Montenegro. Perast

  Arriving in Perast in the soft afternoon light felt like stepping into a living postcard. This tiny village on Montenegro’s Bay of Kotor is famous for its Venetian architecture, narrow stone lanes, and the calm shimmer of the Adriatic...

  Our apartment, right in the heart of the old town, was a dream: a centuries-old stone building crowned with a classic red-tiled roof. From the windows we could see the entire bay - sailboats gliding past, the bell tower rising above the rooftops, and the serene blue water stretching to the horizon.

   Before we even unpacked, we launched our drone straight from the apartment window. Watching Perast’s honey-colored buildings and our own historic home appear on the screen from above was unforgettable. The neat rows of red roofs, the church spires, and the rippling bay looked like something from a Renaissance painting...

  Next, we wandered down to the pier, passing the striking bell tower of St. Nicholas Church along the way. This 17th-century baroque church is the tallest landmark in Perast, its 55-meter stone tower visible from across the bay. Built when Perast was part of the Venetian Republic, the church’s elegant façade is decorated with carved stone details...

   Perast has only around 250 permanent residents, yet it boasts 16 churches and 17 grand palaces, a testament to its prosperous seafaring past. During the Venetian Republic, it was a key naval and trading hub, and the elegant baroque buildings remain beautifully preserved...

  On the pier, small boats wait to ferry visitors across the short stretch of water to Our Lady of the Rocks -Perast’s most famous sight... 

  Legend says the island was built stone by stone by local sailors, who created it over centuries to honor a miraculous painting of the Virgin Mary...

   Strolling around the little church, we took in the quiet, then sent the drone up again for breathtaking aerial shots of the island floating like a jewel in the deep blue bay.

   The man-made island of Our Lady of the Rocks was started in the 15th century and still grows every year - locals keep the tradition of adding stones during the annual “Fašinada” festival...

  Back on the mainland, we meandered through Perast’s charming waterfront...

   Cars are banned in the old town, which keeps the waterfront peaceful and perfect for wandering...

  A refreshing dip in the crystal-clear Adriatic, with the mountains rising around us, was the perfect pause before evening...

  As twilight settled, the village seemed to glow—soft light bathing the bay with the mountains in the background and the tall bell tower rising above the rooftops, while church bells echoed gently across the evening air...

   We strolled home through the hushed lanes and ended the day with a tasty dinner and a glass of wine by the window, watching the colors of the sunset reflect across the sea...

  In the middle of the night, long after we had gone to sleep, two bats suddenly flew into our apartment through the open window! I first noticed them when I got up to use the bathroom. They were darting around nervously, and we quickly realized they needed help finding their way out. We managed to guide one bat toward the window with blankets, and it finally zipped back into the night sky. For the other bat, we simply left a light by the window to show the way out and went back to sleep. In the morning, the apartment was empty - both bats had safely disappeared...

  The next morning, the sun rose over the opposite side of the bay, illuminating the islands and mountains...

  We strolled once again through the quiet streets and paused at one of the piers for a refreshing swim. I even managed a short swim training session before we made our way to the nearby bus stop for the short ride to Kotor, less than 15 km away...