22 September 2019 - The Budva City Theatre will host the TOURNEE Festival from 22 to 25 September this year in Budva. During these four festival nights, Budva will host partners from Italy and Albania with their programs.

The Public Institution City Theatre, together with the Municipality of Budva, is a partner in the project "Theatres for tOURism developmeNt in Europe, TOURNEE", funded through the EU trilateral cooperation program CBC Italy-Albania- Montenegro. This program aims to enhance the attractiveness of the cross-border area for all visitors, through the creation of new community festivals, the City Theatre representatives announced.

The overall objective of TOURNEE is to establish closer cooperation among the key actors in the theatrical sector, by creating a durable Cluster of Theatre Institutions in the cross border area. TOURNEE involves cross border experts in theatre productions, territorial marketing, cultural heritage management and tourism strategic policies, in creating innovative cultural products to strengthen the exploitation of tourist destinations. As a result, an increasing role of theatres in supporting tourist economic growth is expected, as well as an improvement of public policies in cultural and tourism sectors.

As reported by RTV Budva, on Sunday, September 22, the TOURNEE Festival Opening Ceremony will take place between the churches starting at 7.30 pm.

After the opening ceremony, at 8 pm, the audience will have the opportunity to enjoy the opera "The Servant turned Mistress" (La Serva Padrona) by Giovanni Pergolesi, directed by Vladan Đurković, as part of the TOURNEE project. This opera is a co-production of the City of Budva Theatre, Tirana Opera and the Pula Public Theatre, under the direction of the Operosa Foundation in Podgorica.

On the second night of the festival, on September 23, there will be a performance by partners from Tirana “Johan Padan and the discovery of the Americas”.

The third night is scheduled for the performance of “Farce of the Crown” produced by partners from Fier, Albania.

On Wednesday, September 25, two programs will be presented: the musical "Island" and the theatre performance "Oresteia. Dystopian”.

According to the organisers, the tickets will not be charged during the festival, as the project is co-financed by the European Union.

September 18, 2019 - A rare chance to buy first row to the sea close to Budva in the latest RE/MAX Property of the Week. 

They say that the three most important things in real estate are location, location, location. 

There is perhaps a twist on that maxim when it comes to the Adriatic coast - first row to the sea, first row to the sea, first row to the sea. 

In addition to having the security of knowing that nobody is going to interrupt that perfect view, nothing quite beats the mesmerising connection you can get with just you and the sea. 

And the good news is that there are some new (and increasingly rare) opportunities to get your own slice of first-row real estate heaven in our latest Property of the Week from the RE/MAX catalogue;

For sale two bedroom apartment of 88 m2 in Rafailovici, on the first line to the sea. Rafailovici is a little charming place, located on the beautiful Becici beach, from Budva less than 10 minutes drive. The building is currently under construction, and the completion of works is in May 2020. In addition to the exclusive location, this complex will feature an unusual design as well as modern facilities, which future owners of apartments can enjoy, such as pools, panoramic elevators, reception, video surveillance, etc. This is an opportunity for all hedonists who want to enjoy the peace of a small place on the coast with a perfect sea view.

Sales price - 340,000 euro. For more information, and to book a viewing, visit the original RE/MAX listing.  

16 September 2019 - According to records published by the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism, there are 453 hotels in Montenegro with 43.639 beds. Nearly 55% account for four-star and five-star hotels. This year, 38 high-end hotels have been opened, and there will be even more.

As representatives of the Ministry said, categorization procedure helps achieve one of Government’s goals – creating conditions for the improvement and raising the quality level of catering capacities.

One of the key measures defined by the Reforms in the Area of Tourism Agenda is the development of new and improvement of the existing accommodation facilities. The most important activity in that context is defining models for the enhancement of the construction of four and five-star hotels, reports CdM.

"There are currently 25 five-star hotels in Montenegro. One hundred seventy-nine four-star hotels, whereas others refer to one to three stars," said the representatives of the Ministry.

Analysis of the current state of affairs of hotel structure takes into consideration the fact that the Strategy adopted at the end of 2008, when the many-year-long economic crisis started, has severely affected the investment projects in Montenegro.

"However, despite such ambiance, we are very satisfied with the structure of our hotels now, as the number of high-end hotels exceeds the projections envisaged by the Strategy," said the representatives of the Ministry.

Raising the offer quality in hotels and other catering facilities achieves the strategic goal of the development of tourism in Montenegro- high quality, all-year-long tourist offer.

"In that context, Government is focused on creating conditions for enhancing the development of catering services, as the most important segment of the tourism product," said the representatives of the Ministry.

With the aim of raising competitiveness level and creating conditions for the extension of the season, Ministry has been implementing the project of the establishment, improvement and control of the quality level of hotel facilities as well as other accommodation facilities.

Commission of the Ministry of Tourism is in charge of the categorization of catering facilities.

"Commission for categorization of catering facilities conducts the categorization procedure and assigns the category depending on the organization, equipment and maintenance of the facility, type and quality of services and other categorization criteria," explained the representatives of the Ministry.

Read more news about traveling through Montenegro at TMN's dedicated page.

15 September 2019 - The summer parties on the Budva Riviera are not over, confirm the organisers of the Beach Fest (Montenegrin: Fešta na plaži), which will be held on Sunday, September 15, in Rafailovići, organized by the Tourism Organization of the Municipality of Budva and the Local Community of Bečići.

Budva’s Beach Fest was held for the first time two years ago at the initiative of the locals that inhabit Rafailovići. Each year, the festival offers a rich entertainment program to citizens and tourists, and it improves their stay on the Budva Riviera at the end of the summer months. Just as the organisers aimed at the very beginning when they first put great efforts into organising the festival, “Fešta na plaži“ has now become a tradition.

This year’s program of Budva’s Beach Fest begins at 7 pm with the performance of the ensemble Toć, a local band from Tivat and Kotor. From 8.30 pm the audience will be entertained by the acoustic band Trio Gušt, and after them, at 10 pm, the guests will be able to enjoy the performance of the regional star Željko Vasić.

For this occasion, local caterers will prepare delicacies for all visitors, and a particularly interesting part of the program will be the sailing of decorated local boats.

The charm of this small fishing village and the quality program of the event make the Beach Fest perfect end of summer event, so the organisers invite all locals and tourists to join them tonight, on Sunday, September 15th in Rafailovići and have a great time.

01 September 2019 - Hong Kong Tatler, the essential guide to the luxury lifestyle in Hong Kong, recently placed Budva, Montenegro on the top of the list of destinations for a luxurious last-minute trip!

Hong Kong Tatler Magazine that covers everything from the best events and most glamorous people, to fine dining, international fashion and luxury travel wanted to inspire its readers to take advantage of the remaining sunny summer days and organise a last minute trip to a luxurious destination. In fact, Tatler based the destination research on famous people’s holiday getaways, and the very first recommendation is Aman Sveti Stefan Resort in Budva!

While exploring Montenegro, one of Hong Kong society's brightest young stars and a social media phenomenon, Eleanor Lam (better known as Elly), fell in love with Aman Sveti Stefan, the charming seaside hideaway resort with lush grounds and stunning sea views.

As Tatle reported, Eleanor Lam is always on the move, and a highlight from her myriad summer jaunts was Budva, a medieval town in Montenegro. She stayed at the Aman Sveti Stefan, an exclusive resort atop a private island that used to be a fishing village in the 15th century.

Pink-sand beaches, crystal-clear waters and rugged, pine-cloaked mountains form the untamed backdrop to Aman Sveti Stefan, in one of Europe's last corners of truly wild beauty – Montenegro, managed to charm the young star. Eleanor loves exploring exotic destinations, and the stroll along the shoreline, Queen’s Beach, the scallop-shaped bay considered Montenegro’s finest, left her breathless as she managed to take some gorgeous photograph on site.

Lam also couldn’t resist revealing more beautiful locations in Montenegro, as she visited a peaceful, authentic place with delicious Montenegrin cuisine, Rijeka Crnojevića. Swimming in a pool with a gorgeous view over the Skadar Lake, Ellie posted a picture on social media, saying that she could get used to the picturesque sites Montenegro has to offer.

01 September 2019 - The 340 million EUR super-yacht Eclipse, owned by the Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, was spotted in the Boka Bay this morning.

The ship has 24 guest cabins, two pools, a nightclub, and even a missile defense system!

The Russian billionaire spent 350 million EUR to make this ship, but some claim it cost 1 billion EUR if all the luxury and safety amenities are taken into account.

Roman Abramovich’s Eclipse boasts nine decks, the top one containing two helipads and a garage. The forward helipads open out to allow for a Eurocopter EC155 to be placed in a hangar underneath, reported Cafe del Montenegro.

The 8th deck has a swimming pool and a sundeck, with a pull-out barbecue and pizza oven and a built-in wood-burning fire pit.

The main saloon boasts a fireplace and a massive sculpture from Indonesia. There is another pool on the seventh deck with an adjustable depth feature that sees the floor rise and fall, so that it can be changed into a dance floor.

The Eclipse also has bullet-proof windows and lasers to dazzle paparazzi.

Each cabin in the yacht has a private cinema screen, a Jacuzzi, spa and special security systems. The super-yacht is however very expensive to maintain – running costs are estimated to 40 million EUR a year.

Read more news about traveling through Montenegro at TMN's dedicated page.

29 August 2019 - The manifestation Ethno Evenings, which takes place in Budva and Petrovac, will traditionally continue in August and September, announced the representatives of Tourist Organisation of Budva Municipality.

In the following month, the Ethno Evenings program will include performances by the Castel Nuovo music band, Stara Budva Cultural Centre and Harmonija women's vocal group, renowned for their unearthly vocal blend and virtuosic ensemble singing.

Schedule and timetable for the Ethno Evenings are listed below.

Music band Castel Nuovo

-Promenade in Budva, Thursday, August 29 from 5:00 pm;

-Budva Old town and promenade, Saturdays and Sundays starting September 1^st, from 5:00 pm, throughout September;

-Petrovac promenade, Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning September 3^rd, from 5:00 pm, throughout September;

Cultural Centre Stara Budva

-The plateau between Hotel Mogren and Avala, Thursday, September 5^th from 8 pm;

-Wednesdays from 8:00 pm until the end of September;

Women's Vocal Group Harmonija

- The Square of Poets, Thursday, August 29^th from 8:00 pm.

The aim of this event, which has been organized for more than ten years, is to introduce the guests to the musical and cultural heritage of the region, and to make the stay of tourists in Budva as beautiful as possible during these months.

Read more about cultural events in Montenegro at TMN's dedicated page.

Data on the visits to Budva, which relate to the first seven months, show the return of Western European guests. Namely, German tourists are in third place by the number of arrivals and overnight stays, while France, Great Britain and Sweden are among the top ten, said the Tourist organization PR Darja Marovic.

She added that, as in previous years, visitors from Russia, Serbia, BiH, Ukraine and Belarus were the most present during the main season.

Interestingly, this year we have guests in private accommodation from some of the lesser-known, distant destinations, such as South Africa, Papua New Guinea, Mauritius, Cambodia, Indonesia, Bahrain,” she added.

According to the official statistics of the Statistical Office of Montenegro, Monstat on the number of tourists in hotels, hostels, resorts and other collective accommodation, as well as those collected by TO Budva for private accommodation, in the first six months of this year, about 300.000 guests visited the “capital of tourism”, and have made more than a million overnights. Based on the still unofficial results data for July and August, expectations for the second half of the year are more than positive.

 “According to the hoteliers, this postseason will be as successful as the preseason. If the weather supports us, we hope that the occupancy will be good in private accommodation as well. We have done our best to make a series of smaller and bigger events through both independent organization and with support in order to extend the stay of our guests," said Marovic.

The significant number of events in the coming months is crucial, and the TO believes that there will be many who will decide to spend those days in and around Budva.

Budva is the place of the most diverse tourist offer, which is why it is visited by different clientele. Marovic says that besides enjoying the beaches, many four- and five-star hotels are also attractive to the guests, but she places emphasis on "domestic crafts".

“Private accommodation pairs with the hotels when it comes to quality. The competition is high, which means that everyone is trying their best to get the guests with the quality of service they offer and kindness. Also, Budva offers a wide range of gastronomic services, which is one of the main segments a guest chooses a particular destination. Both Montenegro and Budva have a lot to offer,” as she said to “Dnevne novine”.

She also stated that the cultural and historical monuments and hinterland of Budva are still not properly exploited and that they should be promoted more.

Text by Dnevne novine, on August 27th, 2019, read more at CdM

25 August 2019 - Budva won the City Games 2019 - Budva at the outdoor pools last night in Budva. The city was ruled by the great City Games euphoria broadcast live by the RTCG. The dramatic finale of the tenth season of popular water games was organized by the Budva Tourist Board and the Adria Events Agency. The version of the widely known Games Without Borders has once again justified its expectations with new scenery and numerous surprises for both the audience and the contestants in the final competition of Montenegro, as stated from the City Games Press Team.

In front of a crowded grandstand, six magnificent teams measured their strength and skill: Herceg Novi, Bar, Kotor, Podgorica, Tivat and Budva.

Teams competed in modern versions of fun traditional City Games such as wine, flying water polo, tourist rescue, ham, water basketball and paddle. The teams came with a great desire to win and represent their city in the best light. The fight was fierce, interesting and dynamic until the very end.

In the first game, where men have to bring grapes over barriers to a barrel where girls make wine, the Tivat team undoubtedly won the most points. In the next three games, the excellent team from Budva took over the safe lead as remained until the very end, with it winning gold medals, a cup and participation at the International City Games finals in Slovenia in 2020.

The Podgorica team woke up in the fifth game of water basketball, in which they scored the most points. The team from Herceg Novi lost most of the games in front of the Budva team, keeping the power for the last game paddle by scoring the most points, which also decided them to win second place. The bronze medals around the neck were proudly placed by the members of Tivat team who fought for third place with the team from Kotor.

For more information, the official website is www.city-games.com and the games can be followed on Facebook.

24 August 2019 - The fifth edition of the New Wave Festival (Montenegrin: Novi Val) is scheduled for September 6^th and 7^th, when some of the most interesting, award-winning short films will be screened, reports RTV Budva.

Aside from the short films, the two-day festival program will feature the performances of five songwriters and bands from the cultural scene of Montenegro, Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

This year’s New Wave festival will host the members of the film crew Dog Days of Summer (Montenegrin: Mi smo vidjeli ljeto), which is a real breath of fresh air on the regional scene - a subtle twenty-minute story of growing up, friendship and love between two guys and one girl. Director Nikola Stojanović won the Best Student Film Award at the recently completed Sarajevo Film Festival for a very emotional and erotic short film entitled Šerbet, which should be featured at the New Wave Festival in September next year.

The New Wave Festival 2019 also features the highly humorous film by director Lucija Bosančić entitled Silvio Zmaj, whose main character is an immature boy prone to telling lies, and even violent acts, and in the background of his behaviour is a complex relationship with his father who is severely ill.

The program of the festival, which the organisers haven’t fully announced just yet, also features another very communicative and humorous film signed by the director Sara Marković, which tells a tale about (true) love, sexuality and maturation of a young heroine.

In terms of the music segment of the program, the most attractive guest is Nenad Marić, a rock poet of exquisite spirit who performs under the pseudonym Kralj Čačka (The King of Čačak City), currently one the leading singers-songwriters in the region. Marić’s performance will take place on the stage set on the plateau between the churches of St. Mary and St. Sava in the Old Town Budva, when the rock poet and his band will have a poetry and music session with elements of blues, jazz, rock and roll.

The second day of the festival will feature alternative rock band from Sarajevo, Činčila. This will be their premiere performance in Montenegro, and the audience will be introduced to a strong dose of punk energy, enthralling funk beats and intelligently written lyrics, all in the form of intense rock and roll performance. On the same evening, the audience will also have the opportunity to hear one of the best alternative music bands in the region, a five-member band from Belgrade, Dingospo Dali.

The organizers will announce more performers over the coming days, inviting the media to directly support the festival, which aims to create a more cultural, modern and urban community, and interact with young creators from Montenegro and the region.

By the end of the month, a fundraising campaign will be underway for individuals and businesses, with a double donation for each donation through the Get Involved and Influenced: Developing Philanthropy for a Stronger Civil Society project. The project is implemented by the SIGN network of foundations from the countries of Southeast Europe, with the support of the European Union and the Balkan Fund for Democracy, implemented in Montenegro by the Fund for Active Citizenship.

Read more about cultural events that take place in Montenegro at TMN's dedicated page.