Things to do in Petrovac
The picturesque seaside town of Petrovac is a hugely popular family-friendly beach holiday destination. It has a lively promenade and three beautiful beaches – Petrovac Beach, Perazica Do Beach, and Lucice Beach. Petrovac is also backed by a huge mountainscape, which means lots of hiking and paragliding opportunities.
Petrovac
Petrovac is a fishing village turned resort town in the municipality of Budva, perfect for a family holiday with plenty of good hotels and restaurants.
Top Hotels in Petrovac
Discover the best hotels in Petrovac for your family wanting to unwind by the sea while enjoying a vibrant nightlife along the promenade.
Relax at one of the Beaches
Petrovac Beach comes with all the facilities for a carefree day at the oceanfront, including parasols, sun loungers, showers, and a beach bar. If you or your children ever grow tired of toasting yourselves, swimming, or snorkeling, there are also kayaks, pedal boats, and paddleboards for hire in the area.
Petrovac Beach
The 600-meter-long Petrovac Beach is the resort’s main strand, offering everything that is needed for a few easygoing hours.
Lucice Beach
Lucice Beach is a kid-friendly beach with water sports offers and onsite restaurants, showers, a lifeguard, and ample parking spots.
Perazica Do Beach
Just a 20-minute walk from Petrovac along a forested pathway will take you to Perazica Do Beach, a small pebble beach with turquoise waters.
Enjoy Dinner with Views
For a dinner to remember head to the charming marina. The waterfront restaurant Tramontana offers diners an idyllic terrace overlooking the beach and promenade. Being so close to the sea, it is not surprising that the menu features a nice selection of seafood dishes. Another restaurant nearby enjoying a good name is the Restaurant Mun.
Best Restaurants in Petrovac
Whether dry-aged steak or fresh catch of the day, Adriatic fare or Italian classics, here is a list of the best restaurants in Petrovac.
Take a Kayak Tour
Take a (guided) kayak tour to one of the wild beaches near Petrovac. Rentals and guided tours can be arranged at your hotel or directly with an operator at the beach. Your guide will point out sea caves and there will be enough time for swimming and snorkeling in the crystal-clear waters far away from the crowds.
Stroll Along the Seaside Promenade
Treat yourself to a sladoled (ice cream) and take a leisurely saunter along the town’s palm-tree-lined promenade leading you past many small shops, restaurants, and cafes. You can sit down at one of the many benches and enjoy striking views of the islets and the surrounding bays.
Take a Bout Trip to the Two Islets
The glimmering Adriatic Sea may tempt you to take a boat trip to the islets of Katic and Sveta Nedelja. Whether it’s just a short boat tour or a relaxing sunset cruise, the local boat owners at Petrovac harbor can offer your a tailored trip to set you off a gorgeous ocean adventure.
Attend a Local Festival
If you happen to be visiting Petrovac at the end of August, chances are high that you’ll be there to celebrate the frolicsome Night of Petrovac (Petrovacka Noc) together with the locals. The beachfront promenade becomes dotted with music stages, and food and drinks stalls offering wine and fish free of charge.
There are more festivals throughout the year, including the New Year’s Celebrations and the Squid Festival (Lignjada) in September. Many local fishermen then go out and try catching as many squids as possible, and there is lots of dancing, singing, and again free squids.
Hike to Lucice
For those wanting to be immersed in nature while enjoying some of the best views of Petrovac, taking the hiking trail to Lucice Beach might be a worthwhile endeavor. The forested trail starts at Ponta Cafe and is a little rough and overgrown but you will be rewarded with wonderful vistas and plenty of shade.
Paragliding in Buljarica
Adrenaline junkies will enjoy the thrilling tandem paragliding flight with an experienced instructor, taking off from a slope close to Buljarica Beach. Being on the bucket list of almost everyone, paragliding will certainly be one of the most incredible things you have ever done.
The flight offers breathtaking views of Petrovac and the surrounding coves. Being a passenger on a tandem flight is the most accessible way to glide through the skies while capturing your adventure on camera.
Buljarica Beach
Just a 2-kilometer walk from Petrovac lies Buljarica Beach, the largest beach on the Budva Riviera measuring 2,400 meters.
If you enjoyed this short hike, feel free to continue towards Buljarica Beach from Lucice. It’s an easy hike along a paved and forested pathway with gorgeous views of the picturesque bay. Halfway to Buljarica, there is a shaded street workout calisthenics park.
Petrovac Diving
A rich variety of underwater wildlife makes the Budva Riviera one of the best diving locations in Montenegro. The marine protected area around Katic which is known for its sea caves and seagrass beds is within easy reach.
Regardless if it is your first-time scuba diving or if you are more experienced and looking for a more challenging adventure or a night dive, you’ll find all you need at the Petrovac harbor dive center.
Watch the Sunset from Kastio Fortress
The Kastio Fortress is Petrovac’s signature landmark and is located on a rocky outcrop adjacent to the marina. One of the best times to go there is in the evening hours – the elevated setting offers a spectacular vantage point for watching the sunset. The view of Petrovac from here, especially at night, is equally imposing.
Ponta Beach Club
This unpretentious beach club is located at the end of a small tunnel, at the southern end of town. There are sun loungers and parasols for hire and on the menu are pizzas, tasty burgers, meat, and seafood specialties. Go in the evening hours to sip a glass of local wine, watch the sunset, and listen to the sound of waves – doesn’t get more Mediterranean than that.
Buy Olive Oil at the Rezevici Monastery
From Petrovac’s coastal promenade, a pathway curves around the northern end of the beach and continues along the steep coast, leading you past stunning viewpoints and coniferous-scented woods to Rezevici, a small settlement known for its 12th-century monastery.
The monastery features beautiful interior ornamentation and a well-kept vineyard and olive grove. Locals and tourists alike have a soft spot for the cold-pressed olive oil that is available in the small monastery shop.
Go to the Local Shops
Along the beachfront promenade are numerous shops selling souvenirs, accessories, and beachwear. Here you wll also find a handful of jewellery and clothing boutiques. A small farmers market is held every day (including Sundays) with stalls selling locally produced brandy, cheeses, olive oil, dry-cured meats, and a wide assortment of fruits and vegetables.
The nearest shopping mall is TQ Plaza in Budva. If that doesn’t satisfy you, Tivat’s designer boutiques and department stores surely will. The capital city Podgorica is a one hour’s drive away.
Visit Lightland Family Park
For those wanting to be immersed in a fantasy fairy tale forest with outdoor light installations, head to Lightland, a mystical amusement park situated fifteen minutes northeast of Petrovac. It covers a large area with many grottos, passages, and beautifully lit landscapes – your little ones will surely enjoy themselves.
Have a Canyoning Adventure
Discover the most beautiful canyons close to Petrovac with Rado and Louis from Adriatrek who are licensed and well-organized professionals. Rappel down cliffs, waterfalls, and rock faces into beautiful water pools. The small canyon tour (2h) is suitable for beginners while there are also more challenging canyoning adventures taking upwards of five hours.
Gradiste Monastery
The Orthodox Gradiste Monastery in Buljarica is made up of three beautiful churches that you can reach on foot. It is a short and steep hike uphill from the area around the gas station. One of the churches dates back to the 12th century. Two of the churches are open to visitors. There is also a monastery shop where you can buy homemade wine among others.
Enjoy Petrovac Nightlife
It does get very lively in July and August in Petrovac yet it is far more family-friendly than neighboring Budva which is only a 25-minute taxi ride away. During peak season, many bars and cafes host open-air live concerts, however, the Medusa cocktail bar is where you’ll find the main evening buzz.
Final Words
With its beaches, playgrounds, quaint hiking trails, and restaurants, Petrovac provides entertainment for all the family. Due to its central location, it happens to be also one of the best base towns for exploring the rest of Montenegro.