Kosovo
Two cities I explored, two routes that actually work, and the practical page. I wish someone had handed me that the first time.
Updated September 2026
What nobody tells you before you land
Kosovo is Europe's youngest country — it declared independence in 2008, less than a decade after the war that most people still associate with the name. What you actually find is a small, green, mountainous place with the youngest population on the continent, café terraces full at all hours, and prices that feel like a rounding error next to the rest of Europe.
It's also tiny, which is the gift: you can base yourself in Pristina and reach almost anything in under two hours. The two routes below start with the capital's blunt, Yugoslav-era energy and end in Prizren, the pretty Ottoman town everyone falls for — with the mountains and a cave left over for whoever wants more.
Fact sheet
Everything practical, on one page
Itineraries
Two routes that actually work
Three days is enough to feel Pristina and Prizren. Five gives you the mountains behind them, at a walking pace.
A day for Pristina's brutalist landmarks and café culture, then south to Prizren — the old town, the fortress at sunset, and a slower pace. The long-weekend version.
The extra days go to the marble Gadime cave near Pristina and the dramatic Rugova valley above Peja — waterfalls, gorge, and the mountains that ring the west of the country.
City guides
Two cities, walked one street at a time
Pristina
Yugoslav-era landmarks, the strange beautiful library, and a café scene that never sleeps.
1 day · Coming soonPrizren
The prettiest town in Kosovo — Ottoman old town, stone bridge, and the fortress above.
2 days · Coming soonAsked every week
Questions I get about Kosovo
How many days do I need?+
Three is enough to see Pristina and Prizren without rushing. Five lets you add the Gadime cave and the Rugova valley above Peja, and it's still an easy, low-stress trip because everything is close together.
Is it safe?+
Yes. Kosovo is one of the safer countries in the Balkans for travellers, with very low violent crime and famously warm hospitality. Normal caution is all you need; the war is long over and the tourist areas are relaxed.
How do I get there?+
Fly into Pristina (PRN), or come overland by bus — it's about 2 hours from Skopje in North Macedonia and around 5 from Tirana in Albania. Note that some countries don't recognize Kosovo, so check border rules if you're crossing from Serbia.
What about money?+
Kosovo uses the euro, adopted unilaterally, so no currency swap if you're coming from the eurozone. It's one of the cheapest countries in Europe, but carry cash — many cafés, buses and small shops don't take cards.
The podcast
I walked this before I wrote it
Every guide starts as an episode. Listen to the Kosovo introduction — the context, the history and the honest bits — then come back for the routes.