From the bell tower in Perast, one has a panoramic vista of the beautiful Kotor Bay,
and the towering Dinaric Alps beyond.

The town of Perast, Montenegro, was a very wealthy town full of prosperous merchants and shipbuilders in medieval times. It’s location on the Dalmatian Coast was perfect, right at the center of many thriving trade routes. The protection of Kotor Bay and the Dinaric Alps meant fewer attacks from the many nearby pirates and competing empires. However, Perast eventually fell into poverty due to two things: the industrial revolution, and the discovery of the New World. The industrial revolution all but eliminated traditional ship building, which was Perast’s strength. Furthermore, as trading shifted to the New World, Perast was no longer at the center of lucrative routes. At one point, it was so deserted that it became known to locals in the region as the “town of closed windows.” But now, thanks to an increased global tourism (and the town’s natural and historic beauty), Perast is reviving. However, residents seem to feel that the resurgence is a fragile one, as tourism is the one and only industry keeping the town afloat.

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