Gospa od Skrpjela (Our Lady of the Rocks) island, lit by early morning light, near Perast, Bay of Kotor, Montenegro

Getty Images/Robert Harding World Imagery

Sveti Djordje

Perast


Sveti Djordje, rising from a natural reef, is the smaller of Perast's two islands. It houses a Benedictine monastery shaded by cypresses and a large cemetery, earning it the local nickname 'Island of the Dead'. Legend has it that the island is cursed...but it looks pretty heavenly to us. The island can only be admired from afar; visitors aren't encouraged.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Perast attractions

1. Gospa od Škrpjela

0.13 MILES

This picturesque island was artificially created (on 22 July 1452, to be precise) around a rock where an image of the Madonna was found; every year on…

2. Perast Museum

0.3 MILES

The Renaissance-baroque Bujović Palace, dating from 1694, has been lovingly preserved and converted into a museum showcasing the town’s proud seafaring…

3. St Nicholas’ Church

0.4 MILES

This large church has never been completed, and given that it was commenced in the 17th century and the bay’s Catholic community has declined markedly…

4. Maritime Heritage Collection

3.36 MILES

Porto Montenegro doffs its hat to its past with this well-curated display (in Montenegrin and English) devoted to the history of the Arsenal shipyard and…

5. Large Town Park

3.56 MILES

North of the centre, this park is a leafy, peaceful retreat, originally laid out in 1892. It's a serene antidote to the excesses of Porto Montenegro.

6. Porto Montenegro

3.6 MILES

Single-handedly responsible for Tivat's transformation, this surreal 24-hectare town-within-a-town occupies the former Arsenal shipyard and naval base…

7. Buća-Luković Museum & Gallery

3.76 MILES

Aristocratic families from the inner bay once built their summer residences at Tivat to take advantage of its sunnier outlook. One of the few survivors is…

8. Town Beach

3.91 MILES

You're better off heading to the Luštica Peninsula for a proper swim, but Tivat does offer a couple of options if you're desperate for a dip. Town Beach…