Sveti Stefan, Milocer and Petrovac by car from Budva

Kastio stands above Petrovac’s present-day harbour. The Venetians built the fortress here in the 16th century and stationed a permanent garrison inside. The town took the name Kastel Lastva from the fortress, while Kastio has survived as its local name.

The fortress also held goods for maritime trade. Wine and other produce were stored in its warehouses before being exported by ship. The relationship between the walls and the harbour reflects the fortress’s two roles: guarding the sea approach and storing goods for export.

Lazaret was built beside Kastio as a quarantine building for people who were ill during epidemics. These remains are reminders that maritime traffic also carried the risk of spreading disease. Today’s harbour, surviving walls and places to eat and drink within the complex show how this historic stretch of shore has found a new use.

Milocer was developed in the 1930s as the Karadjordjevic family’s summer estate. The garden, terraces and stone residential buildings were laid out behind two bays. The villa beside King’s Beach was the heart of the estate. Today it operates as part of the Aman hotel complex.

Not all of the park’s plants are typical of the local coast. Alongside native vegetation, species brought from other regions were planted here, including Lebanon cedar, eucalyptus, mimosa and loquat. Agaves and cacti add to this residential garden. These plants distinguish Milocer from a natural coastal woodland and give the walk something to explore even without going swimming.

On the approach to the villa, the greenery opens towards the bay at King’s Beach. The stone building, park and sea can be seen together as a former royal estate. You view the villa from outside: it is a hotel building, rather than a museum with free access to its interior. The names King’s Beach and Queen’s Beach retain their connection with royal stays, although use of these beaches today is governed by hotel rules.

Sveti Stefan began in the 15th century as a fortified settlement of the Pastrovici and became the cultural and administrative centre of their region. Its proximity to the mainland and its walls provided shelter from attacks from the sea. According to a traditional account recounted by the Budva Tourism Organisation, twelve houses were built in 1442, one for each Pastrovici clan.

The Bankada, the Pastrovici clan court, met on the island. Alongside the trade in goods and its fortified position, this role helps explain why Sveti Stefan also mattered to people from the surrounding villages. It took its name from the Church of Saint Stephen at the highest point of the island.

In the mid-20th century, the settlement was converted into a hotel town, which opened on 13 July 1960. The stone houses were adapted for guest accommodation while retaining the appearance of a closely packed island settlement. What you see today is both a historic fortification and a hotel complex. The view from the mainland reveals its layout, walls and relationship with the sea. Visiting the churches and streets inside the island requires a separately arranged visit.