Novi Pazar

Novi Pazar is a city of 100,000 people (2011) in Podrinje. The city is the cultural centre of the Bosniaks in Serbia and the region of Sandžak. A multicultural area of Muslims and Orthodox Christians, many monuments of both religions, like the Altun-Alem Mosque and the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, are found in the region which has a total of 30 protected monuments of culture.

By bus
Buses from Belgrade depart frequently (5-6 hours; €15 one-way)

From Bosnia and Herzegovina

Buses from Sarajevo run daily, departing at 15:00 and 22:00 (7½ hours, €15 one-way or €22 with a return ticket - return has to be within a month).

From Montenegro

Buses from Podgorica depart several times a day  (€12-15; 5-6 hours, depending on lines at the Montenegro-Serbia border). This route goes through the mountains of Montenegro and is among the most scenic in Europe; if you want some nice sunset photos, get a seat on one of day/late afternoon departures.

From Kosovo

Buses from Pristina depart daily at 08:30, 14:20, and 18:30. 3-3.5 hours to Novi Pazar, €7.50. As of August 2018, Serbian border control is strict about passport stamps for passengers on this bus, checking closely that foreigners entered Kosovo through Serbia rather than via another country.

From North Macedonia

Buses to Skopje, North Macedonia depart daily, and also make stops in Mitrovica and Pristina.

Get around
Walk around, it’s a small, but charming city with a decent pedestrian street with many cafés in the city center.

Taxis are pink and easy to spot.

Do
Talk with locals; there are not that many tourists in the city and people may not speak much English. However, many of those who fled to other European counties during the 1990s war have returned and are fluent in German, French or Swedish.

Buy
The region is known for pršuta, air—dried or smoked beef, available as tenderloin or sausage links.



Go next

 * Kosovo: Mitrovica and Pristina
 * Kraljevo
 * Skopje, North Macedonia