Pristina

Pristina (Albanian: Prishtinë, Serbian: Priština), the capital city of Kosovo, is not beautiful: it is messy, with centuries-old Ottoman heritage competing with communist designs and post-communist architectural monstrosities. However, there is a powerful draw to this city of 162,000 people (2011), offering much to passing visitors.

Understand
As the youngest capital city in Europe, Pristina has the physical remnants of the periods of old and new. After a rapid modernization campaign in the mid-20th century, much of the historic centre was destroyed and, as a result, only a small portion remains. However amongst what's left are many hidden gems to be found, and the areas that were lost have been replaced by modern structures and monuments that speak more to Kosovo's fascinating recent history than to any other period of time. Whilst the concrete jungle of Pristina's centre can be quite overwhelming, there are plenty of opportunities to get out into the nature of the city's parks and its beautiful rolling outskirts, as well as an abundance of easy day trip possibilities all around the region. Along the main boulevard, Rr Nëne Terezë/Mother Teresa St., you can feel a palpable energy from the wide mix of amiable, welcoming locals and international residents enjoying the bustling street life and vibrant coffee culture that exists during the day.

Come the evening, restaurants, bars and nightclubs across the city fill with a variety of customers and music, offering many options, from a quiet local beer with friends to a heavy night of dancing that can last well into the next day. Pristina is a city that loves to almost constantly host events and festivals, so chances are high that you'll walk into a unique cultural experience that you hadn't anticipated.


 * Pristina Tourist Information Office

Talk
The main language you will hear in the street is Albanian. English is widely spoken in the 3-km² space in the centre of town where internationals and those working for international organizations predominate. The further you go from the centre, the less likely you will be to hear English spoken. However, most people from Pristina, especially young people, speak at least a little English, or will happily find a friend who does, so you are unlikely to have any difficulties getting by.

Navigating around the city is easy even if you don't speak or read Albanian. The city centre is small and walkable (though watch out for crazy drivers who often hop sidewalks and plow through intersections), and people are generally receptive to efforts to communicate in broken Albanian and English. Serbian is Kosovo's other official language, but it is seldom heard on the streets in the capital. You should be able to speak Serbian in some government offices, but you should avoid speaking it in public, except in Serbian areas, where you should be avoid speaking in Albanian. German is easily the next most widely spoken foreign language. Ties between the Kosovo Albanian diaspora in Germany and Switzerland and Kosovo are very strong, as many older Kosovo Albanians have lived and worked in Germany and Switzerland.

By plane


Getting there and away:
 * By bus – Public bus line 1A to and from the airport costs €3 and leaves every two hours between 08:00-24:00 from the airport and between 07:00-23:00 from Pristina—although in September 2023 the airport website states opening hours to 20:00.
 * By taxi – There is a fixed price for taxis from the airport to Pristina of €25.

By bus


There/away by taxi: If you decide to take a taxi from the bus station, try to get the ones that are branded since they have taximeters which starts at €1.50, and overall are cheaper than private ones. A trip to the city center should cost no more than €3. Anything more than this is a ripoff. Some of the drivers will even quote you prices as high as €15.You can negotiate the price with the private ones, and you should agree ahead about the price to your destination.

Coming in Kosovo from the surrounding countries is fairly easy, due to the amount of buses with a regular daily schedule.

Bus from Albania
Bus from Tirana: 05:30; 06:00; 07:00; 14:00; 14:30; 15:00; 16:00; 17:00; 17:30; 18:00; 20:00. The ticket price is €10 one way or €15 return and takes at least 4 hours due to the numerous stops.

Bus from Shkodër is at: 17:40; 19:40; and 21:10. The bus actually departs at Ulcinj in Montenegro and stops in the city's outskirts and stops to pick up people up in Shkodër before going onwards to Pristina. The ticket price is between €12-15.

Bus from Bosnia and Herzegovina
Overnight bus from Sarajevo (east) runs daily, departing at 22:00, via Novi Pazar, Serbia. At the ticket office in Sarajevo, you have to buy a ticket to Novi Pazar. Don't worry: the same bus continues on to Pristina, so when you get to Novi Pazar, just stay on the bus and tell the ticket person that you want to buy a ticket to Pristina. Trip to Novi Pazar takes about 7½ hours (€15 one-way or €22 with a return ticket - return has to be within a month) and arrives in Novi Pazar at around 05:30, just stay on the same bus and buy the ticket to Pristina (€7 one-way, takes about 3 hours).

Alternatively, you can take the day bus from Sarajevo to Novi Pazar (Bus departs daily from Sarajevo at 15:00, takes about 7 hours, €15 one-way). Spend the night there and continue on to Pristina the next day as buses depart frequently through the day; buses from Novi Pazar to Skopje, North Macedonia also make stops in Mitrovica and Pristina. This bus stops on the road right outside of the main bus station in Pristina.

Bus from Montenegro
Bus from Podgorica runs daily, once a day, starts at 21:30. The ticket price is €16-18.

Bus from Ulcinj is at: 16:00; 18:00; 19:30. The ticket price is €15, one way.

Bus from North Macedonia
Bus from Skopje starts at 08:00 or 10:00, several times a day until 18/19:00. (550 denar or €10, one-way) (as of Dec 2022).

Bus from Serbia
Bus from Belgrade: 12:00; 16:30; 21:30. The ticket is €15 one way.

Bus from Niš is at: 08:00; 13:45. The ticket is €8-10.

Bus from Novi Pazar (see the section on traveling by bus from Bosnia and Herzegovina)

On general information on border crossing between Serbia and Kosovo, see Kosovo.

By train
There are trains which travel from North Macedonia and Serbia to Pristina. These take a long time to get there. See Kosovo

By car
Apart from the highway to Albania and the modern one to the border with Macedonia, the connection with other cities is fairly close but roads are not well maintained and traffic can be heavy at times.

By bus
City buses run every 5 minutes on the main central routes (Lines 3 and 4), while other lines run every 15 minutes. The last bus is at 23:30. The cost is €0.50 (2023) and payment is made to a conductor on the bus. See the map of bus lines, this is out of date but can be used as a general guide - for example, as of September 2023 Line 2 no longer runs, and some bus stops have new names. The closure of bulevardi Xhorxh Bush to traffic until November 2023 means some lines taking diversions. Further information including routes and timetables can be found (in Albanian) on the Trafiku Urban website.

By taxi
Taxis are abundant with prices starting at €1.50. Make sure to pick a branded taxi since those are metered. No trip around the centre or from the centre to Arbëria, Velania, Sunny Hill (Kodra e Diellit), etc. should cost more than €4. All taxi companies use online communication platforms like Viber and WhatsApp.

By car
The roads in Pristina (and in general throughout Kosovo) are pretty good, but improvements are still being made. Nevertheless, caution should be made about slow moving vehicles. Traffic is heavy during working hours in Pristina and in the summer when diaspora comes. Sometimes you might get stuck in traffic due to road repairs/improvements. There is a free toll highway from the border with Albania (Morine border crossing) all the way to Pristina, which takes just more than an hour to get too, compared to 3 hours that it used to take.

Museums and galleries

 * National Museum of Kosovo.jpg
 * Goddess on the Throne is a terracotta figurine found at a site near Pristina in 1956. It represents a well-preserved specimen of small Neolithic artifacts from the Vinca culture (5700–4500 BC). The figurine represents a female deity, representing the cult of the great mother idol. It is considered one of Kosovo's most precious archaeological artifacts and is preserved in the National Museum of the country. The Museum and the Municipality of Pristina has adopted the image of the 'Goddess' as the institution’s distinctive logo.Hyjnesha muze.jpg
 * Goddess on the Throne is a terracotta figurine found at a site near Pristina in 1956. It represents a well-preserved specimen of small Neolithic artifacts from the Vinca culture (5700–4500 BC). The figurine represents a female deity, representing the cult of the great mother idol. It is considered one of Kosovo's most precious archaeological artifacts and is preserved in the National Museum of the country. The Museum and the Municipality of Pristina has adopted the image of the 'Goddess' as the institution’s distinctive logo.Hyjnesha muze.jpg


 * Ethnographic Museum in Prishtina.jpg

Parks




Do

 * Stay out late because the streets are safe and Albanians love foreigners. Also go out to bars and such, as they are usually filled but make sure you drink some "Peja" beer (Key word PEJA)
 * Privately owned outdoor swimming pools are springing up around Kosovo, some just outside the city and worth the euro to cool off in the summer.
 * Hike to the Bear Sanctuary through Gërmia Park. It is a good 8 km from the city but with rewarding views on a good day. From the sanctuary you can take back the bus along the main road—see sanctuary website for more details.
 * Watch football – Fadil Vokrri Stadium, capacity 13,500, in city centre, hosts Kosovo's national soccer team. It's also the home ground of Pristina FC, who play in Football Superleague of Kosovo, the country's top tier: they often win it and qualify for European competitions.
 * Privately owned outdoor swimming pools are springing up around Kosovo, some just outside the city and worth the euro to cool off in the summer.
 * Hike to the Bear Sanctuary through Gërmia Park. It is a good 8 km from the city but with rewarding views on a good day. From the sanctuary you can take back the bus along the main road—see sanctuary website for more details.
 * Watch football – Fadil Vokrri Stadium, capacity 13,500, in city centre, hosts Kosovo's national soccer team. It's also the home ground of Pristina FC, who play in Football Superleague of Kosovo, the country's top tier: they often win it and qualify for European competitions.

Places

 * National Theatre, Pristina 2012.JPG



Festivals and events
Kosovo's festival scene is on the rise throughout the Balkans. There are many festivals that take place throughout the year in Pristina. New festivals are also popping up all of the time. If you are planning to travel to Pristina it is a great idea to see if any of the major festivals are happening throughout your stay. The most popular festivals in Pristina are centered on music, art and alcohol. The most up-to-date information for festivals can be found on their Facebook page


 * Manifesta 14 Prishtina – A prominent European contemporary art event, that will take place in the summer of 2022 for a 100-day programme of exhibitions, workshops, tours and events all around town.
 * Sunny Hill Festival – An international music festival organized by Sunny Hill Foundation taking place in Gërmia Park since 2018. The 3-day festival occurs in early August and hosts big names in the modern music industry, such as: Miley Cyrus, Calvin Harris, Martin Garrix, Dua Lipa, etc.
 * Beer and Wine Festival – Usually takes place at the end of June on the platform behind “Newborn” monument. The Beer and Wine Festival is set up with several booths selling local and international beers at low prices. The festival has two large music stages and gets quite lively late at night. It can sometimes be difficult with queues but once you get in there is plenty of space for everyone to have a good time.
 * PriFilm fest – Multiple stages around town (+383 38 221 144). PriFilm Fest is one of Pristina's most famous international film festivals. The festival is set up with multiple screening locations around town. PriFilm Fest presents the city with many first time premieres in Kosovo and world premieres. The quality of films that are shown are quite remarkable. The festival is also known for their after parties.
 * Erdhlezeti (Fazli Grajcevci across from Dit e Nat bar) – This annual block party music festival takes place in the parking lot across from the well known café Dit' e Nat'. This festival is dedicated to music, the change of seasons and especially to the arrival of Summer. Beer, barbecue and love are the other ingredients that make this day special. It is a favourite with bands playing live into the night.
 * Visions of Beyond (hapesira) (Kalaja e Harilaqit) – Visions of Beyond is festival that combines techno music with cultural heritage. The festival takes place yearly at a fortress on one of the small mountains overlooking Pristina. The organizers bring in up-and-coming DJs from Western Europe that transport us to a new place and time.
 * Turkish Jazz Week – Turkish Jazz Week (typically during the month of May) brings together Turkish and Kosovar musicians to serenade us with their beautiful sounds for a week long every year.
 * NO RECESS – The newest arts platform in Pristina, Kosovo, spontaneously launched but aiming to become a sustainable, long-term project. NO RECESS Live Music Festival is a 7-day event that will bring seven live performances (one each night of the festival) by international and local alternative music artists.

Buy

 * For shopping, Pristina is full of good bargains but low on selection. Silver is sold in the old quarter and is a pretty good value; Albanians are known throughout the former Yugoslavia as silversmiths.
 * The outdoor bookstalls adjacent to the Grand Hotel are a good place to pick up your copy of the Code of Lekë Dukagjini. Or a map of Pristina that most likely has names for all the streets no one has ever heard of.
 * For shopping, Pristina is full of good bargains but low on selection. Silver is sold in the old quarter and is a pretty good value; Albanians are known throughout the former Yugoslavia as silversmiths.
 * The outdoor bookstalls adjacent to the Grand Hotel are a good place to pick up your copy of the Code of Lekë Dukagjini. Or a map of Pristina that most likely has names for all the streets no one has ever heard of.
 * For shopping, Pristina is full of good bargains but low on selection. Silver is sold in the old quarter and is a pretty good value; Albanians are known throughout the former Yugoslavia as silversmiths.
 * The outdoor bookstalls adjacent to the Grand Hotel are a good place to pick up your copy of the Code of Lekë Dukagjini. Or a map of Pristina that most likely has names for all the streets no one has ever heard of.

Eat
There are a variety of restaurants with something for everyone's taste. Radio taxi drivers will know the location of most major restaurants frequented by internationals. Try a traditional qebabtore (you can find one anywhere), or a Turkish doner shop (best ones around the corner from Payton Place, near UNDP) for a real taste of the local food and great value. If you are a foreigner you may have to do a fair bit of pointing to order, but it should be worth it.

Drink
Pristina is a destination known for the experience it provides. A massive part of that experience will be sightseeing the many cafés and bars that have diverse yet stylish interiors around town. The nightlife and festival scene in Pristina has improved rapidly in the past two years and is predominantly known for techno music. Whilst visiting Pristina you will not go thirsty, thanks to the variety of local, low cost delights. The water is clear and safe to drink in Pristina. As a foreigner, you will not have a problem drinking water from the tap, but if you prefer bottled water there are 13 local water brands for you to consume.

A unique quality of Pristina is the passion behind the coffee culture, and emphasis on the craft of making espresso-based coffee. Internationals have assisted in spreading the word about how delicious the macchiato are in cafés around town. Kosovo baristas and patrons have high expectations for how well coffee is made and care put into producing each cup for the city that loves to drink coffee. The Kosovo macchiato can be described as stronger, shorter latte (or a flat white to those from down under) and is served either small (similar to a piccolo) or large (a regular size).

Pristina's bars and cafés stock some of the best local spirits produced around the country. The most common local beer that you will find around town is Peja. Peja beer is an easy to drink lager made in the west of Kosovo. Other local beers you can find around town are Pristina, Greembeer and Sabaja. Sabaja is the only local craft brewery in Kosovo. Most wine produced in Kosovo comes from in and around Rahovec in the south west of Kosovo. Local wines have improved over time and you are often served a heavy pour for a fair price at most cafes and bars. Wine marketing is still up and coming in Kosovo, so when you order at a bar it is regular practice to order in a general fashion; red, white or rose. Don't let this discourage you from asking the waiter about the wine options they have at their establishment. Most establishments will stock a variety. Rajika (Raki), local homemade brandy, is served at most cafes and bars around town. Raki (singular form) is served in a shot glass and meant to be sipped and enjoyed. It can be made from various fruits and nuts, however the most popular varieties you can find in Pristina bars are grape, pear, apple and quince.

In addition to the wide variety of cafes and bars you can find around town, you also have constant events happening on the main boulevard, such as a Christmas market in November or December serving mulled wine and warm spiced rum every day and night. It is worth taking a wander throughout the boulevard during your stay as Pristina is famous in the region for the constant pop-up festivals that occur. These include fresh fruit and vegetable markets, coffee and tea festival, wine and local craft festivals and more, all taking place on the main boulevard throughout the year.

Most locals refer to Pristina's café/bar scene by splitting it up into four main areas/roads lined with bars and cafes open daily from 08:00-00:00. These four main streets are in the city center perpendicular to the main pedestrian boulevard.

Smoking is still allowed in bars and clubs all over Kosovo. This can be off-putting, but once won't kill you.

Four areas

 * ABC street (Rr. Rexhep Luci) – In the heart of the city center with ABC Cinema at the top of the street. The street is lined with cafés and bars most of which serve food.
 * Pishat street (Rr. Qamil Hoxha) – Off the main boulevard in the center of Pristina. This street has several cafés with vibrant interiors and a famous traditional restaurant at the top.
 * Kafe e Vogel street (Rr. Fehmi Agani) – Lined with expat-focused restaurants on one side and local, chill cafés on the other end. At the top of this well-known café/bar street in town you will also find an English pub (Back Garden Pub) with a pub quiz every Thursday night.
 * Raki Street (Rr. 2 Korriku) – The most frequented street in town Kosovo's youth. This street is happening during the day just a few small tavernas on each side serving local grilled cuisine. During the evenings (especially Wednesday, Friday and Saturday) the street is full of young people hanging out, drinking and people watching. This street is famous for its variety of low cost, local raki and delicious low cost grilled meats.

Cafes and bars
When you are strolling around town in Pristina you will see a variety of combination cafes/bars/restaurants. It is quite typical for most establishments to serve food although some only have drink menus. The majority of cafes/bars that you see are open daily (with the exception of Sundays for about half) from 08:00-00:00. The majority serves coffee, soda, juice, beer, wine, raki and basic spirits. It is recommended to experience multiple cafes/bars during your stay in Pristina. You will find the wait staff to be friendly and almost always you can find someone that speaks English to help you out. The best way to find the location and events for each bar/café is to use their Facebook pages.



Clubs and festivals
Pristina's nightlife is on the rise and becoming one of Europe's leading capitals for techno music. Although Pristina is known for its techno music you can experience an array of talented artists from genres such as traditional, jazz, rock, popular, rap, new age and more. For live music Pristina offers constant cool jazz scenes for you to enjoy and jam sessions to delight! Throughout the region, Pristina has a reputation for the amount of festivals that take place and are created each year. If you are interested in experiencing some of the best electronic music offered in Pristina exhibited through pop up parties throughout the year follow the promotion company Hapesira. The employees at Hapesira are the front-runners of the electronic music scene in Pristina. Pristina's club scene varies from casual Berlin style parties to classy, well-dressed establishments. Although small, the city gives off the vibe that it has something for everyone if you just know where to go. For up-to-date information on events at each club please refer to their Facebook pages.

Clubs
The amount of locations is constantly evolving, as of 2022/2023 check out:

Besides, these are some established ones:

Sleep
Accommodation can be very expensive in Pristina, as everything is tailored for internationals on expense accounts and hefty per diems. If you look around you should be able to find fliers offering accommodation. If you can find these places, go there as the cost is usually €10-15 per night.

Splurge








Stay safe
In the Dardania neighbourhood (the residential blocks between the bus station and the centre), be careful when the beggar children are around: they may follow you for a while, speaking (presumably in Albanian), and may just come too suspiciously close to your bag and pockets behind you in the meantime.

Pristina is rebuilding, and some of the city roads now are new, but if you are driving, you still must be on the lookout for large potholes.

Embassies and other diplomatic missions

 * 🇦🇱 Albania
 * 🇧🇪 Belgium


 * 🇨🇳 China


 * Czechia


 * 🇩🇪 Germany
 * 🇭🇺 Hungary


 * 🇮🇹 Italy


 * 🇯🇵 Japan
 * North Macedonia


 * 🇫🇮 Finland
 * 🇫🇷 France


 * 🇱🇺 Luxembourg


 * 🇲🇪 Montenegro


 * 🇳🇱 Netherlands


 * 🇳🇴 Norway


 * 🇷🇴 Romania


 * 🇷🇺 Russia


 * 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
 * 🇺🇸 United States
 * 🇸🇰 Slovakia


 * 🇸🇮 Slovenia


 * 🇸🇪 Sweden


 * 🇨🇭 Switzerland

Go next

 * Gjakova – The western Kosovan city with the largest Ottoman-era bazaar in the Balkans, is 89 km, 90 minutes and €4 away by bus.
 * Prizren – Can be interesting. Buses depart from the bus terminal or you could hire a taxi for the day.
 * Gračanica – Nearby, and can be arranged by taxi for roughly €5 from near Albi Mall.
 * Novo Brdo – A rural area with diverse food and activities.
 * Skopje (North Macedonia) – The capital city is only a two-hour bus ride from town, buses depart regularly from the bus station. The trip will cost €5, or €10 using the Skopje airport shuttle.