Montenegro may be tiny – about the size of Northern Ireland – but it’s been making a big impression on the travel scene lately. When it comes to scenery, this place is a bit of a natural beauty – think forest-cloaked mountains, mirror-like lakes and plunging canyons – not to mention a coastline that crams in over 100 beaches. You’ll find the best of the bunch in the Budva region.
Resort-wise, the name on everyone’s lips is Becici. It’s set behind one of Montenegro’s best beaches – a two-kilometre belt of sand and pebbles with a movie-worthy mountain backdrop. It’s a pretty modern place, with some luxe hotels to choose from, but wander along the prom and you’ll reach the original fishing village – its streets are lined with quirky little shops and cafés.
A couple of miles down the road from Becici is the walled town of Budva. It gives Dubrovnik a run for its money in the looks stakes, with Medieval towers, battlements and higgledy-piggledy houses. This is the place to be if you want nightlife – it’s got the best after-dark scene on the Budva Riviera.
Further south, you’ve got Ulcinj. This place toes the line between laidback seaside and town buzz. It’s a Medieval jumble of terracotta rooftops, mosques and Renaissance houses in the old town. And that’s all trimmed with an eye-catching beach, which spreads out for 13 kilometres.