St. Nicholas Island Made the Top 9 Most Beautiful Beaches in Europe

The ranking of the best tourist destinations in the Old World was compiled by Forbes magazine. The list also includes beaches in England, France, Italy, Croatia, Greece, and Spain. St. Nicholas Island, or Sveti Nikola, is located just one kilometer from Budva. Its...

Forbes magazine has compiled a ranking of the best tourist destinations in the Old World. The list also includes beaches in England, France, Italy, Croatia, Greece, and Spain.

Saint Nicholas Island

Sveti Nikola

is located just one kilometer from Budva. The island got its name from the church built in the 11th century by crusaders during their campaign against Byzantium. Forty years ago, the church was destroyed by a powerful earthquake, but it was later restored.

The island also has a second name — Školj. Most likely, it comes from the Italian word for “wall.”

Interestingly, the island is connected to the town by a small sandbar, and at low tide it is easy to reach on foot. This is linked to an ancient legend. Saint Sava could not board the ship sailing to Mount Athos because of a strong storm. He then placed several large stones in the water and walked across them to the galley.

In addition to the church, Sveti Nikola has several beaches, a pier, and a restaurant. The latter gave the area another, more popular name — Hawaii.

Before the island was developed for tourism, it was a nature reserve with a huge number of relict plants and unique animals. However, this area is now closed to visitors.