Sightseeing in Perast - what to see. Complete travel guide

The Bay of Kotor in Montenegro is truly a place of exceptional beauty. This enigmatic area is the location of a small and tranquil town named Perast. The settlement looks sleepy because this area is deprived of any noise and stress. Perast consists of a beautiful waterfront and narrow streets that start at the waterfront and go up the hill. While taking a stroll here, it is easy to notice that most houses are old but they haven’t lost their elegant charm and individuality. Perast looks like it is carved in the rock above the Bay of Kotor. All buildings have a stone foundation and are usually made from stone too. There are almost no cars in Perast because there are literally two car roads here. One road is at the waterfront, and the other one is a high-speed road above the town.

Archaeologists proved that the Illyrians were the founders of Perast. They lived here three and a half thousand years ago. Initially, Perast was a small settlement with a few fishing and merchant ships. The fast development of the region started when Perast became a part of the Venetian Republic. By the end of the 15th century, the Ottomans captured the town and turned it into an important port near the border. The political and economic importance of the settlement was growing. Local people were getting richer. The war between Venice and the Ottoman Empire, which started in May 1654, didn’t slow down the development of Perast.

With a fleet of one hundred ships, Perast was particularly prosperous in the 18th century. The Venetian Republic collapsed in 1797 but Perast remained loyal to it until the end. After the fall of the republic, the importance of the town started decreasing slowly. Perast entered a period of decline and ended up a French territory. The French remained rulers in the town until 1813. According to the Treaty of Campo Formio, Perast was given to the Austrian Empire, but the town became a part of Yugoslavia soon after the end of World War I. During World War II years, the region joined fascist Italy and was liberated only in 1944. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Perast Beach is a coastal area with a length of three hundred meters. The beach is mostly covered with concrete platforms. These platforms were installed for vacationers who sunbathe on the bay. The sea is quite deep near the shore, and so many visitors prefer to jump into water directly from the platform. The beach is always loud and crowded during the tourist season. In order to swim in a calmer atmosphere and find a more comfortable shoreline, visitors need to go to the outskirts of Perast. Although the coastal water is relatively shallow in this area, children are still better to refrain from swimming because of the strong current.

It is comfortable to relax at the main beach despite the concrete surface. The beach has a well-developed infrastructure. Visitors can always rent sun loungers and umbrellas directly at the beach. There are comfortable showers and dressing cabins for visitors. Professional rescue teams monitor the beach all day long. There is even a parking lot for cars. Everyone is welcome to visit Perast Beach and relax here because the entrance is free. Numerous cafes and restaurants along the beach offer cold beverages and local delicacies.

Many tourists visit Perast not only for beach recreation but also for sightseeing purposes. Moreover, the town has much to offer to fans of architectural landmarks. To become familiar with the history of the town, consider visiting the Museum of the Town of Perast that is open in the Renaissance-baroque Bujović Palace. The establishment opened in 1937. The museum exhibits many precious artifacts, the majority of which were donated to the collection by the famous dynasties of Perast. There are portraits of the most famous citizens of Perast and well-known naval explorers, weapons used in the battles in different centuries, antique clothes of kings and nobles, and typical household items of ordinary citizens of Perast.

Would you like to know how the town evolved through centuries? The Museum of the Town of Perast has a separate exhibition dedicated to the most precious historic artifacts that once played an important role in the development of Perast. During a walk in the museum halls, you will see how a small settlement turned into an important economic and cultural center and one of the major ports in Montenegro. You will also see Perast during the period of decline. Both citizens and local authorities cherish the historic heritage of their homeland because this is a way to connect through centuries and learn all secrets of the past of this wonderful region.

Perast is located beneath the hill of St. Ilija. The distance to Kotor is only fifteen kilometers. During the tourist season, there are daily motorboats and ferries that bring tourists to Perast from Kotor and Tivat. Besides that, there are regular buses from the Budva bus station to Herceg Novi. These buses make a stop in Perast. The journey time is roughly half an hour in this case. Tourists can always get a taxi to move between the towns.