Perast
A Baroque village stretching along one street on the bay, with 16 palaces and 17 churches facing the water. Two small islands lie just offshore, making it the most elegant spot on the Bay of Kotor.
Perast lies about 12 km northwest of Kotor, near the Verige Strait where the bay narrows. The village has just one seaside main street and a population of about 300. Under Venetian rule in the 17th and 18th centuries, Perast was known for seafaring and shipbuilding, and at its peak it owned about 100 ships. Peter the Great once sent Russian nobles to study at the naval school here. Wealthy captains' families built 16 Baroque palaces and 17 churches along the shore, creating the elegant, tranquil townscape seen today, which is part of the World Heritage Site. Highlights include the Church of St. Nicholas and its bell tower, about 55 m tall (beside the unfinished church body; you can climb the tower for views over the town and islands, for a fee), and the Perast Town Museum in the Bujović Palace, displaying maritime artifacts and captains' portraits. Two small islands lie just offshore: the natural island of St. George, home to a Benedictine monastery that is not open to the public, and the artificial Our Lady of the Rocks. Seafood restaurants and small docks line the main street, and the evening views are enchanting. Getting there: a bus from Kotor takes about 20 to 25 minutes, or you can join a bay cruise. Cars are not allowed on the main street, so visitors must park in a paid lot outside the village.
Opening hours
Open all day; museum and bell tower approx. 09:00–18:00 (check on site)
Nearby sights
- Our Lady of the Rocks
- Risan Roman Mosaics
- Porto Montenegro
- Church of St. Nicholas, Kotor
- Cats Museum Kotor
- Church of St. Luke, Kotor
- Kotor Old Town
- Maritime Museum of Montenegro