Herceg Novi – Lady of the Rocks – Perast – Herceg Novi – 2h

One of the best-hidden sights in the Bay of Kotor, the submarine tunnel near the village of Rose is worth a visit for anyone who wants to spend an enjoyable afternoon on the water. Set in a beautiful location, the tunnel is not only a fascinating piece of military heritage, but also a great place for swimming, snorkeling, or just wandering around. When we say this tunnel is the best hidden sight in Montenegro, we mean it literally. Built during the 1970s by the Yugoslav Navy, this tunnel was designed to stealthily host submarines and small ships.

Our Lady of the Rocks is one of the two islets off the coast of Perast in the Bay of Kotor, Montenegro (the other being Sveti Đorđe island). It is an artificial island created by bulwark of rocks and by sinking old and seized ships loaded with rocks. The Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady of the Rocks is the largest building on the islet; it has a museum attached. There is also a small gift shop close to the church and a navigation light at the western end of the islet. The church was renovated in 1722. The church contains 68 paintings by Tripo Kokolja, a famous 17th-century baroque artist from Perast. His most important painting, ten meters long, is The Death of the Virgin.

Perast is an old town in the Bay of Kotor in Montenegro. It is situated a few kilometres northwest of Kotor and is noted for its proximity to the islets of St. George and Our Lady of the Rocks. The first memories of Perast refer to 1336—at that time there was a small fishing village, which had a shipyard, and there were always several commercial and fishing boats in the harbor. The prosperity of the city brought the Venetian period, and it was of particular importance in the border area around 1482, after taking the Turkish part of the coast from Herceg Novi to Risan. Perast also had free trade with the Republic of Venice and was granted the forgiveness of the Venetian authorities in the ruthless fight against pirates on the Adriatic.