Prizren, Kosovo, Travel Guide: Things to Do, Best Restaurants & More FAQs

While Kosovo doesn’t receive as many visitors as its Balkan neighbors, Prizren is one city that’s received plenty of buzz online. Travelers have been hyping this city up on social media, so more and more people are becoming familiar with Kosovo’s most historic city.

Prizren was definitely a positive highlight of my two-week trip to Kosovo. I could spend the morning exploring centuries-old landmarks, venture to the Sharr Mountains to hike in the afternoon, and the finish off the day with a relaxing drink on the river.

If you’re visiting Prizren or considering a visit to Kosovo, keep reading to learn everything from things to do, where to eat, where to stay, and more specific FAQs. Hopefully, I can inspire you to plan your own trip to Prizren!

History of Prizren

Prizren has a long and complicated history, which is a big reason the city feels so different from the rest of Kosovo. The area has been inhabited for thousands of years, and the fortress above the city has archaeological remains dating back to 2000 BC! I had no idea until I was there.

Over the centuries, Prizren has been influenced by the Romans, Byzantines, Serbs and Ottomans, among others. The Ottoman period had a particularly big impact on the city. Prizren became an important commercial and cultural center, and many of the mosques, bridges, and stone houses you see around the old town date back to this period. You can see that influence almost everywhere in the bazaar.

Prizren also played a major role in Albanian history. The Albanian League of Prizren was founded here in 1878, when Albanian leaders gathered to organize politically and push back against efforts to divide Albanian-inhabited territories. The league eventually became an important part of the Albanian national movement.

The city’s history gets much more complicated in the 20th century, particularly after the Balkan Wars and during the breakup of Yugoslavia. Prizren was part of Yugoslavia before becoming part of Kosovo, and the city was also affected by the Kosovo War in the late 1990s.

You don’t need to know all of that history to enjoy Prizren. But once you understand that the city has been shaped by several different empires, religions and cultures, the mix of mosques, churches, Ottoman buildings and traditional houses around the old town makes a lot more sense.

How to Get to Prizren

The majority of travelers will get to Prizren via Pristina, since the latter is home to the country’s lone commercial airport.

It’s quite easy to get to Prizren from Pristina. Buses run every 30 minutes or so for 5 Euro. You can rent a car in Pristina, but I don’t think that’s necessary. The buses are reliable and fairly comfortable, and the drive is only about 90 minutes. You can catch a bus from the Pristina Bus Station, and the station in Prizren where you’re dropped off is about 10 minutes from the old town.

Some travelers may also come from nearby Skopje, North Macedonia. Skopje is on the other side of the Sharr Mountain range that sits behind Prizren. The drive is also about 90 minutes, and there are less-frequent buses between the two cities.

If you’re going to Prizren from any other city in Kosovo, you can also take a bus. The public transportation between Kosovo’s largest cities is pretty reliable and very cheap. However, don’t expect those buses to go to the smaller towns and into the mountains. If you want total flexibility and want to explore Kosovo’s mountains, which I recommend, that’s when you should rent a car. Or, you can have any tour guides you use take you around.

Must-See Places in Prizren

Because Prizren is so compact, it’s hard to miss any of the city’s top places to see. Even if you came unprepared, you’d still probably end up spending time at Prizren’s most notable landmarks.

With that said, here are some of the most beautiful and interesting sights in the city:

Sinan Pasha Mosque

Sinan Pasha Mosque is the most recognizable landmark in Prizren. It’s right in the middle of the old bazaar, so you’ll be walking past it constantly.

The mosque was built in 1615 and has a massive dome covered in colorful floral and geometric artwork. The inside is much more impressive than you might expect from the relatively simple exterior.

There’s a fairly hidden coffee shop in the grounds of the mosque that you should definitely stop at. It’s known for its Turkish tea!

Prizren Fortress

The Prizren Fortress sits on the hill directly above the old town. The walk up is a bit steep, but it’s absolutely worth doing. It looks farther than it actually is too (it takes about 15 minutes, though it is a workout).

The fortress has been used for thousands of years, with archaeological evidence of settlements on the hill dating back to about 2000 BC! The ruins you see today come from different periods of the city’s history, including the medieval and Ottoman eras.

The biggest reason to make the climb, though, is the view. From the top, you get a great look over the entire old town, the Lumbardhi River and the mountains surrounding Prizren. I’d especially recommend getting up there as the sun is setting.

Old Stone Bridge

The Old Stone Bridge crosses the Lumbardhi River and takes you right to Shadervan Square. The bridge itself dates back centuries and has been rebuilt and altered over time. It’s not something you’ll need to spend 30 minutes looking at, but you’ll probably cross it several times while exploring the city and it’s the best spot for a photo op.

Shadervan Square

Shadervan Square is the historical and present-day heart of Prizren’s bazaar. The most action in the old town happens around here, with numerous restaurants, cafes, shops and people constantly coming and going.

Albanian League of Prizren

The Albanian League of Prizren is one of the most historically important sites in Prizren and an underrated place to see that many travelers miss. This is where Albanian leaders gathered in 1878 to form the League of Prizren, an organization that became an important part of the Albanian national movement.

Today, the site has been turned into a museum where you can learn more about the league and its role in Albanian history.

If you’re interested in the history of Kosovo or Albania, I’d make time for this one. Even if you’re not a huge history person, it’s worth understanding why Prizren is so important to Albanian national history.

Other Things to Do in and Near Prizren

Those who are willing to venture a little outside of the city will be rewarded with some really fun outdoor activities.

Hike to Jazhince Lake in the Sharr Mountains

If you have an extra day in Prizren and enjoy hiking, this is the activity I’d recommend most.

Jazhince Lake is a glacial lake high in the Sharr Mountains near the border with North Macedonia. The hike takes you well outside the city and into a part of Kosovo that most tourists never see.

We hired a guide for our hike, which I would recommend unless you’re already familiar with the area. Our guide picked us up right in central Prizren and drove us to the trailhead, so we didn’t have to worry about figuring out transportation into the mountains.

The scenery is completely different from what you’ll see in the city. You’re trading Ottoman buildings and crowded cafes for alpine landscapes, open mountain slopes and a beautiful glacial lake.

If you’re visiting Prizren specifically because you want to experience Kosovo’s mountains, don’t skip this.

Ride an ATV in the Mountains

Hiking isn’t the only way to get into the mountains. You can also book an ATV tour and explore the roads and trails around the Sharr Mountains.

We did an ATV tour during our time in Prizren and our guide met us right in the bazaar before we headed out. It was an easy way to get outside the city without having to rent a car or figure out the mountain roads ourselves.

I’d especially recommend this if you’re traveling with people who aren’t interested in doing a long hike. You still get to experience the mountains without spending your entire day walking uphill.

Hang Out on the Lumbardhi River

The Lumbardhi River runs directly through the old town, and there are plenty of cafes and restaurants along the water.

This is one of those things that doesn’t really require planning. Walk through the bazaar, find a spot along the river and grab a drink. It’s especially nice in the evening when the temperatures cool down and the old town starts filling up.

You don’t need an itinerary packed with activities in Prizren. Sitting by the river with a coffee or beer is a perfectly good way to spend a couple of hours.

Blend in With the Locals in the New City

Most visitors spend the majority of their time around the old bazaar, and that’s understandable. It’s by far the most picturesque part of Prizren.

However, I’d recommend walking into the newer part of the city at least once. This is where you’ll get a better feel for what everyday Prizren looks like beyond the historic center.

The contrast is pretty noticeable. The old town is filled with Ottoman architecture, stone streets and tourist-friendly cafes, while the newer parts of the city feel much more like a normal modern Balkan city.

Go Snow-Skiing If Visiting in Winter

If you’re visiting Prizren in the winter, you can combine your trip with skiing in the Sharr Mountains.

The mountains behind Prizren receive significant snowfall, and there are ski centers in the region that are popular with locals and visitors from Kosovo and neighboring countries.

This isn’t going to compete with the Alps in terms of infrastructure, but that’s also part of the appeal. If you want a more low-key and affordable ski experience while visiting Kosovo, it’s worth looking into.

Where to Stay in Prizren

I went back and forth on several accommodations in Prizren. There’s no shortage of highly-rated boutique hotels, Air BnBs, and guesthouses in and around the bazaar.

I can highly recommend Makadam Hotel. It’s a new hotel, having opened in May 2025. It’s a family-run hotel, with a couple of the employees actually growing up in the building that’s now the hotel. The combination stone exterior and modern interior was wonderful. We had a MASSIVE balcony overlooking the city, which we spent a little more than we usually do for, but it was totally worth it.

Other hotels in Prizren I can recommend after doing plenty of research and talking to other travelers include:

• Adler Hotel
• Sapphire Hotel
• Zani Boutique Hotel
• Duam Apartments

While I didn’t stay at these places, I looked into all of them and actually saw all of them while in Prizren. They are all highly-rated, well-kept, have nice exteriors and have overly satisfied guests. All are in prime locations in Prizren as well.

Where to Eat? Best Restaurants in Prizren

You won’t have an issue finding good traditional Albanian food in Prizren. Some of my favorite restaurants I dined at include:

Hani i Vjeter: My absolute favorite. On the other side of the river from the bazaar, so much quieter setting. It’s a family-run restaurant with an interior that feels like you’re dining in a traditional Albanian living room of someone’s home. The service was fantastic and more importantly the food was phenomenal. A must.

Te Syla: Many people vote for it as the best restaurant in Prizren. We were not disappointed. They had a particularly great Shopska (Shope) Salad. This is a Bulgarian salad that’s very popular in Kosovo.

Burek Sarajevo: A hole-in-the-wall spot next to the river serving only burek. Very simple place, but the best burek we had on our trip to Kosovo. My favorite was the burek with cheese.

Gazza: A cozy cafe that serves healthy fruit smoothies and other simple vegan and gluten-free dishes! They also have fantastic waffles and crepes.

Nightlife in Prizren

Prizren does have some fun nightlife, though it’s less about dancing and partying and more about socializing. While there are no real nightclubs, the streets stay lively until the early hours of the morning in the old town, especially in the old town. If you’re visiting Prizren in the summer, you’ll have no shortage of places open late.

Some of my favorite bars in Prizren include:

• Mo-Zam-Bik Cafe
• Sokak (for live music)
• Bar deSTILL
• Ambasade Pub
• BarAca

How Affordable Is Prizren?

Even though Prizren is Kosovo’s most “touristy” city, that’s only barely reflected in the prices. This is a very affordable city. You can find lovely places to stay for around 50 Euro a night, have great meals for 10-15 Euro per person, grab morning macchiatos for 1.50, and have a nightcap cocktail for 5 Euro.

Best Time to Visit Prizren

There’s no bad time to visit Prizren, but I would definitely recommend the summer. While temperatures do get hot in July and August, this is when the Kosovo diaspora returns to their home country, making for a really fun added buzz to cities like Prizren and Pristina. People go out every night of the week in summer, and it’s the only reliable weather period of the year for hiking, if that’s what you’re into. Snow tends to start falling in the mountains in October, remaining around the highest peaks until June. If you care less about the atmosphere, September and early October can be very nice as well.

Winter can be a rewarding time to visit Prizren, though it depends on your interests and luck with the weather. The snow-covered bazaar is absolutely stunning, but it’s not guaranteed to be cold enough for snow in the city proper aside from January and February, generally. Visiting in a cold rain doesn’t sound as fun. However, if you’re into skiing, there are a couple of underrated ski centers in the Sharr Mountains behind Prizren. Conditions are usually favorable for good skiing from early January to early March.

How to Get Around Prizren

If you’re sticking to the city itself, it’s simple: you can walk everywhere. Prizren’s bazaar and the few trendy spots near it are entirely walkable. Once you arrive, you won’t have to get in a car or bus for your time in the city. Traffic was surprisingly pretty bad in the new part of the city as well. Once you’re in the more compact old bazaar, you can just rely on your feet.

The exception is if you plan to do hiking or other nature activities in the mountains. My advice here is to simply arrange transportation with your guide. Our guide for our hike to gorgeous Jazhince Lake, a glacial lake on the border of North Macedonia, picked us up in the city center and drove us to the hike. Our ATV guide also met us in the bazaar with the ATVs and we left from there. Super easy!

Is Prizren Safe?

Prizren is extremely safe. In fact, Kosovo was recently named in a Gallup study as one of the three safest countries in the world for law & order, and in the Top 10 safest for walking alone at night.

This is no different in Prizren, which, despite the liveliness in summer, has very little crime. Tourists can especially feel safe, as locals typically would go out of their way to help a visitor if they noticed they were having trouble or in danger. There’s a real sense of community policing in Kosovo, as we were told. People look out for each other, so whether you’re a solo traveler or female traveler, you can feel at ease in Prizren.

How Many Days Do You Need in Prizren?

You can properly do Prizren in one full day. The old bazaar is not large. However, I’d set aside two days for Prizren so you can really soak in the vibes. Walk up to the fortress, sip Turkish tea under Sinan Pasha Mosque, chill on the river that runs through the bazaar, and maybe even go for a hike in the Sharr Mountains. By giving Prizren two full days and two nights, you can better appreciate the city.

Final Things to Know Before Visiting Prizren

You’ll See Plenty of Stray Dogs

Like much of the Balkans, you’ll see stray dogs around Prizren. Most of the dogs we encountered were completely uninterested in us and went about their business. A few were actually so friendly and followed us on our walks, looking for pets or treats.

Many of the dogs have tags on their ears. This signals that they’ve been neutered/spayed and vaccinated by local veterinarians. If a dog approaches you looking for pets and has a tag, it’s safe to give them a little love if you want.

Have Some Cash on You

I was surprised how many places in Prizren, and all of Kosovo for that matter, only accepted cash. Even some of the nicer cafes, bars, and restaurants said they only took cash. Always have more cash than you think you’ll need. Keep in mind that they use the Euro in Kosovo.

Don’t Be Surprised by Children Asking for Money

You may encounter some children asking tourists for money, particularly in busy areas of the old town. It’s safe to assume you’ll have one or two of them approach you if sitting outside for dinner.

These are almost always kids who are part of the Roma community (“Gypsies”). Kosovo has a small Gypsy population, but they seemed more prevalent in Prizren than anywhere else.

It’s not really a big deal, but it’s worth knowing about beforehand so you’re not caught off guard. Use your own judgment about whether you want to give money, but don’t feel pressured to do so. It’s something that locals aren’t necessarily happy about, but have gotten used to.

Smoking Is Common

Cigarettes remain extremely common in Kosovo, perhaps more than anywhere I’ve ever visited.

If you’re sensitive to cigarette smoke, keep this in mind when choosing where to sit. Outdoor seating is generally the easiest option if you want to avoid being surrounded by smoke.

Be Aware of the Call to Prayer

You’ll hear the call to prayer from the city’s mosques throughout the day, mainly from Sinan Pasha Mosque in the center of the old town. This comes as no surprise since Kosovo is a 90% Muslim country, but it’s good to know beforehand. One, because it’s well-worth being at the mosque when it’s happening if you haven’t seen a call to prayer before. And two, because the first one happens before sunrise, so make sure to close your windows if you’re staying near the mosque!