Backpacking in Pristina/Prishtina | Kosovo
July 17 2020 | Tagged: The Balkans
Top places of interest and other things worth seeing in Kosovo's capital Prishtina/Pristina/Prishtinë
Republic of Kosovo (Albanian: Republika e Kosovës) partially recognized state.
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia on February 17 2008.
As of March 2 2020, only 97 out of the 193 UN member states recognize Kosovo. For me, Kosovo is my 96th Country and Territory visited, see my all-time map.
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia on February 17 2008.
As of March 2 2020, only 97 out of the 193 UN member states recognize Kosovo. For me, Kosovo is my 96th Country and Territory visited, see my all-time map.
From Beograd, I travelled to Pristina. And I tell ya, I spent 6 nights in Pristina and I loved my time there.
I took the 10:35 bus out of Beograd (schedule reduced during Corona). A pretty straight forward run. The fare was 2,030RSD, journey time, 7 hrs 30. There is only 1 stop for the toilet so don't drink too much.
During Corona, masks must be worn but some don't care. At the Kosovo border near Plavkovo on the Raška Mitrovica road, passport stamped and temperature check. We stopped in Mitrovica and changed to a minivan.
It's a 30minute walk into town. I was heading for the Prishtina Center Hostel on Bulevardi Nëne Tereze. 9€ a night in a dorm room, great mattresses, 2 sockets, a light, a locker and curtain for each bed. Lots of communal space, well-equipped kitchen, free tea and coffee and very clean and awesome staff.
Behind the hostel is a Viva Fresh Family supermarket. You can get a 33cl Birra Prishtina for 0,59€ or 50cl cans of Birra Peja for 0,49€.
I took the 10:35 bus out of Beograd (schedule reduced during Corona). A pretty straight forward run. The fare was 2,030RSD, journey time, 7 hrs 30. There is only 1 stop for the toilet so don't drink too much.
During Corona, masks must be worn but some don't care. At the Kosovo border near Plavkovo on the Raška Mitrovica road, passport stamped and temperature check. We stopped in Mitrovica and changed to a minivan.
It's a 30minute walk into town. I was heading for the Prishtina Center Hostel on Bulevardi Nëne Tereze. 9€ a night in a dorm room, great mattresses, 2 sockets, a light, a locker and curtain for each bed. Lots of communal space, well-equipped kitchen, free tea and coffee and very clean and awesome staff.
Behind the hostel is a Viva Fresh Family supermarket. You can get a 33cl Birra Prishtina for 0,59€ or 50cl cans of Birra Peja for 0,49€.
Where to stay in Pristina:
The monument of unity and brotherhood: Symbolizing unity between the different ethnicities living in Pristina. Designed by Miodrag Zivkovic in 1957, constructed in 1959. As with all images from Pristina on this post, tap the image to get the Google Maps location.
Union Hotel: Built-in 1927 on the corner of Bulevardi Nene Tereze by the Pavarësisë park. The image is taken from the balcony at the Prishtina Center Hostel.
In 2001 Kosovo Albanians erected a monument of Skanderbeg, a medieval Albanian who fought against Ottoman forces, in the centre of Prishtina.
Radio Kosova building: Designed by the Slovenjia Projekt. A fine example of 80's style architecture, on George Bush Street.
Bill Clinton statue on Bulevardi Bill Klinton. Unveiled November 1 in 2009 as a way of thanking Bill Clinton for his help in their struggle with the Government of Yugoslavia.
Mother Teresa Cathedral
The Partisans Memorial, dedicated to the fallen partisans of the Pristina district during WWII, shame about all the graffiti.
The Corona situation as of July 15, a nightly curfew from 9 pm. Masks must be worn. Lots of police on patrol, checking for masks and ID and a few random temperature checkers. Mask-haters don't come to Pristina! Mask photo from the Nene Tereze cathedral.
Hand sanitiser station inside a small mall
Pristina's Youth and Sports Center
FC Prishtina badge outside the Stadiumi Fadil Vokrii
Pse ky po unë jo
Mother Teresa - Nene Tereza statue - Albanian-Indian Roman Catholic nun and missionary born in Skopje, then part of the Kosovo Vilayet of the Ottoman Empire
NEWBORN, typographic monument unveiled on 17 February 2008, the day that Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia. This image has been flipped as there is some work going on, on the 'correct side'.
Burek with cheese and spinach and Ayran 1€
Stone House Synagogue, the only surviving building from the original Pristina Bazaar
The Clock Tower - Sahat Kulla from the 19th century, constructed by Jashar Pasha, 26 meters tall with a circular staircase inside but today is not accessible.
The Kosovo Museum built in 1886 by the Austro Hungarians for the Ottoman administration. Used by the Yugoslav army from 1945 until the 1970s. Currently closed due to Corona.
Memorial built using 20,145 medals honoring the sacrifice of every ethnic Albanian woman during the 1998-1999 Kosovo War.
An example of Kosovo car license plate.
How to get to Pristina:
The Pristina bus station is shown below and its about a 30 minute walk into town. Hourly departures to Tirana and Skopje (Coronavirus permitting), as of July 20, no services to Skopje. Border to Serbia is open but limited services. 9pm Curfew in Pristina.
Pristina International Airport "Adem Jashari" is 20km Southwest of the city and under normal circumstances, bus #1A leaves on the hour, every hour from 4am til 9pm and the end stop is by the Grand Hotel
How to get to Pristina by train:
The only service running as of July 2020 is the 16:30 to Peja. The journey takes about 2 hours and you can pay on the train. 3€. I took the Pristina to Peja train later in the week.
Makeshift office in the kitchen of Prishtina Center Hostel. Cheers Pristina. Loved my stay here.
