Sveti Stefan in Montenegro: beaches, hotels and attractions

Many people don't go abroad every year. If you are already selected, then you want everything to be as comfortable as possible, positive and preferably not very expensive. If you choose a place to relax and do not know where to stay, you want to get only pleasant impressions from the rest - we offer to stop your attention at one of the small and hospitable resorts of Montenegro.

Sveti Stefan is a small resort village in Montenegro. It is located on the beautiful Adriatic Sea coast, on the Budva Riviera, in the southeast, 5 kilometers from the famous tourist town of Budva. The town is named after St. Stephen, the patron saint of Montenegro.

Once it was a fortified fishing village in which the fortress and the church of St. Stephen were built in honor of the victory over the Ottomans. For a long time it was an important shopping center. But by the middle of the XX century there were only 20 inhabitants left who were sent to live on the mainland.

On the island is located closed premium hotel Aman Sveti Stefan, which consists of separate rooms, houses, 15 rooms of the highest class and 100 luxury apartments. Rest here can only very wealthy people, representatives of show business, politics. For their comfort, there is a bank, restaurants, 3 pools, an art gallery, a hairdresser, a pastry shop and 3 churches (St. Stephen, Alexander Nevsky and the Assumption of the Virgin). Unfortunately, only the hotel guests can use this infrastructure.

The resort town, located on the mainland, consists of about 40 houses built in tiers on a mountain. Most of Sveti Stefan are houses of local residents where tourists can rent a room, the rest of them are several hotels and apartments. The infrastructure is not very developed - cafes, restaurants, 4 grocery stores, a souvenir shop, a bakery.

The Mediterranean climate, in which Sveti Stefan is located, gives 100 sunny days a year, as well as a sultry and hot summer (temperatures reach +40), windy and rainy winters. January and February are cloudy and cold months. But even at this time, the air temperature does not fall below 5 degrees. The ideal time to relax in the resort is mid July-early October. Climate specificity is that dry and hot July and August have a beneficial effect on health:

• immunity is strengthened;
• improves the performance of the respiratory system;
• increases body tone;
• activated metabolic processes.

The water on the beach is turquoise clear, clean and very salty. The main thing is to guess the comfortable temperature of the water.

For holidays in Sveti Stefan, you can select hotels of the appropriate category.

• Fashionable 5-star hotel Aman Sveti Stefanlocated on the island. Comfortable room in a medieval town - an expensive treat.
• 4 star hotels provide access to clean and comfortable beaches and basic infrastructure.
• 3-star hotels or guest houses. You will have the minimum conditions for rest, but for unpretentious vacationers that is enough.

When choosing an apartment, pay attention to the fact that buildings in Sveti Stefan are built according to the Montenegrin principle - in tiers.The higher your temporary housing will be, the more steps (there may be about 250) to overcome to get to the beach. You can take a taxi if you do not want to walk up to the top.

Silence is what Sveti Stefan is valued for. This is the perfect place for a serene and relaxing family holiday. You will not find here nightclubs, discos, bars, karaoke and any midnight parties. But you can enjoy plenty of beach relaxation. The beaches of the village are divided into several types:

• paid;
• free;
• nudist

In fact, the beach in Sveti Stefan is one, but the isthmus is divided into two sections. On the right is the beach of the hotel-island guests (it is free for them). The rest of the tourists can visit it for 100 euros. The beach is covered with pink sand, almost like Elafonisi in Crete, and you can only sunbathe on a lounger.

To the left of the isthmus there is a public (free) beach, covered with large pink pebbles, which looks beautiful in the rays of the setting and rising sun. Here you can rent a sunbed and an umbrella, or just use a towel or a rug. Also on the beach you will be offered boiled corn, ice cream and donuts. For those who want to eat, here is a good selection of cafes for every taste. Shower, toilet, cabins are on both beaches.

Small nudist beaches are located on the outskirts of the village behind the rocks. Their main part is fenced.

Due to the favorable location of Sveti Stefan, sea excursions are often held here.

• Fish picnic. Ideal for families with children, because it is carried out by Captain Petar. Sailing along the Budva Riviera, you will enjoy the magnificent views, and during small stops you can swim.
• Tara and Moraca canyons. This is a group tour (50 people), which includes in its program the Moracha Canyon, the rocky Plieje Gorge, the beautiful Moraca Monastery, Black Lake.
• Grand Canyons - A luxurious tour similar to the Canyon program, but if finances allow, it is better to choose this one. During this tour you will get a complete picture of Montenegro.
• Boat trip on the Bay of Kotor. The Blue Lagoon, the Church of the Virgin Mary and the city of Kotor - you will see such beauty.
• Rafting on the river Tara will satisfy the tastes of extreme lovers.

Without a doubt, the most desirable place tourists want to go to is the island hotel, which is usually closed to mere mortals. There are 2 ways to penetrate the island.

• Book a table in one of the island restaurants. But we must remember that dinner will be expensive.
• Excursions that take place twice a day (at 11-00 and 14-00). The gathering place is a guard booth located on the isthmus. At the appointed time, the guide takes a group of volunteers and takes them to the coveted island. The tour lasts 40 or 60 minutes in Serbian or English. In the tourist season (from May to October) you pay 20 euros, but not in season (November-April) - 10 euros.

An attractive attraction of Sveti Stefan (besides the island) is Milocer Park and the castle. For a long time the royal family loved to rest here. The park is located 500 meters from the island hotel. He was defeated for the Serbian royal family, which was located near the summer residence, in 1934.

Botanical Garden Milocer - this park can be more accurately described, it covers an area of ​​18 hectares. In order not to get lost and not get into an awkward position, it is better to build your own route, guided by a map hanging at the entrance.It shows the places where it is possible and impossible (as private residences are located there) to walk the tourists. The park is arranged in the French style - a huge amount of lush greenery: cypresses, palm trees, old olive trees, magnolias, combined with stone arches and original curbs framing the walking paths.

On hot days, you can stroll along the wonderful promenade, surrounded by cypresses and olives, as well as enjoy the chic pine aroma of pines growing along the edges of the avenues. Also here you can look at exotic plants growing in natural conditions, for example, agave, magnolia, Lebanese cedar.

Silence, gorgeous views, coolness, magnificent nature - this is what you can enjoy in Milocer Park. Not far from it is Villa Milocer, the former summer residence of the royal family.

A bit away from the villa is easy to get to the famous beaches.

• Queen's Beach (Kralichna Plage). Paid during the summer season and free for out-of-season walks.
• King's Beach, or Royal Beach. Only guests of the Milocer Hotel, located in the former palace of King Nikola, can get here.
• Milocer Beach.

This is a functioning friary consisting of the big church of Saint Nikola, a small church of the Holy Trinity, a guest house and cells. In the old cells there is a monastery library and a museum, where you can see the golden cross belonging to the king Dushan. You can get here by car or on foot.

Another attraction is the legendary Villa "21". She is known for the fact that the price of living in it is determined at auction, and this makes it the most expensive villa on the Adriatic coast.

Hiking lovers can get to the small town of Pržno, located 2 kilometers from Sveti Stefan. Here you can relax on a clean beach, stroll through the narrow streets framed by pomegranates and figs, or stroll through the olive groves and enjoy fresh seafood in small restaurants and cafes. If you are not afraid of long walks, then in 3 hours, admiring the beautiful views, you will reach Budva.

The wonderful village of Sveti Stefan can be reached by several means of transport:

• Taxi;
• personal or rented car;
• urban transport.

Taxis are a convenient and fast way to get from Podgorica and Tivat airports. An economical option is to pre-book a taxi online, as it costs much more at the airport.

When renting apartments, the hosts often offer to meet their future guests from the airport. It will cost more than a taxi.

Not far from Tivat airport there is a bus stop. Unfortunately, you first have to get to Budva, and then transfer to a bus or minibus (Mediteran Express) to Sveti Stefan. A small minus - the apartments will have to go down the stairs.

If you arrived at Podgorica airport, then first of all you take a bus or an electric train to Podgorica, transfer to Budva by bus and from there to Sveti Stefan.

Sometimes you can negotiate with the drivers of buses that pick up tourists who come through a travel agency. For an additional fee and subject to availability, you can easily reach the village.

Transport links between cities in Montenegro are very good:

• from Budva by bus for 1.5 euros you can get to Sveti Stefan, buses run every 10 minutes;
• from Kotor buses run in 1-1.5 hours;
• from Rafailovici and Becici to Sveti Stefan can be reached on foot along the sea along the embankment or by bus from Budva along the Jadran route.

Sveti Stefan is the pearl of Montenegro, so lovers of beautiful nature are resting here.Most tourists appreciate the peace and quiet prevailing in the resort, as well as large comfortable beaches with clear, transparent turquoise water. This is especially important for those who prefer a serene beach holiday away from the big city.

Spacious terraces or balconies entwined with grapes, with chairs, a table and an umbrella from the sun won the hearts of most guests, because you can enjoy the chic sea view, tiled roofs and mountains from any floor. Restaurants offer dishes for every taste, seafood is especially appreciated.

Families with children leave conflicting reviews - someone likes them, and someone leaves dissatisfied. From the positive:

• modern playgrounds;
• the menu has a large selection of dishes for children;
• comfortable beach;
• in hotels they offer a cot, a pram, and they will also tell you where to go with the child.

The only disadvantage for families with children is the location of the village - there are a lot of steps that are difficult to overcome with a sidecar. According to the reviews of tourists also a little overshadow the rest in Sveti Stefan and other moments.

• Tiered location of the village. Constant walking on the stairs is a tedious task.
• The absence of large supermarkets.
• Large pebbles on the beach. This problem is solved by buying special shoes.
• The relatively high price of apartments and hotels, almost like in Budva.

Tourists appreciate Montenegro, and accordingly Sveti Stefan, for safety, beautiful photographs and pleasant impressions. Use all the wonderful benefits of a holiday in Montenegro: relax on comfortable beaches, explore local historical sights, enjoy authentic food. Do not be afraid to discover new places and interesting opportunities.

Then watch the video review of hotels and villas located in Sveti Stefan.