'''Pristina''' (Albanian: ''Prishtina''; Serbo-Croatian: ''_P___y_____y_~_p Pri?tina'') is the capital city of Kosovo.

Get in

The easiest way to get to Pristina is by plane. There are direct flights to Pristina International Airport [http://www.airportpristina.com] from New York, London, Zurich, Geneva, Gothenburg, Copenhagen [http://www.flysas.com/ks], Vienna, Hamburg, Hannover, Dusseldorf, Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich, Stuttgart, Bremen, Rome, Verona, Ljubljana, Budapest, Tirana, Istanbul. The only low-budget flights to Pristina you can find are from Liege, Belgium. There are cheap connecting flights via Tirana and Ljubljana, but also from most of German airports.

Also, Skopje International Airport is 110 km away (two hours). The bus to Pristina from Skopje takes about two hours and costs ?4.50. The last bus in both directions leaves at 5pm.

From Albania, there are several daily direct bus connections to Pristina, from Tirana and Durres. From Tirana is a direct flight to Pristina every day.

There are also direct bus links from most cities in Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Bulgaria, Turkey, Macedonia, Bosnia, and Montenegro. From Podgorica in Montenegro there are at least two night buses (9pm and 10pm, approx 5 1/2 hrs) that run via Peja ?16. The Prishtina bus station is quite a safe place to await sunrise (I was there on a Sunday morning). From Serbia there are several direct buses from Belgrade (6 hours, 1 day bus & 2 night busses, run by Kosovo Albanian companies, cost less than ?10, stops depending on the route in Ni? or Kru?evac. There are twice daily mini-buses from Ni?, they cost 500 dinars (about $10) and the guys at Ni? Hostel (http://www.hostelnis.rs/) will help you get in contact with organizers, even if you aren't sleeping there, as it is necessary to book in advance (information dates from February 2008).

There is also a bus service from Sarajevo (via Novi Pazar; Novi Pazar to Prishtina: 4 hours, 5 daily, 1st departs at 6am; last at 5pm); the trip lasts around 12 hours and costs around ?20 (if you decide to take this option, get a friend to travel with you (please provide explicit reason)).

There are Trains which travel from Central Europe to Prishtina. These may take several hours to get there but it is a very good ride. There are no trains from Belgrade to Pristina and buses often do not connect.

If you arrive at Pristina airport - small, haphazard but recently modernized and efficient in a Balkan kind of way - you should get from the plane to the outside world within 15 minutes. The city itself is about 25 minutes away by car along the closest thing to a good road in Kosova. The many taxi drivers outside the airport will quote you ?25-30 for the trip but will happily be haggled down to ?20. If you pretend to be waiting for a lift from someone else they'll compete with each other down as far as 5 Euros, but it hardly seems fair.

Talk

The main language you will hear in the street is Albanian. English is widely spoken in the 3 square kilometre 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 find English widely spoken. Having said that, navigating around the city is easy 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 should be cautious about how you speak it in public, except in Serbian areas, where you should be careful of speaking in Albanian. Failing that, it's worth having a stab at Spanish, German or Italian which are spoken by people who pick them up via satellite TV broadcasts, international travellers or both.

Get around

  • [http://www.rrethi.com/?lang=en Interactive Map of Prishtina] where you can locate local places, businesses, shops etc.
  • Minibus is the preferred method of local travel. They run on set routes and cost next to nothing. It is usual to pay when you get in, try and have some change. - Update: Minibuses are replaced by city bus since Oct. 1st 2006.
  • Taxis are readily available, but more expensive. Make sure your driver has a meter in his vehicle. No trip around the centre or from the centre to Dragodan / Arberia, Valenia, Sunny Hill, etc. should cost more than 2-3 euros.
  • The roads in Pristina (and in general throughout Kosovo) are pretty bad (but the government is doing a lot in improving that. A lot of times you will be stuck in traffic due to road repairs.). This is a result of a number of factors, such as: they were never especially good, Yugoslav tank treads and UCK mortars fired at those tanks did nothing to help the situation, and NATO sealed the deal in '99 with its stealth bombings and armoured convoys. Since then, UNMIK and the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government (PISG, Kosovo's nascent government) have simply not had the money to invest in infrastructure. Two or three of the main roads that make up the major road network have been repaved. Some roads have have disintegrated to the point that they are pretty much just dirt and gravel.

    See

  • No visit to Pristina is complete without a walking tour. To see the city from street-level is best: start off in the Dardania neighborhood, in front of the three-storey portrait of Bill Clinton, and stroll past the university to the Grand Hotel and UNMIK. Follow Nena Tereze street towards the Skenderbeg monument and the new Government Building, then point yourself toward the historic mosques and meander through the tight lanes of the old quarter. You will see street market stalls, kids hawking cigarettes and phone cards, ''qebabtores'' and cafes, and the vibrant community life of Kosovo's biggest city. If you have more time, it's also worthwhile wandering up into Dragodan / Arberia or Valenia (especially City Park, also referred to as "the Italian park," and the park dedicated to now-deceased President Ibrahim Rugova).
  • Pristina is a brown and sprawling city, with none of the historic charm of Prizren or the imposing mountain backdrop of Peje. But there are outposts of green, the biggest and best of which is '''Germia Park'''. During the summer, the lake-sized swimming pool here is a hot spot for families and young people, but year-round the park itself offers grassy spaces to relax or kick the ball around, and a network of mine-cleared trails through the dense woods perfect for dog-walking or drunken hide-and-seek tournaments. A couple of restaurants at the top of the park have good food and nice views. Also interesting to check out the cluster-bombed police bunker, just up the road from the best restaurant.
  • It may be "interesting" for some visitors to see the offices of the major international organizations in Kosovo. UNMIK's compound in the centre of town is tough to penetrate without an UNMIK card, but you spending a half-hour in Phoenix bar just outside the fence will provide you with a basic idea of what's going on in there. A more worthwhile destination is the OSCE headquarters on Luan Haradinaj; if you can get yourself inside, the view from the restaurant on the ninth floor is excellent.
  • thumb|Library of the University of Pristina
  • A couple minute's walk from the Grand Hotel Pristina is the library of the University of Pristina. It looks like it is constructed of massive concrete Lego bricks and then covered with chain mail. It is certainly worth a look.

  • Lately Pristina is rebuilding, and some of the city roads now are new! But you still must be on the look out for large potholes!
  • The museum is free, and even better than its collection is the building itself.
  • Don't miss the Pristina Ethnografic museum tucked back in the old town streets about 5 minutes walk from the main museum. Beautiful house, costumes and traditional tools.
  • Check out the mosques on Nazim Gafurri Street.
  • Do

  • If you like coffee, and have a massive amount of time on your hands, Pristina is the city for you. There are cafes absolutely everywhere, and most of them are packed through the warm season with fashionably-dressed young people, dropping a euro a day to keep themselves amused. Unemployment / underemployment is pervasive throughout Kosovo, and tends to affect people from all walks of life and different levels of education. Which means that dude in the sleeveless tshirt with streaked-blond hair at the table beside you could just as easily be an economist as a farm kid from Kamenice, so learn to say "Miredita" with a passable accent and feel free to start a conversation. What to order? "Macchiato" (espresso with hot milk, similar to the American latte) is the catch-all term for "coffee" throughout Kosovo. Lately, some top-end coffee bars have installed WIFI zones and access to Internet.
  • 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.
  • Shopping-wise, Pristina is full of good bargains but low on selection (and if you happen to be a man who wears M shirts or pants, forget about it). Silver is sold in the old quarter and is a pretty good value; Albanians are known throughout the former Yugoslavia as silversmiths.
  • Do as the locals do: In Pristina, this means '''korza'''. In the evenings, when it's warm, a large proportion of the population heads out into the streets and promenades, between cafes or in with no particular desintation. The objective is to see and be seen, chat with friends, and take in as much fresh air as possible before the horrific winter descends. Note that 53% of Kosovo's population is under the age of 25, so most of the people on the street around dusk are teenagers and people in their early twenties. Lots of kosovar youngsters, sleeveless tshirts, short haircuts, all sorts of girls, and cigarette smoke.
  • Alternately, you can sit at a table in an outdoor cafe and watch the white UN vehicles enter and exit the UNMIK headquarters building. For some reason, it is strangely hypnotic.
  • 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)
  • Spray Club. ww.sprayclub.com. Not the first but definitely the best night club in Prishtina. Spray has established itself as an international brand in the music_fs cultural horizons, in the past 5 years some of the industries leading producers and dj_fs have had the chance to perform at Spray club. The venue has a capacity of approximately 1,500 pp or 1,000 square meters. The building has a unique architectural shape. Indoor, with minimalistic exterior design, and a modern entertaining look, and outdoor with the shape that reminds you of a castle. A must when in Prishtina!

    Buy

  • The outdoor bookstalls adjacent to the Grand Hotel are a good place to pick up your copy of the Code of Leke Dukagjini. Or a map of Pristina that most likely has names for all the streets no one has ever heard of.
  • Also on the streets: CDs and DVDs that are cheap, and more likely than not, illegal. The In Your Pocket guide recommends a few places to buy these.
  • Spray Club. eternik. ww.sprayclub.com/. Not the first but definitely the best night club in Prishtina. Spray has established itself as an international brand in the music_fs cultural horizons, in the past 5 years some of the industries leading producers and dj_fs have had the chance to perform at Spray club. The venue has a capacity of approximately 1,500 pp or 1,000 square meters. The building has a unique architectural shape. Indoor, with minimalistic exterior design, and a modern entertaining look, and outdoor with the shape that reminds you of a castle.

    A must when in Prishtina!</buy>

    Eat

    There are a variety of restaurants with something for everyone's taste.

  • ''''''Home''''''restaurant and bar, right beside OSCE, for a lively atmosphere and variety of delicious food.One of the best restaurants in Kosova.Serves Medterranian,Italian and Kosovar food. Visitors come from many international staff of the surrounding offices, embassys and national ministries. Local actors and well known singers. Very good selected music, English speaking staff and very good wines. '''Contact; 044 336 336, 038 22 40 41 home@prishtinanet.com'''
  • Pjata. ruga Dubrovniku nr.1. +381 38 220 739. nfo@pjata.com. ttp://www.pjata.com/. , a block away from the UNICEF office, for style and quality

  • Pinocchio, in the Dragodan / Arberia neighbourhood, which has excellent food and a warm atmosphere, as well as a panoramic view of Pristina below. For lunch, hit Te Komiteti on Qamil Hoxha street and have the gazpacho and chicken sandwich.
  • As far as views go, however, you cannot beat Chalet Denis (up Dragodan hill from the bridge, toward Film City / KFOR). Friendly service and the best banana splits in Pristina, presented in a Swiss chalet-style atmosphere.
  • For quick snacks, Aroma near Strip Depo and the ABC Kino and Metro across from the Grand Hotel have terrific sandwiches; Samurai, between OSCE and the new Government Building, is Pristina's premier (read: only) Japanese restaurant; the highly over-rated and over-priced Thai restaurant near UNMIK is nevertheless conveniently located; Restaurant Rio near Germia Park is the best bet for fish-fanciers; and the duelling South Asian restaurants located in the mall on UCK St. (one Indian, one Nepali) are both great for a long, quiet dinner.
  • Il Passatore is an authentic Italian restaurant, run by a real mama and her family. Go there in a taxi as it's a bit hard to find, but all the cabbies know it.
  • Tiffany Pizza, directly behind Home, with an eerily simliar layout, features perhaps the best pizza in Pristina. The spinach pizza is highly recommended, as is the special Raki, all the way from Mitrovica. Another good pizza place is Margarita, opposite of main Police building, wide menu including fresh summer salads and tasty pastas are at your disposal. Home pizza "Margarita" is highly recommended.
  • XIX Restaurant. uan Haradinaj 2. enter, Police Avenue. 38 248 002. ttp://www.xixonline.com/. 7:00 to 24:00. Located in the center of Prishtina between EULEX (ex-Unmik) and OSCE. Menu is composed from Italian and National (Kosovar) specialites. Restaurant Xix also offer delivery sevices. Free wireless internet available. (info@xixonline.com; o38 248 002 ; 044 300 002 ; 049 300 002)

  • Not to be missed: Panevino, Pellumbi, Pishat.
  • If you are interested in trying some Albanian food (with possibly the best bread in the world), then head to Pilat restaurant, not difficult to find, but it's probably best to ask someone to point you in the right direction. Seriously delicious local food. Gets very busy at lunchtimes with Kosovan politicians.
  • Fast Food Places and great food: Sarajeva sells Burek (5 locations), Aurora (across RTK tower), Sarajevo (banjallucki qebab) also close to RTK and one behind the old Post Office.
  • Lai Thai, Film City NATO base. If you have access to the base, find the Lai Thai restaurant. It is owned by the lady that has a restaurant with the same name in Kabul. The Thai food is excellent.
  • Every taxi driver knows 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

    Cafes and bars are especially crowded on Friday and Saturday nights. Clubs open up and close down on an almost seasonal basis, but there are some reliable standouts, and neighbourhoods where something good is bound to present itself.

  • For live music and atmosphere, Aher (Barn) on the university campus just beind the library is unputdownable.The building was recently refurbished in a post-and-beam all-wood style, which creates the impression that you are partying inside a longhouse. The crowd is mostly Kosovar,and on the prowl, also Hard Rock Bar on the so-called township "Pejton" or at 3 Sheshirat, plays the best rock & hard music in town, with a good prices and an atmosphere is on the house. Not to be missed.Try also Kontra, Zebra and for Jazz 212 in Peyton.
  • Internationals gravitate to Zanzibar, near the ABC Kino cinema, and Strip Depo down the street from there. Places around the OSCE, like the Little Cafe and Outback, are also popular. For the ultimate foreigner experience, down a pint at Phoenix Bar on a Saturday night with the folks from UNMIK, but be warned: if the idea of drinking and dancing with fourtysomething long-term single expats in a downscale Yorkshire pub doesn't appeal, this is not the place for you.
  • Toto & Morena are favoured by young kosovars, nice decor. Also near the ABC cinema.
  • Hot cafe districts include the strip down from OSCE near Tiffany's (especially Kaqa), the area at the beginning of Luan Haradinaj street across from KTA, and the student hangouts on Bill Clinton in Dardania.
  • 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 place(s), go there as the cost is usually 10-15 EUR per night.

    Budget

  • Apartment. uan Haradinaj 12. olice avenue, center of city. 377 44 11 11 70. ttp://www.prishtina-apartments.com/. gt;Apartment is located in the center of Prishtina.Apartment consists of living room, bed room, kitchen, dining room, bathroom, small storage and two terraces with view. It has air-conditioning, 24 hours water and electricity supply, fully equipped kitchen, free wireless internet. Reservations: reservations@prishtina-apartments.com.
  • Hotel Begolli. ff Mother Thereza Street. ttp://www.hotel-begolli.piczo.com/. 0-80?. otel_begolli@hotmail.com. Family-owned boutique hotel with five fully furnished self contained apartments and eleven rooms. Apartments have kitchens and well appointed amenities and one suite has a full sized jacuzzi spa. Some other rooms have private jacuzzis or three beds for families.
  • Hotel Sara. 0-80 Euros.
  • Velania Guesthouse. 3-30 Euros. Also known as "the Professor's Guesthouse," Velania Guesthouse offers accommodation starting at 13 Euros, as well as free laundry service, free cable TV in every room and 24-hour free internet access (no wireless and only if it works). It is about a twenty minute steep downhill walk to the city center . Simply state "Profesor Guesthouse" to any taxi driver, and he will know what you are referring to. Single Rooms are 13 Euros, double rooms are 18 Euros (Dec 2007 paid 20Euros, off season no private bathroom), triple rooms are 25 Euros, and apartments (up to three people) are 30 Euros. All accommodations other than single rooms have private bathrooms. A very select area of town, Rugova's house is just behind. Guesthouse excellent value for money.

    Mid-range

  • Hotel Afa. li Kelmendi Nr. 15. 381 38/225 226. 381 38/225 226. ffice@hotelafa.com" url="http://www.hotelafa.com. 2:00. 45 to ?92 singles, ?75 to ?112 doubles. otel.
  • '''Hotel Ora'''
  • '''Hotel Princi i Arberit'''[http://www.hotel-princiiarberit.com/]
  • Hotel Victory. other Teresa, p.n.. 381 (0/38) 543 277. 381 (0/38) 543 267. 381 (0/38) 543 286. ttp://www.hotel-victory.com. 100+ pro Nacht. otel.

    Splurge

  • '''Grand Hotel Pristina Unio Commerce''', [http://www.grandhotel-pr.com. Grand Hotel was a state company during the Communist era and it is in the proccess of privatization as a new company named Unio Commerce Grand Hotel Prishtina. The Grand Hotel has not been substantially renovated though doubtless that is in its future. The Grand Hotel is a leader of the hotels in Kosova in terms of number of rooms and space for events. All the UNMIK and International staff are the visitors and clients. It is close to important institutions and is situated in the heart of Prishtina. The capacity of Grand Hotel has 370 rooms, 7 halls for every kind of activation, Wireless and Cable internet, Business Center, Cable TV etc.
  • '''Hotel Prishtina''' [http://www.hotelprishtina.com]. Staying here is an option. Just two or three blocks from the UNMIK headquarters, it is very close to most places of interest in Pristina. The Hotel Pristina is used by many international workers, including UN workers and members of the international police. It is very clean, has comfortable rooms, offers free internet access (including wifi), and the price of the room includes breakfast.
  • '''Hotel Baci''' is comparable to Hotel Pristina and is close to a couple of the more important transportation hubs (i.e. bus station, taxi roundabout, intersection to other towns in Kosova etc.). There's also a decent restaurant downstairs and free Internet in the lobby. Besides this, Hotel baci offers to it's clients free laundry, free fitness and sauna. It is the best hotel so far in prishtina with the best and quietest environment as well as location. Breakfast is included in the price, there is 24/7 electricity and water.
  • '''Hotel Ambassador''' [http://www.hotel-ambasador.com]near the Swiss Liaison Office in the Velania neighbourhood is also up to the standards of a discerning visitor.
  • '''Hotel Dion''', [http://www.hoteldion.com]. In center of Pristina close to UNMIK headquarters.
  • Get out

    A day trip to Prizren can be interesting. Buses depart from the bus terminal or you could hire a taxi for the day.

    The are direct flights from Prishtina International Airport to London, Zurich, Geneva, Gothenburg, Copenhagen, Vienna, Hamburg, Hannover, Dusseldorf, Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich, Stuttgart, Bremen, Rome, Verona, Ljubljana, Budapest, Tirana, Istanbul and Antalya. Soon, there will be direct flights to Sarajevo, Oslo and other destinations.

    There are direct bus links to most cities in Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Albania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Macedonia, Bosnia, Serbia and Montengro.