{"id":59280,"date":"2026-04-09T16:58:20","date_gmt":"2026-04-09T13:58:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.journeys6senses.com\/budva\/"},"modified":"2026-06-03T14:45:04","modified_gmt":"2026-06-03T11:45:04","slug":"budva","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.journeys6senses.com\/en\/budva\/","title":{"rendered":"Budva – beach holiday in Montenegro"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Budva is a charming coastal town in Montenegro, known for its rich history, stunning surroundings, and vibrant nightlife. It is located on the Budva Riviera and is its main tourist city. Budva can be a great place for you to relax if you plan to see beautiful sights along the coast, as well as explore inland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is especially suitable for those who either do not want or are afraid to rent a car and explore Montenegro on their own. Instead, they choose public transport or excursions over driving. By basing yourself in Budva, you can organize such an active vacation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is exactly how we once discovered this resort town, staying in apartments and traveling around the country for a week. It was our first trip to Montenegro, and we decided to stay in Budva and explore its beaches and this wonderful country from there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When is the best time to vacation in Budva<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The best time to visit Budva depends on personal preferences, as each season has its own advantages. However, if you are looking for warm weather and pleasant sea water for swimming, then the peak season from June to August inclusive is the best time to visit.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daytime air temperatures can reach up to +30\u00b0C, and water +25\u00b0C in July-August<\/strong>, making this time ideal for swimming and sunbathing. With this in mind, the Budva coast can be quite crowded with holidaymakers at this time. Accommodation and outdoor activities are noticeably more expensive during this period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you prefer peace or more free space at the beach in milder temperatures, then the ideal seasons are from April to May<\/strong> (the water is cold, but walking by the sea and exploring the country is a great time). Or from September to October<\/strong>\u2014up to mid-September the water is still warm, you can sunbathe and enjoy empty beaches. The weather is still pleasant, with temperatures ranging from 20\u00b0C to 25\u00b0C. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winter<\/strong> in Budva lasts from November to March and is the low season for tourism. The weather can be quite cool, with temperatures ranging from 7\u00b0C to 12\u00b0C. Nevertheless, the town’s coastal location means it’s never too cold here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Transport in Budva<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Budva has very good transport connections. The city is served by excellent roads, such as the Adriatic Highway<\/strong>, and Tivat<\/strong> Airport is 20 km from the city. There are few trains, but buses will easily get you to any town along the coast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Intercity buses in Montenegro<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The bus connection along the coast is quite good. There is a regular bus service between Budva and the rest of Montenegro. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Buses to Sveti Stefan run every 10 minutes, and to Petrovac\u2014hourly. There are regular services to\/from Herceg Novi and Kotor in the north, Bar and Ulcinj in the south, and inland to Cetinje and Podgorica.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, if you expect to see nice bus stations and a proper schedule\u2014don’t. More often than not, these are simple buildings, sometimes resembling sheds with outdated printed schedules to benches on the street, or unmarked stops under trees by the roadside. The bus station in Budva is located here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But don’t judge the bus system by the stations\u2014on the website Busticket4.me<\/a><\/strong> you can easily figure out a very complete bus schedule. It’s convenient to use this website to plan trips across the country\u2014information and schedules match reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can buy a ticket to your destination at large stations (Podgorica, Kotor, Budva), but in smaller places you simply buy a ticket from the driver. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Attention<\/strong>: the website and bus station offices sell tickets even if the bus is full. Sometimes you have to ride on your own backpack or suitcase. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I also do not advise buying tickets online if you are not leaving from Budva or Podgorica. Most likely, you will have to exchange your self-printed ticket at the counter for a real ticket (and pay a station fee\u20141.5 Euro), and in smaller places they may not even accept it as a ticket. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

In addition, this price, as well as the ticket purchased at the station, does not include luggage allowance. In other words, all luggage that needs to be placed in the bus baggage compartment must be paid for in cash to the conductor\/driver during loading. You’ll pay about 1-1.5 euros per item of luggage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Local buses in Montenegro<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are also local bus lines in popular regions, for example around Kotor and the Bay of Kotor, as well as along the Budva coastline. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Blue<\/strong> Line<\/strong> covers the area from Herceg Novi to Kotor and Tivat, passing through Dobrota, Perast, Risan, and other popular stops. The Blue Line<\/a> website is only in Montenegrin, but it has the schedule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Mediteran<\/strong> Express<\/strong> runs from Budva to Petrovac, passing through Be\u010di\u0107i, Sveti Stefan, and other stops along the coast. It also goes in the other direction from Budva to the Yaz and Pla\u017ea beaches. It does not have a dedicated website, but the Budva tourist office<\/a> has the schedule (plus the times are printed at the actual bus stops).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Olimpia<\/strong> Buses<\/strong> have a fixed fare of 2.5 euros per segment. It doesn’t matter if you’re traveling Budva\u2013Petrovac or Petrovac\u2013Sveti Stefan, etc. In Budva, the buses depart from the main highway that runs through the city and goes to Sveti Stefan and Petrovac. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Budva mediteran express<\/a><\/strong> – these are buses that travel along the coast, the fare is inexpensive, payment is made to the driver, stops are usually on the main road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Public transport from Montenegro airports<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In fact, a common question for first timers is: is there public transport from the airport?<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As for buses, the answer is no<\/strong>. None of the bus lines are directly connected to the airports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both Podgorica<\/strong> and Tivat<\/strong> airports are not served by any public transport<\/strong>. Therefore, taking a taxi (transfer) from each is unavoidable. This doesn’t necessarily have to be for the whole journey, but for part of it \u2013 yes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Technically, there is a train station at Podgorica Airport. However, it’s best used by adventure lovers or those who have minimal luggage (and lots of spare time), as the station is a 10\u201315-minute walk from the airport. It’s toward the city, under the overpass, and is only served by intercity trains. Keep in mind, there are no amenities: the station is just a concrete shed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you do take the train, then a short trip to the city will cost you only 1\u20132 euros.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where to stay in Budva<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
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Budva, over two and a half thousand years old, is one of the oldest settlements on the Adriatic coast, making it an ancient and fascinating place to visit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Budva is home to just under 20,000 people, including the wider area that covers neighboring towns and hotel villages. An example is Jaz<\/strong>, an ideal place to relax in Budva for families, with fantastic beaches and amazing scenery. If you want to enjoy a holiday with a nice beach and quieter accommodation, head to Be\u010di\u0107i<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, many tourists visiting Budva for the first time choose the Old<\/strong> Town<\/strong>. In this antique quarter within ancient walls, there is much of interest, especially for those wanting to immerse themselves in the authenticity of the city’s historical sights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though Budva is quite an old city, it’s not silent like small, old Adriatic towns. On the contrary, the center of Budva is endless parties in bars and nightclubs located along the Budva promenade, where you can enjoy the Adriatic Sea while sipping a cocktail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old Town \u2013 if it’s your first time in Budva<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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The ancient strong fortress, Old Town<\/strong> \u2013 a great place to stay in Budva if you want to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of historical landmarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although it was quite heavily damaged during the 1979 earthquake, much painstaking work was invested in restoration to rebuild the old walls. You wouldn’t even guess that most of them are reconstructed buildings. But this speaks to the quality of the restoration, making everything as it was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most of the buildings in Old Budva are small hotels and guesthouses<\/strong>, cafes, restaurants, and souvenir shops. You can also find apartments here, but markets and large supermarkets are outside the Old Town. You’ll have to carry shopping bags by hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Advice<\/strong>: if you are traveling in Montenegro by rental car \u2013 it is better to avoid hotels in Old Budva. You can’t drive in here, and you’ll have to park outside the Old Town. The streets are so narrow that even delivering goods for restaurants and shops is difficult here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What to see and do in Budva Old Town<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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