Kosovo 8-day discovery tour

Pristina Airport - Pristina

Day 1: Welcome to Kosovo

Welcome to Kosovo, the youngest country in Europe. On arrival, you'll meet your guide at the airport and head to the city centre of Pristina. This is the political and economic capital of Kosovo and it is ripe for exploration.

Once you've checked in to your hotel, the rest of the day and evening is free for you to find out more about this vibrant city, its nightlife and food scene.

Pristina - Mitrovica - Pristina

Day 2: Pristina and beyond

After breakfast, start a guided tour of Pristina, the newest and smallest capital in the Balkans. It already has everything you'd expect of a large metropolis, with a lively city centre brimming with cafes and restaurants. Choose one to enjoy a traditional lunch serving local and organic products and discover excellent Albanian gastronomy. 

You'll then head off in the direction of Mitrovica for a walk in the most divided city in the Balkans. Since 1999, the Ibar river serves as a border between the small North Mitrovica, mainly Serbian, and the large South Mitrovica, mainly populated by Albanians.

On the way back to Pristina, stop at Gazimestan. Built in 1953, it depicts the famous Battle of Kosovo Polje, which took place on 15 June 1389 and saw a coalition of Balkan forces facing the expanding Ottoman Empire.

Back in Pristina, the evening is free for you to explore some more.  

Pristina - Peja

Day 3: Peja's culture and waterfalls

After breakfast, depart for Peja, the largest city in western Kosovo, located at the foot of the Rugova mountains.

Set off to the Drin Blanc waterfall and stroll to the top, where you'll reach the 'Sleeping Beauty' caves, which you will explore, taking in the galleries sculpted over centuries by the force of the water.

Check into your hotel, then enjoy lunch in a traditional restaurant of your choice in Peja. Afterwards, visit the Patriarchal Monastery of Peja, one of the strongholds of the Orthodox religion in the region. Admire its many well-preserved frescoes, as well as the calm and serene atmosphere that pervades this place.

Visit the Ethnological Museum of Peja, where you will immerse yourself in the traditional life of 20th-century Kosovars.

In the evening, make sure you take time to enjoy the hotel spa or opt for a gala dinner accompanied by traditional Albanian music and dance.

Peja - Velika Hoca - Prizren

Day 4: Cultural road to Prizren

After breakfast, depart for the UNESCO-recognised Visoki Decani Monastery, dating from the 14th century. Admire the frescoes, powerfully inspired by Byzantine art, in particular by the Church of Saint-Sauveur in Constantinople. You will then go to a Kula, a traditional Albanian house to discover village life here in the past.

Next, take the road to Gjakova, a charming town with an authentic old centre and many craft stalls, where you'll meet local craftspeople who practice trades that no longer exist in Western Europe. You'll discover manufacturers of Plis (traditional Albanian hat), diep (wooden cradles), as well as Albanian seamstresses.

Continue towards Prizren (your home for tonight), stopping in the village of Velika Hoca, a Serbian enclave in the heart of Kosovo. Meet a family whose wine production dates back to the 13th century and taste several wines and rakias.

Prizren

Day 5: Exploring Prizren

After breakfast, we'll visit an organic farm to learn about the process of making delicious Sharr cheese, with an opportunity to try it too.

Next, enjoy a guided tour of the cultural and historical capital of Kosovo, Prizren. Surrounded by mountainous landscapes, discover the old Ottoman city centre, where the Lumbardhi River flows. Cobbled streets and the teahouses in the old bazaar give Prizren a unique Ottoman charm, with its three religious enclosures nearby: the Sinan Pasha Mosque, the Saint George Orthodox Cathedral and the Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Relief. Find a traditional restaurant for a lunch stop, then you have an opportunity to visit a filigree factory, making traditional Albanian jewellery originating in ancient Egypt.

Enjoy the rest of your day with some free time to drive to Prizren Fortress for stunning views of the city.

Prizren - Gračanica

Day 6: Romans and ruins

Enjoy breakfast followed by a free morning in Prizren then, in the afternoon, we depart towards Gračanica through the Sharr Mountains.

Visit Ulpiana, the largest archaeological site in the country, covering 33 hectares. It houses the remains of a Roman city founded by Emperor Trajan at the turn of the 1st century AD.

Next, we go to Janjevo, an abandoned Croatian village. Your visit here will retrace the history of the Croatian community that settled in Janjevo in the 14th century; an important economic centre for the Croats who worked alongside the Saxons in the mines of Novo Brdo and Kopaonik.

You will then reach Gračanica, a Serbian village located ten minutes from Pristina. Drop off your luggage at the hotel and enjoy some free time in this magnificent natural setting.

Gračanica

Day 7: Monasteries, bears and beautiful walks

After breakfast, visit the UNESCO-listed Gračanica Monastery.

You'll leave in the direction of the Bear Sanctuary, a park in which the many bears that were previously kept in captivity in private restaurants in Kosovo and Albania are now being cared for.

Your next stop is Kukaj, a small village where you can enjoy a traditional Albanian meal such as Flija (a crêpe-like pie) prepared in front of you by women from the region.

After lunch, head to Novo Brdo Castle located on the heights of a plateau and offering a splendid panoramic view of the region. (An optional four-hour hike is possible for groups limited to 20 people).

In the evening, head back to your hotel for relaxation and a final dinner.

Gračanica - Pristina Airport

Day 8: Farewell to Kosovo

After breakfast, enjoy some free time in your hotel until your transfer to Pristina airport for your return flight home.