Budva is a coastal town on the Adriatic Sea in central Montenegro. It’s about 1 hr west of Podgorica, Montenegro’s capital city, and only 25 min south of Tivat, where the primary airport to access the Montenegrin coastal towns is located.

There are many great places to stay in Budva. For the best experience, we recommend staying near the Old Town (the castle marker on the map below). If you don’t stay in the Old Town, we recommend staying near the sea. The architecture of Budva is not as memorable as you go inland and away from the Old Town and the Adriatic Sea.

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The best month to visit Budva depends on what you’re looking for. Do you want the best weather, fewer crowds, or the best value? Following are our suggestions for each.

The best weather is a personal preference. We find the best weather for exploring a city is around 55° F and sunny. The weather in Budva during the summer can be very hot, but sunbathing, swimming in the Adriatic Sea, and boating are the most popular activities.

Below is a chart showing each month’s average high and low temperatures so you can decide what is best for you.

The time of the year with good weather and fewer crowds is often called the shoulder season. The shoulder season in Budva is March, April, October, and November. For many, this is the best time of the year to visit.

Budva is a popular beach destination in the summer and can get very crowded. You will find fewer crowds in the shoulder season.

We spent a month in Budva in February. The weather was cold and windy on some days but lovely and sunny on others. It’s somewhat hit-and-miss. In general, it is a relatively mild-weather destination.

January and February are good months to visit Budva for the best value and no crowds. You should expect cold, windy weather and pack accordingly.

Tivat Airport (code: TIV) is the international airport serving the Montenegrin coastal town of Tivat and the surrounding region. There are no direct flights from the United States to TIV. Most connecting cities are in Germany. The airport is only 14 miles from Budva and takes approximately 25 minutes by car.

Podgorica Airport (code: TGD) is an international airport serving the Montenegrin capital of Podgorica and the surrounding region. There are no direct flights from the United States to TGD. However, there are seasonal flights from several European cities to Podgorica.

Central European Time (GMT +1) / Central European Summer Time (GMT +2)

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Montenegrin is the official language of Montenegro. However, English is widely spoken in Budva.

Citizens from the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia don’t need a visa to visit Montenegro if they stay 90 days or less. For more information on visa-free travel in Montenegro, check out our article on traveling visa-free.

Montenegro’s power plug sockets are of type F. The standard voltage is 230 V, and the frequency is 50 Hz. Travelers from the United States will need an adapter.

We recommend a travel power strip with multiple USBs and standard plug-ins if you have many items to plug in. Using a power strip, you will only need one adapter to plug the strip into the wall.

Travelers will want a SIM card for Montenegro. You can get either a local SIM card or an eSIM card.

To get a local SIM card, you have to find a local cellular service provider, often stand in line for assistance, show your passport, and complete some paperwork. The SIM cards work great, but purchasing them is somewhat inconvenient. This option is best if you need more than 5GB of data.

We use eSIMs exclusively because they can be purchased through an app prior to arrival in a new country and activated when you hit a cell tower in the country. We use Airalo eSIMs. They work great, and I recommend them if you plan to use less than 5 GB of data during your stay or if you need internet immediately on arrival.

The lack of a train system in Montenegro makes rental cars necessary for most destinations. In addition to the major car rental companies found in the United States, Sixt and Europcar are common throughout Europe. For a comparison of rental car offers from large, international brands and smaller regional brands, we recommend Discover Cars.