Do you want to know the best things to do in Pristina, Kosovo? Pristina (also written as Prishtinë) is the capital of Kosovo, Europe’s newest country.
This isn’t your typical European capital with centuries-old buildings taking centre stage. Pristina is raw, youthful and full of contradictions. It’s where Ottoman bazaars and old mosques meet bold, brutalist architecture and trendy cafés, full of students discussing Kosovo’s future.
We visited Pristina in June 2025 as part of our Balkans Road Trip in our campervan. For us, that mix of old and new, resilience and creativity, is what makes Pristina such an intriguing place to explore.
Why we loved Pristina
Tourism is very new in Kosovo, and even in the capital Pristina, we barely saw any other tourists. The locals are friendly and welcoming and we were often asked where we were from and if we liked Kosovo.
The people seem proud of their country and we felt honoured to visit here. Whether you’re here for a quick stop or a few days, this vibrant city will surprise you. Here are the best things to see in Pristina.
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Best things to do in Pristina, Kosovo
1. Newborn Monument
Check out the iconic symbol of Kosovo’s independence, which was unveiled the day Kosovo declared its independence on 17 February 2008.
It is best described as “ever-changing street-art style”, because it is re-painted every year in February in celebration of Kosovo’s hard-fought independence. This is a great place to take photos and enjoy a street side coffee whilst people watching.
We had a sneaky beer at one of the café’s behind the Newborn Monument and enjoyed watching locals playing table tennis.
2. National Library of Kosovo
The National Library of Kosovo has been called one of the Ugliest Buildings in the World. It was designed by Croatian Architect Andrija Mutnjaković in the 1970s and opened in 1982. The library is named after Pjetër Bogdani, a 17th century Albanian writer.
The architectural style is called Brutalism. The outside of the building features 74 domes which allow natural light into the building. The domes are all covered with aluminium lattice which gives the building its unique look.
It’s free to visit and worth seeing inside if it’s open. We found the inside even more interesting than the outside.
3. Mother Teresa Square
Mother Teresa Square (and Boulevard) is the main pedestrian area of the city. The boulevard is lined with cafes and is great for people-watching. Not to mention coffee or gelato!
Of course you’ll find a statue of Mother Teresa (Nënë Teresa) here. In the big square at the end of the boulevard there’s a statue of Skanderbeg, the Albanian national hero.
4. Ethnological Museum of Kosovo (Muzeu Etnologjik)
The Ethnological Museum of Kosovo is housed in an 18th–19th century Ottoman house. The collection inside includes costumes, household items and furniture which provides an insight into Kosovo’s traditions & culture.
To be honest, ethnological museums aren’t really our thing, and we didn’t visit the inside of this museum. Having said that, it is one of the highest rated things to do in Pristina.
The Kosovo Ethnological Museum is open from 10am to 4.30pm (closed Mondays) and is free to enter (donations gratefully accepted).
5. Saint Mother Teresa Cathedral
This modern Catholic cathedral honouring Mother Teresa, was built in the early 2000s and inaugurated in 2010 on the 13th anniversary of Mother Teresa’s death. This is the largest catholic church in Kosovo.
Although Kosovo is a majority muslim country, Saint Mother Teresa is revered throughout the country, being an ethnic Albanian.
You can climb the bell tower for great views overlooking Pristina.
6. Imperial Mosque (Xhamia e Mbretit)
This beautiful Ottoman-era mosque dates back to the 15th century. The peaceful garden area outside affords you some shade in which to admire the mosque. It’s a welcome respite from the city hustle and bustle.
You can visit the mosque outside of prayer times. Women should have a scarf to cover your head.
7. Christ the Savior Serbian Orthodox Cathedral
You will find this unfinished church in a large park which is actually part of the University. Building work on the cathedral began in 1992 under the rule of Slobodan Milosovic. Some say the construction was illegal as it was within the grounds of the University.
When war broke out in 1998 the cathedral was just an exterior shell, the interior hadn’t been completed. Construction was halted and has never recommenced.
The cathedral is left standing as it was in 1999. It has been the site of several attacks as some ethnic Albanians see it as a symbol of Milosovic and his rule.
When we visited the cathedral was surrounded by overgrown grass, with locked steel doors.
8. Kosovo Museum – National Museum of Kosovo
The National Museum of Kosovo is in the centre of town near Mother Teresa Square. A compact exhibit, but this museum gives context to Kosovo’s complex history.
When we visited Pristina in June 2025 the museum was closed for renovations.
9. Children of War Museum
We had really hoped to find a museum detailing the events of the Kosovo War however such a museum doesn’t exist in Kosovo. Hopefully when the National Museum re-opens there will be a section detailing the Kosovo War.
We did find out about the Children of War Museum and it’s well worth a visit. This is a small museum dedicated to the experience of Kosovo’s children during the war. The focus is on how play and art helped many children deal with the horrific circumstances they had to live through.
In addition to several art installations, there is a small video auditorium with testimonials from people who were children during the war. There are English subtitles on the videos.
We found this museum moving and thought-provoking and highly recommend you add it to your list of things to see in Pristina.
The museum is open 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday and is free to enter. Donations are gratefully accepted.
10. Bill Clinton Statue
The U.S.A has been a key supporter of Kosovo since the 1999 conflict, helping pave the way for its independence in 2008. That friendship is still proudly on display in Pristina.
There are streets named after US politicians, and we saw statues of Bob Dole and Madeleine Albright.
Probably the best known (and most visited) is the Bill Clinton statue on Bill Klinton boulevard.
Best Day Trips from Pristina, Kosovo
There are several interesting places to visit just outside of Pristina. If you have a car, you could see all these on a day trip.
Gračanica Monastery
The Gracinica Monastery is a UNESCO-listed Serbian Orthodox monastery dating back to the 14th Century. The monastery is located in the Serb-majority town of Gracinica, 10km south of Pristina.
This site holds very important historical and cultural significance to the Serbian population of Kosovo and stands as a beautiful example of medieval monastic architecture. The frescoes and iconography inside the church are beautiful.
Entry to the monastery complex is free, but you will need to be properly dressed to enter the church. Shoulders and knees need to be covered. There was a rather gruff guide on the day we visited ensuring church dress was worn.
Photography isn’t allowed inside the church but you can see images of the artworks at this website.
Bear Sanctuary Pristina
Pristina’s Bear Sanctuary is set on the side of a hill about 20km to the south east of the city. The sanctuary provides a home for 18 brown bears who were rescued from small cages in Kosovar restaurants.
After the war, some restaurant owners began the practice of keeping bears to attract and entertain their customers. This practice became illegal in 2010. In 2013 the Austrian charity Four Paws established this sanctuary.
The bears now live in large enclosures which represent their natural habitat. They have grassland, trees and bushes, and ponds. The focus of the sanctuary for visitors is education about the life cycle of bears and their conservation.
We walked the 1.5km trail around the sanctuary and saw probably 15 bears, most of whom were quite active. We should warn you that the trail, although paved, is quite steep, and not exactly smooth. It’s probably not the best for wheelchairs or prams!
Entry to the sanctuary is €3 and it’s open from 10am to 7pm (closes at 4pm in winter). If you don’t have a vehicle you can take an organised day tour to the Bear Sanctuary.
While we are not fans of animals in captivity, we really enjoyed the Pristina Bear Sanctuary as it’s so obvious how much better the bears’ lives are now.
Novo Brdo Fortress
The Novo Brdo Fortress is about 40km from Pristina up on top of a hill. Just driving up there is an adventure as the road is winding and quite narrow.
The fortress was built by Serb King Stephen in the 14th century to guard access to the areas lucrative silver, tin, iron and gold mines. A vibrant town sprung up around the fortress.
Nowadays, the fortress and the surrounding buildings are in ruins. Some restoration work has been done on the fortress but many of the walls are still crumbling.
When we visited, we could walk up to the fortress and around the outside, but we couldn’t go inside. We would still recommend visiting the fortress, the location alone was worth the trip.
There are a few cafes and restaurants just below the fortress however we visited on a religious holiday and they were all closed. Incredibly, a friendly local invited us in for refreshments – Kosovar hospitality at its finest!
Pristina Travel Guide – Essential Information
How to get to Pristina, Kosovo
By Air
Kosovo’s only international airport is the Adem Jashari International Airport, just outside of the capital. Flights arrive and depart here for many European cities.
You can take a Trafika Urban bus from Pristina airport to the city centre. The journey takes about 20 minutes and costs €3. For timetables and bookings, check out Gjirafa Travel.
By Car
Driving into Pristina is relatively simple, with a good network of motorways coming from Prizren in the west, or Skopje, Macedonia in the south.
If you’ve already been driving in the Balkans you’ll probably be used to the crazy drivers in this part of the world. You need to get used to their impatience and habit of overtaking wherever they feel like it. It’s all part of the adventure!
If you don’t have your own vehicle you can hire a car at the airport for your Kosovo Road Trip. We recommend Discover Cars – they search for the best price across a range of car rental companies.
By Bus
You can get a bus to Pristina from within the country, and there are also buses running into Kosovo from Albania, Serbia and North Macedonia. While we haven’t used buses to get around Kosovo ourselves, we hear good things about Gjirafa Travel for timetables and booking.
Getting around Pristina
Pristina has a small, compact city centre that is perfect for walking around. Taxis are readily available and reasonably priced.
Parking in Pristina
We parked our campervan in a large carpark just behind the Youth and Sports Centre (near the Football Stadium). You can park here for 50 cents an hour of €3 for 24 hours.
Where to stay in Pristina
We have read that people have stayed in the carpark by the stadium overnight in their campervans. We parked our campervan and stayed overnight at the Bear Sanctuary. They have free overnight parking for campervans here. There are no facilities, but you can use the toilets in the visitor centre during opening hours.
If you’re looking for hotel accommodation in Pristina, you’ll find many guesthouses and small hotels here. We recommend booking.com to search for availability and pricing.
Best places to eat in Pristina
You’ll find a huge range of cafes and restaurants along Maria Theresa Square, the main pedestrian street in the centre of Pristina.
FAQs
Is Pristina worth visiting?
Pristina may not wow you with postcard-perfect sights, but that’s not really the point.
This city is about energy, resilience, a bit of quirkiness and the sense of a young nation still defining itself. There’s a great café culture here and super friendly locals.
We were disappointed not to find a museum dedicated to the Kosovo War (compare this to Sarajevo, which has about 5), and we are hopeful that when the National Museum of Kosovo reopens it will have a good section dedicated to the war.
How long should I spend in Pristina?
We think one day is plenty for Pristina – you can visit all the main sites and spend time enjoying the cafes. If you have planned to spend several days here, there are plenty of places close by for a day trip.
Is Pristina safe for tourists?
From time to time you’ll hear stories of continued ethnic tensions in Kosovo. Although it’s been over 25 years since the war, there are still some issues between the ethnic Albanian majority and the minority Serbs.
You’ll undoubtedly see KFOR peace-keeping troops while you are in Kosovo. The other “evidence” of these tensions is the road signs, where often the Serbian language version of place names is painted over.
Having said this, we felt safer in Kosovo than we have felt almost anywhere else in Europe. Tourism is in its absolute infancy here, and the locals are really interested to meet visitors to their country.
Is Pristina affordable?
Kosovo is one of the most affordable countries in Europe. We regularly ate meals out at under €20 for the two of us. Our beers behind the Newborn monument were €5 each which was expensive for Kosovo. We usually paid around €3 for a large draft beer.
Final thoughts
While Pristina isn’t your usual European capital, with old buildings, cathedrals and history museums, it certainly has a lot to offer visitors. Come with curiosity (and an open mind), and you’ll discover that Pristina’s charm lies in its people, its contradictions, and its unapologetic authenticity. We loved Pristina, and all of Kosovo. We hope you do too!
Where to next?
Continue your Road Trip through Kosovo with a visit to the historic capital of Prizren, or perhaps head up into the mountains of the Rugova Valley.