Things to see and do Adriatic Coast

Ancient fortified city, built at the foot of Mount Rumija in a spectacular natural site. It is the largest archaeological site of medieval origin in Montenegro. Today in ruins and uninhabited, it deserves the interest of the visitor. Along its narrow streets lined with fig and cypress trees, you can discover the remains of several hundred public and religious buildings.

Stamped with the seal of the various civilizations that succeeded each other, they form an invaluable testimony to the eventful history of Montenegro. Recent excavations have shown that the site was occupied as early as 800 BC. Buses drive there every hour (from 5am to 11:30pm).

Guided tour. The visit of the old city requires at least 2 hours. The best way to discover it is to stroll through its streets in search of architectural details adorning the ruins of its buildings. The panorama is splendid and allows to fully appreciate its strategic position with on one side the sea and on the other a succession of mountains. Here are the main points to remember:

In the northwest of the site, we can see an aqueduct built in the ^seventeenth century during the Ottoman occupation. It was partly destroyed, like the whole city, during the earthquake of 1979.

From the Ottoman period , the city has preserved two other important testimonies: Turkish baths of the ^18th centuryinstalled in a Venetian palace and a clock tower. This tower occupies the site of an older tower dating from the ^15th century.

At the eastern end of the ramparts remain the foundations of a church dedicated to Saint George, the patron saint of Bar. Transformed into a mosque in the ^17th century, it was destroyed by an explosion in 1882. Under its walls, archaeologists have found traces of the foundations of a church of the ^sixth century.

On the main alley, in the center of the citadel, an Orthodox church Sveti Luka (Saint Luke) with a very Latin look. It is known for its frescoes and Byzantine icons that decorate its interior.

Not far from there, stands the church of St. Veneranda, built in the ^fourteenth century, it is in a perfect state of preservation and has been converted into a concert hall.

The church of St. Nicholas, now in ruins, and was transformed into a mosque under the Turkish occupation. It retains traces of frescoes Serbo-Byzantine.

The upper part of the fortress built in the ^11th century was used as a prison during the Second World War.

While walking along the citadel, you will come across a pretty little sculpture, which has become over the years the symbol of the city. Sitting on her rock, at the bend of a beach, the little Mermaid of Budva looks at you with her benevolent air and always seems to have a protective feeling. On the way to the beaches of Mogren, leaving the citadel, let yourself be carried away by the charm of the little Mermaid of Budva. You will not be alone, tourists visiting Budva love to have their picture taken with her.

Visit to be privileged for the panorama. Located east of the old town of Budva and facing the sea, this citadel offers a nice view of the old town. You will visit an impressive library of books and old maps among which you can find a copy of the old French daily newspaper Le PetitJournal dating from 1912 or a book published in 1576 in Paris on the history of George Castriot Skanderbeg. You will have the opportunity to have a drink or a meal on a terrace with a 360 degree view.

Erected above a small cove known as Perazića Do, this monastery whose origins date back to the Middle Ages (13th century) is distinguished by its slender bell tower completed in the early 19th century. Restored several times, the buildings that make up the monastery received regular financial support from the Russian court until 1907, as the superior of the place - or archimandrite - had lived in Russia for nearly forty years after leaving Montenegro in the early 19th century.

Located near the "Little Beach" in the city centre, this mosque erected in 1719 by Klič Alija of Constantinople is the oldest in the city. Of modest size and architecture, it is distinguished from the other mosques in the country by the presence, next to it, of a small hammam. It is the only hammam in the country, which makes it all the more interesting. The mosque bears the following inscription on its wall, "It opened with happiness and progress for the people, and for a long time. »

Just next to the previous one, we can finally see the church of Santa Maria in Punta dating back to 840. First Benedictine and then Franciscan, it was requisitioned in 1807 by the Napoleonic troops to shelter their horses. A bell tower with three windows adorns the church and its slabs reveal Latin inscriptions. It once housed the famous miraculous icon of the Mother of God (Our Lady of Budva) from the 14th century, considered the patron saint of the town.

Built in 1804, this church features paintings by Corfu-born artist Nicholaos Aspioti. The entrance has three bells and the windows are in the shape of a round dome. The church's iconostasis was created by Greek icon painters in the ^19th century and is of exceptional artistic merit! The whole area around the church is beautifully paved. In front of the church is the tomb of Stefan Mitrov Ljubiša, a Budva-born writer and politician.

Located on a hill above Sutomore and offering a magnificent view of the sea and the Rumija massif, it was founded by the Venetians in the ^15th century. Mentioned in 1542 as the "Fortezza de Spizi", it was designed to resist firearms. At the highest point of the citadel, at 225 meters above sea level, is the small church of St. Dimitri dating from the ^13th century. In its small cemetery, Orthodox and Catholics were buried together until 1868.

Located on a rocky promontory above the beach of Buljarica, the monastery was first mentioned in 1305. It consists of three churches, a cloister and a defensive wall. The first church, dedicated to St. Nicholas, is decorated with ^17th century frescoes representing scenes from the Old and New Testaments. The second, that of St. Sava, was built in the ^19th century. The third one, smaller, is dedicated to the Virgin. It is also decorated with frescoes from the ^seventeenth century, and also houses busts of the Nemanjić dynasty.

Located at the foot of the old town, in the middle of an olive garden, this church was built in 1890 on the site of a 15th-century monastery. Another church in the town centre, also dedicated to St Nicholas, is worth a visit near the Bar-Ulcinj national road and bears witness to the town's Ottoman past. The Turks forbade the construction of buildings higher than the minarets of the mosques, so this church was built on a level slightly lower than the ground.

Budva is surrounded by sandy beaches, which explains its tourist appeal. Big and lively is Slovenska Plaža (1,600 m). The beaches of Mogren, behind the Hotel Avala, are rather quiet. Jaz lies between two small hills in an uninhabited area (access by secondary road from the expressway). A large campsite and several cafés-restaurants line the beach. The smaller (100 m), nearby Trsteno cove is well worth a visit. Here, too, an open-air restaurant allows you to alternate between swimming and eating in summer.

Not far from the old town - on the national road, a few kilometres after the bridge, a sign indicates the direction of the site on the left - it is here, in Mirovica, that the oldest olive tree in Europe is located. Planted two millennia ago, it has been protected by law since 1963. The volume of its trunk is 10 m and it still bears fruit. Legend has it that in the past, feuding families would meet under this tree, which has the gift of reconciliation!

Information office located in the main street of the old town but you can pass by without seeing it. The access is direct from the entrance on the esplanade. The office will be able to give you a lot of important information with complete brochures, but also maps. The office can also provide you with a comprehensive list of nearby hotels and information on homestays. It is open every day of the week.

Built in 1885, this residence on the waterfront was originally intended to accommodate the official guests of the royal court arriving by sea. Еit now houses the Municipal Museum of the City of Bar. Among other things, you can see some Italian ceramics from the 15th and 16th centuries, objects from a Slavic necropolis from the 7th century, traditional costumes as well as a paleo-Byzantine tomb from the 6th century THE most important piece in the museum, a must see!

The tourist office provides maps of the city and catalogues with the list of individuals offering rooms, apartments or houses for rent. The team at the tourist office is rather young, dynamic and helpful, ready to answer all your questions. The staff speak English and French fluently and will be able to help you with any questions you may have. They are young locals who know the territory of Montenegro and its treasures to visit particularly well. So don't hesitate to ask for information!

Opened to visitors in 2006, the ramparts encircle part of the town. They allow nice views of the tiled roofs and small gardens nestled between the old houses. The ramparts served as protection for the city from the sea and from the land armies. In 1667, an earthquake destroyed a large part of these walls, which were later rebuilt. A pleasant walk that allows you to immerse yourself in the medieval history of this city.

Small museum on four levels with an interesting collection of objects found around Budva in the 1930s. Well captioned, the collection includes a Greco-Lilian helmet from the^5th century BC as well as gold jewelry from the Hellenistic period. Among them are earrings depicting an eagle holding a boy in its claws (an analogy of Zeus' abduction of Ganymede - Greek mythology). Also on display are weapons, costumes and accessories.

Small church dedicated to Saint Sava built in the 12th century. It is a very small Romanesque building with a nave and a small apse. Its past remains unclear and several hypotheses emerge where it would have been used by Catholics and also by Orthodox. Renovation work, after the earthquake of 1979, has helped to elucidate the history of its creation. The frescoes bear an inscription dated 1143. Never mind the history, the view is magical!

The church, which was the seat of the local diocese until 1828, has been rebuilt many times and is distinguished by an imposing bell tower and a large episcopal residence, both dating from the 19th century (1867). The exact origin of the church remains unknown. Historians believe that its foundation dates back to the 9th century. Inside the building is the 12th-century icon known as Our Lady of Budva, which is still used in the procession on June 24, the day of the saint.

It is composed of two churches. The first one dedicated to St. Nicholas (protector of travelers and sailors) was built in 1847. It is decorated with frescoes depicting Stefan Nemanjić (from the dynasty unifying the Serbian territories in the Middle Ages), his son Sava (the patron saint founder of the Serbian Orthodox Church) and Christ between the prophets Solomon and David. The second church is dedicated to the Holy Trinity. Enjoy a breathtaking view of the sea.