Mogren Beach, two coves under the cliffs next to Budva Old Town

Of all Budva’s beaches, Mogren is the one locals think of as theirs, and I can see why. You leave town, walk a few minutes along the rock face and a crescent of sand appears, wedged between cliffs, with clear water and Mediterranean greenery above it. For somewhere a few hundred metres from a busy resort, that’s quite something.

Two coves and a tunnel

Mogren isn’t one beach but two, linked by a passage cut through the rock. Between them they measure 350 metres in length and 4,500 m² of fine sand, according to the Budva tourist board. The first is the one you see on arrival, more open and busier. The second, through the tunnel, is smaller and more tucked away, and for me it’s the reason to make the walk. Tradition has it that a Spanish sailor called Mogrini, saved from a shipwreck on this coast, built a chapel to St Anthony there, and the beach took his name.

Walking there from the old town

You get there on foot. From Budva Old Town you walk round the Citadel to the Avala hotel, and from there a 350-metre concrete path runs along the cliff to the first cove. All in, it’s around ten minutes from the walls. That’s the access the tourist board describes, and arriving on foot is half the charm. If you’re staying in central Budva, forget the car.

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When to go, and when not to

Mogren faces south and is sheltered from northerly, easterly and westerly winds. It gets the sun very early but loses it sooner than other beaches because the cliff blocks it in the afternoon, which is why I’d go in the morning. The tourist board adds a warning worth taking seriously. In a southerly wind with heavy seas, the path stops being safe and they ask people to avoid it. On those days, pick a beach you can reach by road, such as Slovenska plaža.

Outside the summer

The same official page says Mogren draws people outside the swimming season too, walkers, anglers and those who simply come to watch the sea break on the rocks. That makes sense. In spring and autumn the walk is cooler and the beach gets back the shape that summer hides under loungers and parasols. If you’re in Budva in May or October, I’d do this walk even if you don’t plan to swim.

So you do not lose the morning at the ticket office, browse tickets and tours in Mogren Beach on GetYourGuide.

What to pair it with

The obvious plan is the old town and Mogren in the same morning, since they’re side by side. If that’s not enough, carry on north along the coast to Jaz Beach, 2.5 km away, which is much longer and roomier. And for how it stacks up against the rest of the riviera, I’ve listed every beach’s length in beaches in Budva.

If you are staying the night, see the best hotel deals in Budva for your dates: the well-placed rooms go fast.