pinterest pin 4 Best Places to Visit in Kosovo

Prologue

In the Summer of 2019, we decided to set off for a marathon road run, A Summer in Eastern Europe | An 8000 km Road Trip across Slovenia, Albania, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Bulgaria, Romania, and Slovakia from the Netherlands | Travel Itinerary, Tips, and Tricks, which was our second marathon road trip across the Eastern European countries after our famous road trip An Easter in Eastern Europe | A 6000 km Road Trip across Poland, Slovakia, Romania, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Austria from the Netherlands | Travel Itinerary, Tips, and Tricks in Easter 2019. So based on our experience, today I’m going to take you along with me on a ride across the best places to visit in the partially recognized nation of Kosovo. Let the journey begin!

The History behind the Birth of Kosovo

The Republic of Kosovo is a partially recognized country and a disputed area in Southeastern Europe. Kosovo became part of the Ottoman Empire from the 15th to the early 20th century. In the late 19th century, it came to be the center of the Albanian National Awakening. Following their defeat in the Balkan Wars, the Ottomans ceded Kosovo to Serbia and Montenegro. Both nations became a part of Yugoslavia after World War I. After a duration of Yugoslav Unitarianism in the Kingdom, the post-World War II Yugoslav constitution gave birth to the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within the Yugoslav constituent republic of Serbia. Tensions in between Kosovo's Albanian as well as Serb neighborhoods simmered through the 20th century and periodically erupted into significant physical violence, resulting in the Kosovo War of 1998 and 1999, which caused the withdrawal of the Yugoslav army as well as the establishment of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo. On February 17, 2008, Kosovo unilaterally stated its freedom from Serbia. It has since acquired recognition as a sovereign state by 102 United Nations member states. Serbia does not recognize Kosovo as a sovereign state, although it has accepted its institutions with the Brussels Agreement of 2013. While Serbia acknowledges administration of the region by Kosovo's chosen government, it continues to claim it as the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija.

4 Best Places to visit in Kosovo

Map courtesy of Wanderlog, a trip planner on iOS and Android

1. Gračanica Monastery

Gračanica Monastery is a Serbian Orthodox monastery situated in Kosovo. It was constructed by the Serbian monarch Stefan Milutin in 1321 on the ruins of a 6th-century basilica. The monastery was announced as a Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance in 1990. On July 13, 2006, it earned its position on UNESCO's Globe Heritage List under Medieval Monuments in Kosovo as an expansion of the Visoki Dečani site, which was included on the List of Globe Heritage in Danger.

When we went to the monastery, a serene Kosovar marriage ceremony was being held where the guests were in their traditional outfits, and the officiating Orthodox priest of the monastery was in a black robe. While we waited for the wedding to be finished to take photographs within the monastery, we also spent an excellent time walking around the compound and enjoying the flowers in the monastery gardens.

lady touching flower in the gardens of Gračanica Monastery kosovo

2. Bill Clinton Statue

After the Kosovo War of 1998 to 1999, Albanians in Kosovo intended to give thanks to previous U.S. President Bill Clinton for his aid in their battle with the federal government of Yugoslavia. A 10-foot-high (3.0 m) sculpture of Clinton was erected on the boulevard on November 1, 2009, at an event in which the former president spoke.

bill clinton statue in pristina prishtina kosovo

3. Newborn Monument

The Newborn Monument (NEWBORN) is a typographic sculpture and tourist attraction in Pristina, the capital of Kosovo. It lies in front of the Palace of Youth and Sports. It was inaugurated on February 17, 2008, when Kosovo officially stated its independence from Serbia. The structure consists of the English word "Newborn" in block letters, painted in bright yellow with blue banners to stand for the European Union colors when the sculpture was first revealed. It was later repainted with the flags of the states that have recognized Kosovo. At the introduction of the monolith, it was announced that it would be painted in different ways on every anniversary of Kosovo's independence movement day each year. The monument drew in the focus of international media reporting Kosovo's movement declaration of independence, as it was included prominently on the front page of The New York Times.

newborn monument made with english alphabet letters in graffiti style in prishtina pristina kosovo

boy standing near newborn monument made with english alphabet letters in graffiti style in prishtina pristina kosovo

4. Heroinat Memorial

The Heroinat Memorial honors the sacrifice and contribution of all ethnic Albanian women throughout the 1998-1999 Kosovo War, during which 20,000 Kosovar ladies were raped. Most of these war crimes stay untried, and a few of the victims still deal with those horrifying memories and marks every day to this day. For this reason, each of the 20,145 medals is committed to every female's sacrifice for their nation, whatever age or line of work. And by these 20,145 medals, the face of the heroine of Kosovo is developed. The portrait shows dignity, commitment, education, care, guts, and endurance. This memorial also won the well-known Golden A' Design Award at Architecture, Building, and Structure Design Competition among hundreds of designs.

heroinat memorial in prishtina pristina kosovo

Visiting Kosovo

Best Time to Visit: Late spring (May to June) and early fall (September to October) are the ideal seasons to visit Kosovo. The weather is mild and pleasant throughout these times, making them perfect for outdoor activities and sightseeing. It can get very hot during the summer (July to August), but it's still an excellent time to visit urban regions. We traveled to Kosovo in July.

Number of Days to Stay: Two to three days is a good amount of time to spend visiting Kosovo. This gives ample time to see important cities like Pristina, explore historical places like Gračanica Monastery, and take in the area's breathtaking scenery.

Best Place to Stay: Because of its convenient location, modern amenities, and lively cultural ambiance, the nation's capital city is the greatest place to stay. It's a great starting point for discovering Kosovo. We did a day trip to Kosovo from North Macedonia and hence did not stay in Kosovo.

Best Way to Arrive: The best way to get to Kosovo by plane is through Pristina International Airport, which is the primary international airport and is situated around 15 km from the capital. It is connected to multiple cities in Europe. From nearby nations including Serbia, Albania, North Macedonia, and Montenegro, buses provide a frequent and dependable means of traveling to Kosovo. Traveling from nearby nations to Kosovo by car is another alternative. The majority of the roads are decent, and owning a car allows you more freedom to explore the area. We drove into Kosovo from North Macedonia. However, since Kosovo is not a member of the European International Green Card System for automobile insurance. So when we entered Kosovo, we had to buy a minimum of 7-day insurance worth €15 at the border, which is a time-consuming but hassle-free process.

Best Local Mode of Conveyance: The best local mode of conveyance is public transportation, which primarily consists of buses and minibuses (furgons). The prices are reasonably priced, and they connect Kosovo's main cities and communities. In towns and cities, taxis are accessible. They are not too expensive, but if the taxi does not have a meter, it is best to negotiate the fare beforehand. If you want to see Kosovo at your own speed and especially want to visit some of the more remote regions, renting a car is a great alternative. The road system is quite well developed. Within cities like Pristina, walking is the ideal mode to explore them since many of the local sights are within close proximity.

Epilogue

So that brings us to the end of our journey across the 4 best places to visit in the partially recognized nation of Kosovo. Please let us know in the comments below if you enjoyed reading this article.

If you wish to read the day-by-day account of our complete 8000 km road run across Eastern Europe during Summer 2019, please visit our article A Summer in Eastern Europe | An 8000 km Road Trip across Slovenia, Albania, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Bulgaria, Romania, and Slovakia from the Netherlands | Travel Itinerary, Tips, and Tricks. And if you want to read the day-by-day account of our 6000 km road run across Eastern Europe during Easter 2019, please visit our article An Easter in Eastern Europe | A 6000 km Road Trip across Poland, Slovakia, Romania, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Austria from the Netherlands | Travel Itinerary, Tips, and Tricks. Until then, merry traveling and happy shooting!