Things to Do in Ulcinj: Velika Plaza, the Old Town and Ada Bojana

Ulcinj does not feel like the rest of Montenegro, and that is the whole point of going. It is the far south, minutes from the Albanian border, and it is where the country’s only long sand beach is. The old town sits on a rock over the sea, the call to prayer carries across it, and the atmosphere is more Adriatic-Ottoman than Venetian.

Velika Plaža — the sand

Roughly 12 kilometres of it, running south from town almost to the Bojana river. This is the reason most people come, and it is a genuinely different proposition from the pebble coves further north.

The water stays shallow a long way out, which makes it the best beach in the country for small children. Long stretches are almost undeveloped — a bar, a few loungers, and nothing else. In an afternoon breeze the southern end fills with kitesurfers; the flat shallow water and steady wind make it the main kite spot in Montenegro.

Bring shade. The beach is flat and open with very few trees.

The Old Town

A fortified town on a rock above the sea, parts of it more than two thousand years old. It is much smaller and much rougher around the edges than Kotor or Budva — fewer shops, fewer tour groups, more people actually living in it.

Walk up in the late afternoon for the view down the coast, and stay for sunset. There is a small museum in the citadel and a handful of restaurants built into the walls.

Ada Bojana

A river island at the mouth of the Bojana, shaped by the river splitting in two before it reaches the sea. It is a strange, flat, sandy place of fish restaurants on stilts, reed huts and quiet water.

Come for a long lunch of fresh river and sea fish rather than for a beach day. It is also the country’s best-known naturist area, which is worth knowing in advance.

The salt pans

The Ulcinj salina, just outside town, is one of the most important bird sites on the Adriatic flyway. Flamingos and pelicans stop here on migration, along with a very long list of other species.

It is a birdwatching site rather than a tourist attraction — there is no built-up visitor infrastructure — but for anyone with binoculars it is the best few hours in the region.

What Ulcinj gets wrong

It is far. Roughly 1 hour 45 minutes from Podgorica airport and over an hour from Budva. If you want to tour the Bay of Kotor, this is the wrong base — you will spend the trip driving.

It is also the least polished part of the coast. Some of the development along Velika Plaža is unfinished and unlovely. People who love Ulcinj love it in spite of that.

Practical

• Sun loungers here are the cheapest on the coast, roughly €5–8 a pair — see the beaches guide.
• Early September is the best week of the year here: the Southern Soul Festival runs 1–4 September on Velika Plaža, with warm sea and no August crowds.
• Crossing to Albania is straightforward and Shkodër is close, if you want a day on the other side.
• Emergency: 112 from any phone, including foreign SIM cards with no credit.

See also: where to stay in Montenegro and getting around.