The choice of Montenegro as a country for travel is due to several factors. Among them are the cost of accommodation and meals, the mild Mediterranean climate, and the Slavic mentality. It is possible to organize a holiday in Budva on your own, without involving the services of travel agencies.
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Advantages of Budva
This city is the largest resort in Montenegro. Experienced travelers will immediately point out the relatively high cost of accommodation and meals. However, in terms of infrastructure, Budva is an option for a first acquaintance with the country. Most of the representative offices of tour operators and excursion agencies are concentrated here. This makes it much easier to organize a holiday in Budva on your own.
Resort benefits:
- hotels, apartments and villas for accommodation;
- many shops, supermarkets, local colorful market;
- choice of cuisine – from classic local to European;
- proximity to major cultural and historical attractions.
The disadvantage of Budva is the high cost of housing and food. But this is offset by good service, convenient transport interchange. Many sights can be reached on foot or by bus.
How to get there
The first stage of planning a holiday in Budva on your own is organizing a trip, finding a route. Traditionally, tourists choose air travel as an alternative to a bus tour or driving a car. However, they deprive themselves of the opportunity to get acquainted with the cities and countries of Eastern Europe.
Features of ways to get to Montenegro for a holiday in Budva on your own:
- Air travel. During the tourist season, flights run from major Russian cities – Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk. It is recommended to take tickets to Tivat airport, not Podgorica. The flight time is from 1.5 to 3 hours, the minimum ticket price is 360 Euro.
- Bus tour. The route runs through Hungary, Venice and then the group heads to Montenegro. The advantage is acquaintance and excursions to many cities of Europe. The disadvantage is that the travel conditions are not suitable for everyone.
- By car. The most expensive, but also an interesting way to get to rest in Budva on your own. The route is compiled by tourists, it is necessary to issue a transit visa.
To save time, it is recommended to opt for air travel. Transfer time from Tivat airport to Budva does not exceed 20-30 minutes. You can travel by bus or taxi. Private transportation in Montenegro is expensive. The cost of the trip is 50-60 Euro. At the airport you need to pay a tourist tax of 28 Euros.
Overview of the districts of Budva
The territory of the city is relatively small, it can be walked in 1-1.5 hours. The selection criterion is the distance from the coastline and the degree of development of the trade infrastructure. You can rent a villa a 10-minute walk from the beach for 40-50 Euros per day. The closer to the sea, the more expensive the apartments and the cost of food.
Overview of Budva recreation areas for independent recreation:
- Babin Do. Located on the second line, the windows of the upper floors of the villas offer a beautiful view of the mountains. On the territory of this area there is a large food market, a local museum of local lore.
- Gospostia. Located closer to the sea, in this area of Budva there is a post office. It adjoins the Old City. The cost of renting villas here is average, you can find cheap options.
- Podkoshlyun. It borders on the village of Becici, recommended for lovers of a quiet holiday. You have to go through a tunnel to get to the beach.
- Dubovica and Rosino. Border regions near mountains. The average walking time to the coastline is 10-15 minutes.
- Centar. Also a relatively quiet area for relaxing in Budva on your own. The disadvantage is the high density of villas, which affects the lack of panoramas from the windows.
- Lazy. Located on a mountain, the only way to get to the sea is by car. Pros – quiet environment, cost of living.
- Vidikovac. Adjacent to the Old Town, characterized by good service, panoramic views from the windows. The disadvantage is the high cost of renting villas.
An alternative accommodation option is in Becici. This village is located near Budva, there are several beaches. However, it has an underdeveloped social infrastructure, few cafes and restaurants. The choice of an area for recreation in Budva can be done on the spot. It is necessary to first agree with the realtor about viewing several options. There are few of them during the peak season, as most villas are booked in advance.
Prices for hotels and villas
For accommodation in Budva, you can choose a villa, apartment or hotel room. The latter will cost more, but with a good quality of service. You need to ask about the availability of air conditioning, a balcony, a refrigerator, a small stove for preparing breakfast or dinner. Distance from the sea should not exceed 1-1.5 km. Be sure to have a photo of the villa or apartment.
The cost of renting housing for organizing holidays in Budva on your own:
- Apartments. Studio – 30 € / day, two- and three-room apartment will cost about 70 € / day. The farther from the coastline and the city center, the cheaper.
- Villas. A full-fledged house with a pool will cost 450 €, a smaller villa – 120-150 Euro.
- Hotels. The daily cost of living starts from 80 Euro, the price depends on the number of guests and beds in the room.
The advantage of early booking is the minimum cost. If the rest in Budva is budget, you can independently reserve housing for the end of the season. The optimal time is the end of September. You can book a room or a villa through travel agencies or independent services. For reservations, you will need to make an advance payment, up to 50% of the rate.
Beaches in and around the city
The presence of beaches, the ability to choose a place for sunbathing and swimming are the advantages of Budva compared to other resorts in Montenegro. There are about 35 beaches in the city and its environs. All of them are pebbly, there is no entrance fee. The cost of renting a sun lounger and an umbrella starts from 20 €. But you don’t have to take them. For lying, it is recommended to purchase a thick bedding.
Description and location of beaches for relaxing in Budva on your own in the summer:
- Slavic. Large city beach, stretching on the coastline for 2 km. In summer it is crowded, it is difficult to find free places.
- Richard’s Chapter. It is located near the walls of the old city, has a small area. The number of tourists on this beach is minimal even in high season.
- Mogren. It is located on the right side of the coast, you can go to it through a small grotto. The coastline is small, up to 30 m. Important: in summer, the air is very hot because of the rocks.
- Pisan. A small pebble strip is located near the walls of the old city. The beach is not popular with tourists.
- Yaz. This is the most remote beach from Budva. It is conditionally divided into two parts. On the second, nudists like to relax. The fare to it is about 5 euros.
- Beach on the island of St. Nicholas. It can only be reached by sea, it is distinguished by a small number of tourists. It is recommended to bring water and food with you as there is only one small shop on the island.
The advantages of independent rest in Budva are the opportunity to visit each of these beaches on any day. The greatest fullness of places is observed during the day, in the flesh until 7-8 pm.
Catering
Traditional Montenegrin cuisine is one of the incentives to travel to this country for a holiday. Local cafes and restaurants offer relatively inexpensive and nutritious meals. They have a lot of meat and vegetables, fish is rare. Be sure to try the local coffee, but only in small restaurants or cafes. The size of the dishes is very large, it is recommended to order one serving for two.
What is recommended to try when organizing a holiday in Budva on your own:
- Kaymak. This is a dairy product, in appearance it is very similar to sour cream. However, it tastes closer to cream cheese. They like to add it to meat dishes, season salads with it.
- Negush steak. A must-have dish for lovers of active independent recreation in Budva. For cooking, only young lamb is used, which is seasoned with kaimak. Serving size for two people.
- Popar. For cooking use the remains of black bread. Before serving, it is steamed, adding milk, young cheese and butter. The dish can be found in any restaurant or cafe.
- Prshut. Belongs to the category of snacks, the most famous dish of Montenegro. Its basis is dried meat seasoned with herbs.
When planning a budget for a holiday in Budva on your own, you need to count on the cost of one dinner for two from 20 to 30 €, depending on your appetite. Prices for coffee – from 0.5 € and above. Important: the cost of food is higher on the I and II lines from the sea. It is recommended to plan breakfast and dinner away from the coastline. This way you can save up to 30% of your food budget.
Transport and travel costs
If you do not plan to travel by car during an independent holiday in Budva, you can not use public transport services. The maximum walking time to the sea from the farthest residential area of the city is up to 20 minutes.
Renting a car will cost up to 75 Euros for 3 days. For a full tank you will have to pay 80 Euros. You need to be careful on the road, they are very winding and steep. Therefore, it is recommended to book excursions to the sights of the country.
How realistic is it to organize a vacation in Budva on your own without extra investments? To do this, you need to book a villa in advance, prepare an excursion program and allocate separate funds for meals.