Nearly two kilometres of sand that won “most beautiful beach in Europe” before package tourism had a name.
Becici is one of the Montenegrin Riviera's most celebrated beach destinations, located just a short walk southeast of Budva along the Adriatic coast. The town is best known for its magnificent 1,950-meter sandy beach, which earned a prestigious Golden Palm award in Paris for the most beautiful beach in Europe. With its gentle slope into warm, turquoise waters, Becici Beach is a favorite among families, couples, and sun-seekers looking for a premium seaside experience.
Third-longest on the coast — but the longest unbroken curve this side of Ulcinj, and the widest sand on the riviera.
Municipal beach registries; lengths approximate
Who visits Montenegro
Share of foreign overnight stays, 2025
MONSTAT · 2025
What things cost in Bečići
Espresso
€1.50–2.50
Dinner for twohotel strip or beach taverns
€35–50
Sunbeds for twotwo loungers + umbrella
€15–25
Apartments, per m²asking, new resort builds
€2,500–3,200
A day on the curve
Crowd pressure by hour, high season
08:00the 1,950 metres nearly empty — the best run on the coast
12:00full sunbed grid; walk to Rafailovići for elbow room
18:00the tunnel walk to Budva Old Town for golden hour
21:00fish soup where the boats tie up
1935
Meanwhile, in 1935
The year Paris crowned a beach
Paris,1935: at an interwar tourism exposition, Bečići’s 1,950 metres of sand take the Grand Prix as the most beautiful beach in Europe — a jury verdict the riviera has quoted ever since.
The riviera —the award finds a fishing shore with a single pension; the sand’s reputation arrives decades before the hotels do.
Then —socialist Yugoslavia builds the resort rows in the 1960s and 70s; the beach that won in Paris becomes the country’s package-holiday flagship.
Today —the hotels have changed flags and stars, but the argument is unchanged: the longest unbroken curve of sand this side of Ulcinj.
Voices
“In 1935, so the town tells it, a Paris jury judged Europe’s beaches — and gave the Grand Prix to a sand bar below a Montenegrin village.”
Local legend
The 1935 award
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Yes, especially for a beach holiday. Becici has one of the longest and cleanest beaches on the Budva Riviera, a promenade of hotels and restaurants, and Budva's old town and nightlife are a 20-minute walk or a five-minute bus ride away.
How far is Becici from Budva?
About 3 km. The coastal path around the Zavala headland takes 20 to 30 minutes on foot and is one of the nicest short walks on the riviera; by bus or taxi it is five to ten minutes.
Is Becici beach sandy?
It is a mix of fine sand and small shingle, gentler underfoot than most Montenegrin beaches and shallow at the shoreline, which is why it suits families. Water shoes still help. The beach runs for close to 2 km and is largely organised with sunbeds in season.
Is Becici better than Budva for families?
Usually yes. Becici is quieter after dark, its beach is longer and shallower, and the hotels are more resort-style, while Budva concentrates the bars and clubs. Many families stay in Becici and walk over to Budva for the evening.
What is there to do in Becici besides the beach?
Ride the cable car or drive up to Brajici for the panorama over the riviera, walk the coastal path to Budva or on to Rafailovici, try watersports off the beach, and use the town as a base for Sveti Stefan, Petrovac and Kotor.
When is the best time to visit Becici?
June and September are the sweet spot: the sea is warm, the beach is not full and prices sit below the July-August peak. High summer is hot and crowded, and from November to April most beachfront hotels and restaurants close.
Bečići through the year
JunSeason opens — sunbed grids go down the full 1,950 metres
AugBeach sports summer — volleyball and water-polo tournaments on the sand
The fishing hamlet at the beach’s east end cooks the riviera’s honest bowl: scorpionfish broth, a squeeze of lemon, bread — eaten two metres from the boats that caught it.
