The Charming Village of Perast

The charming village of Perast is more famous for its two small islands than its historical and architecturally rich mainland. This is a small quiet town with a population of less than 400 where you can escape Montenegro’s the busier seaside resorts such as Kotor and Budva and enjoy a couple of leisurely hours strolling through the streets, and visiting a few museums and churches.

The two small islands are: St George, a tiny natural island, is covered by a monastery sheltered with cypress trees. The other, is called the Chapel of Our Lady of the Rocks, is an artificial island famous its little white church.

 

 

The Beautiful Bay of Kotor

The Bay of Kotor is one of the most stunning backdrops in the Mediterranean. Basically several small bays within a larger bay, it has the look of a fjord, or a large alpine lake. The surrounding mountains rise to over 1,800m and seem to plunge into the deep below.

Being one of Europe’s finest natural harbors its waters are calm and on occasion glassy, creating a reflection with astounding lucidity. 

The first time I arrived in Kotor is unforgettable. The place is gifted with a superb natural setting, it draws comparisons to its northern neighbor Dubrovnik in Croatia. With long castle walls that line the ocean front before climbing up the steep slopes of Mount Lovcen, and a unique town square, this place is special.

Getting lost in its charming, labyrinthine streets offers a great day on its own. Yet when you make your way up the 1,350 winding steps to the fortress of Sveti Ivan, that is when the true reward is found. You can witness how the townspeople of Kotor makes their delicious prosciutto, on the top of this mountain, you can find a hut where they smoke the meat for a year. And from this height you can see the wonderful bays below.