We spent 24 hours visiting Pristina, capital of Kosovo. The tiny Balkan country of Kosovo is Europe’s newest country, having declared independence from Serbia in 2008. Most of my knowledge of Kosovo came from watching the news, delivered by Kate Adie in a bulletproof vest. But nowadays, Kosovo is perfectly safe to travel to and I was very much looking forward to seeing modern day Kosovo for myself. Here is my pick of the top 10 things to do on a visit to Pristina.
How to get to Pristina
Kosovo isn’t the easiest place to reach. Although Pristina does have an international airport, which is served with flights from several other European Countries, flights tend to be expensive.
The country shares a land border with Serbia, North Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro. The Serbs don’t recognise Kosovo, so you can’t enter from there (or rather, you can but you can’t get out again). We travelled from North Macedonia. Our car hire company was having none of it. So, we went by bus from Skopje to Pristina. There are several buses a day. The journey takes around 2 hours and costs in the region of €9.
Getting around Pristina
Pristina may be a capital city, but with a population of just 214,000, it doesn’t feel like one. The main attractions can be easily explored on foot. The attractions listed below lie within a 3 mile circuit which can easily be covered in a day.
Where to stay in Pristina
We stayed at Hotel Prima, which is conveniently located with clean, spacious rooms.
Our room had a balcony and even came with its own gnome!
Pristina: Top 10 Things to do
| 1 | Take a selfie by the NEWBORN Monument |
| 2 | Reflect at the Heroinat Memorial |
| 3 | Admire the view from the Bell Tower at the Cathedral of Saint Mother Teresa |
| 4 | Enjoy the quirky architecture of the National Library |
| 5 | Reflect some more at the unfinished Church of Christ the Saviour |
| 6 | Relax in Mother Teresa Square |
| 7 | See Jashar Pasha Mosque |
| 8 | See the Clock Tower |
| 9 | Learn more about the country’s history at the Museum of Kosovo |
| 10 | Go shopping at the Green Market |
No 1 – Take a selfie by the NEWBORN Monument
First, the NEWBORN Monument. This installation was unveiled the day Kosovo declared independence from Serbia. The letters are repainted annually on Independence Day. When we visited, Kosovo was celebrating a decade of independence, hence the ‘BO‘ has been replaced with a ‘10‘.
No 2 – Reflect at the Heroinat Memorial
In the park opposite is the Heroinat Memorial. This imposing sculpture depicts a Kosovar woman using 20,000 pins placed at different heights, thus creating a portrait in relief. Each pin represents a woman raped during the Kosovo War. Viewed from afar, you see the face of a woman. Closer up, the individual pins become visible.
Heroinat Memorial
No 3 – Admire the view from the Bell Tower at the Cathedral of Saint Mother Teresa
On to the Cathedral of Saint Mother Teresa. This striking modern cathedral was inaugurate, still incomplete, in 2010.
You can take a lift to the top of the Bell Tower for a spectacular view of the city and beyond. Work is underway on a second tower.
The cathedral is open daily from 8 am until 7 pm (6 pm on Saturday). It is free to enter the cathedral. The Bell Tower costs €1.50.
No 4 – Enjoy the quirky architecture of the National Library
My highlight of our visit to Pristina was the weird and wonderful National Library. Designed by Croatian architect Andrija Mutnjaković, it consists of a total of 99 domes of different sizes and is covered in a metal mesh.
Inside is pretty cool too with its marble mosaic floor.
The library is open between Monday and Friday from 8 am until 8 pm, and on Saturday from 8 am until 2 pm. There is no charge to enter.
No 5 – Reflect some more at the unfinished Church of Christ the Saviour
Construction on the Serbian Orthodox Church of Christ the Saviour began in 1992, but was interrupted due to the war. Seen by many as a symbol of Serbian oppression, the partially completed church has sat abandoned ever since, while its future is hotly debated.
No 6 – Relax in Mother Teresa Square
In the centre of town is Mother Teresa Square with its statues and fountains.
The square warrants a return visit after dark, when the pavement fountains are illuminated in an array or colours.
No 7 – See Jashar Pasha Mosque
One of the city’s main mosques is the Jashar Pasha Mosque; an Ottoman style mosque which was built in 1834.
No 8 – See the Clock Tower
The nearby 19th Century Clock Tower was commissioned by the aforementioned Jashar Pasha, former governor of Skopje. Its purpose was to keep local traders informed of when it was time to shut up shop and head to the mosque to pray.
No 9 – Learn more about the country’s history at the Museum of Kosovo
The Museum of Kosovo houses a collection of over 50,000 artifacts, which tell the country’s history. The building itself dates back to 1886 and the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
The museum is open between daily except Monday from 10 am until 6 pm. Admission is free.
No 10 – Go shopping at the Green Market
Have a browse and maybe pick up a few souvenirs in the Green Market before going in search of dinner.
- Trip taken: September 2018
- Updated: July 2025
I hope you found the above information useful. For more top picks from other destinations in the 50+ countries we have visited, check out my full Top 10 Things To Do list here.
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