May 19, 2025 – Sveti Stefan and Bar

The morning was rainy, making our decision to ditch the scooters feel absolutely brilliant. We hopped in our little car and headed south along the coast, aiming for two spots: the famous Sveti Stefan and the historic town of Bar.

Sveti Stefan is that iconic island you see on every Montenegro postcard, connected to the mainland by a thin strip of sand. It started as a 15th-century fortress for a local tribe and was turned into a glamorous hotel in the 1950s. The guest list reads like old-school Hollywood royalty—Sofia Loren, Kirk Douglas, even Princess Margaret. These days, it’s a wildly exclusive resort. A stay in their famous Villa 118 starts at €1,500 a night, which instantly made our €60-per-night condo feel like a stroke of genius.

We stopped at the standard lookout point. The view was nice, but it felt a bit… predictable. So, I pulled out Google Maps, scrolled around, and spotted a tiny icon for St. Sava Church, perched high in the mountains. What followed was a long, winding climb on a road that narrowed with every turn. It was the kind of drive that makes you whisper, “This better be worth it.” It was. The view from the top was breathtaking—a sweeping, unobstructed panorama of the entire coast. You won’t find this spot on the usual travel blogs.

After taking it all in, we continued to Bar. By the time we reached its ancient Old Town, the rain was coming down in earnest. The cobblestone streets became slippery rivers, so our exploration turned into a quick dash into the nearest restaurant, Konoba Akvaduct. For just €8 each, we had a massive, delicious meal of chicken soup, salad, meatballs, and mashed potatoes…the perfect rainy-day fuel.

We tried to drive higher into the old fortress, but our tires started slipping on the slick roads. We called it, and headed back towards Budva. That’s when the sky truly opened up. The downpour was so heavy, water was gushing down the streets like rivers, and the wind whipped the rain sideways across the windshield. Seeing became nearly impossible; it was a wild, white-knuckle drive back.

For dinner, we tried Babaluu, a place just outside Budva’s Old Town. It was… an experience. The decor was an eclectic, kitschy mix that felt like it was trying a bit too hard to be quirky. The food was okay, but it’s not making our recommended list. Let’s just say our dinner luck in Budva hasn’t been great!

We finished the day the only right way: with a glass of wine on our deck, looking out at the glittering Old Town. Tomorrow promises an adventure, with tackling the famous Serpentine Road and exploring the beautiful town of Perast on the agenda.