Petrovac na Moru is a small town located almost in the middle of the Adriatic coast of Montenegro. It is one of the major resorts on the Budva Riviera. Less than 1,400 people live permanently in this small town. The city inhabitants are mainly Montenegrins (approx. 44%) and Serbs (approx. 39%).
Petrovac na Moru map and neraby places
Despite its small size, the OFK Petrovac football club, which belongs to the Montenegrin Premier League, operates in the city. The players train at the municipal stadium “Pod Malim Brdom,” which in Serbian means “Under the Little Hill.”
The town is quiet and peaceful throughout the year, but due to its 600-meter-long sandy beach, it is becoming a popular holiday resort during the holiday season. Nevertheless, Petrovac is considered a “quiet” resort, especially compared to nearby towns such as Budva and Sutomore.
This is one of the best places on the Budva Riviera coast for families, as the accommodation is reasonably priced, the water is crystal clear, and kids can walk the esplanade safely.
Until recently, Petrovac’s main advantage was its low buildings and small accommodation offer, which resulted in little tourist traffic. However, in recent years, the construction of two large tourist resorts has begun, which will soon permanently change the character of this place.
Beaches where you can relax
In Petrovac, right on the promenade, is the main town beach, “Plaźa Petrovac“. It is a pebble beach with a gentle descent to the sea. Beach sunbeds are chargeable (renting two sunbeds with an umbrella costs 15 euros).
There are also other beaches near the Petrovac centre.
Lucice Beach
It is a sandy beach situated in a picturesque bay. There are paid sun loungers and an undeveloped area where you can spread your towel. Along the promenade, there is a bar and a few local shops. This beach can get very crowded in the summer months.
Buljarica Beach
This beach is approximately 2 km away from the city centre. It can be reached by a path that runs across the hill. Water shoes will come in handy here as the beach is covered with fine gravel. The beach is extensive. There is a campsite along with a large parking lot. On the west side are a few small cafes, a bar and sunlounger rentals. The further away from Petrovac, the wilder the beach is and the fewer people there. At the end of the beach, there is a nudist beach.
Perazica Do Beach
From Petrovac, there is a very pleasant two-kilometre walking route that leads to it, with numerous tunnels along the way. This beach is considered one of the prettiest in Montenegro. The beach is picturesque, a bit “wild”, rocky, and surrounded by small rocks and forest. It would be a charming place, only if the abandoned construction of a great tourist resort would not be forgotten there. That is the result of unsuccessful privatization over 15 years ago. The Great Skeleton is awful, and its future has not yet been decided.
Lovely pine–shade promenade
The main artery of the town is a picturesque promenade. It is a lovely place that provides shade and relief on hot summer days. The entire passage is planted with palms, pine trees, and Mediterranean plants, and around it are benches, small squares, local shops, numerous cafes, and bars.
There is also a supermarket, local travel agencies, post office and ATMs. On one side, the promenade runs along the main city beach and a small marina, but on the other side, there are villas, apartments for tourists and several historic tenement houses.
One of the buildings houses the Red Commune Memorial House as Petrovac became the first communist-run municipality in the Adriatic following an electoral victory in 1919. The exhibition contains a modern art gallery and a revolutionary museum. The latter consists mainly of photos and documents but without any English captions. Admission is free of charge.
The marina is tiny, but you can rent a boat to explore the nearby area. Several local tourist offices around the marina offer excursions or transport to the surrounding towns or attractions.
Selected excursion offers:
Kastio Castle
At the end of the pedestrian street is a Venetian fortress—Castel Lastva (Kastio Castle). Built in the 16th century to defend the coast against pirate invasions, the fortress today houses a high-quality restaurant, “Castle Solis,” a music club, a museum, a cafe, and a disco.
The narrow steps lead to the top of the fortress. From there, you can enjoy a picturesque view of the town, the surrounding hills, the marina, and the beach.
At the back of the fortress, stone steps lead to a nearby hill.
It is worth climbing because, from the top, there is a stunning view of the fortress, nearby cliffs, and the clear azure sea.
The city centre also has an Orthodox church of St. Elijah, dating from the fifteenth century.
Petrovac – how to get there
Blue Line buses go there directly from Budva. The town has a small bus station, just off the Adriatic highway, just outside the centre. Information signs lead to it, but you can also ask for directions at the nearby Tourist Information office. About a 10-15 minute walk from the city beach.
Buses to Budva run every hour and have a journey time of 40 minutes. A one-way ticket costs 3 euros (prices from 2021).
You can also travel to Kotor from the station. The trip takes approximately 1.5 hours, and the ticket is 5 euros.
There is also a stop in the town for suburban buses that run quite often. They can take you to Budva and Sveti Stefan. The ticket cost is approximately 2-3 euros.
Ponta Petrovac – a hidden gem
Ponta is a tiny beach located on a cape away from Petrovac’s main beach. It is on the left side of the main beach, at the end of a rocky headland. A short foot tunnel carved in the rock leads to the beach.
A designated Blue Flag bathing beach is on site, with a lifeguard on duty from 10.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. You can put your towel there or rent a sunlounger (reservation on-site, directly in the restaurant). Waiter service is offered on the beach. You can order food and drink all day long with delivery “to your deckchair”, and you pay for everything at the end of the day when you leave the beach.
On this small beach, there is a tiny restaurant offering not only local beer and ice cream but also excellent seafood and fresh fish. It is a great place with friendly staff and is open daily from 8 a.m. to 1 a.m. While looking for a table for a “little beer,” the waiter offered us a table with the best view, persuaded us to dine, and entertained us with talk and jokes. When the other guests came, he made friends with them 😊.
Ponta Petrovac is not only a nice place to stop for a cold local beer, fresh seafood, or high-quality service. It is a lovely place with great views and the perfect spot to rest and relax.
Sveta Nadelja and Katić – two islands
About 1000 meters from the entrance to the port of Petrovac, there are two tiny rocky islands.
The first one is Sveta Nadelja (Easter Sunday). Its name comes from a tiny church located on its top. Legend has it that the church was built by Greek sailors who survived a ship crash near Petrovac. This tiny island was their first refuge place when the sea threw them ashore. The disaster was on Sunday, hence the name. By erecting the church, they wanted to thank God for saving them. The present building replaces an older one that was destroyed during an earthquake in 1979. A bell in the church is still being used during official church holidays. The church is also illuminated at night, looking picturesque even after sunset.
The second islet (the larger one) is called Katić. It has a small lighthouse and a small cave that can be visited. A few pine trees have adapted perfectly to the harsh conditions on the island.
You can reach both islands by canoe or by boat rented from the Petrovac port. A boat rental for the whole day costs about 20 euros.
Below is a map with all the places I mentioned above, easy to navigate and use for your travel plan.
Montenegro, my other posts
I encourage you as well to read my other posts about Montenegro