Kosovo

January 20, 2025: While in Skopje, I was reminded by a friend that Kosovo is right next door and the capital, Pristina, is only a 90-minute drive away. Given that we were on our mission to cross off another country, we were eager to visit the youngest European country. The drive between the two capitals was straightforward, with mostly nicely paved highways. Pristina is a fairly small capital with most activities along Mother Theresa Blvd. One can spend as little as three hours or as much as a weekend here. Given we had to drive back on the same day, we chose the former and felt that we covered all we needed to see in Kosovo.

*Highly recommended food

• Border crossing (Mandatory rental car insurance needs to be purchased at the border to enter Kosovo: €15 for 15 days)

• Gracanica Monastery (free admission; UNESCO World Heritage Site; no photos inside)

• Pristina:

  • Park @ 038 Parking Center (€1/hr; centrally located)

  • Biblioteka Kombetare

  • Newborn Monument

  • Lunch @ Tiffany*

  • Cocktail @ Soma Book Station (would not recommend for cocktails)

  • Mother Teresa Square

  • Bill Clinton Statue

• Border Crossing

Other food/drink spots:

• Cocktails @ Churchill, Swiss Diamond Hotel Pristina, Tintin cocktail bar

• Lunch @ Shaban Grill House, Albanezi Restaurant Traditional Food

• Dinner @ Salt Prishtina, HOME Restaurant

• Visit other cities/villages such as Prizren, Paja, and Gracanica.

Tips:

• The official currency is the euro.

• There are direct buses between Skopje and Pristina.

• Albanian and Serbian are the official languages. In tourist areas, many people speak English