Slovenska plaža, Budva's town beach

Slovenska plaža is the beach in front of you if you stay in central Budva, which also makes it the busiest. It isn’t the prettiest on the riviera, and it doesn’t pretend to be. It’s a town beach, long, with its promenade, its courts and its rows of loungers, and knowing that in advance saves the disappointment of anyone expecting a quiet cove.

From the harbour to the Park hotel

The Budva tourist board calls it the municipality’s largest town beach, stretching from the harbour to the Park hotel over 1,600 metres and 24,800 m². It’s pebble with sandy patches, divided into several concession lidos with bars, restaurants and basketball, volleyball and boules courts. On one side is the old town and on the other Zavala headland, which separates it from Bečići. For a view of the whole thing, the best spot is the wall walk of Budva Old Town, which is where the photo on this page was taken.

A name that isn’t what it seems

The name sounds Slovenian, but the tourist board tells a different story. It comes from the first Czech holidaymakers who stayed here around 80 years ago. Before that it was Pod polje, because a large field lay behind it, the same land that’s now covered by hotels, shops and blocks of flats. It’s a neat summary of how Budva has grown.

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The pier and the island

Halfway along there’s a seasonal pier, set apart from the swimming area, with 85 metres of quay for boats. From here and from the old town, boats cross to Sveti Nikola island, and the crossing costs €3 to €4 according to the national tourist board. For me that’s the best use of Slovenska plaža, as a gateway to a much quieter beach less than a kilometre away. The tourist board lists the pier as seasonal, so outside the summer months I wouldn’t count on finding a boat.

Water sports and the promenade

If you fancy something livelier, the tourist board lists firms based on the beach itself. Cool Commerce, below the boules courts, offers parasailing, water skiing, diving and pedalos, and Water sport Budva has stands here, at the marina and at the Splendid hotel in Bečići. Neither publishes prices, so ask first. And as the light fades, the promenade follows the beach, passes through the Zavala tunnel and continues along Bečići to Kamenovo. It’s flat, it catches the sunset and, honestly, it’s what I like most about this beach.

If you are short on time, see the best tours in Slovenska Beach and pick one that fits your day.

Who it suits

People staying in the centre who want a swim without catching anything, families who need facilities to hand, and anyone after a dip between sightseeing and dinner. If you want fine sand and fewer people, leave by the other side of the old town towards Mogren, or compare the rest in beaches in Budva.

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