Perast and Our Lady of the Rocks Speedboat Tour Kotor

Kotor waterfront and City Park

The tour starts at the information desk by the sea in City Park, about 200 m from the Main Gate of Kotor Old Town and a few minutes from the cruise ship pier. Kotor itself is a walled medieval town listed by UNESCO since 1979, with its Cathedral of St Tryphon and city walls climbing the mountain behind it, so the boat trip fits easily before or after a walk inside the walls.

As the speedboat leaves the harbour you get one of the best views of the Old Town: the walls zigzagging up to the Fortress of St John, the bell towers and the steep grey slopes of Mount Lovćen. This is a classic Kotor boat tour for travellers with limited time, because you see the bay's highlights in two hours without committing to a full-day excursion. Please arrive 30 minutes early, as traffic and parking around the park can be slow in summer.

Dobrota, Prčanj and the shores of the inner bay

The first 20 minutes on the water follow the shoreline of the inner bay, past the long village of Dobrota with its stone captains' mansions, and Prčanj across the water, known for its large hilltop church of the Birth of Our Lady. In the 17th and 18th centuries these villages were the bases of wealthy seafaring families, and their houses still have private piers and family chapels right on the water.

Your skipper-guide tells the stories of these maritime communities as you pass, and the speedboat lets you enjoy the full sweep of the bay with mountains rising almost straight out of the sea. On calm days the water is mirror-flat and very clear. In spring and autumn the wind on the water can feel cool, so bring a light jacket, and in summer sunglasses and a hat are a must.

Our Lady of the Rocks

The first stop is Our Lady of the Rocks, an artificial island off Perast. Local legend says that in 1452 two sailors found an icon of the Virgin and Child on a rock in the sea and vowed to build a church there. Seafarers then sank old ships and threw stones around the reef for generations until it became an island, a tradition remembered every July in a ceremony called the Fašinada, when locals row out to drop more stones.

The church with its blue dome dates from the 17th century and is filled with paintings and silver votive plaques left by sailors. A small museum beside it is open seasonally, typically until 17:00 in spring and autumn and until 19:00 in July and August, and its entry is paid in cash on site. Swimwear is not allowed inside, so bring a cover-up. Even when the church is closed, the island itself can be visited.

St George Island

Right beside Our Lady of the Rocks lies St George Island, a natural islet crowned with tall cypress trees and an old Benedictine monastery. Unlike its neighbour it is not open to visitors, so it is enjoyed from the boat, and the contrast between the dark green cypresses and the blue dome next door makes one of the most photographed views in Montenegro.

Your skipper slows down so you can take pictures of both islands with Perast and the mountains behind them. The guide explains how the two islets guarded the narrow entrance to the inner bay and why the people of Perast regarded them as symbols of the town. If you have ever wondered what to see in the Bay of Kotor in a short visit, this pair of islands is usually the answer travellers give first.

Perast Old Town

Five minutes from the islands, the speedboat docks in Perast, a small baroque town of palaces, churches and stone quays. Perast prospered under Venetian rule from the 15th to the late 18th century, when its captains were famous across the Adriatic and its maritime school trained navigators from abroad. The tall bell tower of St Nicholas Church dominates the waterfront, and the Bujović Palace now houses the town museum.

You have about 30 minutes to walk the waterfront, photograph the islands from the shore or enjoy a coffee by the water. A Perast Old Town tour does not need much longer, because the town is tiny and car-free along its quay. The ride back to Kotor takes about 25 minutes, so you are back in the Old Town about two hours after leaving, with plenty of time left for the rest of your day.