Budva is also an ancient settlement, with history and culture that dates back some 2,500 years, and it’s one of Montenegro’s meandering coastline, backed by dramatic limestone mountains, gives on to the serene blue waters of the Adriatic Sea. And while Croatia, to the north west, has grown in popularity, few people drive two hours down the coast from Dubrovnik to the ancient town of Budva. Founded by the Greeks in the fourth century BC, and then fortified during the Middle Ages, the town forms the heart of the “Budva Riviera”, which runs 22 miles from Trsteno to Buljarica, and is dotted with a series of sheltered coves and eight miles of sand and pebble beaches. From 1797 till 1806 Budva was under the occupation of Austria, and then, from 1806 to 1807, it was under the rule of Russian Montenegrin government, and between 1807 and 1813, it was under French occupation and then, again under Austrian, under which it stayed until 1918, when it was liberated by Serbian and Montenegrin Army. The Second World War took many victims from this area fighting against Fascists, and finally on 22nd November 1944 has been liberated on permanent basis.
