Sveti Stefan in Montenegro: beaches, hotels and attractions

Many people do not go abroad every year. If you are already choosing, then you want everything to be as comfortable as possible, positively and preferably not very expensive. If you choose a place to stay and don’t know what to stop at, you want to get only pleasant impressions from your vacation - we suggest stopping at one of the small and hospitable resorts of Montenegro.

Sveti Stefan (Sveti Stefan) - a small resort village in Montenegro. It is located on the beautiful Adriatic coast, on the Budva Riviera, in the southeast, 5 kilometers from the famous tourist town of Budva. The town is named after St. Stephen, the patron saint of Montenegro.

It was once a fortified fishing village in which the fortress and church of St. Stephen were built in honor of the victory over the Ottomans. For a long time it was an important shopping center. But by the middle of the 20th century there were only 20 inhabitants left who were sent to live on the mainland.

The island is located closed Premium Hotel Aman Sveti Stefan, which consists of separate lodging rooms, 15 extra-class rooms and 100 luxury apartments. Only very wealthy people, representatives of show business and politics can relax here. For their comfort, there is a bank, restaurants, 3 swimming pools, an art gallery, a hairdresser, a pastry shop and 3 churches (St. Stephen, Alexander Nevsky and the Assumption of the Virgin). Unfortunately, only hotel guests can use this infrastructure.

The resort town, located on the mainland, consists of approximately 40 houses built in tiers on the mountain. Most of Sveti Stefan is the home of local residents in which tourists can rent a room, the rest is several hotels and apartments. The infrastructure is not very developed - cafes, restaurants, 4 grocery stores, a souvenir shop, a bakery.

The Mediterranean climate in which Sveti Stefan is located gives 100 sunny days a year, as well as stuffy and hot summers (temperatures reach +40), windy and rainy winters. January and February are cloudy and cold months. But even at this time, the air temperature does not fall below 5 degrees. The ideal time to relax in the resort is mid-July to early October. The specificity of the climate is that dry and hot July and August have beneficial effects on health:

• immunity is strengthened;
• the respiratory system improves;
• the tone of the body rises;
• metabolic processes are activated.

The water on the beach is turquoise-clear, clean and very salty. The main thing is to guess with a comfortable water temperature.

For your holiday in Sveti Stefan you can choose hotels of the appropriate category.

• The fashionable 5-star Aman Sveti Stefan Hotellocated on the island. A comfortable room in a medieval town is an expensive pleasure.
• 4 star hotels provide access to clean and comfortable beaches and basic infrastructure.
• 3-star or guesthouse hotels. You will have minimum conditions for rest, but for unpretentious vacationers this is enough.

When choosing an apartment, pay attention to the fact that the buildings in Sveti Stefan were built on the Montenegrin principle - tiers. The higher your temporary housing will be, the more steps (and there may be about 250) you have to overcome to get to the beach. You can take a taxi if you do not want to go upstairs on foot.

Silence is what Sveti Stefan is valued for. It is an ideal place for a relaxing and relaxing family vacation. You will not find nightclubs, discos, bars, karaoke and any midnight parties here. But you can enjoy plenty of beach relaxation. The beaches of the village are divided into several types:

• paid;
• Free
• nudist.

In fact, there is only one beach in Sveti Stefan, but it is divided into two sections by the isthmus. On the right is the beach of the guests of the island hotel (for them it is free). Other tourists can visit it for 100 euros. The beach is covered with pink sand, almost like Elafonisi in Crete, and you can sunbathe here only on a sunbed.

To the left of the isthmus is a public (free) beach, covered with large pink pebbles, which looks beautiful in the rays of the setting and rising sun. Here you can rent a sunbed and umbrella or just use a towel or rug. Boiled corn, ice cream and donuts are also on the beach. For those who want to eat, there is a good selection of cafes for every taste. Shower, toilet, changing cabins are on both beaches.

Small nudist beaches are located on the outskirts of the village behind the cliffs. Most of them are fenced.

Due to the favorable location of Sveti Stefan, sea excursions are often held here.

• Fish picnic. Ideal for families with children, because it is conducted by Captain Petar. Sailing along the Budva Riviera, you will enjoy magnificent views, and during small stops you can swim.
• Canyons of Tara and Moraca. This is a group tour (50 people), which includes in its program the Moraca Canyon, the rocky Platie Gorge, the beautiful Moraca Monastery, Black Lake.
• Grand Canyons - luxurious excursion, similar to the program of the Canyons, but if finances allow, it is better to choose this one.During this tour you will get a complete picture of Montenegro.
• Boat trip on the Bay of Kotor. The Blue Lagoon, the Church of the Virgin Mary and the city of Kotor - you will see such beauty.
• Rafting on the Tara River will satisfy the tastes of lovers of extreme sports.

Without a doubt, the most desirable place where tourists want to go is the island-hotel, which is usually closed to mere mortals. There are 2 ways to enter the island.

• Book a table in one of the island restaurants. But you need to remember that dinner will be expensive.
• Excursions that take place twice a day (at 11-00 and 14-00). The gathering place is a guard booth located on the isthmus. At the appointed time, the guide picks up a group of people who wish and takes them to the coveted island. The tour lasts 40 or 60 minutes in Serbian or English. In the tourist season (from May to October) you will pay 20 euros, and not in the season (November-April) - 10 euros.

An attractive attraction of Sveti Stefan (besides the island) is Milocer Park and the castle. For a long time the royal family loved to relax here. The park is located 500 meters from the hotel island. It was defeated for the Serbian royal family, which had a summer residence nearby, in 1934.

The Botanical Garden Milocer - this is how you can more accurately characterize this park, covers an area of ​​18 hectares. In order not to get lost and not to get into an awkward position, it is better to build your route, guided by a map hanging at the entrance. It marks the places where it is possible and impossible (since private residences are located there) for tourists to walk. The park is built in the French style - a huge amount of lush greenery: cypress trees, palm trees, old olive trees, magnolias, combined with stone arches and original borders framing walking paths.

On hot days, you can stroll along the wonderful promenade surrounded by cypresses and olives, as well as enjoy the chic coniferous aroma of pine trees growing along the edges of the alleys. Here you can also see exotic plants growing in natural conditions, for example, agave, magnolia, Lebanese cedar.

Silence, gorgeous views, coolness, magnificent nature - this is what you can enjoy in Milocer Park. Not far from it is Villa Milocer, the former summer residence of the royal family.

Slightly moving away from the villa, you can easily reach the famous beaches.

• Queen's Beach (Kralichna plazha). Paid in the summer season and free for out-of-season walks.
• King's Beach, or Royal Beach. Only guests of the Milocer Hotel, located in the former palace of King Nikola, can get here.
• Milocer Beach.

This is a working monastery, consisting of a large church of St. Nicholas, a small church of the Holy Trinity, a guest house and a cell. In the old cells there is a monastery library and a museum where you can see the golden cross belonging to Tsar Dushan. You can get here by car or on foot.

Another attraction is the legendary Villa "21". She is known for the fact that the price of living in it is determined at auction, and this makes her the most expensive villa on the Adriatic coast.

Hikers can reach the small town of Pržno, located 2 kilometers from Sveti Stefan. Here you can relax on a clean beach, stroll along the narrow streets framed by pomegranates and figs, or stroll through olive groves and enjoy fresh seafood in small restaurants and cafes. If you are not afraid of long walks, then in 3 hours, admiring the beautiful views, you will reach Budva.

The wonderful village of St. Stephen can be reached by several means of transport:

• Taxi;
• personal or rented car;
• urban transport.

Taxis are a convenient and quick way to get from the airports of Podgorica and Tivat. An economical option is to pre-order a taxi online, since at the airport it costs a lot more.

When renting an apartment, the owners often offer to meet their future guests from the airport. It will cost more than a taxi.

There is a bus stop near Tivat Airport. Unfortunately, you first have to get to Budva, and then transfer by bus or minibus (Mediteran Express) to Sveti Stefan. A small minus - you have to go down the stairs to the apartments.

If you flew to Podgorica airport, then first of all you take a bus or train to Podgorica, transfer by bus to Budva and from there to Sveti Stefan.

Sometimes you can negotiate with bus drivers who pick up tourists who come through a travel agency. For an additional fee and subject to availability, you can easily reach the village.

Transport between cities in Montenegro is very good:

• from Budva by bus for 1.5 euros you can get to Sveti Stefan, buses run every 10 minutes;
• from Kotor buses run in 1-1.5 hours;
• from Rafailovici and Becici to Sveti Stefan you can walk along the sea along the promenade or take the bus that goes from Budva along the Jadran Road.

Sveti Stefan is the pearl of Montenegro, so lovers of beautiful nature have a rest here. Most tourists appreciate the peace and quiet reigning in the resort, as well as large comfortable beaches with clear, clear turquoise water. This is especially important for those who prefer a relaxing beach holiday away from the big city.

Spacious verandas or balconies twined with grapes, with chairs, a table and a parasol have won the hearts of most vacationers, because you can enjoy the gorgeous sea view, tiled roofs and mountains from any floor. Restaurants offer dishes for every taste, especially seafood.

Families with children leave conflicting reviews - someone likes it, and someone leaves dissatisfied. From the positive:

• modern playgrounds;
• the menu has a large selection of dishes for children;
• comfortable beach;
• the hotels offer a cot, a stroller, and also tell you where it is best to go with a child.

The only negative for relaxing with children is the location of the village - there are a lot of steps that are difficult to overcome with a stroller. According to tourists' reviews, the rest in Sveti Stefan and other moments are also a bit overshadowed.

• The tiered location of the village. Constantly walking up the steps is a tedious task.
• Lack of large supermarkets.
• Pebbles on the beach. This problem is solved by purchasing special shoes.
• The relatively high price of apartments and hotels, almost like in Budva.

Tourists appreciate Montenegro, and accordingly Sveti Stefan, for safety, beautiful photos and a pleasant experience. Use all the wonderful benefits of a vacation in Montenegro: relax on comfortable beaches, explore local historical sights, enjoy authentic food. Do not be afraid to discover new places and interesting opportunities.

Next, watch a video review of hotels and villas located in Sveti Stefan.