The Bay Of Kotor Is Home To A Fairytale Town Swarming With Baroque Palaces & Stunning Views

Montenegro is one of the world's newest countries. This tiny European treasure, sandwiched between Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, Kosovo, and Albania, has only existed as an independent nation since 2006 and barely has a population of 600,000 people. Despite this, Montenegro is a wonderful alternative to Croatia that punches far above its weight as a vacation destination. It may remind you of the Dalmatian coast but without the crowds. A huge part of Montenegro's draw is the Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The Bay of Kotor is one of the most arresting natural landscapes in the world. A long, deep bay driven into the coastline of Montenegro, flanked by perilously steep mountains and open to the Adriatic through a slim bottleneck, it is one of those places that genuinely takes your breath away. While most visitors head straight to the cobbled streets and dramatic medieval fortifications of Kotor itself, the real gem is actually the nearby town of Perast.

Stepping off the boat onto the dock at Perast is like stepping back in time. Despite the looming presence of the cruise ships that are a constant presence in the bay, and the buzzing of motor launches ferrying tourists back and forth from Kotor, this fairytale town seems to exist in a serene bubble, isolated from the rest of the world. Perast is a calm, peaceful oasis of medieval stone houses tumbling down to the seafront from the sheer slopes behind. With some stunning Baroque and Renaissance mansions and palazzos, it is easy to see why it is often described as the prettiest spot in the Bay of Kotor.

Perast stretches along a narrow strip of coastline, and you could quite easily walk from one end to the other and back in less than half an hour. But with so many charming details and hidden secrets to discover, a full exploration of this wonderful little town will take far longer. For starters, you could spend an entire day discovering all the ornate mansions and palaces tucked away down its narrow streets. For much of its history, Perast was controlled by the Venetian Republic, and its wealthy merchant families constructed elegant palazzos in the Venetian style. Seeking out some of these beautiful buildings is the first thing you should do in town.

Our Lady of the Rocks, a tiny artificial island that lies just off the coast of Perast, is another highlight. You can take a boat to visit the island, where you will hear the fascinating story of how it came to be. There you will also see a beloved church and museum dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

Perast is full of other beautiful old churches, some crumbling and almost ruined, others impeccably preserved. The most impressive of these is the Church of St. Nikola, thanks to its prominent location on the waterfront and its bell tower, which offers a glorious view of the town, the bay, and the dramatic lakes and mountains surrounding Kotor.

Getting to Perast is an experience in itself. Most people will arrive in the same way they have for centuries — by boat. The town is a masterpiece from the water, with gorgeous white stone and red-tiled roofs set against the green-gray mountainside and the steel-blue water. Taxi boats and tours run from Slobode Park in Kotor, as well as from Tivat and other towns around the bay. Adventurous travelers might prefer to drive along the coast route from Kotor, a picturesque but precarious prospect. The roads in Montenegro can be very dangerous, so if you do decide to drive, it is important to avoid reckless mistakes.

While many people just go to Perast for a day trip as part of a boat tour or an on-shore excursion from a cruise ship, staying in the town is a delightful antidote to the hustle and bustle of Kotor or Tivat, especially during high season. There are wonderful hotels to choose from, including the Hotel Heritage Grand Perast and Palace Jelena, both housed in Venetian Republic-era palaces. There are also plenty of excellent restaurants, most of which offer stunning waterfront locations and unbeatable views. Feasting on fresh seafood on the floating platforms of Conte or Fish Restaurant Djardin, or indulging in traditional Montenegrin cuisine and wine at Otok Bronza, is utter bliss.