Not the first name to come to mind when thinking of a short trip in Europe, but being the smallest nation in the Balkans, Kosovo makes for a great weekend getaway. Here’s my take on one of the most underrated destinations in Europe.
My rating:
- Muslim friendly: 4/5
- Female friendly: 5/5
- Budget travellers: 5/5
- Solo traveller: 5/5
Landlocked in the Balkans, Kosovo shares borders with Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, and North Macedonia and has a similar climate to these nations. It’s a fairly new country which was self-declared independent from Serbia in 2008, despite this it is still not recognised by many countries including some EU nations and powerful countries like Russia, China and India.
There’s some ongoing tension between the Serbia/ Kosovo border in the north and tourists are advised to avoid overland travel to Serbia from Kosovo.
Kosovo is a secular country despite its Ottoman roots and Islamic history. Most Kosovans (ethnically Albanian) are not practising Muslims hence finding halal food can be a challenge especially in the capital. Prizren, which resembles Bosnia, has a stronger Muslim identity and is often a preferred place for Muslim tourists over Pristina. Here’s my recommendations for a 2-3 Day trip in Kosovo starting in Pristina.
Day 1: Pristina:
Start your first day with a free walking tour of Pristina and immerse yourself in local knowledge. Pristina is a very small capital with around 200,000 people and much of it is walkable in a day. Walking tours are a great way to absorb local knowledge, get your bearings and ask questions. You can try out Pristina Free Walks which covers all the main attractions, and in your own time visit the following:
- Pristina Ethnographic Museum (Muzeu Etnologjik)
- Newborn Monument
- Admire the The National and University Library of Kosovo
- The Great Mosque (Xhamia e Madhe)
- Llapi Mosque Xhamia e Llapit
- The Gračanica Monastery
- Mother Teresa Cathedral
- Mother Teresa boulevard/ square
I didn’t spot many halal eateries (mainly foreign cuisine) but tried some local vegetarian dishes at Liburnia restaurant in the centre (slightly financier and a main and drink costs around €10).
Day 2: Day trip to Prizren:
Start your day early and head to the bus station for 9 am, the main bus station is 3km away from the centre and around 15 mins taxi ride. Best to get a taxi here as local buses aren’t direct. Buses leave Pristina for Prizren several times a day, costs around €5 single and takes just over 2 hrs to get there. Get the 9:30 am bus from Pristina arriving in Prizren for 11:15 am.
Prizren is the old capital and much of it resembles Bosnia architecturally, it is a more ancient city than Pristina and tourists tend to spend more time here. Prizren is also great for Muslim visitors as there are more halal eateries than the modern capital, active mosques and has such a great vibe. Leaving Kosovo without seeing Prizren even for a day will be a great regret!
Must see in Prizren:
- 16th century stone bridge
- The Great Sinan Mosque
- Gazi Ahmed Mosque
- Prizren Fortress and view over Prizren
- Hamam museum
- Albanian League of Prizren Museum
- Xamia Bajraji mosque and surroundings
For lunch, there are plenty of Turkish inspired cafes where you can indulge in baklava and Turkish coffee and sample some halal Kosovan food.
5-6 hours in Prizren is sufficient for all the main attractions listed above, if you’re getting the bus back to Pristina, double check the timings and get to the bus stop 15 minutes before. If you get the 5pm bus, it’ll arrive back in Pristina bus station for around 7pm, you’ll then need to get a taxi back to the centre.
Day 3: Last day with whatever time you have left:
For your final day, you can:
- Explore Pristina city park
- Visit mosques and museums you didn’t manage to on your first day
- Spend a couple of hours at the Bear Sanctuary (although more like a zoo, it’s a place for rescued bears as these were domesticated until a ban in 2003). You’d need to get a taxi here as it’s 40 minutes away from the centre and no public transport available.
- Spot Dua Lupa and Rita Ora on street art
- Spot the not so random Bill Clinton statue and Tony Blair street
Doing it on a budget:
Pristina is the the only international airport in Kosovo so you are most likely to fly here. Off peak flights with Wizz Air from other European cities are inexpensive with a carry-on backpack (which is fine for a 3 day trip) and can cost less than £50 return. You can also get accommodation for under £50 for a three-night stay (yes it is double to fit in a 3 day trip in Kosovo for under £100 covering flights and accommodations).
Useful Kosovo tips:
- Airport bus costs €2-3 each way but the last bus from the airport departs at 8pm, if your flight arrives later, you’d need to take a taxi to your hotel.
- Average taxi rides cost around €4-5 for 15 mins.
- Public transport is not as reliable on the weekends – if you are getting this back to the airport, give yourself plenty of time just in case.
- Download taxi apps: Shoferi and Golden Taxi before arrival.
- Download public transport app Moovit before arrival and set location to Pristine.
- Download offline google maps of both Prizren and Pristina.
- Explore quirky cafes near Fehmi Agani area.
- Beware of stray in the centre and avoid going close in the night.
Halal Foodie Travel 