At the entrance to the “Bay of Saints” you shouldn’t skip this little island!

The entrance to Boka Kotor bay, or as some call it the Bay of Saints, is the gate between Prevlaka and Oštra capes.

Only in the area of ​​Herceg Novi are hidden 89 sacral jewels that keep the secrets of the past centuries. One of them is the Monastery of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which for more than six centuries at the very entrance to the bay represents an exceptional example of architecture and natural beauty.

Monastery of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Photo: Nadtochiy, Depositphotos

The monastery is dedicated to the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is an Orthodox holiday celebrated on November 21 in the Julian calendar (December 4 in the Gregorian calendar).

It is located on a small island, with an area of ​​only 700 m2, near Mirište Bay, near Cape Arza on the Luštica peninsula. According to archival sources, this fortified Orthodox monastery complex was first mentioned in 1508 as St. Maria de Sagnic.

The entire complex is fortified by defensive walls with one tower, on which there used to be a loophole. It was permanently inhabited until the 18th century, then neglected and abandoned, it was restored in 2002 and monks live there.

The island is also a tourist attraction, and you can reach it by boat from the surrounding beaches. You can also swim, but it is forbidden to enter this holy land in a bathing suit.