A week in Kosovo, from the capital to the Rugova mountains

A week is when Kosovo stops being a checklist of monuments and becomes a proper trip. Enough for the essentials, the mountains and the small villages you wouldn’t even consider in three days. This is the route I’d take, with four bases and not a single long drive. If you’re driving, it fits almost entirely into my Kosovo road trip, a loop of about 320 km.

Days one and two, Pristina and around

Day one, the capital on foot, with the centre, the old bazaar and the Newborn. Day two, two short outings. Gračanica monastery, 10 km away, and Gadime Cave in Lipjan municipality, which the environment agency AMMK manages as a nature monument of special importance. I’ve found no official source for the cave’s hours or fees, so confirm them before driving out. More in Gadime Cave.

Days three and four, Prizren and the Sharr mountains

On day three you head down to Prizren, 84 km by road, and give the afternoon to the old town and the fortress. Day four, the mountains in the morning. AMMK describes Sharr as Kosovo’s oldest national park, dating from 1986, covering 39,000 ha of four municipalities under its law, namely Prizren, Shtërpcë, Suharekë and Kaçanik. I’d drive up the Brezovica road, 39 km, and come back to Prizren for an unplanned afternoon. The park in detail is in Sharr National Park.

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Day five, Gjakova and Velika Hoča

Move base to Gjakova, 36 km, for the Grand Bazaar. In the afternoon, Rahovec, 22 km away, and the village of Velika Hoča (Hoqë e Madhe in Albanian), which is protected as a whole by law 03/L-039 and has its own rules. For me it’s the most peaceful stop of the week. Night in Gjakova.

Day six, Dečani and Junik

Deçan is 22 km from Gjakova. UNESCO says Visoki Dečani went up in the mid-1300s to hold the tomb of King Stefan Dečanski; it now has a Special Protective Zone and guards, so keep the camera off soldiers and police. Ten kilometres on is Junik, inside Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Park, with kullas listed in the DTK heritage register. In the afternoon, on to Peja, 14 km from Deçan.

So you do not lose the morning at the ticket office, browse tickets and tours in Peja on GetYourGuide.

Day seven, Peja and Rugova

The finale. First thing, the Patriarchate of Peć; the rest of the day, the Rugova Canyon, with Bogë 29 km up the road. Walk only on signed trails; gov.uk says old mines remain along that mountain border. Next day, Pristina is 85 km away. For walking routes, see hiking in Kosovo.

Left off the list

The north, because gov.uk still warns of protests there (Zvečan, Zubin Potok, Leposavić and Mitrovica north of the Ibar). And the Mirusha waterfalls in high summer, as gov.uk says most Crimean-Congo fever cases occur around Malisheva, which includes the village of Mirushë; outside July and August, or with repellent and long trousers, I’d happily add them. If you’re shorter on time, the compact version is 5 days in Kosovo.

If you are staying the night, see the best hotel deals in Peja for your dates: the well-placed rooms go fast.