Perast, Montenegro Perast is a wonderful small bay city with a rich maritime past, rows of baroque palaces, and with even two islands in front - each of which is a story in itself. Shots or photos from Perast can be found on every promotional film or prospectus of the Montenegrin littoral. Not without reason...

Perast is different from everything that the tourist eye can see (and dream about!) along the Montenegrin coast. It is a baroque city-museum. It is located at the foot of Kason (873 m), one of the many high mountains inside the Boka Kotorska fjord. The city resembles a mosaic, made up of dozens of harmoniously integrated Baroque palaces of exceptional beauty, churches and stone houses, with a fortress in the hinterland, and two nearby islands. Even today, there is a custom for women from Perast to greet every ship that sails into the Gulf from the windows of their palaces with ironed white sheets. When someone from Primorsky finds himself on those ships, he usually cries - because he remembers the lines of the old song: “Again, Boka is in front of me / under the August sun shining / and in it like two eyes / the feather of two islands!» With a stone everywhere behind his back, Perast sent all his sons to the sea early, to be sailors, officers and captains, ship owners, then patrons, but also warriors throughout history. Walking along the waterfront, and while visiting palaces and museums, we are aware of the maritime surname of the city of Perast. Shells found in the nearby Spila cave testify that man has lived here since time immemorial. The name comes from Pirus, a member of the Illyrian tribe. For a long time, Perast was in the shadow of neighboring Kotor, until 1580, when due to its trade and war merits, the Republic of Venice acquired independent status. Nautical pedagogue Marko Martinović, in his Maritime School, trained in 1698. 17 wards of the Russian Emperor Peter the Great. At almost the same time, Matija Zmajević (admiral of the Russian fleet, under whose command the victory over the Swedes was won in 1721), bishop Andrija Zmajević and the most famous baroque painter from this area - Tripo Kokolja - lived.

The town had its own shipyard as early as 1336. Towards the end of the 18th century, the golden age of Gulf shipping, it had as many as 80 ships. Throughout history, more than 100 ships (!) bore the name Gospa od Škrpjela, in honor of the patron saint of local sailors. The island of Gospa od Škrpjela is located not far from Perast and is a famous Catholic shrine. It was built on a small rock to which, according to tradition, on July 22, 1452 miraculously, the icon of the Mother of God with Christ arrived. From that day until today, the famous Peraš "fašinada" continues, i.e. the custom of pouring stones from boats filled with stones around the former small cliff, which is now an island (over 3,000 m2), and that the island continues to expand (see Gospa od Škrpjela, Perast, Montenegro). This is a unique example in the world! And a unique Maritime Museum in the world! The walls of the church are decorated with 2,500 silver votive plaques. The second island, the one decorated with cypresses, the island of St. Đorđa, for centuries it was the seat of the Kotor diocese. It has long been home to a church and a cemetery of old families from Pera. At the same time, it is the place where a truly incredible love story ends. During the French occupation of the city (1813), an officer opened cannon fire from the island, and instead of hitting the fortress of St. Cross or Cross, hit the house of his beloved. After her death, he bequeathed his own life to God. He was buried on the "Island of the Dead".

The streets of Peraška are parallel to the coast line, and narrow ancient staircases lead to the upper floors. The coastal main square is dominated by the church of St. Nicholas (17th century) with a bell tower 55 meters high (construction cost 50,000 ducats). There are palaces and many churches around. The Bujović Palace (1694) today houses the City Museum with a rich display that testifies to the splendor of the Baroque and the greatness of naval exploits. Zmajević Palace, right on the coast, is one of the largest and most beautiful. There are palaces: Visković, Smekia (with the family church of St. Mark) from the 16th century, then Mazarović, Balović, Bronza... Between the palaces, there are churches. The city is dominated by the so-called diocese that A. Zmajević built in 1678. Next to it is the chapel of Our Lady of the Rosary (bishop Zmajević's mausoleum), and the octagonal bell tower - one of the most beautiful on the Adriatic coast. Church of St. Ane is located above the city. Next to the Catholic Church of St. Anton, there is also an Orthodox Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (18th century). Kameni Perast is dominated by Baroque. What is baroque - it is best illustrated by the example of the round bell tower on the island of Gospe od Škrpjela. Of course, it was easier to build a bell tower with a square base, but where would the decoration be? Baroque is therefore a style that decorates. It follows that every photo taken in Perast is baroque, because it captures part of the atmosphere decorated with an unforgettable summer! Those who like to hike up the mountain will easily find the old Austrian road behind the last Peraš houses and in 2 and a half hours will reach the dilapidated fortress (the former border of Austria and Montenegro). Also, you should ask the locals how to find the way to the Spila cave. There are regular local traffic lines to the nearby Kotor or the slightly more distant Herceg Novi, or Budva. To the nearby island of Gospa od Škrpjela, take a rowing boat. It will be cheaper and more romantic. On the main square, every summer, the Klapa Song Festival is held. It's worth listening to.