Perast and Our Lady of the Rocks

Perast is one street deep. A line of stone palaces and churches faces the water, the bell tower of St Nicholas rises above them, and behind the town the mountain goes almost straight up. It was a wealthy seafaring town under Venice, and the palaces were built by its captains.

See it from the water first. We came over by boat from Kotor in late August 2024, and the view as you approach, the waterfront and that bell tower set against steep green slopes, explains the place better than walking into it from a car park.

Q: How do I get there?

By boat, on one of the many trips that run around the bay from Kotor (and from Budva, though that's a much longer ride). By local bus along the shore road from Kotor, which is cheap and slow. Or by car, though in summer you'll have to leave it in one of the car parks at either end of town and walk in.

Q: What is Our Lady of the Rocks?

The island with the blue dome, just off Perast. It's artificial: according to local tradition, sailors began dropping rocks on a reef where an icon of the Virgin was found, and over centuries the pile became an island, built up with stones and old, sunken ships. The custom survives in the fašinada, an evening each July when local boats carry stones out to the island. Inside the church are hundreds of silver votive plaques left by sailors, and a small museum.

Q: Can I visit the other island?

No. St George, the natural island next to it with the cypress trees, is home to a former Benedictine abbey and is closed to visitors. You see it close up on the boat.

Q: How do I get to the island?

Small boats shuttle across from the Perast waterfront all day in season, and most bay cruises from Kotor stop there too. Agree the return time with the boatman before you go.

Q: How long do I need?

A couple of hours for the island and a walk along the waterfront. Add lunch and it's a relaxed half day. After our boat ride we sat down to a seafood lunch, fried calamari with chips and a beer, and that's the right rhythm for a hot day on the bay.

Q: Should I stay the night?

If you want quiet, yes. Once the boats stop, Perast goes very still. Our 4-day itinerary pairs it with a morning in Kotor instead.