Bay of Kotor
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Kotor Boat Tour to Our Lady of the Rock

ByThe Scribs & Nibs

There are plenty of options for a Kotor boat tour and it’s a great thing to do while in Kotor. With tours typically costing €20, you can spend time on the water on a hot day. I used Montenegro Globe for my tour.

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The Basics

  • €20 per person
  • Several operators around town. I used Montenegro Globe simply because I liked their poster.
  • 1.5 hours (or more)
  • Organized via WhatsApp and paid in cash
  • Good solo activity

The Montenegro Globe Tour

I really enjoyed the tour with Montenegro Globe. My guide, Marko, was straightforward to communicate with. After I found his sign along the road in Kotor, I Whatsapped to him and he coordinated very quickly for a 3pm same-day departure for the Lady of the Rocks and Perast tour. He was able to accommodate me even though he had an alternative tour going on at the same time. It worked out perfectly because it meant I could have a longer time in Perast.

Although I paid in cash, I wish I paid Montenegro Globe via Viator, which is what I’m suggesting to you becuase I had to take out money three different times in Kotor (for my hotel, shopping, and car transfer) and those bank fees were not friendly. I usually use Viator for my tours anyway so I was not smart to not think of that in advance.

The speedboat is a fun experience, and the breeze feels amazing on a hot summer day.

Our Lady of the Rock

Our Lady of the Rock is a church on a man-made island in the Bay of Kotor. It is one of the most important pilgrimage sites for Christians in Montenegro. It was built between 1452 and 1466 on the site where a wooden statue of the Virgin Mary was discovered floating in the sea. According to local legend (and Wikipedia), the island was made over the centuries by local seamen who kept an ancient oath after finding the wooden statue of the Virgin Mary. Upon returning from each successful voyage, the seamen laid a rock in the Bay. Over time, the island gradually emerged from the sea.

Thanks to the friendly tourist who took my picture!

The church as it is today was built between 1611 and 1614 by Giuseppe d’Alemagna, an Italian architect who also worked on other churches near Kotor.

You can enter the small church for €2.

From this island, you’ll also see a second island, which is natural. The island is a site of a cemetery. However, for 10 years it has been closed to tourists and locals alike.

The Town of Perast

Perast is a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its ancient architecture and churches. The town is very cute.

I did a long lunch at Armonia. I got a local beer and the black olive and shrimp pasta, which the waiter said was their most popular pasta dish.

Other Kotor Boat Tours

Most other people on the tour were doing the Blue Cave experience and I would consider that for next time. There are several tour operators do this including this private boat tour or this tour with a stop at Mamula Island (known for a famous prison during the World Wars!)