VISIT KOSOVO

Europe’s youngest country is fascinating: although the traces of its long and rough history are still visible, it now is a safe land to visit and one of the last still spared by heavy tourism on the continent.

Currency

€ - Euro (1€ ≃ 1,05$ ≃0,86£)

POPULATION

1,8 millions

MAIN LANGUAGES

Albanian, Serbian

AREA

10,887 km²

TIME ZONE

UTC+1 / UTC+2

FLAG

🇽🇰

Kosovo is a newborn nation: it declared its independence in February 2008, which makes it the youngest country in Europe. Being surrounded by so many beautiful countries - and suffering from many misconceptions due to its recent tumultuous past - Kosovo is unfortunately way too overlooked by travellers. This country will grant the curious wanderers a quirky capital, Serbian orthodox churches and impressive mountain scenery.

There are a couple of things to know before travelling to Kosovo:

Water: Tap water is considered safe to drink in Kosovo. As of July 2022, all cafes, bars, and restaurants must provide customers with drinking water free of charge. Some municipalities in Kosovo suffer from regular and sporadic water shortages, including its capital, Pristina.

Driving: Traffic drives on the right-hand side of the road. The main speed limits are as follows: 50 kph / 30 mph on main roads within built-up areas, 80 kph / 50 mph on main roads outside built-up areas, and 130 kph / 80 mph on motorways.

Plugs: The plug type used in Kosovo is: F, which has two grounding holes. Kosovo operates on a 230V supply voltage and 50Hz frequency.

Tipping: As a general rule - although welcome - tipping is not common nor expected in Kosovo.

Payment: Most transactions in Kosovo are in cash. There are many ATMs in Pristina and other major cities; Visa and MasterCard are mostly accepted.

Basic language (Albanian): Përshëndetje = Hello; Mirëmëngjes = Good morning; Mirupafshim = Goodbye; Po = Yes; Jo = No; Faleminderit = Thank you; Faleminderit shumë = Thank you very much; Ju lutem = Please; S'ka përse = You're welcome; Më fal = Excuse me; Ditë = Day; Natën = Night; Mirëmbrëma = Good evening; Natën e mirë = Goodnight; Zotëri = Mister; Zonja = Ma'am

Holidays and closing days: Sunday is a closing day for many retail stores, but most grocery shops and hypermarkets are open all days of the week. There are 11 official public holidays in Kosovo: New Year's Day (January 01-02), Orthodox Christmas (January 07), Independence Day (February 17), Constitution Day (April 09), Catholic Easter, Orthodox Easter, Labour Day (May 01), Europe Day (May 09), Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, Christmas Day (December 25). On these days, most businesses and offices will be closed, and many attractions may be shut or have limited opening hours.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The information below is provided merely as an indication and applies for short-term tourism visa purposes only. Before your trip to Kosovo, or if you are planning to come to Kosovo for another purpose (work, studies, ...), check the official information on the Kosovar embassies website: https://ambasadat.net/

✅ Visa-free but limited to maximum 90 days if you are a citizen of one of the following countries: Albania; Andorra; Antigua and Barbuda; Argentina; Australia; Austria; Bahamas; Bahrain; Barbados; Belgium; Belize; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Brazil; Brunei; Bulgaria; Canada; Chile; Colombia; Croatia; Cyprus; Czechia; Denmark; Dominica; El Salvador; Estonia; Eswatini; Fiji; Finland; France; Germany; Greece; Grenada; Guatemala; Guyana; Honduras; Hong Kong; Hungary; Iceland; Ireland; Israel; Italy; Japan; Jordan; Kiribati; Kuwait; Latvia; Lesotho; Liechtenstein; Lithuania; Luxembourg, Macao; Malawi; Malaysia; Maldives; Malta; Marshall Islands; Mauritius; Mexico; Micronesia; Monaco; Montenegro; Namibia; Nauru; Netherlands; New-Zealand; Nicaragua; North Macedonia; Norway; Oman; Palau; Panama; Papua New Guinea; Paraguay; Poland; Portugal; Qatar; Romania; Saint Kitts and Nevis; Saint Lucia; Samoa; San Marino; Sao Tome and Principe; Saudi Arabia; Serbia; Seychelles; Slovakia; Slovenia; Solomon islands; South Africa; South Korea; Spain; St Vincent and the Grenadines; Sweden; Switzerland; Taiwan; Timor-Leste; Tonga; Trinidad and Tobago; Turkey; Tuvalu; Ukraine; United Arab Emirates; United Kingdom; United States of America; Uruguay; Vanuatu; Vatican; Venezuela

🛂 Visa required if you are a citizen of one of the following countries: Afghanistan; Algeria; Angola; Armenia; Azerbaijan; Bangladesh; Belarus; Benin; Bhutan; Bolivia; Burkina Faso; Burundi; Cambodia; Cameroon; Cape Verde; Central African Republic; Chad; China; Comoros; Congo; Congo (Dem. Rep); Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast); Cuba; Djibouti; Dominican Republic; Ecuador; Egypt; Equatorial Guinea; Eritrea; Ethiopia; Gabon; Gambia; Georgia; Ghana; Guinea; Guinea-Bissau; Haiti; India; Indonesia; Iran; Iraq; Jamaica; Kazakhstan; Kenya; Kyrgyzstan; Laos; Lebanon; Liberia; Libya; Madagascar; Mali; Mauritania; Moldova; Mongolia; Morocco; Mozambique; Myanmar; Nepal; Niger; Nigeria; North Korea; Pakistan; Palestinian territories; Peru; Philippines; Russia; Rwanda; Senegal; Sierra Leone; Somalia; South Sudan; Sri Lanka; Sudan; Suriname; Syria; Tajikistan; Tanzania; Thailand; Togo; Tunisia; Turkmenistan; Uganda; Uzbekistan; Vietnam; Yemen; Zambia; Zimbabwe

❄️ December – February: Kosovo is one of the top ski resorts in the Balkan Peninsula, yet few people are aware of this. Snow in Kosovo falls from December to March, and the best months to enjoy winter sports are January and February. The most popular area to do so is Brezovica, a natural area near the Macedonian border. Don't forget to pack layers though: during winter, the temperatures in Priština usually range from -4°C (25F) to 6°C (44F).

🌱 March – May: After winter, the snow remains on the tops of the Kosovar mountains and the fields turn into a vibrant green. Although the temperatures remain fresh, it is a great time to explore the country.

☀️ June – August: Although Kosovo is (slowly) gaining in popularity, there is no such thing as 'summer crowds' to worry about. That being said, summertime in Kosovo is usually busier than the rest of the year, since a large part of the Kosovo diaspora usually comes back for a few months to visit their family. Emigration in Kosovo plays a huge role in the demographics and economics of the country: it is estimated that about a third of Kosovars emigrated at least once. During summer, the temperatures are hot: they usually range from 13°C (56F) to 28°C (82F) in Prishtina.

🍂 September – November: Early autumn usually offers pleasant weather in Kosovo, which makes it a good season to visit both cities and natural sights such as the Rugova valley.

Prepare your trip

Pick a (Kosovar) destination

Make your choice from the list below or the map to access all the articles related to specific cities or regions of Kosovo.

KOSOVO HIGHLIGHT ATTRACTIONS

SUPPORT GRIZZLY BEARS PROTECTION

The bear sanctuary in Prishtina is a project by 'Four Paws International' aiming to create a safe haven for brown bears rescued from restaurant attractions.

ENJOY PICTURESQUE PRIZREN

A destination with historical significance, different from the capital in many regards. There, you will find historic buildings, cobbled streets, and the popular old stone bridge.

HEAD TO RUGOVA VALLEY

Peja - also known as Peć - is the getaway town to Rugova Canyon and home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site: the Patriarchate of Peć.

VISIT SERB-ORTHODOX MONUMENTS

UNESCO has recognized the outstanding universal value of 4 religious churches and monasteries across the country, all of which can be visited.

GO TO THE 'NEWBORN' CAPITAL

For a young capital, Prishtina features many cool activities: surprising monuments, brutalist architecture and museums, topped by a strong cafe culture.

ETHICAL WILDLIFE TOURISM IN KOSOVO

VISIT THE PRISHTINA BEAR SANCTUARY

The goal of this sanctuary is to provide a safe shelter for the past Kosovo "restaurant bears," which were kept in teeny, crumbling cages close to restaurants to draw in customers.

Did you know?

Kosovo’s national emblematic animal is the Balkan Lynx.

ALL KOSOVO BLOG ARTICLES

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