What if I told you that there is a gorgeous seaside town — with carefree boats bobbing from the waves, the sun shining on jaw-dropping Baroque palaces, and still very much under the radar — just a 15-minute drive from Kotor?
Surprised? Well, pack your bags and let’s take a trip to Perast!
PSA: Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you book something through them. This is at no cost to you and helps keep this site running. Thank you!
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PERAST CITY GUIDE
Perfect for…
An Idyllic town 🏞 Easy day trip from Kotor 🚗 The Baroque pearl of Montenegro 🏰 Romantic waterside restaurants 🌊🍷
Perast used to be an important port for traders back when it was under Venetian rule, but nowadays it’s an idyllic retreat from the crowds of tourists that hang out in Kotor.
Although it doesn’t have the ostentatious tourist attractions and maze-like Old Town that its bigger sisters do, Perast shines in its own way. First, it has much less crowds than other cities — like I said, Perast is still fairly under the radar! 
Thanks to its compact size, Perast is easy to do in one day (or even a few hours). And finally, Perast is famous for its romantic waterside restaurants. You can enjoy brunch or dinner directly on the pier, and a few times we’ve even had neighbors who docked their boats right next to their table! Speaking of food, you can guarantee fresh and delicious seafood, among other Montenegrin specialities, to be sampled in Perast.
Whether it’s visiting as a day trip from Kotor or spending a few days enjoying the peace and quiet, Perast should definitely be on your Montenegro itinerary. Let’s see what makes it so special!
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PERAST, MONTENEGRO: THE BASICS
How many days do I need in Perast?
One day is plenty of time to explore everything that Perast has to offer. In fact, if you’re short on time but still want to see Montenegro’s tourist attractions and cities, Perast can be done in a few hours as part of a day trip from Kotor. It’s also a perfect city to break up a longer route, such as Kotor to Herceg-Novi and vice versa!
HOW TO GET TO PERAST
Perast is conveniently located about 9 kilometers from Kotor, which makes it easy to reach by car, bus, or taxi. If you’re entering Montenegro from Croatia and driving from Herceg Novi, Perast is on your way to Kotor and makes for an excellent stop along the way.
Taxi: The average taxi fare from Kotor to Perast is around 10 EUR. We quickly found a taxi in front of the Kamelija Shopping Center (there’s usually a spot near the parking area where the drivers gather). You can also hail a taxi from the center for one or two extra EUR.
Bus: There are busses that leave from the main station in Kotor and Herceg Novi, as well as other major cities. However, I recommend double checking with the bus driver and asking if he or she can stop in Perast. Usually if there are no passengers who need to stop in Perast, the bus driver will take the quicker road (“above” Perast) instead of driving into town.
Likewise, getting out of Perast and taking the bus to your next destination can also be a bit tricky. There’s no real “bus station” in Perast (unless you count the signpost next to the road) and, when we had to leave for our next city, our host cheerfully led us up to the main road and told us to “hitchhike.” What he meant was that we had to wait on the side of the road until we saw the bus that departed Kotor, frantically wave our arms, and pray that the driver stops and takes us onboard. Thankfully it worked (you can read the full story here), but keep this in mind when you plan your trip. :)
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TRANSPORTATION & GETTING AROUND PERAST
Like many other cities in Montenegro (such as Cetinje and Ulcinj), Perast is so tiny that you could walk from one end to the other in less than 30 minutes. However, that’s the beauty of Perast: get lost in the little cobblestone streets that criss cross town, or head over to the waterfront and enjoy the view of the Kotor Bay. :)
WHAT TO DO IN PERAST
As I mentioned before, Perast is a teeny tiny little town in Montenegro. It would be unfair to compare the amount of tourist attractions between, say, Kotor and Perast, because the cities are wildly different, both in terms of size and things to do.
In fact, the beauty of traveling to Perast is that you get to relax, stroll around the waterfront promenade, and do nothing! Isn’t that beautiful?
But if you really need some inspiration, here are a few ideas on what to do in Perast:
Enjoy lunch with a view
At one of the many waterside restaurants — The whole backstory of how I found out about Perast happened after I saw a photo of one of the beautiful waterfront restaurants on the internet. Is this a real place or is it photoshopped? I thought to myself.
Nope! Perast has dozens of cozy little restaurants with a view, and it’s hard to pick a wrong choice when all of them are equally fantastic. I wrote more below – you can Ctrl + F “Where to Eat in Perast” to go to that section immediately. :)
Walk along the waterfront & enjoy the Baroque architecture
What better way to get acquainted with this charming town than by talking a stroll along the water?
There are more than a dozen palaces in Perast — and no, they’re not the luxurious Versailles-style palaces, but still very cute nonetheless! These are old Baroque palaces that were built between the 17th and 18th centuries, the ‘golden age’ of the region, and is the reason why Perast earns the title of the baroque pearl of Montenegro.
One of the most famous palaces in Perast is the Bujovic Palace, which was allegedly built of stones taken from the destroyed walls of Herceg Novi back in the 17th century. Nowadays, the palace has been turned into the city museum, which brings me to my next point…
Perast City Museum
Learn about the town’s long history and extensive marine heritage at the Perast City Museum (Culture Muzej Grada Perasta). You’ll discover how the city flourished under Venetian rule, as well as its golden age between 1420 to the end of the 1700s through more than 2,000 exhibits like books, jewelry, furniture, weapons, and more.
Travel tip: Don’t forget to go to the second floor and look out the balcony for lovely views of the bay!
Climb to the top of St. Nikola Church
For just 1 EUR, you can see a gorgeous view of Perast from the bell tower of St. Nikola Church. I recommend going first thing in the morning to avoid crowds and get an uninterrupted view. However, be sure to wear comfortable shoes, as the stairs are uneven — your feet will definitely get a workout. ;)
Paddle out to sea
… But not too far. There are two (very famous) islands located off the coast of Perast: St. George and Our Lady of the Rocks. You can see both as part of a tour (more info on that later) or DIY it and rent a boat or kayak that will take you there.
⛵️ St. George Island (Sveti Đorđe) houses a 12th-century Benedict monastery, and although you can’t go inside, it still makes for a lovely view from your kayak or boat.
⛵️ Our Lady of the Rocks has a slightly longer history than her neighbor. :)
Our Lady is the only artificially-built island in the Adriatic, and got its start thanks to an ancient oath. During the 15th century, a group of sailors discovered an icon of the Madonna and Child on a rock near the shore. Inspired by this miraculous event, the group started a tradition of adding a rock every time they came back home to Perast after a successful voyage at sea. Over time, the pile of rocks grew bigger and bigger, until it turned into a bona fide island!
Nowadays, the tradition of throwing rocks into the sea is alive and well: Every year on July 22, locals celebrate Fašinada by taking their boat to the island and adding more rocks to the perimeter. Fun fact: the word Fašinada comes from the Italian word ‘fascia,’ which means ribbon. If you look at the aerial view of the boats during the festival, you’ll see that they form a nearly perfect line that looks like a ribbon.
WHERE TO STAY IN PERAST
Most people visit Perast on a day trip, but if you really want to enjoy the town’s atmosphere without the tourists, I recommend staying overnight.
Apartment Mediterraneo Blue Sky – This was one of my favorite accommodations during our month-long trip to Montenegro! First off, the view from the terrace is fantastic: you can see the tower of St. Nikola Church, the Bay of Kotor, and the rest of Perast. The studio is also extremely comfortable (and stylish!), and we could tell that the owner really paid attention to the amenities that were offered. He’s a chef that worked on cruise ships, and let me tell you: the kitchen was loaded. For such a cozy apartment, the kitchen had dozens of pots and pans, a blender, and even a honey stick!
Likewise, the host can also set you up with rentals and day tours — we rented a double kayak for 5 EUR and paddled out to Our Lady of the Rocks and the monastery. Overall, this is one of the best accommodations in Perast and definitely gets my star of approval. :)
Book here: Agoda || Booking.com
Conte Hotel & Restaurant – Conte is a lovely boutique hotel that offers 34 rooms spread across four historical Baroque buildings from the 18th century. Breakfast is included at the gorgeous waterside restaurant, and the hotel offers tours to the Our Lady of the Rocks islands, boat tours of Kotor Bay, fishing tours, wine tastings, and more.
Book here: Agoda || Booking.com
Iberostar Heritage Grand Perast – For the ultimate in luxury, look no further than this gorgeous 5-star hotel! Located in a quieter area yet steps away from the center (I told you Perast was a small town ), the Grand Perast features two pools — one indoor and another infinity-style pool near the sea — as well as a spa, fitness center, complimentary parking, breakfast buffet, and the chance to sleep in an 18th century palace!
Book here: Agoda || Booking.com || Hotels.com
Hotel Nauta – Sleek and modern touches are complemented by the exposed stone walls and wooden windows of the hotel’s historical building. Hotel Nauta offers clean rooms, fantastic service, and a lovely open courtyard.
Book here: Booking.com || Hotels.com
WHERE TO EAT IN PERAST
Between the waterfront views and fresh seafood, you really can’t go wrong with picking a restaurant in Perast. Just in case, here are some of my tried-and-true favorites:
🥞 Armonia — This spot, located towards the end of the town, arguably has one of the best views in Perast! We started off our day with a light brunch here, but you can also enjoy breakfast, lunch, and dinner as well — the menu is large enough to accommodate all tastes. :)
🍕 Bocalibre — For something a little casual, Bocalibre is a perfect place to wind down or grab a snack. The cafe is famous for its drinks (both coffee and cocktails), and even more so for its pizza. As one reviewer noted, “[Bocaliber is] good enough to rival the best of Italian Pizzerias.” When we passed by, there was always a crowd and definitely seemed to be a local favorite.
🦞 Konoba Otok Bronza — Our host (a professional chef and the character in my story above, under Accommodations) recommended this place to us. We couldn’t end our stay in Perast without some of the famed seafood that the city is known for, so we popped over to Bronza for dinner. Even at 9pm, both our fish soup and seabass were fresh and tasted delicious, as if they were just caught from the bay. Likewise, the portions here are huge!
🍷 Conte Hotel Restaurant — Another favorite, everyone we met in Perast raved about this restaurant (which also has a hotel, mentioned above). Besides the extensive selection of wine, Conte has fantastic seafood, Montenegrin, and Italian dishes.
USEFUL REFERENCES FOR TRAVELING TO MONTENEGRO
Looking for more information before your trip to Montenegro? I recommend the following websites that I personally used:
🛂 Need a visa to Montenegro? Check out iVisa for more information.
✈️ Once you have your visa all set, it’s time to book airline tickets! I use both CheapOAir and SkyScanner to book flights.
🛏 Book accommodations on Booking or Hotels. These two offer fantastic options for every traveler, from hostels to hotels, apartments to penthouses, local guesthouses, and everything in between!
✨ Speaking of amazing accommodations… I have an entire blog post dedicated to the best guesthouses, apartments, and Airbnbs in Montenegro!
📷 Find tours, day trips, or sightseeing activities at Get Your Guide or Viator.
❗️One of the most popular day trips is the All Montenegro Tour. This 12-hour tour gives you a taste of Montenegro as you enjoy breakfast at a local village, tour the Old Royal Capital, visit the birthplace of the Petrović dynasty, enjoy a boat ride through River Crnojevica, and finish the day with a panoramic view of the famous Sveti Stefan.
🚗 Prefer to carve out your own itinerary? Rent a car through RentalCars.com, which has the biggest selection of car rentals and the company that I use whenever I rent a car.
🧳 Not sure what to pack? I have an entire blog post that details what to pack for a trip to Montenegro for all four seasons!
🇲🇪 Looking for even more information before traveling to Montenegro? Check out my Ultimate Montenegro Travel Guide for everything you need to know before your trip OR 17 Montenegro Travel Tips for some bite-sized tips…
🇲🇪 … Or check out all of my blog posts on Montenegro here, including more city guides! Happy travels :)
