So last night we went to explore Budva old town and get something to eat and drink. As usual we’re never alone for long and we were soon joined by two English students who were on a sailing holiday down the coast and later we would meet a party of Austrians on a BMW motorcycling tour and swap biking stories.
Andy demonstrated again last night his impressive but unique navigation skills. You would have thought I’d have learnt my lesson after Hungary. Anyway I said “there’s a recommended restaurant 300 yds away it says it takes 4 minutes to walk and it’s inside the old town so it’s perfect.”
“Follow me” Andy said, and looking down at google maps on his phone we began walking. After about 4 or 5 minutes turning right then left down the narrow alleyways of Budva old town we came to one of the archways that marks the exit to the old town. “This can’t be right” I said “the restaurant is in the old town not out of it.” Replying, Andy said “well its definitely this way” and looking at google maps on his phone said “we’re actually making good progress, we’ve only 400 yds to go??!” Eventually we re-entered the old town, gave up, walked into a bar, ordered a beer and asked the barman where the Rivijero restaurant was. “Over there” he said pointing to a building less than 5 yds away. Well done Andy you got us there!
This morning we woke at a more leisurely time of 8 am, by which normally we are completing bike loading, so it’s nice to have a day off. Andy made the coffee and we set off into Budva to see the sights in daylight.
The old town is most impressive but, unfortunately for me, lost some of its charm when I found out that 90% of it had been rebuilt after the 1979 earthquake, so it’s not really authentic. After looking around for over an hour we drank coffee and ate bread sitting on the beach just outside the old town.
Walking back towards the town admiring the boats we caught a bus to Sveti Stefan to have a swim and explore the small Island there accessible by a sand bar.
Dissapointingly but for some local political reason the island has been shut for the last couple of years so we could walk over to it but not get in. It looks really interesting though and makes for a good photo opportunity. After a long swim we caught the bus home and after contemplating a ride, as the temperature rose into the 30s, we decided against it and decided just to chill out on Budva beach. The evening was spent looking at how to make the most from the journey home over the next 7 or 8 days.