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Our Lady of the Rocks Guide: How to Get There and What to See

BY SARAH

Our Lady of the Rocks is one of Montenegro's top attractions and there are many legends surrounding this pretty island. Find out everything you need to know about visiting Gospa od Škrpjela.

Image: Deposit Photos

Our Lady of the Rocks is a a picturesque island sanctuary located off the coast of Perast in the beautiful Bay of Kotor.

With its rich history, captivating legends, and stunning natural beauty, Our Lady of the Rocks has become a beloved symbol of faith and folklore in this Balkan nation.

From swash-buckling pirates to unrequited love, Our Lady of the Rocks, and its neighbour, Sveti Đorđe island, are rich with history and stories that show you the history and traditional spirit of the Bay of Kotor.

In this article, we will delve into the fascinating story behind this unique island and how you can visit the island. From its humble origins as a small crag in the sea to its status as a revered pilgrimage site, Our Lady of the Rocks is a remarkable destination that continues to captivate visitors with its timeless charm.

Top 3 tours to Our Lady of the Rocks

Haven't got time to read the whole page, but want to visit Our Lady of the Rocks?

You can only get there by boat and I recommend taking a boat tour from Kotor that includes other attractions too.

Here are the top 3 tours to Our Lady of the Rocks...

#1 Pick: Kotor Boat Tour: Our Lady of the Rocks, Mamula and Blue Cave

3-hour speed boat tour
Our Lady of the Rocks and the Blue Cave

BOOK NOW

Guide to Our Lady of the Rocks: How to Get There and What to See

#2 Pick: The Old Captain's Smile Kotor Bay Tour

4.5 hours
Kotor, Perast and Our Lady of the Rocks

BOOK NOW

#3 Pick: Boka Bay Day Cruise

8 hours
Our Lady of the Rocks, Blue Cave, Tivat

BOOK NOW

Our Lady of the Rocks Story

The people of Bay of Kotor and their lives have always been inextricably intertwined with the sea. Fortunes were made and lost, as were lives, by the grace of God and the tides.

The town of Perast was where the bay's power and wealth was concentrated, as you can see by the stone palaces lining the shore of the town. You can also tell by the number of churches in this town that that's only 1km from end to end. With seven churches in town and two on the islands just offshore to support, it's easy to see that God and the tides smiled on the seafarers of Perast.

But storms, pirates and constant conflict meant being a seafarer was a risky lifestyle. Many sailors came back injured or never came back at all. Which leads us to the legend of Our Lady of the Rocks.

The Ultimate Guide to Our Lady of the Rocks in Perast in the Bay of Kotor, Montenegro. Find out how to visit one of Montenegro's top attractions.

The legend of Our Lady of the Rocks goes back more than five centuries. Legend has it that on a hot summer's day on 22 July 1452, two brothers were heading home to Perast from a dangerous voyage. One of them had an injured leg.

As they passed St George, the 12th century monastery built on the natural island in front of the town, they saw something caught on a rocky outcrop. When they went to see what it was, they found an icon of the Virgin Mary and Child.

The brothers went home and took the icon with them. The next day a miracle had occurred; the injured brother's leg was healed. They took this as an omen and vowed to build a church dedicated to the Virgin Mary on the rock where they found the icon.

Of course, there wasn't enough rock to build a church on at the time. So they started to drop boatloads of rocks and scuttle old boats around the spot. Other sailors also began to drop rocks on the spot as they headed out to sea, in hopes of being protected while they were away. By 1484, 32 years after they found the icon, there was an island with a chapel on it.

The chapel lost a lot of its treasure on 22nd June 1624 when pirates from Tunisia and Carthage attacked Perast, destroyed the churches and took most of the population into slavery. But by 1630, almost 200 years after the project started, it was rebuilt by the Venetians as we see it today.

Our Lady of the Rocks is one of Montenegro's top attractions. Find out everything you need to know about visiting Gospa od Škrpjela.

Sveti Đorđe and Our Lady of the Rocks islands

Our Lady of the Rocks Church and Museum

Entrance to the museum and church of Our Lady of the Rocks includes a guided tour through both. The guide will tell you all about the history and the artifacts in the church, and the tour takes about 20 minutes.

It can be a tight fit when there are large groups, but it helps that you enter through one side and then exit through another door on the first floor. There are stairs, so it’s not suitable for people in wheelchairs.

There’s a little store on the island with souvenirs and ice creams. Once you finish the tour you’ll definitely want to take some pictures and enjoy the views of the Bay and Perast.

Stone table on Our Lady of the Rocks

Our Lady of the Rocks Roman Catholic Church

When you enter the church, your eye is drawn to the huge marble altar. This was sculpted by Antonio Capellano from Genoa and erected in the church in 1796. The painting at the centre of the altar was painted by Lovro Dobricević in 1452.

The walls and the ceiling of the church are decorated with 68 frescoes by 17th century baroque artist Tripo Kokolja (1661 – 1713) from Kotor.

Between these, the walls are lined with over 2,500 silver votives, which were donated by local families. Families would have a silver or gold votive made to protect their sailors at sea. You'll also see votives in the shapes of legs or arms. A sick or injured person would donate one of these in the hope their prayers would be answered and they’d be healed.

Ceiling frescoes by Tripo Kokolja

Our Lady of the Rocks Museum

The museum covers two floors of the building next to the church and you enter it from inside the church. The entrance fee covers entry to both the church and the museum.

The museum has a really interesting collection of items from this area, which range from the Illyrians to the modern day.

In the lapidarium (rock collection) you'll see rocks with Illyrian inscriptions and you'll also see a collection of Neolithic objects, like arrowheads, found in Špilja Cave above Perast.

There are collections of weapons, traditional dress, modern art and paintings of ships battling storms or pirates - themes that dominated life for the people of Perast for hundreds of years.

Our Lady of the Rocks Tapestry

Tapestry by Hijacinte Kunić-Mijović

Of special note here is the tapestry by Hijacinte Kunić-Mijović who waited 25 years for her husband to return from sea.

While waiting, she sewed this intricate tapestry until she couldn’t see anymore. It’s got threads of gold and silver through it, but not just those. She used her own hair for the angels’ hair. You'll see the hair starts out brown and gradually turns grey.

This is one of the museum's most treasured pieces.

Local's Tip: If you get one of the boats from Perast, make sure they give you a good 45 minutes on the island. The tour will take up 30 minutes and this will leave you another 15 minutes to look around.

How to Get to Our Lady of the Rocks From Perast

Perast. Image: Deposit Photos

Our Lady of the Rocks floats just off the shore in Perast. If you have your own rental car, you can park in Perast and get a boat over to the island. Perast is pedestrian only, but there are parking lots at either end of the town.

Boat rides to the island cost around €5 per person return. Usually a skipper takes you over to the island and comes back for you in 30-45 minutes.

If you have a skippers licence and rent a boat in Montenegro you can drop people off on the island, but you can't tie the boat up and leave it while you visit the church and museum.

How to Get to Our Lady of the Rocks from Kotor

Our Lady of the Rocks is just 15 minutes from Kotor by car or speed boat. You can also catch a local bus from Kotor to Perast and get a boat from there.

In my opinion, the best way to get there is by boat and there are several tours you can take from Kotor to Our Lady of the Rocks. Many of them stop at the island and include other attractions like the Blue Cave. Boat tours depart from Kotor City Park, just 200m from Kotor port and old town, so they're ideal if you're staying in the old town or visiting Kotor on a cruise ship.

1. Perast Old Town and Our Lady of the Rocks Boat Tour

RATING: 4.8 / 5 (153+ reviews) | TOUR LENGTH: 2 hours | BOOK NOW

One of Kotor's most popular boat tours, this short tour is ideal for seeing Our Lady of the Rocks if you don't have much time.

The tour starts with a speed boat ride through the Bay of Kotor to Our Lady of the Rocks. There you have time to take a tour through the church and museum before the boat takes you to Perast. In Perast you can stroll along the town's promenade and see its baroque palaces, visit the town museum that's in a former palace, take a swim or try some local delicacies at a seaside restaurant like Conte.

"Me and my partner loved our tour. Our skipper Sasha was really lovely, informative and played some great music! Bay is beautiful and seeing it from the water is just lovely experience. We had some time to stroll around Perast which is lovely town. We are looking forward to doing more tours with Sasha in the future :)" - GetYourGuide traveller from the UK (read more reviews)

This tour includes:

Our Lady of the Rocks
Perast

Duration: 2 hours
Pick-up/drop off: Kotor

CLICK HERE FOR PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

2. Our Lady of the Rocks and Blue Cave Speed Boat Tour

RATING: 4.7 / 5 (738+ reviews) | TOUR LENGTH: 3 hours | BOOK NOW

As Kotor's most popular boat tour, this is a great way to see the Blue Cave, Bay of Kotor and its top attractions in just 3 hours.

The small group tours depart every three hours from 9am. You can also book the same tour as a private tour for up to 15 people.

"Excellent, must do if in Kotor Bay. Don’t use any other company. Friendly attentive and above and beyond captain called Eno. Easy to locate pick up spot. Right amount of stays at locations. We went out with a group of 20. Tips, do the 9am trip (later the sea is choppier and a swim may not be guaranteed), sit at the bow or the back of the boat and be ready to swim! After blue cave we sat at the back of the boat and enjoyed sun for the 50 minute trip back." - GetYourGuide verified booking, United Kingdom (read more reviews).

This tour includes:

Our Lady of the Rocks
Yugoslav submarine tunnels
Mamula Island
Blue Cave

Duration: 3 hours
Pick-up/drop off: Kotor

Click on a tour to see pricing and availability:

3 Hour Our Lady of the Rocks and Blue Cave Speed Boat Tour (group tour)
Private 3 Hour Speed Boat Tour (up to 6 people)
Private 3 Hour Speed Boat Tour (up to 15 people)
Our review of this tour

3. Boka Bay Day Cruise

RATING: 4.8 / 5 (233+ reviews) | TOUR LENGTH: 8 hours | BOOK NOW

This full-day boat cruise is a popular group tour that includes lots of time for swimming and a fun, relaxed atmosphere. While the speedboat tours are fast and ideal if you're pressed for time, this is a more leisurely cruise on a catamaran with plenty of space for sunbathing while you cruise between attractions!

"5**** Excellent and definitely A Must Do tour! Pickups and transfers were punctual and everything went like clockwork! Our guide, Milosh and his team Marco and Lucas were exceptional. We were so well looked after and Milosh was very informative. The swimming locations were just so perfect. We even had sightings of dolphins! We all had the perfect weather and an amazing day. Highly recommended!!!" - GetYourGuide verified booking, Singapore (read more reviews)

This tour includes:

Our Lady of the Rocks
Yugoslav submarine tunnels
Porto Montenegro marina
Blue Cave

Duration: 8 hours
Pick-up/drop off: Kotor, Budva or Tivat

CLICK HERE FOR PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

4. The Old Captain's Smile Kotor Bay Tour

RATING: 5 / 5 (8+ reviews) | TOUR LENGTH: 4.5 hours | BOOK NOW

One of the most popular Kotor excursions for cruise passengers, this half-day tour takes you to experience the historical and cultural region of the Bay of Kotor.

This tour takes you on a scenic drive around the Bay of Kotor to the idyllic town of Perast, where you have a walking tour of the Baroque palaces and churches. From there you take a boat to the island church, Our Lady of the Rocks where you have a guided tour before returning to Perast. After some free time in Perast, you head back to Kotor for a walking tour of Kotor old town.

"Ana is outstanding tour guide... one of a kind... helpful, tender, always worried if we are comfortable, making us feel as part of her own family. Her knowledge of what we were about to see, bypassing notes, dates, or details of what is not important at the moment (but always ready to answer if asked) not "pushy" but slowly looking into the satisfaction of everyone. Never stopped smiling, and never taking her cellphone while with us! We had a very very good time!!! Thank you Ana, thank you very much." - Jeanette Hofmann, Chile

Highlights of this tour:

Kotor
Perast
Our Lady of the Rocks

Duration: 4.5 hours
Pick-up/drop off: Flexible

CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS

Visitor Information

Address: Our Lady of the Rocks, Perast, Montenegro
Hours: 9am to 6pm daily
Dress code: minimum shorts and t-shirt (sleveless is ok). This applies to the whole island, not just inside the church

Accommodation Near Our Lady of the Rocks

If you’d like to stay in this area of the bay, Perast is a beautiful and popular place to stay. It’s got gorgeous hotels, wonderful restaurants and an authentic Mediterranean fishing village feel.

The gorgeous ambiance has been retained because the town’s stone architecture has been protected so there are no modern buildings. All buildings in the town are from local stone.

The town is car-free from May to September every year, but this doesn’t inconvenience visitors. There are parking lots at either side of the town and there’s a buggy to take you and your luggage to your hotel or apartment.

The beautiful seaside town of Perast

The only thing Perast doesn't have is beaches. There's only one beach, at one end of the town. If you like to laze on the beach, another town in the bay or a hotel like HUMA Kotor Bay would suit you better. Or you can stay at the Heritage Grand, which has free speed boat transfers to a beach club.

Perast is can be busy with tourists during the day in summer, but is generally quiet at night.

Top Hotels in Perast

Hotel Per Astra is a lovely boutique hotel that exudes the style of historic Perast. Watch the ships pass from the pool and soak up the sunshine on the breakfast terrace. The views are always mesmerizing.

Monte Bay Retreat is a quiet haven of calm, with luxurious rooms, attentive staff and an infinity pool with stunning views of the bay.

Hotel Conte is a boutique hotel on the waterfront in the heart of Perast. There's a pool and space to relax away from the street, and Conte restaurant is popular with locals and visitors alike for its excellent, fresh seafood dishes.

Heritage Grand Perast is an opulent 5* hotel on the waterfront in Perast. The hotel has pool and wellness centre, but the real benefit of staying here is the free speed boat transfers to a local beach club in Kamenari.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE ACCOMMODATION IN PERAST

Events on Our Lady of the Rocks

Fašinada

Fašinada. Image: Deposit Photos

Fašinada is one of the most celebrated events in the Bay of Kotor. Every year on 22nd July, a procession of boats from Perast heads out to the island at sunset.

They throw rocks into the sea around the island to commemorate the foundation of the island. The celebrations start around 6.30pm, but arrive early to get a spot.

The best place to be is at one of the waterside restaurants like Conte where you can get a good view of the proceedings.

Our lady of the Rocks Weddings

As a functioning Catholic church, weddings can also be held on the island. The best way to arrange a wedding on Our Lady of the Rocks is to get a local wedding planner to help you. Only practicing Roman Catholics can be married in Our Lady of the Rocks.

Sveti Đorđe, the Islet of the Dead

Sveti Đorđe island. Image: Deposit Photos

Next to Our Lady of the Rocks you'll see another island with a traditional-style church and large cypress trees. This is Sveti Đorđe, also known as the 'Islet of the Dead.'

There's a 7th century Benedictine monastery on the island and a cemetery, where many prominent people from Perast were buried.

But the island is most famous for the tragic story of Ante and Katica.

During the Napoleonic invasion in October 1813, the men of Perast had holed up in the Tower of Sveti Križ above Perast.

The French retreated to Sveti Đorđe (St George), the natural island that lies adjacent to Our Lady of the Rocks.

One of the soldiers in the French army, Ante Slović, was from Cres, an island in northern Croatia. And he was betrothed to a girl called Katica from Perast.

Under orders, the French soldiers set up their canons and opened fire on Sveti Križ.

But one of the cannonballs fell short and and hit Katica's house instead.

She was killed and buried on the island of Sveti Đorđe.

Poor Ante was devastated. When the French left the Bay of Kotor he became a hermit. He stayed on Sveti Đorđe and became a monk in the monastery, where he rang the church bell.

He died in 1821 and was buried next to Katica.

Sveti Đorđe is a still a Benedictine monastery. It's not open to visitors but you'll get good views of it if you take a boat trip to Our Lady of the Rocks from Kotor.

Frequently Asked Questions About Our Lady of the Rocks in Montenegro

What is the story behind the church called Our Lady of the Rocks?

The story of the church called Our Lady of the Rocks is that on 22 July 1452 two brothers were returning from a dangerous voyage, one of them injured.

As they passed St George, a monastery on a natural island in front of Perast, one spied an icon of the Virgin Mary stuck on a rocky outcrop.

The brothers took the icon and the next day the injured brother was miraculously healed. The decided to build a church on the location of the rock dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

The townsfolk of Perast scuttled ships and threw rocks on the spot. Sailors would throw a rocks there as they headed out on a voyage, hoping for luck and protection.

Finally in 1484, 32 years after they found the icon, they completed a small chapel on the island that had arisen out of the sea.

How much is the entrance to Lady of the Rocks?

Then entrance to Our Lady of the Rocks is €2. This includes a guided tour of the church and museum.

How do you get to Lady of the Rocks?

The best ways to get to Our Lady of the Rocks are by boat from Perast or Kotor. A return boat trip from Perast costs €5-10 per person. You can also take a boat trip from Kotor that includes a visit to Our Lady of the Rocks and swimming in the Blue Cave.

When was Our Lady of the Rocks built?

Our Lady of the Rocks was built between 1452 and 1484. It took 32 years to build an island big enough to hold a chapel and to build the chapel on the island.