21 Gorgeous Photos of Budva, Montenegro's Coastal Paradise

Budva’s 2,500-year-old old town is a beautiful collection of stone buildings, jutting out into the Adriatic Sea. Wander the old town’s alleyways, with their walls covered in ivy and pale-purple wisteria flowers. Sit under the palms with a cold Niksicko beer, and explore the citadel.

Inside the old town, Budva museum houses hundreds of artifacts that were uncovered in Montenegro’s devastating earthquake in 1979. The earthquake reduced the country’s old towns to rubble, but unearthed local treasures that showed the town to be much older than originally thought.

Budva’s citadel got its current form from the Austro-Hungarians, who fortified it and built barracks. Today, visitors can explore the library and museum, and enjoy the views of the whole Budva Riviera from the citadel’s restaurant.

Budva old town is flanked by gorgeous beaches. Richard’s Head beach, next to the old town, is the ideal place for cooling off and soaking in the gorgeous scenery. A short walk along the seaside path leads to Mogren Beach, a sandy cove backed by a cliff that feels a world away from the bustling town. On the other side of the old town, Slovenian Beach and its seaside hotels are popular destinations on hot summer days.

The Budva Riviera is a stretch of coast from Budva town to Petrovac. The riviera hides little getaways, idyllic beaches, and Mediterranean villages.

Sveti Stefan is an island resort that’s one of the top places to stay on the Budva Riviera. The 5-star Aman Resort boasts a private island, pink pebble beaches, and a former royal residence as part of its guest offering. Sveti Stefan hamlet also has rooms and apartments, all with million-dollar views of the island. Visitors to the area can take a dip in the public beach and walk through Milocer Forest Park.