Visit Kosovo

As you head west from Prishtina, you will reach the city of Peja (Pe? in Serbian) and start your visit along Kosovo’s best 80 kilometers: the road from Peja/Pec to Prizren, which boasts three UNESCO-protected treasures as well as many other cultural and natural gems. Kosovo’s second most visited city, Peja/Pec is home to the breathtaking Rugova Valley – part of the Accursed Mountains that form the country’s border with Montenegro and part of its border with Albania. As such, Peja/Pe? is known as the country’s adventure paradise, with a variety of excursions available, including: hiking, biking, via ferrata, zipline, caving, and much more. In between outdoor adventures, be sure to make time to take in some of the city’s great multi-cultural heritage – like the medieval Orthodox monastery known as the Patriarchate of Pe? and the striking Qashi Mosque – as well as its distinctive mountain cuisine (especially the qebap, or Balkan meatballs).

Continue your journey to the town of Junik, where you can visit the newly constructed Shia Dervish Temple (or tekke) – one of the largest in the Balkans – or the modest Qoku Mosque, which is considered one of Kosovo’s first. This village is also the starting point should you wish to climb Gjeravica, Kosovo’s highest mountain (2634 meters).
On your way towards the city of Gjakova, you will pass by the 16 th century Terzi Bridge, still standing next to its modern replacement to the modern one. In Gjakova, you will have the opportunity to visit one of Kosovo’s greatest jewels of Islamic art: the Hadumi Mosque. Famed Ottoman architect Sinan, who built Bosnia’s Mostar Bridge and Istanbul’s largest mosque – Suleymanliye – also left his mark on Gjakova. Built in 1594, the mosque is located near the famous Hani Haracise Inn in the heart of the city’s old bazaar and is noted for its excellent acoustics. As you continue out of Gjakova, you would be wise to make a slight detour to the rolling hills of Rahovec – Kosovo’s wine region. As you turn off from your path along the banks of the Drini River. the first winery you will come to is Kosovo’s biggest – StoneCastle – which has a production capacity of 30 million liters of wine per year. With prior appointments, you can enjoy a tasting here and at some of the region’s smaller wineries, offering a variety of wines from the region’s staple Vranac to some creative blends.

No doubt full of wine and great food, continue on for the final 28-kilometer stretch to Kosovo’s “Little Istanbul,” the Ottoman city of Prizren. One of the few cities that was not devastated during the conflict, Prizren retains much of its multi-ethnic heritage, including a Byzantine-era fortress and the 17th century Sinan Pasha Mosque, which shares a road with both Catholic and Orthodox churches. You can close your whirlwind tour of Kosovo by sipping a local Birra Peja at one of the many cafes along the banks of the Lumbardh River, overlooking the historic 15 th century Old Stone Bridge.