Coastal Photos of Budva, a Vacation Spot in Montenegro

Posted in Montenegro

On a short trip to Montenegro, where I side-tripped from my month in Belgrade, Serbia, I didn’t know what to expect. I hadn’t even heard of the highlights of Montenegro. I didn’t know where I was going.

Once I was faced with a Budva sunset, though, I knew that this was a special place. With the mountains up against the water, and the red-roofed buildings next to old stone church towers, there was a lot to love.

Wondering what a trip to Budva looks like? I took these photos to share the vistas I saw on my quick getaway. With more time, I’m sure I could’ve ventured further. That’s for next time.

Enjoy my photography from sunny afternoons and evenings in coastal Budva on the Adriatic Sea in Montenegro.

I didn’t spend much time in Budva at all, and as we landed for a long weekend jam-packed weekend as a group of friends, we’d be leaving shortly after when the trip was over.

In the time I had, I shot photos of mountains, the water, the buildings and of course, some motorbikes — the local way to get around.

Budva’s architecture is of course, a mix of old and new. The town was colonized more than a thousand years ago (kind of incredible) and things are really, really old.

But as Budva became a spot for tourists from all over Europe (and people like me who were Americans living abroad), hotels and new places to stay and eat shot up.

Cruises, you ask? There are boat tours and cruises that go to and from Budva, or ones that stop in Budva. While I didn’t go to Budva to get cruise ships in my photos, they are a part of the local scenery, so they wound up being a feature in these shots.

Now let’s talk about the scenery. I was amazed at the colors in Budva. Sure, I expected to see clear blue waters, but the water in Budva is crystal-perfect azure. It is pristine.

And lastly, there’s the mountains. It’s what makes Budva unique, that these rugged mountains are right up against the water, and you can’t miss them. For the adventurous, it’s possible to hike in Budva. It’s a beautiful spot.

For a finale, I’d recommend going to Budva for a sunset. If you can, my expert suggestion is lining up some good weather with golden hour, so that you can experience the sun going down behind the terrain like I did. There’s no better way to see Budva, even for a few hours, than at this glorious hour of the day.