We were looking forward to spending a day in Perast as we had seen so many beautiful pictures of this place.

 Perast did not disappoint us. But, before we describe our amazing day here, we have to tell you about the first thing you shall deal with if you visit this town. You’ll need to get through tough Security! She minds the streets of Perast with intent, so tourists beware! 😊

Perast is about 12 km from Kotor (a 15-20 min bus ride) and has one main street. So for people back home, think the main street in Saint Andrews. It only has a population of about 300 residents. It has managed to preserve its authenticity, however, we did see some construction happening so let’s just hope that it will not change over time. There are still visible signs of its past Venetian influence. The architecture from that era is still intact & beautiful today. Like Kotor, it is surrounded by a range of mountains.

After passing through Security we were hungry and decided to grab a Kafa and a piece of that traditional Perast cake that this town is still renowned for today. It was so yummy with just the perfect amount of lemon taste to it. So, so good!🍰

By the way, this is the recipe that I will be absolutely trying when I get back home. 😋

1 egg yolk
100 gr butter

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars until light. Beat in egg yolk. Add flour gradually and incorporate it at low speed. Wrap the dough into plastic and let rest in the refrigerator for an hour. Line a cake pan with baking paper.  Divide the dough into 3 even balls. The first ball press it firmly against the bottom of the pan. The second ball press it firmly against the side of the pan. Make a filling.  Using a mixer with standard attachments whip egg whites into a foam. Add sugar and vanilla seeds and mix until you get glossy meringue. Stir in almond, lemon zest, lemon juice, and rum or sour cherry liqueur. With a silicone spatula, gently fold together the mixture until all ingredients are completely incorporated. Pour the filling into the crust-lined pan. 
On a baking paper, roll out the third ball of dough to a disk about 20 cm diameter. Use a pizza cutter to cut strips 1,5 cm thick. Crisscross the strips over the cake. Preheat oven to 180°C.  Bake it for  50 min. When it’s done, allow it to cool and rest for two days before slicing in.

By early afternoon we were hungry again and decided to find a nice little restaurant with a terrace by the water. Not a problem. Most places have outdoor patios, all overlooking the Bay. What was funny about this one is that freshness must be their top priority! We figured we could get some fresh fish here as if you look closely below, the Chef actually had his fish line ready at the table next to ours, waiting for a bite! The name of this little place is called Konoba Otok Bronza. We thoroughly enjoyed the food, the service and the setting here. We would absolutely recommend it.

A Mediterranean type of day! Hors d’oeuvres were compliment of the chef. Hvala & Živjeli ! ☀️

When you go searching out information on Perast you always see beautiful pictures of two islands that are approximately half a km from the shoreline. It’s amazing how it captures your attention right away as they are beautiful and are just sitting out there, alone, side by side in the Bay.Our Lady of the Rocks island which is the small island on the right in the picture above was artificially built by depositing stones around the reef which used to exist there. According to legend, the island was made over the centuries by local seamen who kept an ancient oath after finding an icon of the Virgin Mary and child at this location. Upon returning from each successful voyage, they would lay a rock in this location. Over time, the island gradually emerged from the sea. The church that was eventually built on the island has an interior that is decorated with a large number of artwork from a famous painter, Tripo Kokolja. The custom of throwing rocks into the sea is alive even today. Every year at sunset on July 22nd, local residents take their boats and throw rocks into the sea around the island. The ceremony is in honour of the discovery of the Virgin Mary’s icon and the beginning of the island’s construction. All the local barges connect to each other and they form a circle in order to hug the island. It is at that point that they throw big white stones into the sea surrounding the island since it is believed that way the Lady will not sink.  In the photo below you see a closer look of Our Lady of the Rocks Island.St. George Island is the one on the left in the first photo of the two islands. This is a natural Island which contains Saint Benedictine monastery from the 12 century. The island also has an old graveyard for the old nobility from Perast and further from the whole Bay of Kotor. That is why the island is also also known by the name of the Island of the dead.  (see a photo of St. George island below)  We were on a mission that afternoon to get on the Our Lady of the Rock Island. In peak season, many tour boats take tourists there, leaving one of the piers in town. Not a soul was in sight for hours that day. 😩. How do we get to this Island? 🕵️‍♂️

“Capitaine Perast” to the rescue! We saw this local guy from a distance and he seemed to be transporting some people over to the island. Hey!

Voilà, a few minutes later we are on the small rowboat. I don’t think the “Capitaine ” had ever heard of a life jacket. 😊

We got to the little Our Lady of the Rocks island within minutes and when Capitaine Perast dropped us off he said: “I might be back to get you later”!  🤣 Okay, Bernard can you swim?!

The joys of travelling offseason. We were on this island all by ourselves. We were speechless as the total tranquillity was almost eerie.  All you could hear was the sound of the waves crashing on the shore and you could not help but wonder about the island’s history and if in fact, an icon of the Virgin Mary & child had actually appeared here many years ago?

Here’s a few pic’s on the island-

From the Island, a great view of Perast!

The end of a beautiful day & made it back to shore…

 The photo below is one I took on the bus on our way back to Kotor from Perast.  I just can’t get enough of these views! We’re on top of the world!

Ciao 🤗