3 Days in Kosovo: Prishtina, Rugova and Prizren

The classic first trip to Kosovo: the capital's landmarks, a day in the Rugova Gorge and Peja's UNESCO Patriarchate, and an evening in Prizren's old town below the fortress. Start at the Newborn Monument. Begin where modern Kosovo begins. The Newborn letters were unveiled on 17 February 2008, the day Kosovo declared independence, and a new artist repaints them every year. Opposite stands the Heroinat Memorial, honouring women affected by the war. Take your photos early, before the square fills, then walk south along Mother Teresa Boulevard, the city's main pedestrian street.. Newborn Monument The National Library and the Cathedral. Ten minutes on foot brings you to one of the most unusual buildings in the Balkans: 99 domes wrapped in a metal lattice, completed in 1982. Step inside to see the geometric floors and reading rooms; entry is free during opening hours. Next door, the Cathedral of Saint Mother Teresa has a bell tower with an elevator and the best view over the city.. National Library of Kosovo The Old Bazaar Quarter. Finish the day in the oldest part of Prishtina. The Imperial Mosque was built in 1461 by Sultan Mehmet Fatih and faces the 26-metre Clock Tower and the Shadërvani fountain, all within a few minutes' walk. Visit the mosque outside prayer times. Stay for dinner in the old town, then a macchiato on the boulevard, the way locals end the evening.. Old Bazaar, Prishtina The Peja Patriarchate. Drive west to Peja in the morning. On the edge of town, the walled Patriarchate holds four churches built between the 13th and 17th centuries, a UNESCO World Heritage site with frescoes covering every surface. Entry is free; bring ID, dress modestly, and note that photography is not allowed inside. Give it more time than you expect.. Peja Patriarchate Rugova Gorge. The gorge begins just 2 km from Peja's centre and runs more than 23 km into the Accursed Mountains, between limestone walls, waterfalls and caves. Drive slowly and stop often. Adventurous travelers can book via ferrata or the zipline with local operators in central Peja. If you have a full afternoon, continue about 40 km to the mountain village of Bogë.. Rugova Gorge Evening in the Old Long Bazaar. Back in town, walk Peja's Ottoman market street: cobblestones, plis makers, goldsmiths and bakeries pulling byrek from wood-fired ovens. The 1471 Bajrakli Mosque stands at its heart. End along the Lumbardhi riverside promenade, where the whole city comes out in the evening.. Çarshia e Gjatë, Peja Shadervan Square. Drive south to Prizren, Kosovo's cultural capital. Start at Shadervan, the stone square at the centre of the old town, with its fountain and cafés along the Lumbardhi river. Every walk in Prizren branches from here: Sinan Pasha Mosque (1615), the Ottoman hamam and the paths up to the fortress.. Shadervan, Prizren The League of Prizren. A few minutes' walk upstream, the restored League of Prizren complex marks 10 June 1878, when around 300 delegates gathered to demand autonomy for Albanian lands. The exhibition rooms explain why Prizren matters so much to Albanian history. Allow 45 minutes, including the courtyard.. League of Prizren Complex Sunset from Prizren Fortress. End the trip with the best view in Kosovo. The walk up from the old town takes 15 to 20 minutes, and the fortress is free and always open. Time it for sunset, when the red roofs, minarets and the Sharr mountains turn gold. Come back down for dinner by the river.. Prizren Fortress