The Complete Guide to Visit Unforgettable Perast in Montenegro

The beauty of Perast shines brighter than a sparkling diamond, crowning the jewel known as the Bay of Kotor in Montenegro.

The place is tiny, but it’s big in history. I felt like I was walking through an open air museum packed with centuries-old churches and palaces. Even though summers are busy with people filling up its pedestrian-only streets, Perast offers a more relaxed experience than Old Town Kotor or Budva, especially at night.

Add a seaside location and the views of the surrounding mountains and you have a jackpot combination. 

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This is your complete guide to visit Perast 

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Brief History of Perast

The Illyrians and the Romans were the first two great civilizations to hang out here. Being right by the sea, their lives as expert seamen revolved around maritime activities and the protection of their privileged location. For the next centuries, people built ships to venture in commercial trading and forged an independent municipality.

Perast was its own thing.

Even during the prosperous ruling of the Venetian Republic (15th -18th century), it received special treatment and acted as an ally to the Venetian forces on the fight against the invasions of the Ottoman Empire. The construction abilities of the town weren’t limited to ships, they also built Baroque-style palaces and churches.

Reconstructions took place in the 17th century after being ransacked by pirates from Northern Africa and after being rattled by an earthquake.

During the 17th and 18th centuries the town was an important cultural centre, but things took a downturn in the 19th century with the French occupation and the Austrian Empire taking over.

Some palaces are well preserved and some are in ruins, waiting to be reconstructed as part of the ongoing efforts to preserve the historical significance of this place.

Today, it’s a popular destination where you can be transported back in time surrounded by scenic mountains.

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Things to Do in Perast

Enjoy Amazing Views of the Bay

Stroll along the 1.2-kilometre-long seaside promenade (0.75 miles) and delight in the views of the Bay of Kotor or just sit in one of the waterfront cafes to watch the boats go by with a stunning backdrop. You’ll see the Lovćen mountain in the distance and, in close proximity, the Vrmac Massif plunging into the water.

Sunsets are quite scenic.

The striking vistas aren’t limited to the water’s edge. Go to the terraces in the upper part of town, towards the main road, for a panorama of the red roofs, towers, and surrounding mountains.

Go to Our Lady of the Rocks (Gospa od Ṧkrpjela)

One of the main attractions in Perast is visiting a man-made islet named Our Lady of the Rocks.

Why, how and who created this artificial islet?

The legend says that two fishermen from Perast were coming back from the sea in 1452. They noticed something unusual sitting on top of a small rock sticking out of the water. Ooh, what’s that?

They got close and found a painting of Virgin Mary. This is a sign!

They decided to build a church right where they found the icon. But that was going to need more than one rock and more than two people. 

Other sailors joined their efforts as a thank you for divine protection. They all started dropping tons of rocks and using sunk old ships and enemy ships to build a man-made island.

About 200 years later there was an islet and a small chapel that grew into a church with a museum.

This tradition is still alive today and you can see it every July 22nd, when the town celebrates the Fašinada festival with a boat procession. They’re loaded with rocks that they throw around the islet to honour the patron of Perast.

The Museum

The small museum at Our Lady of the Rocks features a rather disorganized collection of 65 marine-themed paintings, historical artifacts, objects depicting the life of the early inhabitants of the region, wooden sculptures, fine pieces of silversmithing, sacred art, and a few archaeological findings.

There’s a special piece in this collection. A small, but remarkable tapestry finished by Jacinta Kunić-Mijović in 1828. It’s an icon of Virgin Mary showing an insanely intricate stitching, woven with silk and mixed with gold and silver threads. 

The hair in the angels and Mary’s heads? That’s her own hair! Over the years it went from brown to gray.

She started it when her husband sailed away and finished it 25 years later (no one knows if her husband returned), losing her sight in the process due to the demanding work. This piece alone was worth the short boat ride to the islet.

The Church

Small, but quite ornate.

The walls and ceiling are covered by 68 oil paintings by Tripo Kokolja, a 17th-century Baroque artist from Perast who also painted the church of St Nicholas, the church of St. Anne, the palace of Archbishop Zmajević, and some portraits in the Museum of the Town of Perast.

The artwork on the lower section of the wall are images of church saints, framed by millwork painted in blue and gold, and cute leafy details hand painted on a white background.

The midsection is covered by more than 2,000 votive plaques in silver, some dating back to the 17th century, depicting ships in battles or in storms, or body parts in need of healing. The upper section displays large format paintings which are regarded as Kokolja’s masterpiece, titled The Marian Cycle, depicting the life and death of Virgin Mary.

The ceiling is decorated with frescoes showing biblical scenes. 

Sitting on the richly decorated Baroque-style marble altar -made in Genoa in the 18th century- you’ll see the icon found by the seamen in 1452. The altar was built right on top of the rock where the icon was found.

This is an active church, officiating baptisms and weddings. If you’re Catholic and you’re looking for a drop-dead gorgeous location for your wedding, know that you can get married here. After the ceremony, your bouquet can adorn the header of one of the doors, following the tradition of the brides who say “Yes!” on the rock.

The entrance to the church and the museum is €2 (€3 when you visit with a tour) and it includes a guided visit where you’ll learn about the history of the place and other interesting stories.

The island is open from 9AM to 4PM -it closes later (6 or 7PM) during summer- and there’s a small gift shop and (paid) restrooms on site. You won’t be allowed to enter in a swimsuit.

How to Get There

From Perast you’ll find many boats that do the short ride to the islet, the return trip costs €5.

Tours to Our Lady of the Rocks 

You may not have enough time in your itinerary to enjoy a relaxing full day -or two- in Perast (highly recommended). If that’s the case, check out these tours departing from Kotor on a speedboat:

Boat Tour to Perast and Lady of Our Rocks: 2-hour cruise tour with a 20-minute visit to the islet and a 30-minute visit in Perast. The best time to do this is early in the morning, when the islet is less busy.
Book this trip, with a rating of 4.7/5 based on more than 895 reviews.

Boat Tour to Our Lady of the Rocks, Blue Cave & more: this 3-hour cruise tour includes a 20-minute visit to the islet, a stop at a former submarine tunnel and Mamula island, and a swim in (or near) the Blue Cave*.
Take this cruise, with a rating of 4.7/5 based on more than 3,195 reviews.
*Entry to the Blue Cave is subjected to weather conditions and capacity (July and August are the busiest months).

Saint George Island (Sveti Đorđe)

What about the other islet, the natural one? That’s Saint George, home to a Benedictine monastery from the 12th century and a graveyard surrounded by tall cypress trees. You can only see it from the outside as access is restricted.

Check Out the Churches and Palaces 

Architecture lovers: Perast will make you happy with its narrow streets filled with churches, most of them built between the 16th and 18th century, some going as far as the 9th century.

You’ll also walk past many palaces in Baroque style that stand as a testimony of the fortunes amassed by well-known families of seafarers (and some Church leaders) during the 17th and 18th centuries. They’ve been transformed into museums or hotels, while some are abandoned.

About the palaces, I’ll tell you the same I wrote on the post about Kotor Old Town: don’t expect the grandiosity of Royal French palaces.

First, this is a subdued Baroque style (but you’ll still find lovely details throughout). Second, sometimes things lost in invasions and earthquakes can’t be replaced.

There are more than a dozen churches in this small town. Here are a few:

St. Nicholas Church (17th century)

St. Nicholas is the main church in town, with a mix of Romanesque and Renaissance styles. It’s impossible to miss thanks to its central location on the main square and its emblematic 55-metre-tall belfry (180 ft.), built in 1691. It’s the highest not only in Perast but in the Adriatic coast.

For €1 you can climb it to enjoy a birdseye view of the town.

You’ll notice a “new” and an old church, pieced together. The “new” one is an unfinished construction project that started in the mid-1700s, but was never completed. 

Inside, you’ll see some elaborate Baroque-style altars in marble and paintings by Tripo Kokolja, the same artist who painted the interiors of the church of Our Lady of the Rocks. You can see his bust at the town’s main square.

For €2 you can also visit the small sacred museum housing relics and artwork.

Our Lady of the Rosary Church (17th century)

This cut stone building with a tall belfry on the side has some interesting details. 

Two semi-buried Doric-style columns supporting a broken pediment frame the main entrance, with a rose window decorated with florals crowning it all.  You’ll see the symbol of the Venetian Republic -the winged lion of St.Mark- at the base of the columns and at the centre of the pediment, surrounded by ropes.

Through the iron gate you can take a peek at the Baroque-style altar with marble in different colours.

The cherry on top is its location high up in the terraces, from where you can catch a good view.

Church of St. Mark (18th century)

This would be a strong candidate for a “Most Beautiful Church in Perast” contest and it’s located right on the waterfront.

The building has three big statues standing on the edges of the pediment: the resurrected Christ in the centre, St. Peter holding the keys to the Kingdom on the left, and St. Mark holding the Bible on the right.

The corners of the restored façade are embellished with Doric columns and broken pediments crown the windows and main door, flanked by a niche on each side. A perfect example of Baroque architecture.

Here you’ll find again, front and centre, the winged lion of St. Mark.

This church is closed to the public.

St. John the Baptist Church (16th century) 

One of the oldest churches in town, with a modest design featuring nothing more than a bell gable with two bells, a small and simple rose window, and a door with a lintel.

I have no idea if it’s closed to the public or not. I was there three times on different days and never saw it open.

Church of the Holy Cross (9th century)

Tiny and unassuming with a miniscule rose window and a bell on top, what this building brings to the table is that it has been standing here for 12 centuries. Enough to earn a round of applause.

This church is closed to the public.

Our Lady of Carmen Church (17th century)

What’s special about this church is its unique details. The two-eyed bell gable isn’t at the front, but on the side, where you’ll also find an unusual staircase that leads to a side entrance on the second floor. 

Instead of niches, there’s oval windows on the side of the main door, at low elevation.

Above the niche on top of the main entrance there’s a half-circle window with a detailed ironwork painted in green and not seen in the other churches.

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Private Tour to Perast and Budva: departing from Kotor, the van first stops at Perast for a visit to Our Lady of Our Rocks and a guided walk around town with some free time. From here you’ll visit some scenic beaches and Budva Old Town and then stop at Sveti Stefan for a photo op.
Book this 5-hour private tour, with a 4.9/5 rating based on 8 reviews.

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Learn about History at the Perast Town Museum at the Bujović Palace

If you’re a history buff, head to this Renaissance Baroque-style palace from the 17th century where the Perast Town Museum set foot in 1937.

Since the history of Perast is intertwined with the sea, many of the objects you’ll see fall into the marine theme: ship models, navigation instruments, copies of historical maps, and paintings depicting battles. There are some jars and amphoras recovered from the sea (with rests of coral on it) from the 2nd century B.C.-A.D.

The ethnographic collection includes furniture and decorative items arrangements -donated by local families- showing you how the rich people of Perast lived between the 17th and the 19th century.  

I loved the highly intricate details of the jewelry and traditional costumes.

The weapons’ display includes a sword that is unique to Perast: the Palos, with beautiful engravings and decorated with precious stones. You can also see a preserved falconet (a light cannon) from the 17th century with the symbol of the Venetian Republic which, according to the museum’s literature, there’s only two in the world.

Don’t miss the nice view from the balcony.

General admission: €5 

Visit Risan

Another one for history lovers. You can walk (or take a taxi) from Perast to Risan, the oldest settlement in the Bay of Kotor where Illyrians built a fort to protect Queen Teuta from Roman incursions.

This tiny town has an old church, a museum with mosaics from the Roman era, and a beach.

It’s a 30-minute walk (one way) along a flat section of the coastal road, with scenic views of the bay. Be aware that there isn’t a paved pedestrian path. Most times the shoulder of the road was wide enough for us to walk on (even to park a car), but at times we had to walk on the road for a couple of metres.

If you don’t feel comfortable with this you can take the bus (Blue Line bus) going in the opposite direction of Kotor and 5 minutes later you’ll be in Risan.

Check out Risan’s Historic Buildings

Around the town centre you’ll find a couple of narrow cobblestone streets that will transport you back in time as you look at old stone buildings, some still standing and some abandoned.

The most relevant one is close to the park: the Orthodox Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, in Baroque style and built in the 17th century.

Risan’s Roman Mosaics

We need a road from Risan to Nickšić! The government nodded and in the early 1900’s they started working on it. The project delivered more than a road as they unearthed the remains of a stone house built in the 2nd century A.D., back when Roman Emperor Hadrian was the ruler of this region.

The striking feature of the so-called Villa Urbana (Urban villa) were the mosaics on the floor. After many years of restoration and after surviving a big earthquake you can see them in this small museum.

Most of them show geometric patterns laid with black, gray, and white stones in pieces as small as 1×1 cm (0.4 inches), with different levels of intricacy.

You’ll see a checkerboard pattern in room 2 and a combination of angular and circular patterns framed by swirls in the corners in room 4.

The most intricate geometric pattern (and my favourite) is in room 5.

Circles and arches intersect on the mosaics in rooms 6 and 7 to create interesting shapes. 

What is considered the masterpiece of the Risan Roman mosaics is in Room 1. The stone pieces here are even smaller, between 2 and 5 mm (about 5/64” and 1/5″). The central section is adorned with floral motifs creating arches and details with red and yellow stones.

In the middle you’ll see a medallion with a depiction of Hypnos, the personification of sleep in Greek mythology, in a reclining position. A meander and squares with geometric patterns and florals surround the beautiful piece.

In addition to the mosaics you can see a few archaeological artifacts such as urns and tombstones recovered from the park, which was a necropolis in ancient times.

An interesting item is a type of tombstone known as a Cipus (cippi liburnini), used as milestones of burials by the Liburni tribe, also symbolizing immortality.

You’ll see amphoras from 4th century B.C. used to store wine, urns from Roman times, and pieces of architectural elements such as fragments of Corinthian capitals from 1st century A.D.

There are information boards on site if you want to know more about the mosaics and Risan’s history.

The museum is small, but I found it interesting. If you aren’t that much into history you may find the entrance fee to be a little bit high.

Opening hours: Tue. to Sun.: 10AM-4PM ; General admission: €6 (cash only).

Risan Public Beach

As you approach the north end you’ll arrive at the Risan Public Beach. As you can see, it’s more about the view since you go from pebbles on the shore to bigger rocks in the water. If you plan to take a dip, bring water shoes.

Stop at the Banja Monastery

On your way to or from Perast to Risan you can stop at this small monastery. It was closed when we walked by, but hopefully you’ll have better luck so you can enjoy higher views of the bay from its terraces and check out the church and the icons it holds. 

You’ll also have the chance to get some of the goodies they sell such as natural juices, honey, jams, and herbal teas.

Want to go to Montenegro’s largest and most visited monastery? Read my guide to plan your trip to Ostrog.

Try Pomegranate Wine

Tangy and sweet, this wine may not win any international awards, but it’s a local tradition and a refreshing alternative to your regular wine.

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Where to Stay in Perast

Staying in Perast is a great alternative to staying in Kotor or Budva, with less crowds and quieter nights. One thing to take into consideration is that parking is extremely limited and the tiny parking lots are on the town’s edge. Although you can’t drive inside Perast, there are golf carts that transport people with their luggage (check with your accommodation).

Another thing you should know is that buildings in Perast don’t have elevators, they’re historic buildings. On the other hand, the maximum height is three floors. Here are some highly-rated options:

Heritage Hotel Leon Coronato: this 4-star hotel is a stone’s throw away from the sea. Rooms are modern, with AC, a mini-bar, and TV. Continental breakfast included. 
Book this stylish hotel, with a rating of 9.5/10 based on more than 465 reviews.

Apartments Admiral: located halfway on the hill between the waterfront and the main road (you’ll have to climb some stairs), with a nice seaview terrace. Furnished units are well-equipped with a kitchenette, AC, TV, and seating area. Breakfast included.
Book an apartment, with a rating of 9.5/10 based on more than 575 reviews.

Apartments David: located on the waterfront, these clean, simple, and well-equipped units have a kitchen, AC, TV, some with balcony and washer. You can enjoy a common terrace.
Book these units, with a rating of 9.5/10 based on more than 350 reviews.

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When to Visit Perast

The most popular time to visit is, no surprise, during the summer months (mid-June to mid-September), which implies higher prices and bigger crowds.

It’s also when several festivals take place, such as the Fašinada (I mentioned this is in the Lady of Our Rocks section) on July 22nd and the International Klapa Festival celebrating traditional a capella singing in late June.

For a more relaxed experience plan your trip between late April and mid-June or between mid-September and mid-November.

During winter everything is closed.

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How to Get to Perast

By Air

The closest airport is the Tivat International Airport (TIV). You can find cheap flights to Tivat here.

Taxis may try to charge you a fortune for a 40-minute trip, ask if your accommodation offers a pick up service as most do.

By Bus

THE BLUE LINE BUS

From Kotor, you’ll take the Blue Line bus that goes towards Risan at the stop located south of the Kotor Food Market (past the corner bastion). Use this link to see location on Google Maps.

There’s another stop near the Voli supermarket that is close to the Kamelija Shopping Centre. 

If you’re staying in Dobrota, your nearest stop is here.

They’re supposed to run every hour on the quarter (every two hours on Sundays and Holidays on the even hour), but significant delays are common.

The fare is  €1.50- €2.50, cash only (no change given), payable to the driver. 

The trip is about 30 minutes or more, depending on the traffic.

–From Kotor to Perast the bus will drive along Perast’s local seaside road. There’s a stop right in front of St. Nicholas Square, the main square in town.

–From Perast to Kotor, buses run every hour on the half (they may arrive earlier, or way later). The location of the bus stop varies depending on the season, so you’ll have to ask the driver on your way to Perast or at the tourism office:
-You may be able to take it at the main square
-Or you may need to go up to the main road and wait for the bus close to parking lot next to the abandoned Fort of the Holy Cross
-Or you may need to go to the junction of the main road and Perast’s only road, on the east side (closer to Kotor), labeled on Google Maps as Parking 1.

Note: you must wave the drivers otherwise they won’t stop.

THE INTER-CITY BUS

These are the buses that depart from the Kotor main bus station. 

Although Perast isn’t an official stop, if you purchase the ticket to Risan you can ask the driver to drop you in Perast (ask first as soon as you get on). They will stop on the main road, above town.

However, they can’t pick you up on the way back to Kotor. You’ll need to wait for the Blue Line bus or take the inter-city bus from Risan.

For schedules check out www.busticket4.me

THE HOP-ON HOP-OFF BUS

This double decker runs every 20 to 25 minutes between Kotor and Perast, stopping at Orahovac in between. It’s a convenient alternative to the unreliable Blue Line bus. But at €25 p/p, it’s an expensive one.

By Car

If you rent a car during your stay you can drive along the main road (E65/E80) until you easily reach Perast. It’s a 20-minute drive from Kotor.

However, you can’t drive inside Perast as there are traffic restrictions. During high season, finding a spot at one of the tiny parking lots around the town’s border may be harder than finding a vegan at a rib fest.

There’s a parking lot at each end of Perast and a few along the road above. The flat fee is around €5.

By Boat

This is the most scenic way to get here. It can be the most expensive (but the most convenient) if you rent a water taxi. You can also join a cruise tour if you’re limited in time.

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How Many Days in Perast

A visit to Perast won’t take more than half a day. But consider staying for at least two days to give yourself time to go at a slower pace, relax at one of the seaside cafes with excellent views, and enjoy the beautiful sunset.

Nighttime here is quiet, except for the occasional wedding celebration at a hotel. If you want to unwind after a busy day exploring the Bay of Kotor, think about choosing Perast as your base when visiting the region.

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With its cobblestone streets lined up with Baroque-style churches, a rich history, and a waterfront blessed with gorgeous views, Perast is the textbook definition of a picture-postcard destination. Taking a trip (even a brief one) to make your own postcard is 100% worth it.

Want to explore another Old town in the Bay of Kotor? Check out Budva, a place that combines history and some of the best beaches in Montenegro.

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