SkadarLakeGuideBook a boat tour

Budva to Skadar Lake: A Day Trip That Works

50 minutes to Virpazar · Best for: Escaping the coastal crowds for a day, organised tours, families on a beach holiday

Budva to Virpazar: about 50 minutes by car.

Budva is Montenegro's busiest resort town and, in August, its most congested. Skadar Lake is fifty minutes inland and roughly ten degrees calmer in every sense. This is the most common day-trip pairing in the country — and the one most often done at exactly the wrong hour.

Things to do

  • Leave at 07:30 rather than 10:00. It changes the entire day.
  • Old town and the citadel before breakfast, when it is empty.
  • Sveti Stefan viewpoint on the way south.
  • Return to the coast for a late dinner after a lake sunset.

Getting to Skadar Lake

  • Car: 50 km, about 50 minutes via Petrovac and the Sozina tunnel.
  • Organised coach tour: €40–60 including a boat, but arrives at 11:30 with everyone else.
  • Bus to Bar, then train to Virpazar: slow but workable without a car.

Day trips

  • Virpazar, 09:00 boat, lunch, wine villages, home by 17:00.
  • Murici swim day — add an hour of driving each way.
  • Sunset cruise plus dinner in Virpazar, back by 22:30.
  • Combine with Stari Bar on the return leg.

FAQ

How long is the drive from Budva to Skadar Lake?

About 50 minutes to Virpazar via Petrovac and the Sozina tunnel.

Is an organised Skadar Lake tour from Budva worth it?

Convenient without a car, but coaches arrive at the busiest hour. With a car, leaving at 07:30 for the 09:00 boat is a far better day.

Related guides