Discover the Beauty of Montenegro with a Rental Car: A Road Trip from Podgorica to Budva
Podgorica to Budva is about 65 kilometers. Through the Sozina Tunnel, it’s a 45-minute drive. Over the old mountain road, it’s closer to 90. Neither version is a long journey, but treating it as one turns one of Montenegro’s best half-day drives into a rushed A-to-B transfer. This road connects the capital to the Adriatic, and the landscape it cuts through — the karst highlands of Paštrovići, the rim of Lake Skadar, the foothills of Lovćen — deserves more than a tunnel and a straight line.
If you’ve picked up a rental car Montenegro at Podgorica and you’re heading to the coast, this is the road. Here’s how to make it a proper road trip instead of just a commute.
The Two Routes: Tunnel vs. Scenic
There are exactly two ways to drive from Podgorica to Budva.
Route 1: The Sozina Tunnel (E65/E80). Fast, modern, €2.50 toll, you’re on the coast in 30 minutes. Take this if you’re in a hurry, it’s raining, or you’re driving at night. The tunnel is 4.2 km long and cuts directly through the coastal mountain range.
Route 2: The Paštrovačka Gora road (M2.3 via Petrovac). Head south from Podgorica on the E65, but instead of entering the Sozina Tunnel, take the exit for the old road — it’s well-marked. You’ll climb up through the Paštrovići hills on a winding two-lane road that’s been improved in recent years but still feels like old Montenegro. The reward: views of Lake Skadar to the east, the Adriatic appearing suddenly on the western side as you crest the ridge, and a descent through olive groves and stone villages that leads you to the coast at Petrovac.
This second route is the one this guide covers. Budget half a day if you stop where you should stop.
Start: Podgorica
Grab your car hire Podgorica — if you’re flying in, the airport is 11 km south of the city, directly on your route toward the coast. Fill the tank at the airport or at the first station on the E65. Stock up on water and snacks if you’re taking the scenic route — there are places to stop, but you don’t want to rely on them.
From the airport, head south on the E65. In about 10 minutes you’ll see signs for Lake Skadar and Virpazar on your right. This is your first possible detour.
Stop 1: Lake Skadar and Virpazar (Optional Detour)
If you have the time — and if you’ve never seen it — take the exit for Virpazar before reaching the Sozina Tunnel approach. It adds about 20 minutes to your drive (out and back) and it’s worth it. Virpazar is a stone village on a bridge over a channel of Lake Skadar. It’s the main access point for boat trips into the lake’s lily fields and bird colonies.
If you’re doing this as a quick stop: park near the bridge, walk across it, take photos of the lake and the mountains beyond. Get a coffee at one of the waterfront cafés. Buy a bottle of Crmnica Vranac from a roadside stall. Then get back on the road. If you’re doing this as a half-day: rent a boat, explore the old prison island of Grmožur, eat smoked carp at a konoba, and head to the coast in the afternoon.
The Scenic Climb: Sozina Exit → Paštrovići Highlands
Back on the E65, ignore the tunnel entrance. Take the exit marked for the old road toward Petrovac. The road immediately starts climbing through sparse pine forest and limestone outcrops. This is karst country — the same geology that makes the Dinaric Alps so dramatic, but gentler here. The road surface is good. There are guardrails. It’s not a white-knuckle drive.
About 15 minutes into the climb, the trees thin out. On your left (east), Lake Skadar spreads across the border with Albania — the largest lake in the Balkans, all reeds and shimmering water. On your right (west), if the air is clear, you’ll start to see the Adriatic. This is the moment you realize the tunnel was a mistake last time. The same road connects to Kotor if you turn north at the coast instead of south toward Budva.
Stop 2: The Viewpoint Above the Coast (Don’t Miss This)
As you crest the highest point of the Paštrovići ridge, there’s a pull-off. It’s not well-marked — look for a widening of the road shoulder where other cars have clearly stopped before. Park safely. Walk to the edge.
From here you can see the Adriatic coast stretching from Sveti Stefan in the north down past Petrovac toward Bar in the south. The islands of Sveti Nikola (Hawaii Island) off Budva, the Luštica peninsula, and on a very clear day, the faint outline of the Italian coast. This is the photo that justifies the scenic route.
The Descent: Into Petrovac
The road winds down through olive groves — some of these trees are over 2,000 years old, planted by the Greeks and Romans. The village of Buljarica passes on your left with its long, undeveloped beach. Unlike Budva’s packed shoreline, Buljarica is quiet, backed by marshland and hills instead of hotels.
Then Petrovac. This is a small coastal town with a sandy crescent beach, a 16th-century Venetian fortress (Kaštel Lastva) on a rocky headland, and a pair of tiny offshore islands. It’s busier than it used to be — the secret got out — but it’s still calmer than Budva. If you’re hungry, stop here. Konoba Mediterraneo on the waterfront does good grilled fish. Park near the bus station and walk — the town center is pedestrian in summer.
Stop 3: Sveti Stefan (15 Minutes from Petrovac)
From Petrovac, the coastal road runs north toward Budva. In about 10 kilometers you’ll see Sveti Stefan — a 15th-century fishing village on a tiny island connected to the mainland by a narrow causeway. It’s been a luxury hotel since the 1960s (Aman Resorts runs it now) and you can’t enter unless you’re a guest (rooms start around €800/night).
But the view from the road above is free and it’s the shot everyone wants. There’s a public viewpoint on the main road just north of the causeway. Park in the designated lot (paid, small fee), walk up to the edge, take the photo. The beaches on either side — Sveti Stefan Beach to the north, Miločer Beach (also called King’s Beach) to the south — are public. Miločer is the better one: a curved cove framed by cypress trees, with the old royal summer residence above it.
The Final Stretch: Into Budva
From Sveti Stefan, it’s about 8 km to central Budva. The road runs along the coast — you’ll pass Jaz Beach on your right (one of Montenegro’s longest, known for summer music festivals) and then the newer developments of Budva’s suburbs before reaching the Old Town.
Budva’s Old Town (Stari Grad) is a walled Venetian settlement on a small peninsula. It’s smaller than Kotor’s, more compact, and heavily restored after the 1979 earthquake. The citadel, the churches of St. John and St. Mary in Punta, and the small archaeological museum are the main draws. At night the squares fill with bars and restaurants — it’s Montenegro’s most reliable nightlife if that’s your thing.
Park at the large lot near the bus station (Popa Jola Zeca street) — it’s a five-minute walk to the Old Town walls. Underground parking is also available at TQ Plaza near the marina.
If You Have More Time: The Cetinje Detour
Before the final descent to Budva, you can take a longer detour from the Paštrovići road. At the ridge, instead of descending to Petrovac, continue west toward Cetinje. This adds about 45 minutes of driving but gives you the old royal capital — the monastery, the museums, the feel of 19th-century Montenegro — and then a direct road down to Budva through the mountains. It’s the historical route, the one diplomats and royalty took from Cetinje to their coastal embassies. If you’re interested in Montenegrin history, do this.
Practical Notes for the Podgorica to Budva Drive
Fuel: there’s a station at the airport in Golubovci, several on the E65 out of Podgorica, and then nothing until Petrovac on the scenic route. Fill up before the climb.
Road conditions: the scenic M2.3 road is fully paved and well-maintained. In winter (December–February), the highest sections can get ice — check conditions before taking this route in bad weather. The Sozina Tunnel is the safer bet in snow.
Timing: the tunnel route takes 45 minutes Podgorica airport to Budva. The scenic route via Petrovac takes about 1 hour 30 minutes without stops, 2–3 hours with the recommended stops. Leave Podgorica by 10 AM and you’ll still have most of the afternoon on the coast.
Your car: any standard car hire Podgorica vehicle handles both routes. The scenic road is paved throughout — no need for 4WD. Small cars are easier to park in Petrovac and Budva, where spaces are tight. When you book, use a platform to compare suppliers and lock in your rate. No hidden fees — the quote includes everything except fuel and any extras you add at pickup.
The Podgorica to Budva road isn’t the longest drive in Montenegro. It’s not the highest or the most dramatic. But it’s the one almost every visitor makes, and how you make it — tunnel or ridge road, rushed or unrushed — defines the first day of your trip. Take the mountain.
