Perast Montenegro. Perast, Montenegro - What to see
The Church of St. Nicholas is the main Catholic church of Perast.
The church building is made in the neo-Gothic style, has three floors and high narrow windows in the form of arches. This temple was built in 1616 and was repeatedly destroyed and then reconstructed.
In 1691, one of the tallest bell towers on the eastern Adriatic coast was erected near the church; its height is just over 55 meters.
Climbing onto it, you can see the entire panorama of Perast and a significant part of Boka Kotorska.
Island of Gospa od Skrpela
The island of Gospa od Skrpela is an artificial island in the Adriatic. Its name is translated from Latin as “Madonna of the Reef.” Next to this island is the island of St. George.
The island was built on a reef after two sailors from Perast found an icon of the Mother of God here in 1452. Initially, the reef was small, but over the course of 200 years, the townspeople artificially created a plateau with an area of 3,030 square meters.
On the island there is the Church of Our Lady. Now the temple houses 68 paintings. Also on the walls are 2,500 gold and silver plates that visitors donated to the church as fulfillment of vows for deliverance from disasters.
Every year, the island hosts a traditional fashinada festival, during which people bring stones to the island and throw them into the sea.
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City of Perast
Perast is an ancient Montenegrin city, first mentioned in 1336. This is a quiet town, consisting of a promenade and streets with beautiful old houses. It is extremely picturesque, and the ancient stone buildings give it a special atmosphere.
Perast has a city museum located in the Bujović Palace. The museum houses a rich collection of weapons and portraits of famous sailors of Perast.
The city has the Church of St. Nicholas, built in the 15th century. It is distinguished by the tallest bell tower in the city - its height reaches 55 meters. The temple houses a museum and also holds services.
There are two islands near Perast.
According to legend, in 1452, two sailors escaped a storm on a small rock, where they found an icon of the Mother of God. Then it was decided to build a church on this site, the construction of which took 200 years.
The walls and ceiling of the church are covered with paintings on canvas by Tripo Kokol. Its walls are hung with silver amulet in the shape of relief ships. These incense boxes were given to the church by sailors returning from their voyage.
The church is active, and wedding ceremonies take place there every weekend. Tourists are not allowed onto the island without outerwear, as this place is considered sacred.
Restaurant "Armonia" in Perast, Montenegro
One of the signature dishes of the Armonia restaurant is wonderful mussels. It is recommended to drink it with the national Montenegrin beer Nikshichko Gold. The tables are placed near the water, on the pier. The atmosphere is leisurely and contemplative.
Island of St. George
The island of St. George is notable for the fact that since the 9th century there has been a Benedictine abbey, the first mention of which appeared in 1166.
Since the island was often attacked, practically nothing remained of the church. Previously, its walls were decorated with paintings from the 14th-15th centuries. There is also a cemetery where the captains of Perast are buried, so heraldic emblems can be seen on the tombstones.
The island is also called the “island of the dead” - after the name of the painting of the same name painted here by the famous painter Beklim. The island is known for a sad legend. According to it, a French army soldier accidentally hit the house of his beloved with a cannon shell, who died, and he wished to lie in the coffin with her.
Beaches of Perast
The beaches of Perast are located in the old town of the same name with Baroque architecture in the Bay of Boka Kotorska. They combine concrete and pebble areas, which, although not the best place for swimming, are quite suitable for a peaceful holiday. The length of the beaches is 320 meters. The beaches are a great choice for diving enthusiasts. In the gently sloping entrance to the beach, the current is quite strong.
The beaches offer beautiful views of two picturesque islands and the Verige Strait. There are cafes, catering establishments, parking and a pier on the shore. From the beach jetty you can go to the island of Our Lady of the Reef, where there is a working church built to protect sailors and fishermen at sea. Also next to the beach is the island of Gospa od Škrpela. The beach also has a second, unofficial name - Pirate Beach.
The most popular attractions of Perast with descriptions and photographs for every taste. Choose the best places to visit famous places in Perast on our website.
With the Bay of Kotor - in ancient times it was the guardian of the entrance to the bay, blocking the path across the sea to the cities of Kotor and Risan. The name of the strait is Verige, which means “chain”. According to historians, the city received its name from the Pirust tribe. They once lived in these places; traces of them were found by archaeologists in the Spila cave.
City life is sea
The life of a small town has always been connected with the sea. Navigation, shipbuilding, trade are the components that made the city famous and rich. Prominent townspeople were merchants or sailors.
The city gave the world such outstanding navigators as Admiral Matias Zmaevich, who was a close friend of Tsar Peter the Great and helped him create the Baltic Fleet. Peter the Great sent Russian nobles to the maritime academy in the city of Perast to study navigation. History has preserved the fact that the children of the Repnins and Golitsyns studied at this academy.
There is an Orthodox church in the city, which Russian nobles went to.
On the Admirals Square of present-day Montenegro in Perast, a monument was erected to Matias Zmajevich - the city and the sailors are inseparable.
Story
The city of Perast was first mentioned in the 14th century as a small village with a fishing dockyard. Perhaps the development of this village would have gone faster, but there was a growth-restraining factor on the part of Kotor, which was fortified and controlled the strategically important objects of the strait, including the island of St. George, since the 9th century. Perast began to develop, becoming part of the Venetian Republic.
During the time of the Ottoman Empire, which in the 15th century strengthened itself on the banks of the Boka, Perast acquired the significance of a border settlement. At this time, 10 defensive towers and the fortress of the Holy Cross were built in Perast, which is gradually turning into ruins, but is now one of the attractions of Perast in Montenegro.
Perast had the status of a border city from 1580 to 1950. At this time, the city had economic privileges allowing duty-free trade in the Venetian market. This allowed the townspeople to get rich very quickly.
The wealth of the townspeople is evidenced by the fact that it was not difficult for them to collect 50,000 ducats and pay an architect to build the tallest bell tower on the Adriatic coast. The bell tower, as well as a number of other historical buildings, is an ancient monument. It belongs to the Church of St. Nicholas, its construction was dedicated to getting rid of the Turks in 1616. The clock was brought from Venice and installed in 1730. To climb the bell tower, you need to overcome 150 very steep steps, but the view that opens before the eyes of tourists is truly mesmerizing.
The rise of Perast
The city reached its heyday in the 18th century. At this time, four shipyards were built, and the fleet consisted of hundreds of ships. By the way, the history of Perast testifies that the city fleet supported the side of the Venetians, and the knights of the city were entrusted with guarding the shrine - the banner of the Venetian Republic.
17 Catholic and 2 Orthodox churches were built in Perast. The fact that Perast has never been a poor city is evidenced by nineteen palaces built in the Baroque style and which are currently attractions of Perast in Montenegro.
Let's make a small digression so as not to return to the topic of palaces again. In one of the palaces there is a city museum, where tourists should visit to plunge into history. The museum exhibits weapons from different eras, models of ships created at the shipyards of Perast are shown, a gallery of portraits of captains is exhibited and much more interesting for lovers of antiquities and museum artifacts. The museum's caretakers do not interfere with your time alone with the historical exhibits.
Time of Decline
The thousand-year history of the “clearest republic of Venice” came to an end in 1797. Perast was the last to surrender. Count Josip Viskovich lowered, entrusted to the knights of the city, the banner with the lion of St. Mark. He was buried in the main cathedral of Perast under the altar. A dark period has come in the history of the city. The number of ships at the Perast shipyards gradually decreased, and the number of city residents decreased.
The city passed either to the Austrian Habsburg monarchy or to the Kingdom of Italy. Then it was annexed to the French Empire. Later, by decision of the Congress of Vienna, it became part of Austria. Since 1918, the city has been part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. During the war, the city, as a nearby territory of Kotor, fell under the occupation of Mussolini, was liberated in 1944 and, as part of Montenegro, Perast became part of Yugoslavia.
Modern Perast
Currently, Perast is part of modern Montenegro. This is a very small town with houses on the waterfront. Besides it, there is another small street in the city. But there is hardly another city that, like Perast, will be called a city of millionaires. The thing is that every house in the city of Perast in Montenegro has an estimated value of over a million euros.
Enterprising rich people do not skimp on purchasing real estate in the city. Coming on vacation to your own home is always better than renting, even luxurious, hotel apartments. The city is gradually becoming a place where the rich and famous come to vacation. They also love to make movies here. Thus, certain scenes for the film “Casino Royale” with Daniel Craig were filmed in Perast. Residents of Perast say that one of the scenes for this film was filmed on the balcony of the house in the photo below.
Bulk island in the strait
Tourists coming on vacation to Perast (Montenegro) learn from the guide about one of the legends telling about the man-made island. Once upon a time, in its place there was an ordinary reef from which fishermen loved to fish. When they once again sailed to the reef, one of them discovered an icon of the Virgin Mary on a stone. The fishermen took her to the city. Residents decided to build a temple in honor of the icon on the site of the reef. It is believed that the decision to erect the church pursued two goals: the desire to see the Virgin Mary as the patroness of sailors and to consolidate the power of Perast over the man-made island. Now on this island there is the Church of Our Lady of the Reef. According to a custom that has survived to this day, every year the townspeople bring stones to the island on boats and place them in designated places. This is considered a national Montenegrin holiday.
St. George Island
The townspeople also have a romantic legend associated with the island of St. George. This is the legend about Montenegrin Romeo and Juliet. The legend talks about an ordinary French soldier Fran from the island garrison and a beautiful Montenegrin girl Katica from Perast. This is an interesting legend, but too long to include in our article.
Now the island belongs to the Catholic Church, and there is a Benedictine abbey on it. For tourists who come on an excursion to Perast in Montenegro, the island is closed, as well as for residents of the city.
About the beaches of Perast
What are the beaches of Perast in Montenegro like? It is a combination of concrete platforms and pebble areas along the entire embankment with stone steps leading into the water. There is no beach for relaxation in the usual sense in Perast. Of course, you can swim or dive here - the water is azure and amazingly clear, but the current is quite strong. Don't forget that this is a strait. Despite certain seemingly shortcomings, golden youth really like to relax here. Since the beach is located within the city, entry to it is free. The area is equipped with umbrellas, sun loungers, changing rooms and showers.
One of the most beautiful cities in Montenegro is Perast, located on the shores of the Bay of Kotor. Many tourists want to get to this city on their own from other parts of Montenegro, including from Kotor, on their own. Often tourists vacationing in Budva, Bar and other cities south of the Bay of Kotor want to get to Kotor on their own, and then go to nearby Perast. How to get from Kotor to Perast? We will talk about this below, but we will immediately note that there are still few options.
Distance from Kotor to Perast
Situated on the shores of the same bay, the cities of Kotor and Perast are located 9 km from each other. But this distance is direct, so when driving along the road the distance will be noticeably greater - approximately 15 km. When traveling by water, the distance from Kotor to Perast will be approximately 11 km.Bus Kotor - Perast
You will need only 1-2 euros to travel by bus from Kotor to Perast. Almost all buses that run from Kotor to Herceg Novi pass through Perast, and this is more than 20 buses daily, which run every 20-30 minutes. The bus ride from Kotor to Perast takes approximately 25 minutes.Taxi Kotor - Perast
You can also get from Kotor to Perast by taxi, and the cost of such a trip will be relatively low. As a rule, you will have to pay about 15 euros for a one-way trip. Late in the evening and at night, the cost of a trip from Kotor to Perast by taxi is unlikely to be less than 20 euros.Perast is a small but remote town in Montenegro. It’s remote in the sense that although you can get around it in less than an hour, you definitely shouldn’t neglect visiting this place.
Perast is located at the foot of St. Elias Hill, on the cape separating the Bay of Risan from the Bay of Kotor. The story about the city should start with an interesting fact: it is believed that all the indigenous inhabitants of Perast are descendants of 12 aristocratic families that once inhabited this town. , Perast was part of the Venetian Republic, and before its fall it not only belonged to the province of “Venice Albania”, but was a border point between Turkish and Venetian possessions.
Since the city was located at the intersection of trade routes, its prosperity grew by leaps and bounds, which is not surprising, because important trade deals were concluded here. In addition, the local residents earned a reputation as desperate sailors, because in addition to fishing and delivering goods to the port, they periodically had to repel attacks by the Turks, the main competitors of the Venetians for control of the Adriatic.
WHAT TO SEE IN PERASTE?
The main city attraction is the Church of St. Nicholas, which flaunts on the central square of Perast. It was built in 1616, and boasts magnificent baroque paintings by Tripo Kokol, as well as a carved marble altar inside and a 55-meter bell tower outside.
By the way, in front of it there is also a bust of the artist - Tripo Kokol, who worked on the interior decoration of the church.
Another noticeable “tower” of Perast is the bell tower of the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary. The octagonal structure was erected in 1678, and today is considered one of the most beautiful towers on the Adriatic coast. An interesting fact is also connected with the tower; the fact is that it was built with public money, that is, local residents, in modern terms, chipped in and built the tallest bell tower in the entire Eastern Adriatic in their city.
In the photo: the bell tower of Perast is visible from afar
And, since, as you understand, the city tower is more likely an expensive image building than a basic necessity, you can imagine how rich the residents of Perast were in the seventeenth century! However, the practical benefits of the bell tower were also considerable, whatever one may say, it is an excellent observation point to monitor the approach of the enemy Turkish fleet from the sea.
When the Most Serene Republic of Venice ceased to exist in 1797, Perast resisted the adversities of fate for some time, but soon it went to the Austrians, then to the French, then again to the Austrians, in a word, the city slowly but surely began to decline. However, even the Venetian heritage of Perast is more than enough to ensure that the tourist “doesn’t feel excruciatingly painful for wasting time.” The city’s baroque palaces, which belonged to the Bujović and Smekja families, deserve special attention.
We can’t help but say a few words about local gastronomic specialties. There are many restaurants in Perast, and almost everyone has their own small “branch” on the shore of the bay - a veranda with umbrellas and comfortable chairs. Among others, I would especially like to mention the Conte restaurant, which is open at the hotel of the same name and is located at Ul. Marka Martinovića bb. Inside the establishment there are massive stone walls and strong wooden furniture, but the cuisine here, as if in contrast to the interior, is very refined.
In the photo: seafood platter at the Conte restaurant
Be sure to try the signature seafood platter, the main character of this dish is the octopus (or, in Serbian, “proboscis”), and it is “assisted” by langoustines, battered squid, mussels and vongola. However, meat dishes at Conte are also prepared above all praise.
ISLANDS NEAR PERAST
There are several islands located in close proximity to Perast. One of them is the island of St. George, which is visible from the city embankment. Its second name is the Island of the Dead, and the fact is that during the earthquake of 1667, the building of the 9th century Benedictine abbey that stood on the island was completely destroyed, after which the island became the burial place of the famous sailors of Perast.
In the photo: Isle of the Dead or St. George's Island
Today this place has been given the unofficial status of mystical, therefore outsiders are not allowed here, and official boats categorically refuse to take tourists to the island of St. George. However, they say that some guests of Perast still manage to break the ban; they get to the Island of the Dead on private boats and motorboats, and then wander around the local ancient cemetery.
In the photo: St. George Island or the Isle of the Dead
If you are not a fan of dark Gothic aesthetics and, in general, consider yourself a law-abiding citizen, then you should go to the second island closest to Perast - “Gospa od Shkrpela” (Virgins on the Reef). Small boats constantly go here, and the cost of the trip is 5-10 euros. “Gospa od Skrpela” is the only artificial island of the Adriatic, and its history is many times more positive than that of the neighboring Island of the Dead. The island was founded in the middle of the 15th century, after two local sailors escaped from a shipwreck on the reef located here.
In the photo: a boat near the island “Gospa od Shkrpela”
Local residents considered this incident significant, and at the same time happy, and for almost two hundred years, sailing past this place on boats, they threw stones into the water. Well, and on top of everything, the residents of Perast immediately sank the captured pirate ships. Thus, the island “Gospa od Škrpela” was born. By the way, the tradition of throwing stones into the water exists to this day: once a year, on July 22, the residents of Perast sail to the island in boats and throw stones at its base, which they took with them from the mainland, so there is a possibility that after some time the island will grow a little more.
In the photo: Church of Our Lady on the Reef
But the Byzantine-style Church of the Virgin Mary on the Reef, which adorns the island, was built here at the beginning of the 17th century. Its walls are painted by the same Tripo Kokolya and decorated with silver amulet, which, according to tradition, was given to the Mother of God by sailors who returned safely from voyages. By the way, in this temple behind the altar there is a piece of the same “saving” reef that helped two sailors survive after a shipwreck.
In the photo: the altar of the Church of Our Lady on the Reef
According to the existing legend, if you touch a lucky stone and make a wish, it will certainly come true, which is why in the Church of the Virgin Mary on the Reef, passage behind the altar is allowed to everyone, which, in general, contradicts generally accepted church rules. Behind the altar there is a special hole into which you need to stick your hand in order to “reach out to happiness and feel luck.” We advise you to do this even for those who disdain all sorts of superstitions, so to speak, just for the sake of the process!
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Maria Caushan- Professional journalist and PR specialist, I travel for my own pleasure. For some time now I have been trying to figure out how to simultaneously satisfy my interest in world architecture and extreme sports, my love for warm regions and snow-capped peaks.
Perast is a small ancient Montenegrin town, which is located at the foot of St. Elijah Hill on the coast of the Bay of Kotor. At one time, the city was part of the Venetian Republic and at that time was the largest port, which could simultaneously accommodate about 1000 ships. For many Venetian merchants, this was a favorite vacation spot, and they built their palaces here (17 such palaces have survived to this day). Even by Montenegrin standards, Perast is a tiny town, but over the years it has not lost any of its beauty.
The fastest way to get to Perast is from Kotor (the journey takes only 20 minutes). It will take a little longer to travel from Budva - 45 minutes, and from the capital of Montenegro, Podgorica, about two hours.
The city is predominantly pedestrian and is best explored by bicycle or on foot. Traffic is allowed only along the embankment. The town's embankment is great for walking and sitting in local cafes and restaurants.
Even taking into account its small size, the city can please tourists with a large number of temples; there are more than ten of them, and among them there are both operating and those that are not functioning. In honor of the liberation of the city from the Turks in 1961, the Church of St. Nicholas was built. If you look at the church from the outside, it does not stand out in anything special, but when tourists get inside, they are delighted with its rich interior decoration. The church has two marble altars, the walls are decorated with beautiful frescoes, and in addition to this, the church ceiling is wooden. The temple bell tower is the tallest building in the city, its height reaches 70 meters. You can climb the bell tower not all year round, but only from May to October, and such a climb will cost two euros. The bell tower offers a magnificent view of the coast and the entire city.
The largest Venetian palace in Perast is Smekja Palace. It consists of two parts (large and small buildings), which are connected by an arched passage. It was built in the second half of the 17th century and after reconstruction work they plan to open a hotel here, which will certainly be popular among tourists.
The Zmajevic Palace is interesting because it is within its walls that the largest library is collected, not only in Montenegro, but on the entire Balkan Peninsula. In past times it served as the bishop's residence.
If we talk from the point of view of beauty, then the Bujović Palace is considered the most beautiful. The main material for its construction was the destroyed walls of the Old Town of Herceg Novi. The entrance to the palace is guarded by sculptures of two lions. Back in 1937, the City Museum was opened in this place, which continues to operate today. Entrance to the museum costs three euros, and its exhibits tell the rich history of the city. A slightly unpleasant moment may be the fact that photo and video shooting on the territory of the museum is prohibited.
After getting acquainted with the city's attractions, you can go on one of the interesting excursions. One of these places is the island of Gospa od Skrpela, which is primarily interesting for the ancient Church of the Mother of God. For a long time now, tourists and residents of Montenegro have been coming to this place to make a wish (it is believed that a wish made in this church will certainly come true). Entrance to the temple is paid, but it is inexpensive, only one euro. In addition to the church, the island has a lighthouse, a maritime museum, several cafes and shops.
Also not far from Perast there is another interesting island - St. George. On this island there is a church of the same name and a Benedictine monastery. The island is not always open to tourists, but during the high tourist season there are usually no problems with visiting.
To get to these islands it is not necessary to buy an excursion; right on the shore you can see local residents who offer their transport services. The crossing to the selected island will cost three euros.