The car rental company dropped off the car on Saturday morning, and off we went. Montenegro sits on the west-central side of the Balkans and on the coastline neighbors Croatia to the north and Albania to the south. Although it is a relatively new country, it has a rich history with plenty to see.
We were heading to Budva old town, about an hour from Tivat. It’s been in the high 30s for about a week now, and today was no different — scorching hot. Undeterred, we parked the car and navigated through a few alleyways into the walled city of Budva. It wasn’t unlike other walled cities we’ve seen on our travels, but it was impressive regardless.
Budva is over 2500 years old with a colorful history. It’s been subject to earthquakes and attacked and oppressed by all Mediterranean warring nations. Despite the hardships of its past, it boasts a colorful array of architectural styles. We spent the morning wandering around the old town, taking in the Citadel overlooking both the good and the bad of Budva. We would have walked around the high walls, but it was just too hot. We did enjoy spending time in the air-conditioned museum, which, although small, housed some interesting artifacts.
Afterward, it was time for lunch at a restaurant just outside the city walls, overlooking a small marina. It was cool sitting under the vine canopy enjoying good food. After a long, lazy lunch, we headed further along the coast to take a look at the famed, but now closed, world-renowned resort on the island of Sveti Stefan (there is an ongoing dispute between the hotel owner and Budva). The beautiful stone houses were built some 500 years ago. We managed to get to the locked door leading to the island, and that is probably as close as we will ever come to staying there. Apparently, even as a guest, a lounger will still cost you 200€ a day to rent.
Dream Chasers 