Greetings from Petrovac,

Last night I had the pleasure of once again hanging out with some new friends at Jef Bar before heading to the opening night of Top Hill; what a club! It’s on top of a hill as the name suggests and I was taken back by the size and style of the place. Suffice to say, coming out to the relaxing coastal town of Petrovac was just what the good doctor ordered. I spent the afternoon relaxing, taking a trip to the spa and strolling the streets in search of good times and something to eat.

Petrovac is on the Budva Riviera and not far from the town of Budva itself. Taxi’s are incredibly inexpensive and a ride from Budva to Petrovac will set you back ~15E. That said, if you’re not in a rush you could take a bus which leaves every hour or so for only 2E; not bad. I arrived in the early afternoon and checked into the Hotel Monte Casa by the beach which also has a spa and wellness center. After checking in I immediately left my luggage and set out to explore the scene.

Budva is considerably busier and much larger than Petrovac; it also attracts a different type of tourist for the most part. It’s got the nightlife, old town and lots of hotels; Petrovac is sleepier and tends to attract families. Predominantly Serbian tourists from what I’ve heard but also lots of Russians although less now due to some of the issues happening up there. The town isn’t that large and it appears everything happens on the seaside walkway which is roughly the length of the 600m sandy beach which is without a doubt the main attraction.

It’s got all sorts of activities going on in the harbor and it appears one could rent any type of watercraft possible. Also pleased to see some fishermen trying their luck off the pier near the castello. They weren’t catching big fish but plenty of decent sized ones and one of the gents had enough to feed a small army. On the topic of the castello, you can climb to the top and there is an old canon; it offers great views of the sea, an incredible breeze and worth checking out should you find yourself in the area.

After spending some time exploring and getting my feet wet it was time to go to the spa at Monte Casa; I had a 40 minute back and neck massage and it hit the spot. After that I had the pleasure of sampling some sushi and sake at Ambassador which is the only 4 star restaurant in town. I had the tuna sashimi platter as well as a rainbow roll with a side of sake. This is the first sushi I’ve had in the Balkans and it was top shelf. I’ve looked for it a few other times but to no avail; not sure why there isn’t more of it around considering how plentiful the seafood supply is.

The seaside walkway behind the beach is lined with restaurants, gift shops and the like. During the day it’s popular with people passing through but at night it gets packed. It’s as though everyone moves from the beach to fill all the various restaurants and cafes. In the evening it all seems quite casual and if you want a big night, Budva is a short cab away. That said, there is a discotheque on top of the castello… Frankly, I’m more than alright with this as tonight is going to be an early one.

In closing, hvala to Hotel Monte Casa for their hospitality tonight; it’s very much appreciated.

Tips hat,