What to See in Budva (Montenegro)
Most of the historical monuments are concentrated in the old city Budva. Situated on a peninsula jutting out into the sea, it is a corner of typical Venetian and Mediterranean architecture. Despite the devastating effects of the 1979 earthquake, by 1987 the old city had been completely restored. The old city is surrounded by high fortified walls erected in the 15th century before the Turkish invasion. The walls are fortified with several towers, and the citadel is located in the center. The citadel is now a museum, and next to it are three ancient churches. The Church of St. Ivan was built in the 7th century, subsequent reconstructions continued until the 17th century. The bell tower of the church is the architectural dominant of the city. The Church of the Virgin Mary was built in 840, this is the only building that has survived from the monastery that once existed here. Holy Trinity Church was built in 1804,
The vast majority of believers in Budva are Orthodox Christians. In the city and its environs there are many Orthodox churches, monasteries Podostrog, Rezhevichi, Stanevichi, Gradisti. The Catholic community in Budva was formed before the Orthodox one, and Catholic churches still exist in the city, including the famous St. Ivan Church. According to ACRONYMMONSTER.COM, music festival in the Old Town in summer- “Song of Mediterana” (at the end of June). The best Serbian, Montenegrin and European performers of classical music come here. In the ancient citadel, the festival “Grad-Theatre” is held annually (from mid-July to the end of August). Musical programs are held in the Church of the Virgin Mary, which has a unique acoustics. The so-called “Poets’ Square” is arranged on the main square: a stone table and a chair are set up on the square, from where the participants speak. Those who wish can listen to works performed by the authors themselves.
On the coast around Budva, 21 km long, there are 17 beaches. The most famous among them are the Slavic beach and Mogren, covered with small pebbles, and the sandy beach Jaz, located 4 km from Budva. Not far from Budva is the island of St. Nicholas, which the locals call “Hawaii”. You can go there by boat.
Opposite Budva in the bay there are small resorts: Becici, Milocer and the island-hotel Sveti Stefan. Becici, a small resort town, is located 4 km from the center of Budva and 1.5 km from the town of Rafailovici. This resort is known for its golden pebble beach 2 km long, which received the “Grand Prix” in 1936 in Paris, as the best in Europe. This beach is a landing site for paragliders starting from the Brajici massif, 760 m above Budva.
Milocer and Saint Stephen – these are perhaps the most luxurious resorts in Montenegro. The royal family of Karađorđević once rested on the Royal Beach in Miločer. Milocer was also a summer holiday destination for King Nikola and his family. The beaches of Milocer have fine, pleasant sand. There is also a very beautiful botanical garden in which plants are grown, brought mainly from Asia, Africa and America. Sveti Stefan is an island connected to the coast by a narrow spit of small red pebbles. It was built in the 15th century by merchants and fishermen, and only in the 1960s was it turned into a hotel town. All the old buildings have been preserved here, which, combined with modern technologies, makes it attractive for lovers of comfortable romance. The advantages of the island were appreciated by many celebrities, including Sophia Loren, Claudia Schiffer and Sylvester Stallone. Locals are proud of such facts, but the prices here are appropriate.
The small resort town of Petrovac on the sea is located 17 km from Budva in a picturesque bay. On a rock that juts out into the sea and forms a natural bay, the Venetian fortress Castello of the 16th century has been preserved. Archaeologists have discovered Roman mosaics of the 3rd-4th century BC in the vicinity of the city. 4 km east of Petrovac is the old Hradiste monastery with late medieval frescoes (first mentioned in the 14th century). Opposite the city there are two small islands – the island of St. Nedelya and Katic. On the island of Holy Week there is a small church, which was built by a fisherman who escaped here after a shipwreck. These places attract diving enthusiasts. Famous beaches: Lucice, St. Nedelya and Buljarica.
