Bus from Prizren to Budva

Prizren, often reffered to as Czar’s City - a name that has its origin in the very founding of the city, is the second largest city in now independent Kosovo after Pristina due to its population numbering 180000 citizens. Nevertheless, no other town on Kosovo and wider can surpass Prizren and its rich history, combined with the beautiful nature of the Shar Mountains and nearby ski resort Brezovica, which leave a lasting impression on every visitor and the yearning to come back.

Prizren flourished in the Illyrian times, when it was of great importance due to its position at the crossroads of the Balkan peninsula, which became a perfect settling ground for numerous empires throughout the history, such as Byzantine and Ottoman empire, whose cultural and architectural influence is still evident in the cityscape, particularly around the Shadervan Square, the most distinctive part of the city.

Despite being the center of conquest of many, Prizren is regarded as the best preserved town when it comes to its cultural heritage. During the Kosovo War in 1998/1999, the bombing attacks haven’t done much damage, but the ethnical structure, which up to the war consisted of the communion of Serbs and Albanians, changed significantly as the aftermath of the war, when local Serbs migrated to the surrounding countries, leaving behind their charred houses of the Serbian Quarter.

Today, Prizren is praised for its diversity and valuable remnants of its history which attract tourist from all over the world.

The starting point for those visiting Prizren should be Shadervan Square, a historical cobbled square featuring the fountain in the middle which is as old as the square itself. It is separated from the rest of the city by the Old Stone Bridge above river Bistrica, which dates from the 16th century and is considered to be an entrance to the Shadervan. The square is always swarming with people thanks to its countless pubs, restaurants, cafes, etc., and is the favorite gathering point for both locals and visitors.

The most important sightseeing attraction in Prizren is the Church of Our Lady of Ljeviš, which, like all other orthodox churches in Prizren, is closed to the public, unless one gets approval to visit in the Church of St. George. The church was placed under UNESCO’s World Heritage in Danger list in the aftermath of the unrest in 2004 caused by the Albanian population. While the process of getting the approval can prove to be a daunting task, it will be worth doing, as the church hides some magnificent wall paintings and the frescos which are currently being restored.

The best place to have a panoramic view over Prizren would be the Church of the Holy Savior in the Potkaljaja region, which during the peacefull times was under the care of Šemić family. It was built in the 14th century by Mladen Vladojević, and due to its significance it was declared a Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance in 1990. This terracota church was left unfinished in the 19th century as the church has suffered a sigificant damage in the fire in the same century. Today, it has two domed towers.  The church was also damaged during the unrest in March 2004, when it was placed under the protection of KFOR.

The Gazi Mehmet Pasha Hammam, primarily used as a public bath, is an exceptional building with two large and nine smaller domes, divied into men's and women's section, Buing built in th 16th century, this building is of great cultural, as well as historical and architectural importance, for which is highly praised as the most valuable hammams in Europe. Nowadays, it hosts numerous art exibitions.

The largest mosque in the city, the Mosque of Sinan Pasha, was built during the time of Ottoman Empire. The interior of the mosque fascinates visitors with its floral decorations and numerous ornaments of flora and fauna on its 2-meters thick walls, which are reminiscent of the baroque style. The mosque also has a spacious library containt books from different periods and interesting contents.

Apart from its cultural diversiry, Prizren has a lot to offer for those who would like to explore the gastronomy of this ancient city. For those who have a sweet tooth, traditional desserts like tullumba and baklava, similar in taste, are a must-try, while does who have more sophisticated palate can enjoy in the subtle taste of the Shar cheese combined with grilled meat and a glass of wine. 

Budva is a Montenegrin town on the Adriatic Sea, it has around 37,000 inhabitants, and it is the centre of Budva Municipality. The coastal area around Budva, called the Budva riviera, is the center of Montenegrin tourism, known for its well-preserved medieval walled city, sandy beaches and diverse nightlife. Budva is 2,500 years old, which makes it one of the oldest settlements on the Adriatic coast.

The Old Town of Budva is situated on a rocky peninsula, on the southern end of Budva field. Archaeological evidence suggests that Illyrian settlement was formed on the site of the Old Town before Greek colonization of the Adriatic. While the site was permanently settled since Roman era, most of existing city walls and buildings were erected during the Venetian rule.

The entire town is encircled with defensive stone walls. The fortifications of Budva are typical of the Medieval walled cities of the Adriatic, complete with towers, embrasures, fortified city gates and a citadel.

The layout of the town is roughly orthogonal, although many streets deviate from the grid, resulting in somewhat irregular pattern, with many piazzas connected with narrow streets. Today, the entire city within the walls is pedestrian-only.

The town citadel is situated on the southern tip of the city. Originally known as Castle of St Mary, fortification was continually rebuilt and expanded through Middle Ages, reaching its final form during the Austro-Hungarian rule. The sea-facing 160m long ramparts of the citadel, complete with eastern and western towers, are intricately connected to the rest of the city walls. Austrian stone barracks form the most prominent structure within the castle, separating the citadel from the rest of the walled city. Ruins of the Santa Maria de Castello church, after which the entire complex was originally named, are located within the citadel.

A large public square is located to the north of the citadel, containing all of the churches of the old town - St. Ivan church (17th century), Santa Maria in Punta (840 AD), and The Holy Trinity church (1804).

Tourism is the main driver of the economy of Budva. It is a significant tourist destination on the eastern Adriatic, and by far the most popular destination in Montenegro.

Budva is well known regionally as the capital of nightlife of the eastern Adriatic. The first discothèques in Budva started to emerge during the 1980s, as hotel-attached dance clubs. However, the clubbing scene mushroomed in 1990s, with numerous open-air clubs opening along the Budva sea promenade. This trend continued into the 2000s, with Old Town and its promenade hosting a large number of bars, pubs and restaurants, and two big clubs, Top Hill and Trocadero, dominating the clubbing scene.

The Budva Riviera has some of the most attractive beaches of south Adriatic, and the most pleasant climate in Montenegro. Mogren beach is arguably the best known and most attractive of the Budva city beaches, nested beneath the cliffs of the Spas hill, between cape Mogren and the Avala hotel. The beach is separated from the city by the slopes of Spas hill that plunge to the sea, and is only accessible by a 250m long narrow path along the cliffs. Other city beaches include the small Ričardova glava ("Richard's Head") and Pizana beaches, next to the Old Town, as well as the 1.6 km (1.0 mi) long Slovenska plaža (Slav beach), that makes up the most of the city's coast.

However, majority of the beaches of Budva Riviera are outside of the city itself. Jaz Beach is a long and spacious beach west of Budva, its hinterland serving as a popular concert and festival venue, as well as a campground. Bečići resort town, with its long sandy beach, is situated south-east of the city, separated from Budva by the Zavala peninsula.

Further to the south, numerous small beaches and towns, make up the more high end and exclusive part of Budva Riviera. This is especially true for the famous Sveti Stefan town, but also for other smaller Paštrovići settlements in the area, that once were unassuming fishing villages. The area of Sveti Stefan and Pržno, including Miločer resort with its park and secluded beaches, is considered the most exclusive area of the Montenegrin coast.

The town of Petrovac and the undeveloped Buljarica field occupy the very south of the Budva municipality.

Sveti Nikola Island is located opposite of Old Town, 1 kilometre (0.6 miles) across the Budva bay. It is a mostly undeveloped island with some beautiful beaches. Well connected to the mainland with water bus, it is a popular excursion site for tourists visiting Budva.