19 of them?! Did you know Perast has more palaces than streets?

Perast, a small town nestled along the shores of the Bay of Kotor, may be modest in size, but it is magnificent in its historical and architectural grandeur. With only a few hundred residents, this 1.5-kilometer-long coastal gem is home to nineteen noble palaces. These stone beauties are more than just remnants of wealth—they stand as proud witnesses to the town’s golden age in the 17th and 18th centuries, when Perast was a maritime power.

Back then, Perast was not just a coastal stop—it was a thriving port under the protection of the Venetian Republic. Families engaged in trade, seafaring, and diplomacy competed to build the most splendid residence, and the outcome of that quiet rivalry makes this place truly unique in all of Boka.

Perast, Photo: Dudlajzov Depositphotos

The largest among them, Smekja Palace, dominates the central part of the town. Built from Korčula stone, with three floors, a belvedere, and balconies adorned with balustrades, it was once the residence of a powerful merchant family. Today, its grand halls house the luxurious Iberostar Heritage Grand Perast Hotel, allowing the palace to continue living in a rhythm of refined elegance.

Close to the sea, at the town’s western edge, stands Bujović Palace — the proud work of Venetian architect Giovanni Battista Fontana. With its five arcades in a Renaissance-Baroque blend, it once overlooked the bustling movement of merchant ships. Today, it is home to the Town Museum, where Perast carefully preserves its rich maritime heritage.

Smekja Palace, Photo: OlgaIlinich Depositphotos

At the western end of the town stands Zmajević Palace, also known as “the Bishop’s Residence,” as it was home to high-ranking church dignitaries such as Archbishop Andrija Zmajević. With its chapel, bell tower, and commanding position in the landscape, the palace still feels more like a citadel of knowledge than an ordinary house.

In the heart of Perast lies Visković Palace, once a defensive tower, now a complex of residential units with a garden. Its façade still bears the engraved image of a dentex fish — the emblem of the old Dentali clan.

Zmajević Palace, Photo: Dudlajzov Depositphotos

Balović Palace remembers the days when Njegoš himself stayed within its walls. Today, it has been carefully restored and returned to the function of a luxurious private residence, just like Bronza Palace, once an Austro-Hungarian customs house, which has preserved its Baroque charm and its open view of the sea.

The Baroque-style Mazarović Palace, with its elegant belvedere and distinctive volutes, is now a semi-hidden private residence. Though set slightly back from the coast, it still enjoys a view of the sea. Brajković-Martinović Palace, one of the oldest in town, still preserves its lavish 19th-century salon in the style of Napoleon III, almost untouched by time.

Brajković Martinović Palace, Perast, Photo: Givaga, Depositphotos

Even the smaller palaces are not without charm — Lučić-Kolović-Matikola, Vukasović-Kolović, and Šestokrilović are just a few that, though more modest in size, still speak of families who understood honor, reputation, and the value of good stone.

Today, the palaces of Perast are not frozen monuments. Many have been transformed into museums, luxury hotels, private villas, or stylish apartments — yet each retains something of its original purpose: to stand as a symbol of status, a guardian of family history, and an architectural manuscript of a time when this town was more than a dot on the map — it was a seaside stronghold that knew how to build power.

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Perast – a small town with a big story