Villa Nikolic

One of Montenegro’s most popular holiday destinations, Budva on the Adriatic Sea offers a mix of medieval history and glamorous beach life. Surrounding the town is a 21km stretch of coastline, known as the Budva Riviera, with 17 beaches to choose from. The Old Town (Stari Grad) is a walled city on a small peninsula, filled with quaint stone buildings and paved alleys. After dark, the town's nightlife is awash with beachfront concerts, elegant bars and a burgeoning nightclub scene. 

Some hostels in Budva will greet you with a welcome drink, or you can meet fellow travellers over a shared barbecue or on a shady terrace. You'll also find Budva hostels that organise boat trips on the Adriatic Sea, pub crawls, karaoke nights or music quizzes. You can choose between staying in an apartment, private room or dorm with en-suite bathroom and free Wi-Fi. To make the most of the ocean and Old Town views, go for a Budva hostel with a rooftop terrace or pick a private apartment with a balcony. 

The Old Town of Budva dates back 2,500 years and is one of the oldest settlements on the Adriatic Sea, with red-tiled roofs, narrow cobblestone streets and historic monuments including the Citadel. Mogren Beach is actually twin sandy beaches separated by a short cave-like tunnel, only 150 metres from the Old Town. To explore further afield, travel 6km from Budva to the fairytale-like Sveti Stefan, a small fortified islet and one of the country’s most photographed sites.

Budva's beaches have pedal boats and jet-skis, and are also home to the annual Sea Dance Festival. Inland, you can head to Aquapark Budva, with extreme water slides measuring 145m long, a swim-up bar serving refreshing cocktails and VIP cabanas. Podmaine Monastery is 2.5km outside the city, and is a small Orthodox complex with peaceful gardens and courtyards, and a small church covered with impressive frescoes. 

You can get up and down the coast near Budva, including to Sveti Stefan and coastal town Petrovac, by shuttle bus or water taxi. Montenegro has two international airports: Tivat Airport is 20km away and is accessible by local bus in 40-45 minutes, and Podgorica Airport is 65km away. You can also get to Budva from Dubrovnik Airport, across the border in Croatia, though you'll need to take a private transfer or change at Dubrovnik bus station to reach Budva. The bus terminal in Budva connects with Kotor, Ulcinj and Cetinje, as well as international destinations like Zagreb, Sarajevo, Belgrade and Tirana.