than it actually does, resulting in further overcharging.
[edit][add listing] Eat
There is a wide choice of places to eat at in Budva. In old town you will find almost anything: from pizza-places, bakeries to seafood and Chinese restaurants. Across the harbor, at the very coast, there are some premium fresh seafood restaurants, notably "Jadran" and "Donna".
Along the entire promenade there are many fast food places, offering barbecue, giros, pancakes, slices of pizza, icecream...with affordable prices. A McDonalds seasonal restaurant is open on the promenade during the summer.
- O Sole Mio, Slovenska obala 15 (near the Old Town), ☎ +382 (0)86 457 713, [6]. Huge pizzas for a little money. edit This is probably the most expensive palce along the Budva riviera, everything extra costs huge amounts, I paid €5 for an extra 100g of spagetti on my pizza. That is hardly a good deal! But pizzas are huge as mentioned... Instead I would suggest Pizzaria Big Blue, on the same street a couple of hundred meters from O Solo Mio, Pizzas are great and cheap.
- Restaurant Porat (Rafailovici), Pastrovska Ulica and Becicka Plaza (Follow Pastrovska Ulica down to the Adriatic. Porat Restauant is on the left.), ☎ 033.471.145. Breakfast-Late dinner. Exquisite seafood restaurant, with equally delicious meatier alternatives, complimented by a well-chosen wine list, surrounded by beautiful gardens and a gorgeous view of the Adriatic. edit
[edit][add listing] Drink
Budva is full of cafes, bars and nightclubs. During the season it is hard to find a place to seat, as cafes and bars in Budva center are crowded all the time. Some of the most popular places in Budva center are "Palma", "Millenivm", "Sole mio" on the promenade and "Ričardova glava"(Richard's head) on the beach of the same name, on the south side of the old town, "Maša" cafe-restaurant on the Pizana beach, near the harbor, as well as many places inside old town and across the harbour.
Espresso will cost from €1 to €1.50. Coke and other soft drinks and juices will cost from €1.50 up to €3.50. Local beer costs an average of €2.50 and mixed drinks can go from €7 and up.
[edit] Nightlife
There is variety of bars and clubs to go out in Budva. There are many outdoor bars and cafes just located outside the walls outside of Stari Grad in the main plaza, as well as as clubs such as "Trocadero", "Miami", "Renaissance" and "Rafaello" along the adjacent promenade. Most play loud club style music.
Inside of the old town, the side-by-side bars, Caffe Greco and Caffe Jef is a popular outdoor club with no cover charge and DJ'd music.
Bars are allowed to play music until 01.00 AM, when the crowds move to some of the nightclubs.
There are also two remote nightclubs, "Maine" and "Torine, the latter being in Bečići, both which play folk music.
Also the popular option is going from some of the open bars directly to "Secondo Porto" club in Kotor, which is some 30 minutes driving away.
Always ask for a bill, as they must provide it by law. If you don't - it's likely that they'll overcharge your drinks, especially if they see you are a foreigner!
[edit][add listing] Sleep
Accommodation in Budva is abundant, and varies from renting a room for €10 to handsomely priced five-star hotels.
There are big differences in prices of accommodation - not only between types of accommodation but for same accommodation during different times of the year. For example, a hostel-like room that rents for €7 per person/per night during the off-season can rent for €20 and up per person/per night during July and August.
[edit] Budget
During the summer it is easy just to come to the bus station and find local people offering rooms. Be aware, though, that there is a problem with water in Budva, and you should confirm that the accommodation you choose insures the availability of water.
The prices range from €7 to €15 for a person/night/private room. The lowest price is usually with shared bathroom and kitchen, for €15 per person/per night you can have an apartment with private kitchen and shower.
- A room can be rented easily from the local people and the price varies from as low as €7-10 (in low-season, prices are much higher in July and August) to €30 (more like €65 in July and August) for more luxurious rooms closer to city center.
[edit] Mid range
- Hotel Avala
- Hotel Mogren
- Hotel Astoria Hotel Astoria [7]
- Slovenska plaža hotel complex
- Hotel Residence Hotel Residence [8]
- Hotel Villa Montenegro Hotel Villa Montenegro [9]
Radio Budva [10]
There are dozens of other mid-range hotels throughout the city...
[edit] Splurge
- Blue star hotel
- Hotel Šajo
- Hotel Max Prestige
[edit] Private Accommodation
- Listing of private Accommodations and Hotels [11]
[edit] Contact
Within Stari Grad, the old city, you can find wi-fi internet access at The Prince English Pub.
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