Kosovo is roughly the size of a large county, which is its secret weapon for travellers. From Prishtina you can reach Ottoman old towns, UNESCO monasteries, alpine canyons and ski slopes, and still be back in the city for dinner. Here are the trips worth making, roughly in the order most visitors love them.
Prizren, about 1 hour 30 minutes
If you only make one trip out of Prishtina, make it Prizren. It is the country's most beautiful town: an Ottoman-era centre stacked along the Bistrica river, with a stone bridge, the Sinan Pasha Mosque, and a fortress on the hill above that rewards the climb with the best view in Kosovo.
Buses run frequently from Prishtina's main bus station and take around an hour and a half. By car it is a straightforward drive on the R7 motorway. Give yourself a full day: the old town deserves a slow lunch, and the walk up to the Kalaja fortress takes about half an hour each way.
- Prizren Fortress (Kalaja) for the panorama over the red rooftops
- Sinan Pasha Mosque and the Shadervan fountain square
- The League of Prizren complex, where the Albanian national movement began in 1878
- Dokufest, the documentary and short film festival, if you visit in August
Peja and the Rugova Canyon, about 1 hour 30 minutes
Peja sits at the foot of the Accursed Mountains in western Kosovo and is the gateway to the country's best scenery. The Patriarchate of Peja, a Serbian Orthodox monastery complex dating to the 13th century, sits just outside town and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage listing for medieval monuments in Kosovo.
Beyond it the road climbs into the Rugova Canyon, a deep limestone gorge with hiking trails, a via ferrata route and a cable car. Even if you are not there to hike, the drive up the canyon is worth the trip on its own.
Gracanica Monastery, about 20 minutes
The closest serious sight to Prishtina. Gracanica is a 14th century Serbian Orthodox monastery, also UNESCO listed, with some of the finest medieval frescoes in the Balkans packed into a surprisingly compact church.
It is close enough to combine with something else in an afternoon. Dress respectfully, as it is an active monastery.
Ulpiana, about 25 minutes
Near Gracanica are the ruins of Ulpiana, a Roman city that later became a Byzantine settlement. It is a low-key site rather than a polished attraction, but if you like archaeology it is a quiet hour among foundations, basilicas and old street grids that almost nobody visits.
Germia Park, about 15 minutes
Barely a day trip, but the easiest escape from the city. Germia is a large forested park on Prishtina's eastern edge, full of walking trails, picnic spots and a huge open-air swimming pool in summer. It is also the usual home of Sunny Hill Festival.
A taxi from the centre costs a few euros. Locals go at weekends, so expect company on a sunny Sunday.
Batlava Lake, about 45 minutes
A reservoir northeast of Prishtina that turns into the city's beach every summer. There are lakeside restaurants, swimming, and boats for hire. It is the sort of place that is completely unremarkable in guidebooks and completely full of locals in July.
Brezovica, about 1 hour 15 minutes
Kosovo's ski resort, in the Sharr Mountains on the southern border. In winter it is the country's main place to ski, with a reputation for long snow seasons and prices far below the Alps. In summer the same slopes turn into hiking country.
Facilities are basic compared to Western European resorts, which is exactly why it stays cheap and uncrowded.
Novo Brdo, about 45 minutes
A medieval fortress on a hill southeast of Prishtina, once one of the richest mining towns in the Balkans. Little is left beyond the walls and towers, but the setting is dramatic and you will very likely have the place to yourself.
Practical tips for day trips
- Buses from Prishtina's main bus station cover Prizren, Peja and Gjakova frequently and cheaply
- For the mountains, a rental car or a hired driver is far more practical than public transport
- Start early. Buses thin out in the late afternoon, especially on Sundays
- Carry some cash. Smaller towns and rural restaurants are not always card-friendly
- Kosovo uses the euro, so there is nothing to change before you go
Basing yourself in Prishtina
Because the country is compact, most visitors keep one base and travel out from it rather than moving hotels every night. Prishtina is the natural choice: it has the main bus station, the airport, and the best range of places to eat when you get back.
ZOE Hotel is in the centre on Agim Ramadani, a short ride from the bus station and walking distance from the restaurants you will want after a day on the road. Self check-in means an early bus or a late return is never a problem.