Perast · Our Lady of the Rocks
Perast and Our Lady of the Rocks
Perast is one street of Venetian palaces with a mountain directly behind it, and two islands sitting offshore. Our Lady of the Rocks is the man-made one: sailors dropped a stone here after every safe return for four centuries until there was enough ground to build a church on. A four-hour private charter from Tivat covers both, and going before eleven means having them almost to yourself.
Why the island exists at all
There is a reef under it and nothing else. In 1452 two sailors found an icon on the rock, and after that every crew coming home safely dropped a stone on the same spot. Over four hundred years that became an island, and on 22 July every year the town still does it — boats go out at sunset and throw rocks over the side. The tradition is called fašinada.
The church on top holds a tapestry embroidered by a local woman over twenty-five years, using her own hair towards the end as she went grey. It is in the museum, and it is the sort of detail that a fifteen-minute stop does not leave time for.
The other island, St George, is a Benedictine monastery and a graveyard, and it is closed to visitors. From the water you see both at once, which is the only way to understand why one has a queue and the other has cypresses.
The morning, hour by hour
Four hours from Tivat is enough. The timing matters more than the duration.
09:00
Out of Porto Montenegro
Past the Kamenari narrows, where the bay closes to about 300 metres and the ferries cross every fifteen minutes.
09:40
Oysters at Kamenari
Ordered from the water, brought out to the boat, opened on deck. Ten minutes from the farm — that gap is the whole difference.
10:15
Our Lady of the Rocks
A slow circle first, then ashore if you want the museum. Before eleven there are usually two boats here; by one there are twenty.
11:15
Perast
An hour tied up. The town is 300 metres end to end, has no cars, and is best walked before the coaches come down from Kotor.
12:30
Swimming off Moriňj
Anchor between the shore and the islands. The water here is cold — mountain springs — and the view back at the two islands is the one people photograph.
Worth knowing before you go
Go early
Coaches reach Perast from Kotor around eleven. Before that the street is empty and the light is still on the front of the palaces.
The museum is small
Twenty minutes covers it properly. The tapestry and the votive silver plates are the two things to look for.
No cars in town
Perast is pedestrian, which is why arriving by water feels correct rather than like a shortcut.
22 July
Fašinada — boats go out at sunset and drop stones. If your dates cross it, say so and we will build the day around it.
What it costs
| Duration | Price |
|---|---|
| 4 hours | €2,600 |
| 6 hours | €2,800 |
| 8 hours | €3,000 |
| 12 hours | €3,200 |
| 24 hours | €4,000 |
| 2–5 night | €3,400 / night |
| 7 nights | €21,000 |
Rates are for the whole yacht, captain and crew included, not per person.
7 nights
€21,000
The weekly rate works out at €3,000 a night against €3,400 on shorter voyages — €2,800 less across the seven.
- per night
- €3,000
- 7 nights
- −€2,800
Book a morning
Four hours out of Tivat covers Perast and the islands properly. Send your dates.
What people usually ask
How do you get to Our Lady of the Rocks?
Only by boat — it is an island. Shuttle boats run from Perast in a few minutes, and a private charter takes you there from Tivat with the rest of the bay attached to it.
Can you go inside the church?
Yes. There is a small entry fee to the museum, paid on the island. Twenty minutes is enough unless you want to look at the tapestry properly.
What is the best time of day for Perast?
Before eleven. The coaches arrive from Kotor late morning, and the town is 300 metres long, so the difference between nine and one is the difference between an empty street and a queue.
How long is a Perast boat tour?
Four hours from Tivat covers Perast, Our Lady of the Rocks and a swimming stop. Six adds Kotor itself.
How much does it cost?
€2,600 for four hours on the whole yacht with captain and steward, up to 16 guests. That is about €163 each on a full boat.