
Budva and Dukley Hotel & Resort
BUDVA – the City of King Cadmus
Budva is the busiest town on the Montenegrin coast. If you’re looking for a historic town where you can hit the beach, party the night away, this is where you should go.
Located on a peninsula that juts out into the Adriatic’s azure waters, Budva, with its fortified city walls and long, rich history, is historically one of the most important towns on the coast of the Balkans. Besides the peninsula, the local geography also features several islands and a bay. The coast around Budva is no less than 21 kilometers (13 miles) long and has 17 beautiful beaches.
Strong archaeological evidence tells us that Budva is one of the Adriatic’s oldest human settlements. It’s been inhabited since as early as the 5th century BC. Greek colonization of the area started in the 4th century BC, and in the 2nd century BC, the area was incorporated into the ever-expanding Roman Empire. After the fall of the once-mighty Roman Empire, Budva was ruled by various foreign empires, including the Byzantines, the Serbians, the Venetians, and the Habsburgs. After the collapse of Yugoslavia, Montenegro became independent in 2006. Budva quickly grew into the new country’s premier tourist destination.
Nowadays, Budva is somewhat of a cultural treasure chest. From Turkish to Austrian and Venetian influences, its various cultural and political influences have resulted in a town with stunning architecture and many monuments.
THE OLD TOWN BUDVA
The absolute star of all Budva attractions is Stari Grad or the Old Town in English. A miniature version of Dubrovnik and one of the oldest towns along the Adriatic Sea coast, this historic town is surrounded by fortified walls and home to cobbled streets and beautiful buildings.
The ancient settlement was founded on an island joined to the mainland by a sand bar more than 2,500 years ago, but it was during the times of the Venetian Empire that fortifications were built to protect the residents that dwelled within its confines.
Starting in the 14th century, a system of ramparts, walls, and gates was erected to protect against external threats, and with a bit of luck over the past 600 years, much of it has survived to the present day.
Apart from examining the Old Town’s defenses, a number of interesting churches (the Church of St. John has the Madonna in Punta, which is a notable icon worth seeing if you are into religious relics), cozy alleys, and the usual assortments of shops, restaurants, and bars can be found within.
If you are seeking a truly noteworthy religious point of interest in the area though, making a trip outside town to the Podmaine Monastery should be added to your travel itinerary. Built-in the 15th century as a Serbian Orthodox Monastery, this sight is best known for its frescoes, one of which has attracted a fair bit of controversy over the years.
While the reinforced walls around the Old Town of Budva served as enough of a deterrent to military forces from the medieval and Renaissance periods, the latter half of the 19th century brought about the need for new defenses that could cope with the modernization of warfare.
The Kosmac Fortress, built high above the city of Budva, served as a defensive point to protect the region against any potential incursions by the Austro-Hungarian Empire, as the border between this regional power and Montenegro was not far from the city. While the structure is in a state of disrepair, fans of grit and military history will love it, while others should visit solely for the photo opportunities of Budva below, and the Adriatic beyond it.
Exploring the Old Town of Budva is without question among the top things to do in Montenegro. The best Budva sightseeing happens here and nowhere else! It’s busy from early in the morning to well into the night
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DUKLEY HOTEL& RESORT
The contemporary development of Dukley Gardens, curving its way down the side of the Zavala peninsula east of Budva, is a chic retreat for yacht owners. Nestled into the lushly landscaped gardens and mature pine, cypress and olive groves Dukley Hotel & Resort indulge its guests with the privileges of a five-star hotel; an enviable locale with chic facilities, comprehensive services, and attentive staff.
For a place on the beautiful, but busy, Budva Riviera, Dukley is a surprisingly peaceful sanctuary.
Dukley Gardens is home to exclusive 36 coastal residences, edged in sandy beachfront and surrounded by a forest of cedar, palm, and olive trees. Consisting of 202 contemporary one, two, and three-bedroom apartments, ranging from 80 to 212 sq. meters, Dukley Gardens also offers a limited number of Executive Penthouses with roof terraces that span up to 535 sq. meters.
Sophisticated modernism, contemporary lines, hi-tech functionality, and the timeless materials of wood, stone, steel and glass are the polished cornerstones of Dukley’s environmentally conscious design aesthetic. Each residence is enhanced with generous outdoor living space and constructed to the highest international standards. Facilities are equipped with state-of-the-art Smart Home technology, every residence may be controlled via smartphone or tablet: multi-media systems, lighting and climate, security, and surveillance.
Providing complete service and amenity of a five-star hotel, Dukley’s VIP Concierge Team is on hand to expertly carry out any request, offering homeowners every modern comfort and convenience in one of the Adriatic’s most handsome nautical destinations. From dinner reservations, travel bookings, catered events, to property management and 24 hours security – Dukley Concierge Team is at your service.
Access by superyacht: Dukley also features a full-service marina, just two minutes away by tender. With 300 berths for yachts up to 70m in length, Dukley Marina is a member of Camper & Nicholsons ‘1782 Club’