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Budva Montenegro Bars Nightlife| Nightlife Montenegro |
 Montenegro is a hidden beauty, a still relatively undiscovered secret, combining the enviable attractions of gorgeous beaches, medieval towns and snow peaked mountains, with incredible lakes, rushing rivers and spectacular scenery. And the time to go is now while it still holds onto much of its authentic charm.
With well over 250,000 tourists visiting each summer and the number growing fast - it’s bound to change. So while the nightlife choices now may not be as plentiful as other European destinations, hotel and resort development is apace and that will bring with it new clubs, pubs and restaurants. In addition, real estate is now MEGA business in Montenegro, particularly around the main coastal town of Budva. In fact, as local families have cottoned on and sold land and property to foreigners (mainly Russians, Brits and the Irish), this region now has the highest number of millionaires per capita in Europe!
So Montenegro is on the way up in terms of tourism. Whether that’s a good thing or not is a matter of personal opinion! For now, Montenegro offers a perfectly good choice of places to eat, drink and party, and (unlike a lot of Mediterranean destinations) you don’t have to drive 20 miles inland away from the resorts to find a restaurant that serves local food and beverages - at reasonably cheap prices.
There are some downsides, mainly problems of infrastructure; local resources being unable to keep up with demand. So watch the water and don’t be surprised if in the height of summer the roads are jammed and parking in resorts is difficult.
Aha! Now I know that some of you are asking: ‘Yeah, but where is Montenegro? Sounds like it should be in South America’. It’s not. Bordered by Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosova, and Albania, Montenegro used to be part of Yugoslavia and has 200km of coastline along the Adriatic Sea. So, yes, it has had a turbulent recent history, but survived and finally gained independence in 2006. |
 The main resort is the coastal town of Budva, with 2,500 years of history, one of the oldest settlements on the Adriatic Sea. Offering some of the world’s best beaches, wonderful examples of this region’s cultural architecture and heritage, Budva also has a colourful nightlife (the Rolling Stones played on local Jaz beach in July 07). Its open air clubs along the main pedestrian promenade are extremely popular in the summer months. However, they are only allowed to play music until 1am, after which you’ll have to drift into one of the few indoor venues.
Kotor is another growing tourist destination. One of the best preserved medieval old towns in the Adriatic with a magnificent hilltop fortress, the old town is full of cafes, bars, restaurants and nightclubs including the new swanky Maximum club. Restoran Marina has beautiful views across the water and is well worth a trip.
The rich and famous visit the exclusive resort of Sveti Stefan. This island, connected to the mainland by a sand isthmus, was once a fishing village, a mixture of elegant houses and cobbled squares…….all now part of a splendid hotel complex with an excellent a la carte restaurant and bars. It’s one of those places that if you’re there, you really ought to visit! The Maestral Resort and Casino at Milocer near Przno has a good range of bars and restaurant with regular live music, while the Hotel Montenegro at Becici (2.5km from Budva) has a nice piano bar. |
 Some 60km inland from Budva is Podgorica (you’re most likely to fly into the airport here from Europe). The official commercial and cultural centre of Montenegro, much of Podgorica was destroyed during WWII, so its buildings are relatively modern. However, Podgorica hosts a number of cultural events throughout the year and has many theatres plus various historical monuments in and around the city. So it’s worth a visit. The locals also rate the nightlife pretty highly and there is a good choice of clubs, pubs etc within about a 300m radius. Recommended spots include the Montanaro jazz club, the Budha bar and the Greenwich bar in Njegoseva . Try the local dish of Popeci, a sort of deep fried veal and cheese roll.
Also inland is Skadar Lake, an absolutely beautiful spot 30 miles long and 10 miles wide. Here you can walk and enjoy the breathtaking scenery; and there are a number of bars and lakeside restaurants where you can enjoy local specialities such as grilled carp and eel risotto.
Foodwise, Montenegro is definitely an excellent choice for fish lovers with much of it coming from Skadar Lake: carp, trout, eel and amberjack particular favourites. Generally the food here has a Mediterranean flavour, using a lot of olive oil, with specialities including lamb under sac (cooked in an iron pan under embers and ashes); pivski kajmak, a special milk cream; clear fish soup; smoked ham; dried sausage; kebabs and Burek, thin flaky pastry filled with salty cheese, mince meat, potatoes and other vegetables.
The local Vranac red wine (locally called black) should be tried, along with Niksic, Montenegro’s own beer, and Rakija..a rather potent grape brandy.
Don’t forget to take some ibuprofen and alka seltzer with you after that lot! |
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