What to see, where to stay and the best time to visit Budva, Montenegro.
Photo: falco / Pixabay
Budva is a small beach town on the coast of Montenegro, with about 13,338 residents. Its walled Old Town, Stari Grad, holds the Citadel, Holy Trinity Church and the Museum of the City of Budva, all a short walk apart. Slovenska Beach runs along the centre, and a path leads past the Dancer of Budva statue to Mogren Beach. The best months are June to September, and July and August are rated highest.
The Old Town takes 2–3 hours. Mogren Beach, Jaz Beach and Sveti Nikola Island each take half a day, and Sveti Stefan takes 1–2 hours. A few days covers these main sights and still leaves beach time.
Stari Grad
The walled old town sits on a small peninsula, with narrow stone lanes, small squares, churches and cafés. Walk the lanes and the walls for sea views. It is busiest in the middle of the day in summer, so early morning or evening is quieter.
Stari Grad
The Citadel is a fortress at the sea end of the old town. Its terraces look out over the old town roofs, Mogren Beach and Sveti Nikola Island. It also holds small exhibitions.
Stari Grad
This Orthodox church stands on the main square of the old town, close to the Citadel. Its striped stone front is easy to spot, and the inside has painted icons. Dress modestly to go in.
Stari Grad
This museum inside the old town shows finds from the area, including Greek and Roman objects from local excavations. It explains how old the settlement is and is a good choice on a hot or rainy day.
Mogren
Mogren is a pair of small sandy coves under the cliffs just west of the old town. You reach it on a footpath along the rocks from the old town walls. The water is clear, but the beach fills up quickly in summer.
Mogren path
A bronze statue of a dancing woman stands on a rock above the sea, on the path between the old town and Mogren Beach. It is a common photo stop on the way to the beach.
Budva centre
Slovenska is the long town beach east of the old town, lined with a seafront promenade. It is the easiest beach to reach from most hotels, with sunbeds, bars and water sports. Expect it to be crowded in peak summer.
Off Budva
Sveti Nikola is the wooded island facing Budva's waterfront. In the summer season, small boats from the marina take visitors to its pebble beaches. It is a short trip for swimming away from the town beaches.
Jaz
Jaz is a long pebble and sand beach west of Budva, set in a wide bay with hills behind. It has more space than the town beaches and is also known as a venue for large summer music events.
Sveti Stefan
Sveti Stefan is a small fortified island village joined to the coast by a narrow strip of sand, along the coast south-east of Budva. The island itself is a private hotel, so most visitors view it from the shore, the road above and the nearby public beach.
Average weather and our month score, from 10 years of climate data.
| Month | High / low | Rain days | Sunshine | Sea temp | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 11°C / 5°C | 13 days (245 mm) | 6.5 h/day | 15°C | 1.4/10 |
| February | 13°C / 7°C | 12 days (221 mm) | 7.5 h/day | 14°C | 1.8/10 |
| March | 15°C / 8°C | 14 days (237 mm) | 8.9 h/day | 15°C | 1.6/10 |
| April | 18°C / 11°C | 13 days (146 mm) | 10.6 h/day | 16°C | 2.8/10 |
| May | 22°C / 16°C | 15 days (172 mm) | 11.7 h/day | 20°C | 4.8/10 |
| Best month: June | 27°C / 21°C | 9 days (81 mm) | 13.2 h/day | 24°C | 8.8/10 |
| Best month: July | 31°C / 24°C | 5 days (45 mm) | 13.7 h/day | 27°C | 9.3/10 |
| Best month: August | 31°C / 24°C | 7 days (68 mm) | 12.9 h/day | 26°C | 9.0/10 |
| Best month: September | 26°C / 20°C | 11 days (175 mm) | 10.6 h/day | 25°C | 8.5/10 |
| October | 21°C / 16°C | 11 days (225 mm) | 8.9 h/day | 22°C | 6.3/10 |
| November | 17°C / 12°C | 14 days (374 mm) | 6.5 h/day | 20°C | 3.0/10 |
| December | 13°C / 7°C | 13 days (276 mm) | 6.4 h/day | 17°C | 1.5/10 |
Cool and wet, with highs of 11°C, 13.4 rain days and 245 mm of rain. The sea is 15°C. Score 1.4, among the year's lowest.
Highs reach 13°C, with 11.8 rain days and 221 mm of rain. The sea, at 14.3°C, is too cold for most swimmers. Score 1.8.
Still wet, with 14.1 rain days and 237 mm of rain. Highs of 14.7°C, and the sea stays cold at 14.5°C. Score 1.6.
Milder at 18°C, with 10.6 sun hours, but still 12.5 rain days. The sea, at 16.4°C, is cool for swimming. Score 2.8.
Warm highs of 22°C, but May has the most rain days, 14.6, and 172 mm of rain. The sea reaches 19.8°C. Score 4.8, an OK month.
A best month, with highs of 27°C, 8.9 rain days and 13.2 sun hours. The sea warms to 24.3°C. Score 8.8.
The top-scoring month at 9.3. Hot highs of 30.5°C, the fewest rain days at 5.2, and the sea at 26.5°C.
The hottest month, with highs of 30.6°C and a 26.4°C sea. Only 7.3 rain days. Score 9, a best month.
Still a best month, with a score of 8.5. Highs of 25.7°C and a 25°C sea, but rain rises to 11 days and 175 mm.
A good month, with a score of 6.3. Highs of 21.4°C and the sea at 22°C, though 225 mm of rain falls over 10.9 days.
The wettest month, with 374 mm of rain over 13.9 days and only 6.5 sun hours. Highs of 17°C. Score 3.
Cool and grey, with highs of 13°C, 12.5 rain days and 276 mm of rain. It has the fewest sun hours, 6.4. Score 1.5.
Climate averages 2015–2024 · Best time to visit Montenegro →
The best areas to base yourself and who each one suits.
Good for first-timers, couples, sightseeing
Budva's walled old quarter sits on a small headland, with stone lanes, churches and small beaches just outside the walls. You can walk to the main sights, cafés and the seafront promenade. Rooms are often small, and summer evenings bring crowds and noise from nearby bars.
Good for first-timers, nightlife, beach-goers
This is the area behind Budva's long main beach, east of the Old Town, lined with a promenade, restaurants and clubs. It is flat and central, so the beach, bus station and Old Town are an easy walk. In peak season the beach is very crowded and music from clubs can carry late into the night.
Good for families, beach holidays
Bečići is a resort area just east of central Budva, built around a wide sandy beach with calmer water. It feels more relaxed than the centre while staying close to it. It is mostly large resort buildings, so it has less local character, and reaching the Old Town on foot takes a fair walk.
Good for families, quiet, seafood lovers
Rafailovići is a former fishing village at the eastern end of Bečići beach, with small family-run guesthouses and fish restaurants by the water. A seaside path links it to Bečići, and the mood is calmer than in Budva town. Many places to stay are up steep hillside streets and steps.
Good for couples, quiet, scenery
Pržno is a small village further south along the coast, near the famous islet of Sveti Stefan, with a sheltered pebble cove. It suits travellers who want a slower pace and coastal walks. It is a bus or taxi ride from Budva's centre, and the choice of shops and nightlife is limited.
Typical journey times and fares from the airport and other cities.
| Route | By | Time | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kolašin → Budva Some direct buses run in season. Otherwise, take the train or bus to Podgorica and change there. The time is approximate and I could not check it. | bus | 3 h | – ↗ |
Places within 2½ hours by train, bus, ferry or car.
bus
Frequent buses from several companies, via Cetinje or the Sozina tunnel. Book online at busticket4.me or buy at the station. The time is approximate and I could not check it.
bus
Short and frequent coastal route, also run by local lines. In July and August, traffic jams near the Trojica tunnel are common. The time is approximate and I could not check it.
bus
Coastal buses via Petrovac and Bar. There are more services in summer. The time is approximate and I could not check it.
Risotto made with cuttlefish or squid and coloured black by their ink. It is a staple on menus in Budva's seafront konobas, often eaten at lunch as a main course.
Mussels or scampi cooked in a sauce of white wine, garlic, olive oil and parsley. Locals mop up the sauce with bread, usually at seaside restaurants in the Old Town.
Dry-cured, smoked ham from the village of Njeguši in the mountains above the coast. In Budva it is served thinly sliced as a starter, often with cheese and olives.
A firm, salty cheese from the same Njeguši area as the ham. It usually appears beside the pršut on a cold meze plate before a fish or meat meal.
A simple soup of Adriatic fish, vegetables and sometimes rice or tomato. Many coastal families and taverns serve it as a first course before grilled fish.
Small balls of fried dough, served warm with honey, jam or cheese. Locals eat them for breakfast or as a snack, and they are common at family gatherings.
Yes, August is one of the best months for a beach trip to Budva. Average highs reach 30.6°C and nights stay warm at 23.7°C. The sea is around 26.4°C, and you get about 12.9 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is limited to about 7.3 days and 68 mm in the month.
July has the strongest beach weather, and June to September is the best period overall. In July, highs average 30.5°C and the sea reaches 26.5°C. It is also the driest month, with about 5.2 rain days and 45 mm of rain. June and September are a little cooler, with highs of 27.1°C and 25.7°C.
Yes, the sea is still warm enough for many swimmers in October, at about 22°C. Daytime highs average 21.4°C. The trade-off is rain: October gets around 225 mm over about 10.9 days, so plan for some wet days. Sunshine drops to about 8.9 hours a day.
Winter in Budva is mild but wet. January highs average 11.1°C, with lows of 5.1°C and about 245 mm of rain over 13.4 days. November is the wettest month, with about 374 mm. The sea cools to between 14.3°C and 17.1°C from December to February, so it suits walks and sightseeing more than swimming.
Plan a single day for the Old Town sights and extra half-days for beaches. Budva Old Town takes 2–3 hours, the Citadel 30–60 minutes and the Museum of the City of Budva 1 hour. Mogren Beach, Jaz Beach and Sveti Nikola Island each take half a day. Sveti Stefan needs 1–2 hours.
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