Perast is a baroque city where visitors will have the chance to visit incredible palaces, wonderful islands of St. George and Our Lady of the Rocks, enjoy the sun and beautiful beaches and taste some unique local dishes such as famous Perast cake.
Our Lady of the Rocks is a must-see tourist attraction for every tourist who visits Boka. This is the most important shrine of Boka Kotorska. Next to St. George Island, there is an artificially made island, made on a cliff that stood in the same place ever since the end of the 15th century. Squeak or Scribble in the local * language *, means a rock. There is a church and a museum on the island. Legend has it that two fishermen found an icon (of Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ), which they gave to the city of Perast. More than 100 years later, the Perastans built the island and then the church, which became home of the icon.
St. George is a Catholic church built on a small island near Perast. The island is popularly named the Island of the Dead, because there is a large cemetery where only famous Perastans were once buried. There is a Benedictine monastery from the 19th century and a small church dedicated to St. George. There is a legend in Perast about Romeo and Juliet, two young people separated by death and reunited in afterlife. The story begins in 1813, when Boka Kotorska (not Perast) was under the occupation of Napoleon Bonaparte.
Bujović Palace is one of the most beautiful baroque palaces on the Adriatic coast. It is located on the seafront, at the entrance to Perast. Beautiful on the outside as well as the inside, Bujović Palace once belonged to a Perast noble family and today is home to the Perast Museum.The palace was built in 1684 in Baroque style. It was built by two brothers, Ivan and Vicko Bujovic, for their family and friends, as well as for the important parties organized for the noblemen at the time. The palace consists of two floors and a large balcony.
The bell tower is one of the main symbols of the city of Perast. It is 55 meters high and is the second tallest bell tower in the Adriatic shore. The bell tower was built in the seventeenth century. The big clock on the bell tower stands still at 4:00, ever since 1979 when Boka was struck by a strong earthquake. There are 60 narrow stairs leading to the top of the bell tower, offering a beautiful view of Perast's roofs and the entire bay. The bell tower is located on St. Nikola Square.
The Smekja Palace belonged to the Smekja Captain's family. The palace was built in the seventeenth century. Smekja Palace is located along the seafront, in the middle of Perast. It is the most grandiose palace in Boka, built of shiny white color stone, which has not been damaged over time. The Smekja family was one of the wealthiest noble families in Perast, whose members were distinguished professors, amirs and captains. Next to the palace there is Family Catholic Church of Sv. Mark, which is open for visits.
