Perast is one of the most beautiful waterfront towns in Montenegro, combining both Mediterranean ambiance with Baroque elegance.
Located just 18 km from Kotor, Perast is a wonderful holiday destination – stunningly beautiful, peaceful and within easy reach of sandy beaches, historic towns and national parks.
From May the waterfront is lined with cafes and restaurants selling fresh fish and Mediterranean specialities at very reasonable prices. You can relax with a cool beer looking out across the spectacular bays ringed in mountains – the “fjords” of the Mediterranean.
You can sunbathe on the jetties or swim in the beautifully clean blue water. For nightlife, romantic kotor with it’s many café strewn piazzas, lively bars and restaurants is just 15 minutes away by bus (€1)
Just in front of Perast lie two exceptionally photogenic islands – Gospa od Skpjela (Our Lady of the Rock), and Sveti Juraj (St. George). Gospa od krpjela is the only artificially built island in the Adriatic and was built on a rock where sailors from Perast found a picture of the Virgin Mary in 1452. On Sveti Juraj is a Benedictine monastery. You can take a small boat trip to these islands for approx. €3.00 per person .
Much of Perast’s unique charm comes from the fact that almost all of its buildings are stone built and at least 300 years old. The magnificent waterfront palaces were built by seafaring captains of the 17th and 18th centuries when Perast was at its peak and under Venetian influence. At this point in time it had four shipyards, a fleet of around one hundred ships, and 1,643 residents. Nowadays there are just a few small boats in the little harbour and the population is around 360.
You can learn about Perast’s history in the local museum on the waterfront and meander along tiny streets as you discover it’s 16 Baroque palaces and 17 churches.
