Budva
Encyclopedia
Budva is a coastal town in Montenegro. It has around 15,000 inhabitants, and it is the centre of municipality. The coastal area around Budva, called the Budvanska rivijera
, is the centre of Montenegro's tourism, and is well known for its sandy beaches, diverse nightlife, and examples of Mediterranean
architecture.
Budva is 2,500 years old, which makes it one of the oldest settlements on the Adriatic sea
coast.
evidence that places Budva among the oldest urban settlements of the Adriatic
coast. Substantial documentary evidence provides historical references dating back to the 5th century BC.
A legend recounts that Budva was founded by Cadmus
the Phoenician, a hero exiled out of Thebes, Greece
, finding a shelter in this place for himself and his wife Harmonia.
Two other civilizations also left innumerable traces: the Greek
and the Roman
. Upon the fall of the Roman empire
and its division into east and west, the defensive barrier which separated the two powers happened to run across this area, subsequently making a lasting impact on the history and culture of this town. In the Middle Ages
, Budva was reigned by a succession of Doclea
n kings, Serbian and Zetan
aristocrats.
The Venetians
ruled the town for nearly 400 years, from 1420 to 1797. Budva, called Budua in those centuries, was part of the Venetian Republic region of The Bay of Kotor (Albania Veneta
) and was fortified by powerful Venetian
walls against Ottoman
conquests. According to the historian Luigi Paulucci in his book "Le Bocche di Cattaro nel 1810" (The Bay of Kotor in 1810), most of the population spoke the venetian language
until the beginning of the nineteenth century. One of the most renowned theater librettist and composer, Cristoforo Ivanovich, was born in venetian Budua.
In the very turbulent years that followed, Budva saw a change of several of its supreme rulers – Austria, France and Russia. A union of Boka Kotorska
(and Budva) with Montenegro took place for a brief period (1813–1814), but from 1814 until 1918 Budva remained under Austrian Empire
. After WWI, in 1918 Serbian army entered Budva abandoned by Austrian forces and it came under the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
and was later annexed to the Kingdom of Italy
in 1941.
During World War II
many people of this area died in the fight between partizans and Axis troops. Budva was finally liberated from Nazi rule on 22 November 1944 and, after belonging once again to Yugoslavia, is now part of the newly independent Montenegro.
A catastrophic earthquake struck Budva
on 15 April 1979. Much of old town was devastated, but today there is little evidence of the catastrophe – almost all the buildings were restored to their original form.
and Petrovac, and has a population of 16,095 (2003 census). The town itself has 14,458.
2003 population Census – 16,095 citizens:
took over the whole Montenegrin coast influencing it greatly.
Much of the architecture in the Old Town is of Venetian design. Doors, hinges, windows, balconies and many other small but noticeable things seem to hold the Roman style of the Republic of Venice
. There are also three main churches in the old town. The first is St. Ivan's which was built in the 7th century, second St. Mary's of Punta dating from 840 and the third, The Holy Trinity
, which was built in 1804. The venetian walls of the Old town are a famous tourist attraction
.
The Old Town is also famous for the earthquakes it suffered in 1979, where the whole town had to be rebuilt; it took eight years (until 1987) for it to be finished.
in Montenegro.
Because of sandy beaches in and around Budva which strech for 11310 m (37,106.3 ft) as well as its vast cultural heritage
, architecture, and vibrant nightlife the city is increasingly turning into the most attractive tourist destination in Montenegro.
Budva's most famous beach is Mogren. Nestled in-between several large cliffs it can be reached by a 500 m (1,640.42 ft) pathway from Budva's Old town. Other beaches within official city boundaries include Ričardova glava (Richard's Head), Pizana, Slovenska plaža (Slavic Beach). Many other beaches are located just outside of Budva in smaller adjacent towns and villages such as Bečići, Jaz
, Trsteno, Maestral, Miločer, Sveti Stefan, Pržno, Kamenovo, Ploče, Crvena Glavica, Drobni Pijesak, Kraljičina plaža, Kraljeva plaža.
Outside the old town, Budva does not offer many historical sights. Instead, much of the city consists of new age Mediterranean-style buildings, or private lowrise dwellings. During the turbulent
1990s, Budva grew and expanded without any form of urban planning
, which resulted in parts of town featuring narrow streets and numerous cul-de-sac
s. This is the reason of major traffic jams
during the summer season.
In the close vicinity of Budva there are exclusive resorts such as town-hotel Sveti Stefan
and Miločer, places frequented by various celebrities as well as local businessmen and politicians.
There are a few notable drawbacks in development of tourism in Budva. The biggest is inadequate infrastructure of the town. The most quoted problem in Budva, as in all of Montenegrin coast, is shortage of tap water
. Scarse watersheds around Budva became completely inadequate for growing town in the early 2000s, so taps in Budva become dry during daytime for most of the summer months. Recently, as number of tourists at peak times reach 100,000 in Budva, electricity shortages also became a commonplace.
The other serious problem is traffic and parking in and around Budva. As most of the beaches are located around Budva, tourists returning from beaches in the afternoon usually jam the roads along the coast, so the trip from Sveti Stefan to Budva, some 10 km (6.2 mi), takes around an hour.
Car parking is also a major problem. Increasing number of tourists are coming to Budva with their own car, so there is overwhelming demand for parking space
around the town center. Sometimes one has to wait in line to get a space on a parking lot
up to an hour.
Hotels are usually spared these problems, as they have privileges when it comes to water and electricity supply
.
– either through Cetinje
, or through the Sozina tunnel
(opened 2005). Either way, Podgorica, the capital and main road junction in Montenegro, is around 60 km (37.3 mi) away.
Budva is connected to the rest of coastal towns of Montenegro by the Adriatic Highway, which extends from Ulcinj
in the far south to Herceg Novi
, and on to the Croatia.
Tivat Airport
is 20 km (12.4 mi) away. There are regular flights to Belgrade
and Zurich
, and dozens of charter planes land daily on Tivat airport during the summer season.
Podgorica Airport
is 65 km (40.4 mi) away, and it has regular flights to Belgrade and other European destinations throughout the year.
, with warm summers and mild winters, and 230 sunny days in a year. Budva comes among the warmest Mediterranean
towns with an average temperature of 8 °C (46 °F) in January and 29 °C (84.2 °F) in July. The average summertime temperature is 25 °C (77 °F) and 9.3 °C (48.7 °F) in the winter. The temperature of the sea reaches up to 24.7 °C (76.5 °F) in the summer months, while it keeps between 18 °C (64 °F) and 19 °C (66 °F) in the autumn.
, Austrians and Italians. Once barren and undeveloped fields of steep hillsides are being sold for hundreds euros per square meter. This resulted in a once poor fisherman's village to become a town with the most millionaires per capita in Europe, about 500 for the population of around 22,000 in whole municipality. Many of the newly rich re-invested their money in real-estate, buying flats in central Podgorica
and Belgrade
, which further raised the prices of living space in Podgorica.
with: San Remo
, Italy Novi Sad
, Serbia Velika Plana
, Serbia Banská Bystrica
, Slovakia, since 2001 Ohrid
, Macedonia
Budva Riviera (region)
The Budva Riviera is a long strip of the Adriatic coast surrounding the town of Budva in western Montenegro. It is part of the Montenegrin Littoral geographical region. Historically it was part of the Albania Veneta. It is located roughly along the middle of the Montenegrin coast, and is a center...
, is the centre of Montenegro's tourism, and is well known for its sandy beaches, diverse nightlife, and examples of Mediterranean
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
architecture.
Budva is 2,500 years old, which makes it one of the oldest settlements on the Adriatic sea
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
coast.
History
There is vast archaeologicalArchaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
evidence that places Budva among the oldest urban settlements of the Adriatic
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
coast. Substantial documentary evidence provides historical references dating back to the 5th century BC.
A legend recounts that Budva was founded by Cadmus
Cadmus
Cadmus or Kadmos , in Greek mythology was a Phoenician prince, the son of king Agenor and queen Telephassa of Tyre and the brother of Phoenix, Cilix and Europa. He was originally sent by his royal parents to seek out and escort his sister Europa back to Tyre after she was abducted from the shores...
the Phoenician, a hero exiled out of Thebes, Greece
Thebes, Greece
Thebes is a city in Greece, situated to the north of the Cithaeron range, which divides Boeotia from Attica, and on the southern edge of the Boeotian plain. It played an important role in Greek myth, as the site of the stories of Cadmus, Oedipus, Dionysus and others...
, finding a shelter in this place for himself and his wife Harmonia.
Two other civilizations also left innumerable traces: the Greek
Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece is a civilization belonging to a period of Greek history that lasted from the Archaic period of the 8th to 6th centuries BC to the end of antiquity. Immediately following this period was the beginning of the Early Middle Ages and the Byzantine era. Included in Ancient Greece is the...
and the Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
. Upon the fall of the Roman empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
and its division into east and west, the defensive barrier which separated the two powers happened to run across this area, subsequently making a lasting impact on the history and culture of this town. In the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, Budva was reigned by a succession of Doclea
Duklja (town)
Duklja or Doclea was once the principal city of the state of Duklja . The city was situated about three kilometers north from today’s Podgorica, Montenegro's capital.-History:...
n kings, Serbian and Zetan
Principality of Zeta
Zeta was a medieval state, which territory encompassed parts of present-day Montenegro and Northernwestern Albania. From 1360. to 1421. Zeta was independent state administered by local noble family Balšić. From 1185. to 1360. and from 1421. - 1451, Zeta was province of medieval Serbia...
aristocrats.
The Venetians
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
ruled the town for nearly 400 years, from 1420 to 1797. Budva, called Budua in those centuries, was part of the Venetian Republic region of The Bay of Kotor (Albania Veneta
Albania Veneta
Venetian Albania was the name for the possessions of the Venetian Republic in southern Dalmatia that existed from 1420 to 1797. It originally covered the coastal area of what is now northern Albania and the coast of Montenegro, but the Albanian and southern Montenegrin parts were lost to the...
) and was fortified by powerful Venetian
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
walls against Ottoman
Ottoman Turks
The Ottoman Turks were the Turkish-speaking population of the Ottoman Empire who formed the base of the state's military and ruling classes. Reliable information about the early history of Ottoman Turks is scarce, but they take their Turkish name, Osmanlı , from the house of Osman I The Ottoman...
conquests. According to the historian Luigi Paulucci in his book "Le Bocche di Cattaro nel 1810" (The Bay of Kotor in 1810), most of the population spoke the venetian language
Venetian language
Venetian or Venetan is a Romance language spoken as a native language by over two million people, mostly in the Veneto region of Italy, where of five million inhabitants almost all can understand it. It is sometimes spoken and often well understood outside Veneto, in Trentino, Friuli, Venezia...
until the beginning of the nineteenth century. One of the most renowned theater librettist and composer, Cristoforo Ivanovich, was born in venetian Budua.
In the very turbulent years that followed, Budva saw a change of several of its supreme rulers – Austria, France and Russia. A union of Boka Kotorska
Bay of Kotor
The Bay of Kotor in south-western Montenegro is a winding bay on the Adriatic Sea. The bay, sometimes called Europe's southernmost fjord, is in fact a submerged river canyon of the disintegrated Bokelj River which used to run from the high mountain plateaus of Mount Orjen...
(and Budva) with Montenegro took place for a brief period (1813–1814), but from 1814 until 1918 Budva remained under Austrian Empire
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
. After WWI, in 1918 Serbian army entered Budva abandoned by Austrian forces and it came under the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a state stretching from the Western Balkans to Central Europe which existed during the often-tumultuous interwar era of 1918–1941...
and was later annexed to the Kingdom of Italy
Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)
The Kingdom of Italy was a state forged in 1861 by the unification of Italy under the influence of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which was its legal predecessor state...
in 1941.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
many people of this area died in the fight between partizans and Axis troops. Budva was finally liberated from Nazi rule on 22 November 1944 and, after belonging once again to Yugoslavia, is now part of the newly independent Montenegro.
A catastrophic earthquake struck Budva
1979 Montenegro earthquake
The 1979 Montenegro earthquake was the most devastating earthquake on the territory of present-day Montenegro, then part of SFR Yugoslavia.- Earthquake :...
on 15 April 1979. Much of old town was devastated, but today there is little evidence of the catastrophe – almost all the buildings were restored to their original form.
Population
Budva is the administrative centre of Budva municipality, which includes the neighbouring towns of BečićiBecici
Bečići is a town within the municipality of Budva, Montenegro. It is located south-east of Budva, and has 771 permanent residents .Serbs 405 - 52,52%Montenegrins 264 - 34,24%...
and Petrovac, and has a population of 16,095 (2003 census). The town itself has 14,458.
2003 population Census – 16,095 citizens:
- 7,333 Montenegrins (45.56%)
- 6,510 SerbsSerbsThe Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
(40.45%) - 460 Others (2.86%)
- 205 MuslimsMuslims by nationalityMuslims by nationality was a term used in Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia as an official designation of nationality of Slavic Muslims. They were one of the constitutive groups of Bosnia and Herzegovina...
(1.27%) - 177 CroatsCroatsCroats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
(1.10%)
Old Town
The Old Town in Budva has many different tales and stories of its origin. Scholars and historians believe it to have originally been an island, which later joined the shore to form a sand isthmus. The Old Town, along with the city of Budva was said to have been discovered by a Greek sailor by the name of Boutoua. Eventually the Roman EmpireRoman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
took over the whole Montenegrin coast influencing it greatly.
Much of the architecture in the Old Town is of Venetian design. Doors, hinges, windows, balconies and many other small but noticeable things seem to hold the Roman style of the Republic of Venice
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
. There are also three main churches in the old town. The first is St. Ivan's which was built in the 7th century, second St. Mary's of Punta dating from 840 and the third, The Holy Trinity
Trinity
The Christian doctrine of the Trinity defines God as three divine persons : the Father, the Son , and the Holy Spirit. The three persons are distinct yet coexist in unity, and are co-equal, co-eternal and consubstantial . Put another way, the three persons of the Trinity are of one being...
, which was built in 1804. The venetian walls of the Old town are a famous tourist attraction
Tourist attraction
A tourist attraction is a place of interest where tourists visit, typically for its inherent or exhibited cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, or amusement opportunities....
.
The Old Town is also famous for the earthquakes it suffered in 1979, where the whole town had to be rebuilt; it took eight years (until 1987) for it to be finished.
Tourism
Budva is the capital of Montenegrin tourism. With over 330,000 guests in the 2007 summer season, it is by far the most popular tourist destinationTourist destination
A tourist destination is a city, town, or other area that is dependent to a significant extent on the revenues accruing from tourism. It may contain one or more tourist attractions and possibly some "tourist traps."...
in Montenegro.
Because of sandy beaches in and around Budva which strech for 11310 m (37,106.3 ft) as well as its vast cultural heritage
Cultural heritage
Cultural heritage is the legacy of physical artifacts and intangible attributes of a group or society that are inherited from past generations, maintained in the present and bestowed for the benefit of future generations...
, architecture, and vibrant nightlife the city is increasingly turning into the most attractive tourist destination in Montenegro.
Budva's most famous beach is Mogren. Nestled in-between several large cliffs it can be reached by a 500 m (1,640.42 ft) pathway from Budva's Old town. Other beaches within official city boundaries include Ričardova glava (Richard's Head), Pizana, Slovenska plaža (Slavic Beach). Many other beaches are located just outside of Budva in smaller adjacent towns and villages such as Bečići, Jaz
Jaz Beach
Jaz is a beach in the Budva Municipality in Montenegro. It is located 2.5 km west of Budva city. It consists of two parts, one 850 m long and the other, formerly a nudist beach, 450 m long...
, Trsteno, Maestral, Miločer, Sveti Stefan, Pržno, Kamenovo, Ploče, Crvena Glavica, Drobni Pijesak, Kraljičina plaža, Kraljeva plaža.
Outside the old town, Budva does not offer many historical sights. Instead, much of the city consists of new age Mediterranean-style buildings, or private lowrise dwellings. During the turbulent
Yugoslav wars
The Yugoslav Wars were a series of wars, fought throughout the former Yugoslavia between 1991 and 1995. The wars were complex: characterized by bitter ethnic conflicts among the peoples of the former Yugoslavia, mostly between Serbs on the one side and Croats and Bosniaks on the other; but also...
1990s, Budva grew and expanded without any form of urban planning
Urban planning
Urban planning incorporates areas such as economics, design, ecology, sociology, geography, law, political science, and statistics to guide and ensure the orderly development of settlements and communities....
, which resulted in parts of town featuring narrow streets and numerous cul-de-sac
Cul-de-sac
A cul-de-sac is a word of French origin referring to a dead end, close, no through road or court meaning dead-end street with only one inlet/outlet...
s. This is the reason of major traffic jams
Traffic congestion
Traffic congestion is a condition on road networks that occurs as use increases, and is characterized by slower speeds, longer trip times, and increased vehicular queueing. The most common example is the physical use of roads by vehicles. When traffic demand is great enough that the interaction...
during the summer season.
In the close vicinity of Budva there are exclusive resorts such as town-hotel Sveti Stefan
Sveti Stefan
Sveti Stefan, , now Aman Sveti Stefan including the Villa Miločer is a small islet and hotel and resort in Montenegro, approximately southeast of Budva. The resort includes the islet of Sveti Stefan and part of the mainland, where the Villa Miločer part of the resort is located...
and Miločer, places frequented by various celebrities as well as local businessmen and politicians.
There are a few notable drawbacks in development of tourism in Budva. The biggest is inadequate infrastructure of the town. The most quoted problem in Budva, as in all of Montenegrin coast, is shortage of tap water
Tap water
Tap water is a principal component of "indoor plumbing", which became available in urban areas of the developed world during the last quarter of the 19th century, and common during the mid-20th century...
. Scarse watersheds around Budva became completely inadequate for growing town in the early 2000s, so taps in Budva become dry during daytime for most of the summer months. Recently, as number of tourists at peak times reach 100,000 in Budva, electricity shortages also became a commonplace.
The other serious problem is traffic and parking in and around Budva. As most of the beaches are located around Budva, tourists returning from beaches in the afternoon usually jam the roads along the coast, so the trip from Sveti Stefan to Budva, some 10 km (6.2 mi), takes around an hour.
Car parking is also a major problem. Increasing number of tourists are coming to Budva with their own car, so there is overwhelming demand for parking space
Parking space
A parking space is a location that is designated for parking, either paved or unpaved.Parking spaces can be in a parking garage, in a parking lot or on a city street. It is usually designated by a white-paint-on-tar rectangle indicated by three lines at the top, left and right of the designated area...
around the town center. Sometimes one has to wait in line to get a space on a parking lot
Parking lot
A parking lot , also known as car lot, is a cleared area that is intended for parking vehicles. Usually, the term refers to a dedicated area that has been provided with a durable or semi-durable surface....
up to an hour.
Hotels are usually spared these problems, as they have privileges when it comes to water and electricity supply
Electric power
Electric power is the rate at which electric energy is transferred by an electric circuit. The SI unit of power is the watt.-Circuits:Electric power, like mechanical power, is represented by the letter P in electrical equations...
.
Transport
Budva is connected to inland Montenegro by two-laned highways. There are two ways to reach Budva from PodgoricaPodgorica
Podgorica , is the capital and largest city of Montenegro.Podgorica's favourable position at the confluence of the Ribnica and Morača rivers and the meeting point of the fertile Zeta Plain and Bjelopavlići Valley has encouraged settlement...
– either through Cetinje
Cetinje
Cetinje , Цетиње / Cetinje , Italian: Cettigne, Greek: Κετίγνη, Ketígni) is a town and Old Royal Capital of Montenegro. It is also a historical and the secondary capital of Montenegro , with the official residence of the President of Montenegro...
, or through the Sozina tunnel
Sozina tunnel
The Sozina Tunnel is a road tunnel in Montenegro, and is a part of E65 European route. It is located north of town of Sutomore, and is designed to bypass the mountain range "Paštrovska Gora" that separates Montenegrin coast from Zeta plain and Skadar Lake basin .The road tunnel "Sozina" is 4,189 m...
(opened 2005). Either way, Podgorica, the capital and main road junction in Montenegro, is around 60 km (37.3 mi) away.
Budva is connected to the rest of coastal towns of Montenegro by the Adriatic Highway, which extends from Ulcinj
Ulcinj
Ulcinj is a coastal resort town and municipality in Montenegro. The town of Ulcinj has a population of 10,828 of which the majority are Albanians...
in the far south to Herceg Novi
Herceg Novi
Herceg Novi is a coastal town in Montenegro located at the entrance to the Bay of Kotor and at the foot of Mount Orjen. It is the administrative center of the Herceg Novi Municipality with around 33,000 inhabitants...
, and on to the Croatia.
Tivat Airport
Tivat Airport
Tivat Airport is an international airport located from the centre of Tivat, Montenegro in the center of the Boka Kotorska bay....
is 20 km (12.4 mi) away. There are regular flights to Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
and Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
, and dozens of charter planes land daily on Tivat airport during the summer season.
Podgorica Airport
Podgorica Airport
Podgorica Airport is an international airport located south of Podgorica, Montenegro. It is the main hub for Montenegro Airlines....
is 65 km (40.4 mi) away, and it has regular flights to Belgrade and other European destinations throughout the year.
Climate
Budva has a typical Mediterranean climateMediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate is the climate typical of most of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, and is a particular variety of subtropical climate...
, with warm summers and mild winters, and 230 sunny days in a year. Budva comes among the warmest Mediterranean
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
towns with an average temperature of 8 °C (46 °F) in January and 29 °C (84.2 °F) in July. The average summertime temperature is 25 °C (77 °F) and 9.3 °C (48.7 °F) in the winter. The temperature of the sea reaches up to 24.7 °C (76.5 °F) in the summer months, while it keeps between 18 °C (64 °F) and 19 °C (66 °F) in the autumn.
Presence of millionaries
Locally, Budva is referred to as the Montenegrin Kuwait, because of its number of millionaires compared to its small population. Following a real estate boom in 2000s, many native families sold their properties in and around Budva to foreign buyers, mostly RussiansRussians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
, Austrians and Italians. Once barren and undeveloped fields of steep hillsides are being sold for hundreds euros per square meter. This resulted in a once poor fisherman's village to become a town with the most millionaires per capita in Europe, about 500 for the population of around 22,000 in whole municipality. Many of the newly rich re-invested their money in real-estate, buying flats in central Podgorica
Podgorica
Podgorica , is the capital and largest city of Montenegro.Podgorica's favourable position at the confluence of the Ribnica and Morača rivers and the meeting point of the fertile Zeta Plain and Bjelopavlići Valley has encouraged settlement...
and Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
, which further raised the prices of living space in Podgorica.
Culture
- Budva has the distinction of being the smallest town to host a concert of The Rolling StonesThe Rolling StonesThe Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
. The group held a concert on 9 July 2007, at Jaz BeachJaz BeachJaz is a beach in the Budva Municipality in Montenegro. It is located 2.5 km west of Budva city. It consists of two parts, one 850 m long and the other, formerly a nudist beach, 450 m long...
, as a part of their A Bigger Bang Tour. The show saw an attendance of some 35,000 spectators, twice the population of Budva town itself. - MadonnaMadonna (entertainer)Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
staged a show at the same venue on 25 September 2008, while Lenny KravitzLenny KravitzLeonard Albert "Lenny" Kravitz is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and arranger, whose "retro" style incorporates elements of rock, soul, R&B, funk, reggae, hard rock, psychedelic, folk and ballads...
and Armand Van HeldenArmand Van HeldenArmand Van Helden is a record producer, DJ and remixer whose biggest commercial successes came from his remixes of the 1996 Tori Amos song "Professional Widow" , which reached number 1 in the UK Singles Chart in January 1997, and his own track "U Don't Know Me ", which went to number 1...
performed at Jaz beach during the "Live Fest" in August 2008, along with Goran BregovićGoran BregovicGoran Bregović is one of the most internationally known modern musicians and composers of the Balkans. He currently splits his time between Paris and Belgrade, where he settled down during the Yugoslav Wars.Bregović has composed for such varied artists as Iggy Pop and Cesária Évora...
, Dino MerlinDino MerlinEdin Dervišhalidović , stage name Dino Merlin, , is a prominent Bosnian singer-songwriter and musician. He is a popular singer/songwriter in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and is also popular in the other countries of the former Yugoslavia such as Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro, Republic of Macedonia and...
and Zdravko ČolićZdravko ColicZdravko Čolić , is a pop singer popular across the entire area of former Yugoslavia. Originally from Sarajevo, since 1992 , his home is in Belgrade, Serbia...
. - Budva was host of Class 1 Powerboat Grand prix in May 2008. It will take place in this city for the next 4 years.
- Budva, together with nearby KotorKotorKotor is a coastal city in Montenegro. It is located in a secluded part of the Gulf of Kotor. The city has a population of 13,510 and is the administrative center of the municipality....
, was host to the Federation of European Carnival CitiesFederation of European Carnival CitiesThe Federation of European Carnival Cities was founded in 1980 and has been registered in the Court of Luxembourg. Member cities, organization and individual members are engaged in producing popular celebrations or carnivals which represent an authentic masquerade or parade of a people's cultural...
(FECC) World Carnival City Congress in May 2009.
Twin towns – Sister cities
Budva is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with: San Remo
San Remo
San Remo may refer to places:* Sanremo, an Italian city* San Remo, New South Wales, a town in New South Wales, Australia* San Remo, Victoria, a town in Victoria, Australia* San Remo, Western Australia, a suburb of Mandurah, Australia...
, Italy Novi Sad
Novi Sad
Novi Sad is the capital of the northern Serbian province of Vojvodina, and the administrative centre of the South Bačka District. The city is located in the southern part of Pannonian Plain on the Danube river....
, Serbia Velika Plana
Velika Plana
Velika Plana , is a town and municipality located in the Podunavlje District of Serbia. In 2011, the population of the municipality is 40,578 . It is estimated that about 5,500-6,500 IDP's from Kosovo & Metohija also live in Velika Plana but are unregistered...
, Serbia Banská Bystrica
Banská Bystrica
Banská Bystrica is a key city in central Slovakia located on the Hron River in a long and wide valley encircled by the mountain chains of the Low Tatras, the Veľká Fatra, and the Kremnica Mountains. With 81,281 inhabitants, Banská Bystrica is the sixth most populous municipality in Slovakia...
, Slovakia, since 2001 Ohrid
Ohrid
Ohrid is a city on the eastern shore of Lake Ohrid in the Republic of Macedonia. It has about 42,000 inhabitants, making it the seventh largest city in the country. The city is the seat of Ohrid Municipality. Ohrid is notable for having once had 365 churches, one for each day of the year and has...
, Macedonia
Official sites
- Official web site
- Official web site of Budva Tourism Organization
- Official tourist guide
- Budva Tourist Guide