Perast is a tiny but picturesque little town nestled in the stunning Bay of Kotor in Montenegro. Being only 30 minutes away, it is an ideal day trip from Kotor.
Here are things to do in Perast, the postcard-worthy place that boasts of shimmering blue waters surrounded by green mountains, cute fishing boats and yachts moored at the shore and the campanile of St Nicholas (Nikola) Church standing tall right at the curving point.
If you are into ticking off a checklist, there’s not much to do in Perast. However, the prettiness quotient is HIGH! Once a wealthy city when it was under the Venetian control, this is a place brimming with charm.
When Mr AW and I travelled to Montenegro in July, it was Perast where we decided to spend our first evening. We wanted to chill and relax because we had big plans of hiking to St John’s fortress in Kotor the next day.
Things to do in Perast
Apart from swimming in the crystal clear waters of the bay, the main attraction that draws people to this corner are the two two cute-as-a-button islets off the shore of Perast. St George island has a little church dating from the 12th century and a graveyard for the old nobility of nearby areas. While this is a natural island and off-limits, the one next to it called Our Lady of the Rocks is an artificial one and is accessible by boat.
We took a boat ride to Our Lady of the Rocks from the shores of Perast for 5€ per person return trip.
It only took a few minutes to reach there and we arranged to be picked up at the same spot in 30 minutes or so. It is possible to go inside the church/museum, however we skipped it. After walking around the building to click a few photos, we (cheekily) got on the deck of another anchored boat just for a few minutes to get better shots of both the islets. It was a big tour boat that had come all the way from Kotor.
Good to know
The ticket to the church/museum is 1€. Visitors will need to cover up if arriving in their swimwear.
Read: Looking for more picturesque islands in Europe? Check out Bled, Slovenia.
After we were dropped off the Perast shore, I found some stone stairs next to a restaurant which led me to Zmajevic Palace. The view from the top was amazing!
Later, we headed to a bar called Beach Bar Pirates. It’s a fun place for drinks and music and a perfect spot for swimming, sun-bathing and lounging about.
If you are anything like me, you will want to grab one of those swinging chairs on the deck 😉
After most of the tourists who frequent the little town for a swim in the Adriatic had left for the day, we walked the length of the town on the single main street that runs by the waters looking at the glamourous stone palaces that line the shore.
Perast is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and no new construction can take place. However, we did see renovations going on but they have to be in the same traditional stone style in order to maintain the look and feel of the town.
As dusk fell and the warm lights came on, Perast shone like a gem that it is.
After our stroll, we found a cosy restaurant and sat down for a candle-lit dinner. Being a vegetarian is not easy in Montenegro but I loved the grilled cheese and vegetables and the super simple Shopska salad.
How to get there
There are two car parks, one each on either end of Perast and it costs 2€ for a day. It is also possible to take the Blue Line bus from Kotor and it costs 1€ per person.
Perast may seem like a place with not much going on but it was precisely why I enjoyed spending a relaxed evening there. It’s as charming as it can get!
Have you been to Perast? Did my post inspire you to visit it?
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Cheers,
Ameeta xx
I loved Perast so much and your gorgeous photos really take me back! Would love to visit again one day and try out that candlelit restaurant! 🙂
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It’s easy to fall in love with Perast. I hope you do visit it again sometime 🙂