How to Spend a Day in Prizren, Kosovo

The best thing to do once in Prizren is to reach Shadervan, the central and most famous neighborhood in town with plenty of restaurants, boutiques, religious buildings, and, of course, cafés. The coolest spot is Prince Coffee House, a huge café located right in front of Sinan Pasha Mosque, the oldest mosque of Prizren and one of the most beautiful in the country. Once seated, order a cup of coffee and a slice of trilece, one of the tastier cakes in the Balkan Peninsula made with milk, cream and caramel. Then go inside the beautiful mosque and admire the stunning frescoes painted on the external arches and central dome.

Prizren is an incredibly affordable destination. The best place for a quick lunch of excellent hamburgers, French fries and pita bread, spending only a few euros (the current value in Kosovo is the euro), is M Burger, an unpretentious fast food venue located just a few steps from the Sinan Pasha Mosque.

After lunch, it’s time for a walk, so head to the gorgeous Fortress of Prizren. The path that leads to the fortress is home to a Serb-Orthodox church that was left in ruins, but is still really charming. From the top of the old fortress, it is possible to admire the best view of Kosovo: the old town of Prizren with its red roofs, mosques, churches, Ottoman buildings and bridges. The best thing to do is to go to the fortress right before the sunset and admire breathtaking panoramas over the city and surrounding mountains.

The hours before dinner are a great time to shop. Prizren is home to gorgeous boutiques, where you can find traditional carpets, rugs, handmade bags, wallets, socks and so on. Most shops are situated along Sheshi i Shadervanit, one of the larger streets.

When it comes to food, no problem. Kosovar gastronomy is excellent. Restaurants serve traditional cuisine prepared with the freshest seasonal products for just a few euros. One of the most famous restaurants in Prizren, and Kosovo, is Te Syla, located on the promenade along the Bistrica river. The varied menu offers traditional meatballs, fried cheese, salads and several grilled options. After dinner, few things are as delightful as walking through old town.

Unlike Pristina, Prizren doesn’t have as much to offer visitors for night life. The town is not like the capital city of Kosovo, but it does have some interesting cafés, where you can spend several hours drinking excellent drinks. Kafe Libraria Sindikata is the coolest place to spend an evening with books and live music. It offers great cocktails, raki, grappa and local beer, such as Peja and Prishtina.

Compared to other towns of the Balkan Peninsula, Prizren has many beautiful hotels where guests are welcome to spend the night for only a few euros. Hotel Prizreni, a nice hotel decorated with modern and traditional furniture, offers terrific views over the Sinan Pasha Mosque.