Montenegro
Car rental in Budva
Budva is the centre of the coast and one of the most common delivery addresses. The car is brought to your hotel or apartment, usually at no charge. The local difficulty is not renting but parking: in July and August there is none in the old town and you park in the paid lots up the hill.
from €25 per day
- delivery to your hotel
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A live catalogue with prices and availability for your dates. The rental contract and payment are handled directly with the rental company at pick-up.
Car delivery in Budva
Budva is one of the most common delivery addresses on the coast: the car is brought to your hotel or apartment, usually at no charge. If your place is deep inside a block, arrange to meet on a main street — there is nowhere to turn round in the lanes of the old quarter.
Parking is the local headache
In July and August there are no free spaces in the centre; you park in the paid lots up the hill, €1–2 an hour, or up to €3 near the Old Town. Plan for it: turning up at the beach at midday and finding a space is unlikely. Parking here is charged around the clock, and leaving a car unpaid means a €50 fine.
Where to drive from Budva
Sveti Stefan is fifteen minutes along the sea and the viewpoint above the island is free. Lake Skadar and Virpazar are about 43 km, roughly an hour. Kotor is half an hour away, and Tivat about the same. All of it is arranged day by day in the Montenegro by car in 5 days route.
What is near Budva
Sveti Stefan is fifteen minutes along the sea. The island itself is a hotel, but since July 2026 non-residents can visit on a guided tour (booking required; check the price and times in advance), and the viewpoint above it is free — one of the most photographed spots in the country. The other way lie Jaz and Trsteno beaches, and further on Petrovac with its snug bay. Mogren beach starts right behind the old town walls and you walk there.
When to come here
Budva is one of the loudest towns on the coast: in July and August it is packed and noisy until morning. If you are after quiet, choose May, June or the second half of September — the sea is still warm and you can walk the old town without a crowd. In high season add twenty minutes to any journey: leaving town in the evening means sitting in traffic.
Before you set off
The local topic is parking: ask the host about a space before you book, not after. Then rules and fines and the sums on whether you need a car at all come in handy — if you came only for the beach, the answer may be no.
Prices by class
Starting prices in low season. July and August cost more. The final amount is calculated at booking for your dates.
Economy
2–4 people, manual
Fiat Panda, VW Polo, Opel Corsa
from€25per day
Compact & estate
4–5 people, room for suitcases
VW Golf, Škoda Octavia
from€35per day
SUV
mountain roads, Durmitor, Lovćen
Dacia Duster, Nissan Qashqai
from€45per day
7-seat minivan
a family or two couples with luggage
VW Touran, Citroën Berlingo
from€60per day
Premium & convertible
the coast and Porto Montenegro
BMW 5, Mercedes E, convertibles
from€90per day
By city
Common questions
Will the car be delivered to my hotel in Budva?
Yes — Budva is one of the most common delivery addresses on the coast, and it is usually free. If your place is deep inside a block, arrange to meet on a main street: there is nowhere to turn round in the old quarter’s lanes.
Where do you park in Budva in July and August?
There are no free central spaces at that time. You park in the paid lots up the hill, €1–2 an hour, or up to €3 near the Old Town. Ask your host about a space before you book — here that matters more than the view from the window.
Do I need a car if I am coming to Budva just for the beach?
Probably not. Mogren beach and the old town are walkable, coastal buses are frequent, and July parking will cost more than a week of tickets. You rent when Kotor, Lovćen or Lake Skadar are on the plan.
What happens if I do not pay for parking in Budva?
The fine is €50, and towing costs anything from €60 to €150 including the fine — each town sets its own rate. Parking is charged around the clock, and paying by text only works with a Montenegrin SIM.
Can I drive from Budva to Durmitor and back in a day?
It is hard going: Žabljak is 160 km away, three to three and a half hours each way, so plan a night up there. The group canyons tour from €58 per person is the alternative, but its guide speaks Russian only.
How far are Cetinje and Lovćen from Budva?
Cetinje is 28 km, about 40 minutes, and Njegoš’s mausoleum another 20 km, 35 minutes. Lovćen National Park charges €3 and the mausoleum €8; it is open from 15 April to 15 November.
What should a UK driver know about the rules?
You drive on the right, limits are in km/h — 50 in towns, 80 outside them, 100 on expressways, 130 on the motorway — and dipped headlights or daytime running lights are compulsory by day. The alcohol limit is 0.3 per mille, and since 7 August 2026 fines have risen two- to threefold: from €60, and from €150 for a seat belt or phone offence.
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