Budva Old Town: Best Things to Do, See & Eat
Budva's Old Town is a beautiful area of the city jam packed with engaging activities, excellent restaurants, and vibrant bars. Though small in size, it can easily keep you busy all day and is well worth a visit while in Montenegro.
Budva, Montenegro is a summer vacation destination known for its beach parties and nightlife. It’s true, the party scene is thriving, and we’ve got a post that talks all about it here. But Budva is so much more than just its nightclubs! The city has a slew of great restaurants, unique shops full of handcrafted goods, and a rich and lengthy history to explore. In fact, the city is more than 2,500 years old, and nearly all of that incredible history is jam packed into the mere 0.08 sq mi (0.2 sq km) that make up Budva Old Town. Though small, Old Town is mighty – full of things to do and well worth a day of your vacation. So, let’s walk inside the city walls together and discover all there is to do in Budva Old Town.
In this post, we’ll share everything you need to know about Budva Old Town – how to get there, where to stay, and how to make the most of your day. Have more time in Budva? Check out our full city guide here.
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Why Visit Budva Old Town?
First and foremost, Budva’s Old Town is incredibly charming. It’s surrounded by its city walls, which were built in the 15th century during the period of Venetian rule. Despite their age, the walls are incredibly intact, as are many of the buildings that line the narrow cobblestone alleys. It truly feels like stepping back in time, and it’s a refreshingly easy place to let go of some of the hustle-and-bustle of modern life.
Beyond a deep breath and some gorgeous shots for your Instagram, Budva Old Town also offers you an interesting day of history and culture, a secret beach, a plethora of excellent bars and restaurants, and plenty of shopping. It’s hard not to find a reason to make a day of it in Old Town.
How to Get There
If you’re not renting a car or taking a taxi, the easiest way to get to Budva is by bus. Budva is located on the Adriatic Coast south of Kotor. The city is accessible by bus from Tivat (35 min, ~4 EUR), Kotor (45 min, ~4 EUR), or Podgorica (1.5 hours, ~7 EUR) in Montenegro, as well as from Dubrovnik, Croatia (3 hours, ~28 EUR). The closest airport is Tivat Airport (TIV) in Montenegro, just outside of Kotor.
Pro-tip: Montenegro has a well-connected and affordable bus network with comfortable, air conditioned coaches. Routes and prices are detailed on their website, BusTicket4.me. You can also use this site to purchase tickets online, but we typically found it easiest to just purchase in person. Undercarriage luggage costs 1 EUR per bag.
Where to Stay
Our top pick for hotels in or near Old Town is Avala Resort and Villas. The location is ideal and it has the most stunning circular pool jutting out over the ocean. It also has an indoor pool, spa facilities, fitness center, and two international restaurants. Plus a fun fact! When they built the hotel in 1937 they actually discovered some ancient Greek ruins that are now displayed in a plaza out front (more on this below).
If you prefer somewhere in Old Town proper, we recommend La Villa Boutique Hotel for marina views or Rooms Dana for a budget option.
Top Sights and Activities
Old Town is the epicenter of Budva’s history, so there are several cultural and educational activities to keep you busy within the city walls. But, if you need a break from learning, you can always lounge on Old Town’s own secret beach!
Walking Tour
Budva is an ancient city dating back over 2,500 years, so it has a lot of history to uncover. Budva was originally an Illyrian Greek city, with ruins discovered in 1937 that date back to the 4th century BCE. Since then it has changed hands several times due to its valuable strategic location on the Adriatic Coast. In fact, since the ancient Illyrians, 15 other powers have controlled the city of Budva! Most notably, these ruling powers include the Romans, the Byzantines, and the Venetians. In more recent history, Montenegro was a part of Yugoslavia until its break up in 2003, and became a fully independent county in 2006.
On a walking tour, you’ll learn about this history and how each ruling party left its mark on the city. You’ll also see the key sights of the city, including the Budva Dancing Girl statue, the Square of Poets, the clocktower and the Square of Churches, and the ancient ruins located both outside of the city walls and within the clothing store Prego Fashion. You heard that right – there are ruins inside of a clothing store here. We reserve our tours through GuruWalk, which is an app that offers free walking tours in over 800 cities in 100 countries (and counting!). Guides are only paid through tips, so make sure to give what you can if you’re happy with the tour. Check out some of GuruWalk’s most popular Budva tours below:
The Budva Citadel is one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks. The Citadel is a former defensive fortress and is located on the far southern tip of Old Town. For 5 EUR, you can enter the Citadel and explore the small museum and library inside, as well as enjoy the stunning panoramic views from the city walls. Alternatively, you can access the Citadel for free if you get dinner at Citadela Restaurant, our personal recommendation – more on this below.
For a more encompassing experience of the city walls, head outside the Citadel to the nearby access point. Here, you can walk the entirety of the city walls for only 2 EUR. It’s a great way to get unique views of the city and enjoy a short, leisurely walk. We recommend doing this at golden hour for the best photos and optimal romance.
Old Town has a sandy little secret, and its name is Richard’s Head Beach. Well, to be honest, it’s more of a pebbly secret, but the fun of the hidden gem remains. To access it, head to the Square of Poets and then walk down the little alley and through the Murava Gate, a small flood gate meaning “seaweed,” which the city spends a lot of effort keeping clean. This beach is named after American actor Richard Widmark, who filmed the movie “The Long Ships” here back in 1963. In addition to lounging on the beach and swimming in the crystal clear Adriatic, you can grab a bite or a drink at one of the restaurants located on the beach, as well as rent chairs and umbrellas.
Located in the center of Old Town, the Museum of Budva is a small but engaging museum. The museum is spread across three floors, with each floor covering a different time period in Budva’s history. The main highlight is the artifacts discovered in the 1937 and subsequent digs, including some gold jewelry from the Hellenistic period. Entry tickets cost 3 EUR, and you can expect to spend 30 minutes to an hour here.
The Best Restaurants in Old Town
For a relatively small area, Old Town packs a ton of great bars and restaurants within its walls. Here are some of our favorites:
Ok, I’m breaking the rules right off the bat with this one, I know, as Gradska Kafana Mogren is technically located just outside the city walls, but this cafe is worth looping in for its historical significance. Built in the 1920s, Gradska Kafana Mogren is Budva’s oldest bar, and the attached hotel previously served as the residence of the ex-royalty of Yugoslavia. It’s a common hangout of locals and a great place to grab breakfast or a cup of coffee throughout the day. Ignore the Google star rating, we promise it’s worth a stop.
Citadela Restaurant, located on the terrace of the Budva Citadel, is a stand-out as the best view in town. It’s a rare treat to enjoy a meal within a 15th century defensive fortress, and with tables set right up against its wall, you get the same incredible panoramic views that historical lookouts did. Citadela runs a bit on the pricier side, but the views are well worth it. Plus, as mentioned above, with your dinner you’ll get access to tour the inside of the Citadel for free.
Mañana is a “Mexican” spot in Old Town that has an energetic vibe and an extensive menu of delicious cocktails. Is it on my favorites list solely because it’s the only place in town I could get a proper margarita? Maybe. But the food, while not 100% authentic Mexican, is still delicious and scratches the itch when you’re craving a taco. We especially loved the shrimp tacos, though we did get confused looks when we asked for chips and salsa, so they’ve clearly still got a ways to go before we can consider them a true Mexican establishment.
Next is La Mia Pasta, a takeaway pasta place located in the heart of Old Town. This Italian joint is BUSY, with a line out the door every time we passed it. But the freshly handmade pasta is worth the wait. In particular, stick around for the star of the show – the fettuccine alfredo on the cheese wheel. For this dish, La Mia tosses steaming hot freshly made pasta into a gigantic wheel of cheese and stirs it around until it’s deliciously creamy and cheesy. We recommend taking your pasta to Richard’s Head Beach to enjoy your meal with a view!
Ready for dessert? Head to Astoria for Budva’s best confections. We recommend the amazing chocolate lava cake, but let your tastebuds be your guide. They also offer a full menu of classic Montenegrin fare all day, so feel free to have dinner first before your dessert, if you’re into that sort of thing.
Bars and Nightlife
One of Budva’s most popular bars, Casper is primarily an outdoor bar with ample seating, lots of greenery, and a solid cocktail menu. This is a spot that isn’t going to blow you away on any one thing in particular, but will hit solidly and consistently across the board. It’s a great place to meet other people, as it’s always busy, and free wifi means you could even get some work done there during the day. However, with only oscillating fans to fight the heat, we often found it tough to stick around for long.
Probably my favorite bar in Old Town, Blue Cat Art Cafe is located in an adorable square of Old Town alongside a couple of other bars that have decked out the area with foliage and twinkly lights. I love a good vibe, and the aesthetics here were a 10/10. Not just a pretty face though, Blue Cat had a large menu of perfectly prepared cocktails, and some of the friendliest servers in the city. Needless to say, I had a big grin on my face the entire time. Don’t sleep on this one!
Strix Bar holds a special place in our hearts, as it is one of the very few bars in Budva that offers – wait for it – air conditioning. On a scorching hot Budva summer day, that would be reason enough to visit, but luckily for all of us, they also serve an excellent cocktail. Priced around 10 EUR and cash only, Strix serves up a solid variety of unique and tasty drinks. It’s an intimate venue with limited seating, so we recommend showing up on the early side.
This is a neat one, as Old Town Pub Budva is located on the point between two of Old Town’s narrow alleys, so you can actually pass through the bar from one street to another. It’s an English-style pub, so it’s a great place to catch a beer and a cheap pint. The cocktails aren’t anything to write home about, so we suggest sticking to beer and wine while you shout at the ref with the locals.
One last broken rule, though this one’s by a hair. El Mundo is an open-air lounge/club set up each night against the walls of the city. With lights projected on the ancient walls, baby grand pianos used as cocktail tables, and a quality DJ, the vibes are on-point. It’s cool, it’s hip, and a great final stop in Old Town before heading to the nightclubs. As an added bonus, they also offer hookah.
Budva Old Town is a beautiful and engaging place to spend the day. We hope this guide will help you plan your time there! Tell us your favorite memory from Old Town in the comments.
Have more than one day in Budva? Check out our city guide here, as well as more restaurant and nightlife recommendations. We also have guides on a whole host of other cities in Montenegro, check out our Montenegro travel guides page for more inspiration! Our top recommendation? Herceg Novi.
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