Budva is known as the Queen of the Mediterranean, the Monte Carlo of Montenegro, and is a true capital of Montenegrin tourism. The city boasts an amazing historical district, once ruled over by the Venetians, but many night clubs, luxurious villas and hotels, casinos and is, alongside being the Montenegrin tourism capital, the capital of the country’s nightlife as well. The Budva Riviera, spanning over an area of 25 kilometers, offers some of the most beautiful beaches the country can offer.
Budva is surrounded by walls, with the city fortress- The Citadel- being located at the wall’s south section. The Citadel used to serve as a shelter for the locals, and is located at the highest point of the city’s walls. Legend has it that two lovers, whose parents forbade their love, threw themselves into the sea from the Citadel’s walls, promptly transforming into fish. Unfortunately, this is just a legend, but an image of the two fish is now the symbol of the city, being engraved into the wall of the Citadel, just above its entrance.
The Ballerina Statue - Located just next to the path leading to Mogren beach and Budva’s historical district, this statue depicting a ballerina could just be Budva’s most popular destination for those who love to take photos. A local legend has it that at the exact spot where the statue stands, a young woman used to stare at the sea every day, waiting for her sailor lover who, upon embarking to sea, never came back. The young woman waited every day for her love, but to no avail. According to the legend, the woman was found dead on that very rock. The statue is truly a sight to behold, a true beauty to warm the hearts of onlookers. As it is located en route to Mogren beach, it is difficult to overlook, and is definitely worth stopping for, just to marvel at its beauty and story.
The Holy Trinity Church - Situated just a few meters from the cathedral, this Orthodox Christian church of Holy Trinity was build thanks to Budva’s Orthodox inhabitants. Its construction began in 1798, when the rule of The Republic of Venice in Budva ended, and the church was finally finished in 1804. The church was built from white and red stone, with a rose window just above the entrance, which is surely the most beautiful exterior decorative element. The iconostasis in the church was a work of 19th century Greek painters, a work of exquisite artistic value. Just outside the church is where the grave of Budva’s writer and politician, Stefan Mitrov Ljubiša, is located.
The Church of Saint Sava is a fairly small church. A Romanesque, one-naved structure with a semicircular apse, the church is turned toward the east. It is located on a cliff, its stone walls being flushed by the Adriatic sea at all times. It is not exactly known when this church was constructed or whether it was first an Orthodox or a Catholic church. However, this ambiguity is not rare in Montenegro’s Riviera, mostly due to the people being of mixed religious affiliations. During the reign of the Republic of Venice, the church held both Orthodox and Catholic services, but today the church is strictly Orthodox Christian oriented.
The Cathedral of Saint John, as well as the Orthodox churches of Saint Sava and The Holy Trinity stand next to each other, decorating this small square situated adjacent to the city walls. During the summer, this square hosts a very rich and diverse cultural program, with many plays being acted out by the Theatre of Budva. At the same square, next to the Cathedral of Saint John, there is a bell tower, one of the symbols of the city, which can be seen from every spot in and outside the city. This cathedral is dedicated to Saint John the Baptist, who is the patron saint of Budva, and was constructed around the year 1200. The cathedral was renovated many times, and its current look dates back to the 17th century. Interestingly, this building is one of the few that did not suffer any major damage during the 1979 earthquake.
