Include Kosovo in your Balkan tour

We recommend 2 Kosovo major cities for overnight stay – Pristina, the capital, and Prizren – the cozy and sweet historical city.

Pristina

Coffee in Pristina is the best. Pristina is the youngest capital city in Europe

The Kosovo’s capital is very interesting place for those who are interested in Balkan history. Even that Pristina is a capital city, you can see all its attractions in a day.

Things to do in Pristina

• Take a photo on the NewBorn monument
• Find the library and see all details of the architecture
• Take a walk in Germia park
• Visit the local market and buy fresh vegetables and fruits.
  There you will also find the ruins of the Great Hamam and the mosque.

Prizren

Prizren is the most ethnically mixed municipality with large numbers of Bosnians, Turks, Roma, Gorani and Terbesh.

This picturesque historic city of the Prizren is located near the Šar Mountain slopes. It’s dotted by mosques, churches and monuments. A half day in Prizren is pretty enough to visit all its landmarks, which makes the city very popular “day tour” destination from Pristina, Kosovo or Skopje, North Macedonia.

You will find all landmarks in the center starting from the Shadervan area, where you will find an ancient fountain. Sip from the water if you want to come back, or just if you are thirsty.

Things to do in Prizren, Kosovo

• Walk along the stone bridge over the Bistrica river and head to the UNESCO protected Our Lady of Ljevis, a 14th century monastery.
• Visit the Sinan Pasha Mosque, standing since 1615 and overlooking the main street.
• Don’t miss the Prizrenska Tabahana, or the Tannery and Leatherworks handicraft building.

When in Kosovo, make sure you visit these places of interest.

Gazivoda Lake

• Gazivoda is an artificial lake, the largest in Kosovo.
• Most of the lake belongs to Kosovo, and a small part to Serbia.
• The lake is fed by the Ibar, a river has been dammed.

The average depth is 105 meters. The landscapes, hills and meadows are picture perfect. The meadows are dotted by flowers in summer. Nearby is the Duboki Potok, a 14th century monastery, where you will find the hand of a martyr Saint Nicetas, and handwritten  medieval books.

Peć

The city is near the Rugova Canyon, a spot of exceptional nature, and the access area to mountains.

Near Peć, skiing and paragliding are favorite leisure activities.

The bazaar, destroyed in the wars, is now a rebuilt area, with the Bajrakli Mosque, also destroyed in war times, and rebuilt. Nearby is the Patriarchal Monastery, from the 13th century. Another ancient remnant is the Hamam, the bath building from Ottoman times. The mountains are auspicious for paragliding, so even international contests in the sport are held.

Dark tourism

In Pristina, Jews were sheltered in World War II times, and their cemeteries now can be visited as a site.

Kosovo Polje, near Pristina, was a site for raging violence in the war of 1998-1999.

Prekaz village, near Pristina, is a site of the famous massacre in 1998, implemented by Serbian units.

In the attack on Prekaz, the liberation movement leaders, brothers Jashari were killed together with over 60 other people. Not only the 14th century battle of Ottomans and Serbians, but also centuries later, the war left its marks on the small town of Polje. The refugee camp for Serbs and for Romas still stands, now mostly inhabited by Roma families.

Popular Festivals in Kosovo

• Bunar Fest
• EtnoFest

Serbia doesn’t recognize Kosovo as an independent country and considers all UNESCO sites located there as a part of its territory. All the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Kosovo’s territory are of Serbian legacy and of great religious and cultural importance for ethnic Serbs.

• The Visoki Dečani Monastery
• Patriarchate of Peć
• Gračanica Monastery (extension of Dečani)
• The Church of the Lady of Ljeviš