Budva Riviera
The Budva Riviera (Serbian and Montenegrin: Будванска Ривијера, Budvanska Rivijera) is a 35 km (22 mi) long strip of the Adriatic coast surrounding the town of Budva in western Montenegro. It is part of the Montenegrin Littoral geographical region. It is located roughly along the middle of the Montenegrin coast, and is a center for Montenegrin beach tourism. There are 12.5 km (7.8 mi) of beaches which lie along the Budva Riviera.
Settlements
The best known and most popular settlements along the Budva Riviera are:
- Budva
- Bečići
- Miločer
- Rafailovići
- Sveti Stefan
- Petrovac
Beaches
The best known feature of the Budva Riviera is its beaches. They are listed here, from north to south.
Trsteno
Trsteno (Трстено) beach is 100 m (328 ft) long, deeply pulled in the dry land. It has perhaps the finest sand on the Budva Riviera. It is accessible by the same road which leads to Jaz beach.
Ploče
The stony beach of Ploče (Плоче), 2 km (1.2 mi) from the beach Trsteno, is another attractive place for swimming(Плоче). The water is pure, with clarity exceeding 35 m (115 ft). Ploče has many facilities, including cafes, restaurants, parking spaces, sun umbrellas and swimming pools for adults and children.
Jaz
Jaz (Јаз) beach lies with Mrčevo Polje and its hinterlands. The beach is 2.5 km (1.6 mi) away from Budva in the direction of Tivat. It consists of two parts, one 500 m (1,640 ft) long and the other, formerly a nudist beach, 300 m (984 ft) long. It is a pebble beach, with a campground along the greater part of the beach (capacity 2,000 lots). The beach is a protected natural heritage site. It hosted a show of The Rolling Stones on 9 July 2007, as a part of their A Bigger Bang Tour.
Mogren
Mogren (Могрен) consists of two sandy beaches of total length of 350 m (1,148 ft), connected with a rock tunnel. Mogren is surrounded by nature and has fine sand on the beach and in the water. The beach is well exposed to sun and southerly wind. From the back, it is protected by Spas Hill, which is covered in dense pine and oak woods. The beach is accessible by a narrow path along the sea about 150 m (492 ft) from Budva's old town.
Mogren is named after the Spanish sailor Mogrini, who landed on the beaches after a shipwreck, As a sign of gratitude, he built St. Anthony's church.
On the narrow path which leads to the beach, there is one section completely dedicated to divers and risk takers. Almost at the half point of the path, there is a little outlet into the sea, sandwiched between rocks, giving risk takers about 3 m (10 ft) of width to dive safely into the water. This area is called by people from Budva, Kanal, which has no meaning but in English it means literally Canal. These divers have built up quite a reputation in Budva because of their rambunctious and hilarious acts.
Slovenska
Slovenska (Словенска) beach stretches from the Budva marina to the Park hotel, 1,600 m (5,249 ft) in total length. It was declared a beach from as early as 1920, and the Slovenian architect who designed this part of the town gave it its present name Slovenska Plaža (Словенска Плажа, 'Slovenian beach'). It is a pebble beach, and has a large hotel complex of the same name at its rear. Budva's main promenade, where most of the nightlife and shopping takes place, goes alongside this beach.
Guvance
Guvance (Гуванце) is a small sandy beach located below the walking path near the tunnel leading to Bečići. It is 80 m (262 ft) long.
Bečići
Bečići (Бечићи) beach is one of the largest and most beautiful beaches in the South Adriatic. It is a sandy beach, 1,950 m (6,398 ft) long and stretches from Zavala to Djevištenje. In 1935 it won the "Grand Prix" in Paris as the most beautiful beach in Europe. It is perhaps the best equipped beach on the riviera, with sport fields and all other amenities.
Kamenovo
Kamenovo (Каменово) beach is the first in a series of 16 smaller beaches lying between the town of Bečići and "Perazića do". It faces southwest and has a large number of hours of sunshine. This 730 m (2,395 ft) long sandy beach is easily accessible from the main road towards Petrovac.
Pržno
Pržno (Пржно) beach is located in front of the picturesque Mediterranean settlement of the same name. It stretches for 350 m (1,148 ft) between Pržno cape and Miločer cape. It is surrounded by olive groves of exceptional value, which is why the entire area is enlisted as a protected nature reserve. In the vicinity of the beach is "Maestral hotel", and a string of taverns and cafes.
Miločer
Miločer (Милочер) beach is located near the former summer residence of the royal family Karađorđević, built in 1934. The beach is 280 m (919 ft) long, surrounded by woods covering the area of 18 ha, with rare exotic tree species like the Lebanon Cedar, tropical mimosas, loquats, cacti, agavas and others. Miločer beach belongs to high category of sandy beaches.
Kraljičina
Kraljičina (Краљичина, translated as Queen's) beach is located next to Miločer beach. It is a 200 m (656 ft) long beach surrounded by cypress and olive trees. Its name derives from the fact that it was a favourite spot of and was owned by Queen Marija Karađorđević. The communist regime in 1945. nationalized Karađorđevićes' property which they purchased and developed in the 1920s and 1930s.
This beach may not be open to the general public at all times, or its entrance may be charged, because this is the favourite resort of Montenegrin officials.
Sveti Stefan
The beaches of Sveti Stefan (Свети Стефан) are formed on both sides of the strip that connects the town-hotel of Sveti Stefan with the coast. Those are two sandy beaches of 1,170 m (3,839 ft) total length. Onde side is reserved for famous guests of this deluxe hotel.
Drobni Pijesak
Drobni Pijesak (Дробни Пијесак) is a secluded 250 m (820 ft) long beach and is accessible only from the sea. It has the appearance of a real tropical beach.jar
Perazića Do
Perazića Do (Перазића До) beach is in immediate vicinity of Reževići monastery, below the highway. This little sandy beach is hidden in a deep valley.
Petrovac
Petrovac (Петровац) beach is a sandy beach of some 600 m (1,969 ft) of length, with the sand of reddish colour. The beach is bordered by Petrovac promenade, filled with cafes, restaurants and shops.
Lučice
Lučice (Лучице) is a popular beach located some 500 m (1,640 ft) south from town of Petrovac. This sandy beach is shaped like a little bay, and is 220 m (722 ft) long.
Buljarica
Buljarica (Буљарица) is possibly the greatest development potential along the Montenegrin coast. Buljarica field and the slopes of Dubovica hill are well suited for the development of all types of tourism. Buljarica cove stretches from "Resovo brdo" cove to Dubovica, and is a largest beach of the Budva Riviera. It is 1 km from Petrovac in the direction of Bar, and is 2,250 m (7,382 ft) long.
Sveti Nikola island
The Sveti Nikola island is the main excursion site in the Budva area. The island has three sandy beaches whose combined length is 840 m (2,756 ft). The island itself is about one km away from Budva. There are many small beaches around the island, accessible only by boat.
See also
- Tourism in Montenegro
- Herceg Novi Riviera
- Tivat Riviera
- Kotor Riviera
- Bar Riviera
- Ulcinj Riviera
- Riviera, featuring links to articles on the many coastal strips around the world which are known as Riviera