Bečići is a beach with a resort attached, and most of what people come for is within a walk of the sand. That is either the appeal or the disappointment, depending on what you expected, and it is worth knowing which before you book a week here.
The honest version: there is one genuinely famous sight on this stretch and you cannot go inside it. What you can do is walk to a walled medieval town in half an hour, and reach the Bay of Kotor in well under one.
What is within reach
| What it is | Costs | Getting there | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bečići Beach | The resort's own sand, about 2 km of it | Free; sunbeds and umbrellas charged | You are on it |
| Rafailovići | Old fishing village at the north end | Free | 1 km along the beach |
| Budva Old Town | Walled medieval town, Venetian streets | Free to enter; Citadela about €3.50–5, cash | 3 km, walkable on the promenade |
| Sveti Stefan | The fortified islet on the postcards | Viewpoints and the public beach free | 5 km south |
| Kotor | Walled town at the head of the bay | Old town free; €15 cash for the walls | 30 to 40 minutes by road |
The beach, and the walk off it
Bečići Beach is the reason the hotels are here: a long shallow crescent, sand rather than the pebble that dominates much of this coast. Access is free everywhere in Montenegro. What you pay for is the lounger, and the rate depends on how far along the sand you are, which we break down in sunbed prices on the Budva Riviera.
The thing most first-timers miss is that the beach is the start of a walk rather than the whole offer. A seafront promenade runs the length of it, over the headland, and into Budva. It takes about half an hour at a stroll and it is the single best thing to do here that costs nothing.
At the north end, Rafailovići is a former fishing village that the resort strip grew into rather than replaced. A kilometre along the sand, an hour or two of your time, and where a lot of the better seafront eating is.
Budva old town, and the Citadela
Three kilometres north, Budva Old Town is a compact walled quarter of stone lanes, churches and a small harbour. Entering costs nothing. The Citadela, the fortress at the seaward corner, charges about €3.50 to €5 in cash for its walls, maritime museum and library, and it is the one thing inside the walls worth paying for.
Go in the evening. The old town is at its worst at midday in August, packed and hot, and at its best after the day-trippers have gone. For the eating, see restaurants in Budva old town. If you are still deciding between the two bases, Bečići or Budva sets out the trade.
Sveti Stefan, which you look at rather than visit
This is the image on every piece of Montenegro tourism material: a fortified islet joined to the shore by a causeway, terracotta roofs stacked on rock. It is 5 km south of Bečići.
The islet itself is a private resort. You cannot walk over the causeway and wander it, and a lot of people arrive expecting to. What is free is the view, and the public beach on the mainland side of the causeway, which is where the photograph everyone recognises is taken from. An hour or two covers it. Our Sveti Stefan guide has the access detail.
Kotor, the one full day worth leaving for
Thirty to forty minutes by road gets you to the head of the bay and a walled town that is a genuine step up in scale from Budva. The old town is free to walk. Climbing the fortifications up to the San Giovanni fortress costs €15, cash, and it is a steep climb in full sun, so it is a morning job rather than an afternoon one.
Give it a full day. Kotor and Perast as a day trip covers the route and the stop at Perast on the way, and the other day trips rank what else is reachable.
When you have children, or rain
The Aqua Park Mediteran sits above the resort and is the wet-weather and school-holiday answer. On the water itself there is parasailing, jet-skis and banana rides off the main beach in season, hired from the desks on the sand at rates set on the day.
For moving around without a car, getting around the Budva Riviera covers the buses and the boat taxis, which in summer are often quicker than the coast road.
Frequently asked questions
Is there anything to do in Bečići besides the beach?
Yes, though most of it is a short walk or drive away. The promenade into Budva old town takes about half an hour on foot. Rafailovići is a kilometre up the sand, Sveti Stefan is 5 km south, and Kotor is 30 to 40 minutes by road.
Can you visit Sveti Stefan island?
No. The islet is a private resort and the causeway is closed to the public. The viewpoints above the road and the public beach on the mainland side are free, and that is where the familiar photograph is taken from.
How far is Budva from Bečići on foot?
About 3 km, roughly half an hour, on a seafront promenade that runs from the beach over the headland into the old town. It is flat, paved, and the most useful free thing to do in Bečići.
What does it cost to climb the Kotor walls?
€15, cash. The old town below is free to enter. The climb to the San Giovanni fortress is steep and exposed, so start early in summer rather than leaving it to the afternoon.
Is Bečići good for families?
The beach is sand rather than pebble and shelves gently, which is the main argument for it, and the Aqua Park Mediteran is above the resort. The trade is that the sights are elsewhere, so a week here means bus rides or a car.
