An Adriatic Beauty Called Budva in Montenegro

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Budva in Montenegro is an enchanting coastal town on the Adriatic Sea coast and is one of the most sought after tourist destinations in the country. It is considered as one of the oldest Adriatic coast settlements dating back to 5th century BC. Traces of Greek and Roman civilizations, which were the first settlements in Budva can be found in the town. During the Middle Ages, the town was ruled for short periods by Doclean kings, the Zetan and the Serbian aristocracies. This was followed by the powerful Venetian rule that lasted almost four centuries.
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The Venetians transformed Budva into a strongly fortified town in order to prevent the Ottoman attacks on the town. French, Austrian and Russian powers also ruled Budva, but it was the Austrian Empire that ruled the town for over a century from 1814 to 1918. After World War I it became a part of Yugoslavia, then annexed to Italy in 1941, attacked by the Nazis and again returned to Yugoslavia until Montenegro became an independent country, freeing Budva from all foreign rule. Although the town was badly devastated in the 1979 earthquake, Budva has been beautifully restored to its former grandeur.

The luscious sandy beaches, Mediterranean style architecture and its rich cultural heritage are some of the attracting factors for tourists to visit this elegantly beautiful town. Most of the old town buildings depict Venetian architecture and consists of some prominent churches such as the 7th century St Ivan’s church, St Mary’s of Punta and the 1804 built Holy Trinity Church. The chief attraction of the old town however is the famous Venetian Walls that were once the fortifications of Budva, built by the Venetian rulers.

Mogren is the most popular beach that can be accessed through a narrow pathway leading from the old town. The beach is surrounded by high cliffs that offer spectacular views of the town and the Adriatic Sea. There are several other beaches within the town limit while there are still others in the neighboring areas of Budva. Budva has a vivacious nightlife and people can be seen partying until the wee hours of dawn. The Adriatic Highway connects the other coastal towns to Budva, while the Capital city Podgorica lies only 60 km from Budva.