A walking holiday in Montenegro based in the Budva area

Have never visited this part of Europe before so I felt that this area and type of holiday would be perfect. I was right.

Landed at Dubrovnik airport then a somewhat long coach journey into Montenegro. The border crossing took ages as we all ,just wanted to get there.

Stayed near Budva at Hotel Tara which is very close to a beautiful beach in the village of Becici. All rooms had a balcony, the dining facilities were excellent and the inclusive bar was an added bonus.

Budva which is only a short walk from the hotel has a busy harbour and marina, there are lots of shops, a beach and a very pleasant open air cafe beside the Citadel.

Walking was over five days with guides, transport from and to the hotel each morning also included.

Day 1
Rustovo Monastery

This short but fascinating walk took us to the forest Pastrovka and the Rustovo Monastery which was built in memory of the 1400 people from Pastrovici who were murdered by the Hungarian king Ludovic in 1378. Along the way there were breathtaking views of the tiny islet of Sveti Stefan, the coastal resort of Becici and the historical old town of Budva.

Day 2
Lovcen National Park

Started our walking tour in the National Park of Lovcenas, where the route skirts the foothills of the twin peaks of Mount Lovcen, enjoying wonderful views of the UNESCO-listed Bay of Kotor on the Adriatic coast. The walk ended at the base of the Njegoš mausoleum on Mount Lovcen. Here the remains of Petar II Petrovic Njegoš (1813-1851) are interred. This Serb icon, a poet and ruler who laid the foundations for the modern Montenegrin state, has been dubbed the Montenegrin Shakespeare. Here you can relax in a cafe and take in the views, or if you still have energy you can climb the 461 steps to the top of the mausoleum.

Day 3
Vrmac
Follow a hiking trail from the village of Vrmac down to Gornja-Lastva, where pomegranates and olives proliferate. Marvel at Montenegro’s rich Mediterranean flora and charming rustic architecture as we descended the trail.

Day 4
Kotor
This was a free day but the courier suggest that we all hire taxis and travelled to the town of Kotor from there we would be able to explore the town and return by local bus. Kotor is a fortified town on the Adriatic coast, it lies in a bay near the limestone cliffs of Mt. Lovcen. Characterized by winding streets and squares, its medieval old town has several Romanesque churches, including Kotor Cathedral. It's also home to the Maritime Museum, which explores local seafaring history.
We all climbed the narrow path up to Kotor Fortress from where there are amazing views over the town.
The return bus was easy to find and the day was very enjoyable.

Day 5
Brajici-Milocer

As usual collected from the hotel and taken to Kosmac Fortress, built by the Austrians in the 19th century, to begin our walk. Covering a wide variety of terrain on this walk we enjoyed dramatic views of the exclusive island resort of Sveti Stephan en route.

Day 6
Jaz-Trsteno-Krimovica

Compare and contrast inland and coastal scenery on this six-kilometer walk that took us from the lovely islet of Jaz, just 55 metres off the coast near Primosten. Walking along the coastal road to Ploce beach and on to the village of Krimovica and nearby Trsteno, which is renowned for its sandy beach.

The walking was fairly easy on good paths, we had excellent local leaders, our group was fairly small, we all chatted (some couldn't stop) and everyone got on well together, especially in the free bar and during the nightly entertainment.