"Budva" Top 5 Page for this destination Budva by pure1942

In recent times Budva has developed into a huge package holiday destination, due mainly to its great climate and beautiful crescent shaped beach. However Budva is much more than just another beach bum destination and although recent marketing of Budva has centred around the package holiday , it would be unfair to pigeon hole this historic town on the Montenegrin coast as lacking any old world charm. I just hope that the recent push to attract mass tourism won’t have any more of an adverse effect on the coast’s natural beauty, than it already has. I saw a recent article which expresses the wish and plans of The Montenegrin Tourism Board to market the country as a eco-holiday, outdoor and adventure destination. Hope this means that they calling a halt to the recent over-development of the Montenegrin coastline.
Granted the town has its less appealing sides but Budva still retains enough of its old world charm to make it interesting for travellers looking for more than just sunshine and a sandy beach with close proximity to a watering hole!

Budva’s biggest pull is the beautiful old town, which although severely damaged by an earthquake in 1979, has been carefully and accurately rebuilt and is now a lovely place to wander around, although I suspect the bars, cafe’s, shops and restaurants which fill the laneway properties were not part of the original Stari Grad ;)
Apart from the large collection of bars, cafes and restaurants, the picturesque little town is also home to a wide range of boutiques and traditional craft shops as well as the more historically interesting sights which are all surrounded by the impressive ramparts which encircle the town and are wonderful to walk around for views across the Old Town and out across the Budva Bay.
Highlights of the Old Town include the Kastel and Citadela, Old Town churches of Sv Sava, Sv Trojice, Sv Ivana Cathedral and the City Gates. The Old Town also contains several small museums and galleries and has a small beach just outside the walls to the south.

Outside the Old Town there isn’t a huge amount to see or do in Budva besides lazing on the beautiful beach or taking a boat trip out to St. Nikola Island in the centre of the bay. However, there is so much to do slightly further afield which can be reached easily from Budva. The old capital of Cetinje is only a short trip over the magnificent mountains which provide a scenic backdrop to Budva. Stari Bar and Sveti Stefan are another short bus ride away and the pretty seaside town of Petrovac Na Moru is also very close. The famous mountain clinging monastery at Ostrog, Skadar Lake and Durmitor National Park are further away but can still be reached from Budva. Kotor is my favourite place from my trip to Montenegro and this too is only a short trip from Budva.