Kosovo
Discover Kosovo
Kosovo (Albanian: Kosova (definite form) or Kosovë (indefinite form) is a largely mountainous country in the Balkan region of Europe. Its attractions for travelers include its archaeological and religious heritage, natural beauty, hiking and skiing. Kosovo has Ottoman, Christian Orthodox and modernist heritage to share with the world. Being still new to tourists, Kosovars are welcoming to foreign visitors and happy to help. Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia in 2008, which still opposes the act. Kosovo was last to go its own way following the break up of former Yugoslavia; it declared independence in February 2008 but Serbia has not recognized it.
Taste of Kosovo...
Best restaurants to eat at are those that are located in the villages near by big cities; they tend to have the best meat dishes and the best sea food. Trout, seabass and salmon fish are very common and popular and are kept fresh in their pools and are nearly always fried when you order. Prices are pretty average and, for some countries' nationals, cheap. Lots of great burek (baked pastry stuffed with cheese, meat or spinach). Try the drinkable yogurt (Ayran) — it's superb. Lots of kebabs and other Ottoman Turkish style food. As far as you are in an Albanian territory, you could try Albanian food as well. Fli, a very good pastry, can be found in different traditional restaurants. At the bakery, you can buy a fantastic loaf of bread for under €1. The grocery stores have a plentiful supply of Western food. For a taste of authentic local cuisine, consider dining at one of the region's agrotourism restaurants, where fresh, farm-to-table ingredients and traditional recipes come together to offer a truly memorable culinary experience. Beer brewed in Peja and named after the city of its origin can be found across Kosovo. Peja Premium is a slightly stronger beer from the same brewery but less widely available. Other local beers include Grembeer and Prishtina. Kosovo was known for wine production with vineyards in its southwest in the Rahovec-Suhareka region, with Stonecastle one of the larger wine producers.
Culture & Religion
Religion
Kosovo is a multi-ethnic, secular state whose population practises a diverse selection of religions. The majority Albanian population is mainly Muslim, though with a significant Catholic minority. That said, most ethnic Albanian Muslims do not practice the religion, and view it more as a cultural identity. Kosovo's Bosniak, Gorani and Turkish communities are also predominantly Muslim, while Kosovar Serbs tend to practice Serbian Orthodox Christianity. Citizens of countries such as Albania, Australia, Canada, the European Union, Lebanon, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa and Turkey do not need a visa, but if you are planning to stay in Kosovo for more than 90 days you should register at the Police Department for the Registration of Foreigners. This is next to the central police station in Pristina.
A Rich Past
Explore the historical roots that shaped Kosovo into what it is today.
History in Kosovo has been highly politicized and is wrapped up with the histories of its Balkan neighbors. Control of Kosovo changed hands many times in the medieval period, passing variously from being part of the Bulgarian Empire, Byzantine Empire and the Serbian Empire. From the 15th century Kosovo was part of the Ottoman Empire for almost 500 years, before the empire collapsed at the beginning of the 20th century. Wars and border disputes continued as Kosovo was annexed into the Kingdom of Serbia, which expanded into the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes at the end of World War I, and changed its name to the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1929. At the end of World War II, and the defeat of the invading Axis powers by socialist partisans, Kosovo became an Autonomous Province in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, led by Josip Broz Tito. After Tito's death in 1980, and the rise of nationalism throughout Yugoslavia, Kosovo was stripped of its autonomous status at the end of the '80s by the regime of autocratic leader Slobodan Milosevic. With Yugoslavia breaking apart, Kosovo's Albanians were stripped of many of their rights during a decade of repression during the 1990s, which ended in the war of 1998-99, as Kosovar Albanians stood up against the Serbian regime to fight for their liberation....
Climate
The climate is continental, with very warm summers and cold and snowy winters. Kosovo is a multi-ethnic, secular state whose population practises a diverse selection of religions. The majority Albanian population is mainly Muslim, though with a significant Catholic minority. That said, most ethnic Albanian Muslims do not practice the religion, and view it more as a cultural identity. Kosovo's Bosniak, Gorani and Turkish communities are also predominantly Muslim, while Kosovar Serbs tend to practice Serbian Orthodox Christianity. Citizens of countries such as Albania, Australia, Canada, the European Union, Lebanon, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa and Turkey do not need a visa, but if you are planning to stay in Kosovo for more than 90 days you should register at the Police Department for the Registration of Foreigners. This is next to the central police station in Pristina.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsCitizens of countries such as Albania, Australia, Canada, the European Union, Lebanon, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa and Turkey do not need a visa, but if you are planning to stay in Kosovo for more than 90 days you should register at the Police Department for the Registration of Foreigners. This is next to the central police station in Pristina. Citizens of other countries that have significantly contributed to the rebuilding of Kosovo probably also do not need visas either, although Kosovo is starting to implement a stricter visa regime. The 90-day rule for the registration of foreigners applies to everybody. You can enter Kosovo through the northern border with Serbia through Mitrovica or near Pristina. There are bus connections from Belgrade and Nis to Pristina and Prizren and from all the major towns in Serbia to the northern parts. The most used transport route is through North Macedonia and Pristina Airport....
Regions
Explore AreasKosovo was last to go its own way following the break up of former Yugoslavia; it declared independence in February 2008 but Serbia has not recognized it. By 2019, the Republic of Kosovo was recognize…...
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
The best way to travel intercity in Kosovo is by bus. The buses are relatively cheap and comfortable (for example from Pristina to Peja is €4), with discounts available for students. Payment is usually made on the bus to a representative of the bus company coming around once the journey has started - you may or may not receive a physical ticket, depending on the company. However, tickets for crossing the border can be bought in the bus station in Pristina and with travel agency in Prishtina or Prizren. The latter sometimes gives you the opportunity for a slight discount, in case you know the actual fare (see Gjirafa). Between some cities you may also have the option of minivans, running from nearby the main bus station. These leave when full and are usually a similar price to the regular buses. For major regional (but also country crossing) bus connections see Gjirafa for times and prices. It won't cover minibuses though, which also run but mostly between or to and from smaller towns.
Where to Stay
Accommodation in Kosovo can be expensive in hotels, but in Pristina, Prizren, Peja and Gjakova in particular, cheap accommodation (hostels or apartments) are very easy to find. Guesthouses are also dotted around throughout Kosovo, offering inexpensive alternatives. People in general are friendly and hospitable to tourists and you generally do not need to worry about crime. Since the end of the war, more than 200,000 international workers from over the world have worked in Kosovo and local people are used to foreigners. Don't let the politics stop you from visiting; tensions have risen now and then since the turn of century, but nearly all have been in the divided city of Mitrovica in the north of Kosovo. There is an international 5,000-person NATO peacekeeping force (a reinforcement was sent in June 2023). Like in much of the Balkans, land mines were heavily used during the Yugoslav wars.
Money & Budget
Kosovo uses the euro, like several other European countries. One euro is divided into 100 cents. The official symbol for the euro is €, and its ISO code is EUR. There is no official symbol for the cent. All banknotes and coins of this common currency are legal tender within all the countries, except that low-denomination coins (one and two cent) are phased out in some of them. The banknotes look the same across countries, while coins have a standard common design on the reverse, expressing the value, and a national country-specific design on the obverse. The obverse is also used for different designs of commemorative coins. The design of the obverse does not affect the coin's acceptability. Credit cards are widely accepted.
Language & Talk
Most people in Kosovo speak Albanian, while in Serb-majority areas, such as the north, Serbian is spoken - both are official languages and appear on road signs, etc. Young people, particularly in the major cities such as Pristina and Prizren, are likely to understand English, whereas the older generation are more likely to understand German. Turkish can be useful, and the Turkish minority which is concentrated mainly in Prizren speaks both Turkish and Albanian. A UNESCO World Heritage listing consisting of four religious edifices: Though Kosovo is not yet well known for its tourism, this is changing rapidly and definitely has something to offer for every type of traveller.
Safety Information
Safety Overview
People in general are friendly and hospitable to tourists and you generally do not need to worry about crime. Since the end of the war, more than 200,000 international workers from over the world have worked in Kosovo and local people are used to foreigners. Don't let the politics stop you from visiting; tensions have risen now and then since the turn of century, but nearly all have been in the divided city of Mitrovica in the north of Kosovo. There is an international 5,000-person NATO peacekeeping force (a reinforcement was sent in June 2023). Like in much of the Balkans, land mines were heavily used during the Yugoslav wars. Mines were a major problem in Kosovo in the first four years after the war; now they are generally left in remote areas and there are clear signs advising not to enter a certain space. Most of the mined areas are places where conflict took place (rural Central Kosovo and the Kosovo–Albania border region).