Heading to Perast and keen to set foot on that little island with a church in the middle of the bay? Getting there is easy. Our Lady of the Rocks, or Gospa od Škrpjela as locals call it, is open to visitors: boats leave right from the Perast waterfront, and the return trip costs about €5 per person. Its neighbour, St George Island, is a different story. Boatmen usually just take guests around it without landing, and some people paddle over on their own by SUP or kayak.
The two islands sit side by side in the Bay of Kotor, and from the shore you can see both of them clearly. Below we walk you through it all: how the man-made island came to be, what to see in its church, how to get there from Perast and Kotor, when it's less crowded and where to find the prettiest view of both islands.
The short version
- Of the two islands off Perast, Our Lady of the Rocks is the one the waterfront boats take visitors to. It has a church, a museum, a lighthouse and a souvenir shop.
- A return boat ride costs about €5 per person, and on the island you may be asked for a little extra to enter the church and museum.
- Boatmen usually just circle St George Island, with its old monastery and cemetery, while some people paddle out there themselves by SUP or kayak.
- Every year on July 22 at sunset, Perast holds the Fašinada: locals head out to the island in boats and throw stones into the sea.
- The best view of both islands is from the Perast waterfront and from the boat on your way to the island.
What is Our Lady of the Rocks?
Our Lady of the Rocks is a man-made island that people built stone by stone around a small rock in the sea off Perast. Its local name, Gospa od Škrpjela (good luck saying that on the first try), means pretty much the same thing: Our Lady of the Rock.
Legend has it that on July 22, 1452, sailors from Perast found an icon of the Virgin Mary on this rock. From then on, after every safe voyage they dropped a stone into the sea beside it, and little by little a real island rose out of the water.
The island is still tiny, just 0.38 hectares, so a walk around it won't take long. People in Perast consider it the only man-made island in the Adriatic, and they love telling visitors about it.
By the way, Perast and both islands are part of the UNESCO World Heritage site Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor. It was added to the list in 1979.
Besides the sailors' story, people in Perast tell two more legends about how the island came to be.
Legend one: the icon that kept going back to the reef
The story goes that during a fierce storm the Mortešić brothers' ship was wrecked off Perast, and the sailors, by some miracle, made it onto a small reef alive. Once they had caught their breath, the brothers spotted an icon of the Virgin among the wreckage and decided they owed her their lives.
They took the icon to the church in town, but the next day it was gone. The brothers went back to the reef and found it in the same spot. Once again the icon was carried to town, and once again it had vanished by morning. Nobody remembers anymore how many times this happened.
In the end the brothers decided to build a church for the icon right where they had found it. The reef, though, was far too small to build on. So they told the whole town the story, and everyone in Perast pitched in: they kept throwing stones around the reef until it grew into an island, and a church to Our Lady went up on top.
Legend two: Perast's answer to Kotor
The second legend is a lot more down to earth. Neighbouring St George Island, so the story goes, belonged to Kotor, even though it lay right opposite Perast. The people of Perast weren't happy about that, and the two towns often clashed over it.
Perast's powerful families could easily have taken the island by force. But the town authorities didn't want an open feud with Kotor, so they came up with something cleverer: they built their own island right next door, every bit as good as Kotor's.
So there you have it, two legends. Which one you believe is up to you.
What is there to see on Our Lady of the Rocks?
On Our Lady of the Rocks you'll find a Catholic church with an old icon and paintings by a Baroque master, plus a small museum, a lighthouse and a souvenir shop. The church is what most people come for.
The church belongs to the Diocese of Kotor and was rebuilt in 1722. Inside, look out for three things:
- Paintings by Tripo Kokolja. The church holds 68 of his paintings. Kokolja was a 17th-century Baroque artist, born in Perast itself.
- The Dormition of the Virgin. This is the most important of Kokolja's paintings here, and it stretches a full 10 metres long.
- The icon of Our Lady. The church's main icon was painted around 1452 by Lovro Dobričević, an artist from Kotor.
The museum and Jacinta's tapestry
Next to the church there is a small museum, and its most moving piece is probably the embroidered tapestry by Jacinta Kunić-Mijović.
Jacinta worked on it for 25 years while she waited for her beloved to come home from a long voyage, and she went blind before she could finish it. Its story alone makes it worth seeing in person.
Take a stroll around the island too. On its northern tip there's a navigation light that works as the island's little lighthouse. The souvenir shop is the place to pick up a keepsake from Perast.
How do you get to Our Lady of the Rocks from Perast?
From Perast, you reach Our Lady of the Rocks by boat right from the waterfront, and a return trip costs about €5 per person. It's a short ride: you can see the island from almost anywhere along the promenade, and the boatmen wait for passengers right by the water.
What to bring. Bring cash for both the boat and the entrance. And pack something to cover up with: the church is no place for swimwear, so if you're coming straight from the beach, grab a T-shirt or a scarf. |
On the island itself you may be asked for a small fee to enter the church and museum. The island is small and quick to walk around, so most of your time will go on the church, the museum and an unhurried stroll along the water.
How do you get to Our Lady of the Rocks from Kotor?
From Kotor, there are three ways to reach Our Lady of the Rocks: drive to Perast and hop on a boat there, join a group boat tour that stops at the island, or hire a private boat.
For a day trip from Kotor, Perast is an easy drive along the bay. Once there, you explore the town on foot, and most people leave the car in a car park at the edge of town. Here's how the three options compare:
| How to get there | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| By car or taxi to Perast, then by boat | You set your own timing and get to wander around Perast too. | You'll have to sort out the drive and parking yourself. |
| Group boat tour from Kotor | No need to think about getting there, and you see the Bay of Kotor from the water on the way. | Your time on the island depends on the tour schedule, and the boat is full of people. |
| Private boat from Kotor | Your own route and pace, with stops wherever you like. | Usually costs more than a group tour. |
Can you visit St George Island?
You can paddle out to St George Island (Sveti Đorđe) by SUP or kayak, but boatmen from Perast usually just take guests around it and don't pull up to the shore.
Unlike its neighbour, St George Island is natural. It's home to a 12th-century Benedictine monastery and an old cemetery where the nobility of Perast and the whole Bay of Kotor were buried. That's where its second, rather gloomy name comes from, and you'll almost certainly hear it: the Island of the Dead.
St George Island saw real fighting too: on October 14, 1813, a British and Sicilian fleet took it from the French. And according to one theory, this is the island that inspired the famous painting Isle of the Dead.
When is the best time to visit Our Lady of the Rocks?
The most relaxed time to visit Our Lady of the Rocks is spring or autumn, and in summer it's best to go early in the day or closer to evening.
On a midsummer afternoon, tour boats pull up to the island one after another. The tiny island fills up fast, and a queue forms for the boats on the waterfront.
If you're going late in the day and want to see the church and museum, check the opening hours beforehand.
July 22 is Fašinada day in Perast. At sunset on that day, locals head out in boats to Our Lady of the Rocks and throw stones into the sea to strengthen the island. The Fašinada Cup regatta is held the same day, and boats come from all over the Bay of Kotor to take part. If you'd like to see a living tradition and not just the island, plan your trip for this date. |
Where is the best view of the Perast islands?
The best view of the Perast islands is from the town's waterfront and from the water, while you're on the boat to Our Lady of the Rocks.
From the waterfront you see both islands side by side, with the mountains around the bay rising behind them. From the boat you realise just how tiny Our Lady of the Rocks really is and how close St George Island sits to it.
We shoot in Perast during golden hour before sunset and take couples by boat to Our Lady of the Rocks.Mariia Sosnina
Would you like photos with the islands behind you to take home? See how a boat photoshoot in Perast works. A session usually lasts about an hour and a half, and we'll help you arrange a boat for your photoshoot in advance. Drop us a message, and we'll time the shoot so you catch the golden hour.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get to Our Lady of the Rocks from Kotor?
The easiest way is to drive from Kotor to Perast and take a boat from the waterfront. You can also join a group boat tour from Kotor that stops at the island, or hire a private boat.
How much is the boat to Our Lady of the Rocks?
A boat from the Perast waterfront to the island and back costs about €5 per person. It's best to have cash on you.
Is there an entrance fee for Our Lady of the Rocks?
You pay the boatman for the ride itself, and on the island you may be asked for a small fee to enter the church and museum. Bring a little cash.
Can you visit St George Island?
You can paddle out to St George Island by SUP or kayak. Boatmen from Perast usually take guests around it but don't pull up to the shore. The island is home to a 12th-century Benedictine monastery and an old cemetery.
When is the Fašinada in Perast?
The Fašinada takes place every year on July 22 at sunset: people from Perast head out in boats to Our Lady of the Rocks and throw stones into the sea to strengthen the island.
How much time do you need on Our Lady of the Rocks?
Not much: the island is tiny, just 0.38 hectares, and quick to walk around. Most of your time will go on the museum and the church with Tripo Kokolja's paintings.
Is there a dress code for the church on the island?
The church is no place for swimwear. If you're coming from the beach, bring a T-shirt or a scarf.
A photoshoot or proposal at Our Lady of the Rocks
If you're planning to propose in Perast, take a look at our guide to a boat proposal near Our Lady of the Rocks. And for real moments from a day like that, see our Proposal in Perast album.
Looking for a photographer in Perast? Our separate page tells you more about shooting in this little town. We only shoot in golden hour before sunset, so we work out the timing in advance, based on the season and the spot.
And if you need a photographer in Montenegro for a shoot somewhere else, have a look at our roundup of the best photoshoot locations in Montenegro. Write to us, and together we'll pick a place and a time that fit your route.
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