By Camper to Budva and Kotor—The Pearls of Montenegro
To find out what it’s like to visit the gems of Montenegro—Budva and Kotor—to get caught in several downpours with nowhere to take shelter, and to finally enjoy a wonderful dinner on the shores of Kotor Bay, read the next part of our Camper Van Trip to the Western Balkans and Italy.
To the front trail —-> Day 1: From Bulgaria through Macedonia, Kosovo to Albania
More information about the route, costs and all travelogues of the trip can be found HERE.
Day 2: Northern Albania - Budva - 123 km. (2:30)
After the terrible storm we weathered on the first night of our trip, we got ready quickly the next morning and set off for Budva in Montenegro.
MONTENEGRO
The main currency in Montenegro is the euro (Yes, that's right—Montenegro isn't in the EU, but they've decided they like it that way)
The roads in Montenegro are single-lane, and traffic is very heavy. There is one main road that winds through the high mountains, and all cars, trucks, and buses travel on this very road.
After reviewing the route, we decided not to go through Ulcinj, where the main road is, but to take a detour along a more direct route marked in white on the map—it turned out to be a very narrow road, half paved and half gravel.
Before Budva is the town Sveti Stefan with its eponymous island of Sveti Stefan. It is a private island and is a hotel complex that is visited by the most famous people in the world. It is also the most prestigious resort in Montenegro. It can be reached by a built bridge. There is a view of the island of Sveti Stefan from the main road to Budva. However, the parking lot in the resort is extremely expensive - about 10 euros/hour for campers and 2 euros for cars, and of course, for this reason, we decided to skip it.
Places for Campers in Montenegro
Parking spaces in Montenegro are almost all paid for - some cheaper, some more expensive. There are also some free places, but firstly, they are less safe and there is a possibility of vandalism, and secondly, that they may cause you a problem by the police, that you stopped there (as they did to us - read below).
Note that in many places that are free, you can stay for the day, but the police will fine you if you decide to spend the night there. The night of campers outside the designated places is prohibited and fine. But it's really fine.
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BUDVA
We spent three or four hours in Budva. The weather wasn’t on our side that day—it started pouring several times and then stopped. All in all, it was only the first two days of our trip that were rainy. The rest of the time, it was warm, dry, and at times pleasant.
The parking lot where we left the camper was a really huge parking lot with space for cars, campers, caravans and buses. It is paid at 1.5-2 euros/hour. The parking lot is located near the old town of Budva, and the distance can be easily covered in about 15 minutes and with children the coordinates are:
42.284737 18.83985
N 42°17'5.05 E 18°50'23.45
The old city of Budva impressed us immensely. Everywhere was clean, the facades of all the buildings were made of white stone, and the streets were paved, narrow... through which swarms of tourists pierced. Right next to the Old Town is the marina, where there were many docked luxury yachts for a miracle and a fairy tale.
–> Browse and book a budget hotel in Budva with a discount. See HERE!
We had a slice of pizza each and then headed to the beach Morgen Beach. It is located near the old town and is reached by a wooden path built on the coastal rocks. From there you can enjoy the great view of Budva and there is the perfect place for beautiful selfies.
Morgen Beach also impressed us with its clear water and clean beach. Although the weather was cool and he was about to start at any moment, we still managed to take a bath in the water and we liked it very much. We continued to the end of the beach, the path led us through some small caves and reached high cliffs, from where some braver young people jumped into the sea from a height of 10-15 meters.
Then we went back to the old town, where after a whole day of breaking by time, a strong downpour finally poured in. We started looking for a place to hide hundreds more tourists. Our first option was under the fortress walls, but at one point it became quite crowded, and that's why we started option B - we got sweet donuts for dessert and settled in a small cozy pastry shop.
Budva, like Kotor and Dubrovnik, is a very touristy place, but compared to the other two cities, we liked Budva better, as its old town has a more pleasant atmosphere, and at the same time it is a modern city. In some travelogues, I found the comparison that Budva corresponds to our Sunny Beach, but for our only three or four hours there, there is no way to confirm or refute this statement. But we definitely think that the town and the beach are worth spending the time are to visit them.
If you also want to get back part of the paid amount for hotels, flights or products, register at this link HERE and every new user receives a $10 bonus in the account.
Budva - Kotor - 24 km. ( 40 min. )
Kotor
Besides Budva, the other must-see town in Montenegro that deserves your time and attention is Kotor. It is located in the so-called Kotor Fjord, a bay about 25 km from Budva. On the way to Kotor, there are several spots where you can stop and enjoy the beautiful view of the fjord. The best view, however, is at the turnoff with the following coordinates:
42.408769 18.769228
N 42°24'31.56 E 18°46'9.22
In addition to the view, there’s a table with chairs where you can have lunch or watch the sunset. As we entered Kotor, we were met with a massive traffic jam. The spot where we parked is located at the following coordinates:
42.421101 18.7672
N 42°25'15.96″ E 18°46'1.92″
It is a huge parking lot, free, but there is a fine if you decide to spend the night there. This is the only free parking near the center of Kotor - it is about 10 minutes' walk from the Old Town. When we arrived (around 4:30 p.m.) it was already overflowing with cars and we barely managed to find a place. It was muddy everywhere because of the rain that had fallen before. On the way to the Old Town, you pass the harbor, where together with the small fishing boats, luxury yachts and even a cruise ship were docked.
The Old Town of Kotor is larger than that of Budva, but in terms of appearance, the two are extremely similar—the facades of the houses are made of white stone, there are narrow cobblestone streets, and small restaurants, with the only difference being that there seem to be more tourists in Kotor. We went into some of the churches in the city and happened to catch a boys’ choir singing there.
The best way to explore Kotor is to get lost in his cute, Venetian-style streets. You can start from the Sea Gate, right next to the bay and from there follow the clockwise arrow inside the Old Town. This way you will see most of the main sights, including Arms Square, Brashnoto Square, the Maritime Museum, Saint Luke Church and Saint Nicholas Church.
An interesting landmark in Kotor is the fortress wall, which is built along the high cliff, which is located next to Kotor. Access to the wall is paid.
The kids were already exhausted from walking—just like us—when the second downpour of the day hit. All of us tourists scattered and took shelter under the umbrellas at the nearest restaurant. However, when the restaurant staff saw that the rain was getting heavier, they started putting the umbrellas away and told us to leave. They realized that wasn’t going to happen and gave up. The rain soon stopped, and we headed back to the camper. Charlie, our camper-guarding dog, was waiting for us there.
–> Browse and book a budget hotel in Kotor at a discount. See HERE!
That day was not over yet. We still had a very small trip to our place to stay. Since it is forbidden to spend the night in the parking lots in the cities, that's why we had marked a place outside the city on the very shore of the bay after Kotor, near the town of Perast. The coordinates of the overnight location were as follows:
42.486458 18.765798
N 42°29'11.24 E 18°45'56.87
The Bay of Kotor (also known as the southernmost fjord in Europe) looks a lot like a butterfly when viewed on a map. The parking lot where we spent the night is actually a rest area at the first major bend of the so-called “butterfly.” The spot offers a great view of the water, at the foot of high cliffs, but it’s quite noisy because the main traffic around the bay passes through there.
We parked, set up our table and chairs—everything just as it should be—had a bite to eat, and suddenly a car pulled up next to us and the driver started saying all sorts of things we didn’t understand. We assumed he was asking what we were doing there and that he was going to call the police. Right after that, we hurriedly packed everything back inside. The police never showed up afterward to give us any trouble. A minivan had pulled up in the same spot, close to us, but the people inside just stayed put and didn’t dare get out. Yeah… they weren’t like us—the whole market out there, the dog barking at every passing car, the kids crying that they’re hungry, my husband struggling with the gas stove, and me trying to get into the Guinness Book of World Records for the fastest preparation of a Shopska salad!
To the next travelogue —-> Day 3: Dubrovnik
