A Journey Through the Beauty of Boka Bay
This cultural and historical tour showcases the most breathtaking areas of the beautiful Boka Bay while giving you an insight into its 5,000-year history. Step into the UNESCO-listed Old Town of Kotor, where medieval streets and Venetian palaces whisper tales of the past. Sail across the bay to Our Lady of the Rocks, an island built on legend and devotion. Finally, stroll through Perast, a baroque jewel of noble palaces and maritime heritage. Towering rocky mountains surround the bay and its villages, providing a dramatic backdrop to your journey.
Gospa od Škrpjela: An Island Born of Stone and Legend
One of the must-see sites in any exploration of Boka Bay is the island of Gospa od Škrpjela. One of two islands in the bay, it is a place born of legend and devotion—an artificial island crafted by the hands of seafarers from Perast and Kotor. As the story goes, sailors returning from their voyages would lay stones upon this spot, a ritual that gradually shaped the island from the sea itself.
At its heart stands a church, built in 1630, its origins tied to a tale of faith and fate. It is said that after a shipwreck near these waters, fishermen from Perast discovered an icon of the Holy Mother and Christ resting upon a sea rock. Taking it as a divine sign, they vowed to raise a sanctuary on this very site.
The island required constant care, and so the tradition endured—sailors continued to bring stones, reinforcing the foundations year after year. That ritual lives on even today in Fasinada, a time-honored procession held at dusk on July 22nd, when boats glide across the bay, each carrying a stone to be laid at the island’s edge—a quiet echo of centuries past.
Perast: A Baroque Dream on the Adriatic
Perast is a place where time lingers. Once a thriving maritime town, its quiet streets now whisper stories of a grand past. Renaissance and Baroque palaces, some weathered, others standing proud, line its narrow lanes—a testament to the wealth that once flowed through the Bay of Kotor. Sixteen noble palaces remain, among them the grand Bujović Palace, marking Perast’s entrance. These historic residences belonged to renowned seafaring families, whose captains once commanded fleets that sailed beyond Montenegro’s shores.
Sun-soaked even in winter, it carries the faded elegance of an Adriatic jewel. In summer, tradition comes alive—most notably during Fasinada, a centuries-old procession in which boats carry stones to the artificial island of Our Lady of the Rocks, a quiet echo of devotion and legacy. With no sandy beaches and little modern distraction, Perast is not for those seeking crowds. But for those drawn to history, beauty, and the poetry of the past, this hidden town is a world apart.
Kotor: A UNESCO Gem of Timeless Elegance
Enclosed within its mighty medieval walls, Kotor’s Old Town is a labyrinth of stone streets, hidden squares, and Venetian-era palaces. With its history carefully preserved, it stands as one of the best-kept medieval towns in the Mediterranean.
Rising above the town, 5 kilometers of fortifications—built over centuries—trace the mountainside, leading to the imposing San Giovanni Fortress. Step through one of the ancient gates, and all roads lead to St. Tryphon’s Cathedral, a Romanesque jewel dedicated to Kotor’s patron saint. Around it, Renaissance and Baroque facades whisper stories of nobility and maritime wealth.
Kotor’s charm lies not only in its architecture but in its rhythm—sun-dappled squares where cafés spill onto cobblestones, quiet galleries tucked behind centuries-old doors, and the scent of the Adriatic lingering in the air. Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is a place where past and present exist in perfect harmony, waiting to be explored.
