Everyday life in Budva

Some Budva residents choose a place near their apartment for coffee with friends. These get-togethers also happen in neighbourhoods farther from the waterfront promenade, where people come for a drink with friends. A coffee by the shore may be a stop during a walk, with a terrace providing a place to pause and keep talking.

Hotel Mogren's terrace is one example of a place to have coffee after a walk. People also stop there on their way back from the waterfront, including outside the main swimming season.

Everyday shopping in Budva includes both food shops in residential parts of town and the market. Shoppers do not all get their supplies in the same way: some buy fresh produce from market stalls, while others prefer food shops. If you're staying in an apartment, this means you can buy groceries and household basics without making a separate trip to the market.

Clothing, shoes and household items are also available at shopping centres in town. You do not have to rely only on souvenir shops or what is sold right by the beach.

In summer, both local shoppers and tourists use the town's fresh produce market. Some visitors want to choose fresh ingredients from individual vendors, just as they do at home. A visit to the market can therefore be part of ordinary shopping during a trip, alongside food shops that offer a wider range of everyday products. The day of the week matters for a larger shopping trip, because regular shops are closed on Sundays.

Blocked pavements or gaps in them make walking harder, while traffic increases during tourist season and on winter weekends with good weather. Even a short walk may therefore mean going around obstacles on the pavement, while drivers encounter traffic congestion.

In summer, Old Town residents live with morning deliveries and loud groups lingering after venues close. On the way back from a night out, you pass through residential streets, where conversations can still be heard even after the bar's music has stopped.

Local buses are available for travel to other places along the riviera. Our practical guide to Budva explains their routes and other transport options.

Walking by the sea is also a leisure activity for Budva residents. Some choose a walk or a bike ride along the shore at weekends, including outside the swimming season. Visitors can join in by heading to the promenade, alongside people for whom the waterfront is part of their regular free time.

Budva lacks dedicated bike paths and running tracks, so you should not assume there is a separate space for cycling throughout the town.

Platinum Padel at Slovenska Beach shows the social side of sport. In summer, local players also come after work and stay for drinks and conversation after a match. Visitors from abroad also play at the club, and groups help people find others to play with. This offers a chance to meet other players, but you need to check available times and potential playing partners with the club.

Going out in Budva also means gathering for live music, alongside the choice of clubs and beach bars. Some younger residents would like more events featuring rock, metal and music from the former Yugoslavia, while others find company at the live shows already available. Budva's reputation as a party town therefore does not tell you enough about the music or the way people socialise there.

Kod Zlopija is one of the places where young people meet for live music. Check the announced show when choosing an evening: this example does not mean the same kind of music is available every day.

In summer, people from other regions and abroad take seasonal jobs in Budva alongside year-round residents, while students also take hotel and hospitality jobs. The people you meet on holiday may therefore be spending a season working in Budva, with shifts and responsibilities in service jobs.

Work in the Old Town is visible even before the terraces fill up. On summer mornings, goods are delivered to local businesses through streets beside people's homes.

Hospitality businesses have less work after the main summer peak. In early October, guests were still sitting at outdoor tables in the Old Town, although there were fewer of them than at the height of the season.

Remote work in Budva happens during both short visits and longer temporary stays. Some visitors need a few hours for work and calls, while others return to a workspace repeatedly over the course of a month.

Some people who work remotely also use Budva cafes where they meet friends. You should not assume you can work this way in every cafe.

Monteco, in The Old Bakery complex, is used both by visitors on short stays and by those who return to work during longer visits. Alongside the shared workspace, there are separate areas for meetings and calls.