1 Day in Pristina: The Perfect Pristina Itinerary

The Balkans are full of fascinating destinations that appeal to tourists. While Pristina, the capital city of Kosovo, may not seem like one of them at first glance, it is the natural entry point to the Balkans for many travelers. 

If you’re curious about what this Balkan city has to offer, take a peek at this Pristina itinerary. It’ll show you what to do in Pristina in one day, letting you judge for yourself whether it’s worth a visit. If you’re looking for something different on your European travels, this is a great place to start.

Best Time to Visit Pristina

As with any destination, you should give some thought to the time of year you travel to Pristina. Like most places in the Balkans, Pristina experiences all four seasons, greeting you with drastically different weather depending on when you go. The city’s inland location on the Balkan Peninsula means summers can get quite hot and winters quite cold and snowy.

The best time to visit Pristina is during April, May, June, or September. The spring and fall weather is warm and relatively dry, making these months the most pleasant times to be outdoors. That said, July and August can still be quite comfortable, and you generally don’t have to worry about big summer crowds in Pristina.

How to Get Around Pristina

Pristina isn’t that large of a city, even compared to other major cities in the Balkans, so you shouldn’t have much trouble getting around for sightseeing. Most of the attractions we recommend you see when visiting Pristina are either in the city center or a short walk from it. Therefore, exploring on foot really is the best way to get around.

Should you need to use public transport in Pristina, the city has a network of buses that can be quite useful for travelers, though the bus station is a little removed from the city center. Single-trip tickets can cost as little as €0.4 (about $0.43) and are bought from an onboard conductor. 

If you are arriving in Pristina by plane, getting from Pristina International Airport to the city center is quite easy. Just take the 1A airport bus, which runs a loop past several major landmarks in the city center, such as the Cathedral of St. Mother Teresa and the Grand Hotel Prishtina. Tickets cost €3 from the driver, and the journey takes around 40 minutes, depending on where in the city you stop.

Where to Stay in Pristina

You may be surprised by just how many accommodation options are in Pristina, given its somewhat untouristy nature. It’s that very nature that gives you so much choice for where to stay in Pristina, letting you find somewhere that suits your style of travel and budget. Generally speaking, the best places to stay in Pristina are within walking distance of Mother Teresa Boulevard, giving you easy access to attractions as well as restaurants and bars.

If you’re seeking somewhere special, look at Swiss Diamond Hotel Prishtina for your stay. This five-star hotel boasts a central location and amenities like a bar, gym, and wellness center, while its rooms are wonderfully spacious and elegantly designed.

If you’re looking more to balance cost with comfort, the Boulevard Prishtina apartments are a great choice. These apartments are not only right in the heart of Pristina, but also spacious, modern, and tastefully decorated, making them a welcome sight at the end of the day.

For a great budget-friendly option, check out Prishtina Center Hostel. Featuring both dorms and private rooms, this hostel right in the city center is a phenomenal value, with great staff and plenty of extras to keep you entertained.

There are also a ton of great apartment rentals available on Airbnb, so don’t forget to check there as well.

For more accommodation options in Pristina, check out Booking.com. This site consistently offers the best rates, and its customer service is on point.

The Perfect 1-Day Pristina Itinerary

One day often isn’t enough time for a visit to a city in Europe, but fortunately, that’s not the case with Pristina. If you’re simply interested in sightseeing around the city, you shouldn’t feel rushed at all with just one day in Pristina. Those looking to get to know the city deeply will want to spend longer here, but this Pristina travel itinerary highlights the city’s best attractions to ensure you don’t miss anything important if you do only have a day.

With that covered, let’s dig into the best places to visit in Pristina. If you see these places, you should feel confident that you’ve experienced the best of Pristina.

National Library of Kosovo

Possibly the most iconic landmark in Pristina, the National Library of Kosovo is essentially famous for being ugly. The strange brutalist architecture of this library on the University of Pristina campus simply demands to be seen. With its design of concrete blocks, surrounded by a metal mesh net and topped with 73 small bubble domes, you won’t be able to take your eyes off this building finished in 1986. It’s also worth paying a quick visit inside to see its equally unusual interior.

Cathedral of St. Mother Teresa

Across the road from the library stands the strikingly new Cathedral of St. Mother Teresa. Although it was just consecrated in 2017, this modern cathedral has a relatively traditional architectural design. If you step inside the church, you’ll spot vivid stained-glass windows lighting up the pristinely white hall. While you’re here, climb up the cathedral’s bell tower for the absolute best panoramic views of Pristina.

Newborn Monument

You’ll find quite a few monuments to the region’s complex history scattered around the center of Pristina, but the Newborn Monument is easily the most popular. The importance of the landmark is in its symbolism and evolving artistic themes. With a backdrop of the old brutalist Palace of Youth and Sports, this typographic sculpture is tied to Kosovo’s declaration of independence from Serbia on Feb. 17, 2008, and its appearance is changed each year on that anniversary.

Mosques of Pristina Old Town

Pristina isn’t really known for having a traditional historical center, but it does have a small Old Town that’s worth visiting. It’s here that you’ll find many of the city’s significant mosques, most notably the Çarshi Mosque, the Jashar Pasha Mosque, and the Imperial Mosque. 

While it may look the plainest, the Çarshi Mosque is said to be the oldest building in the city, dating back to 1389. The Jashar Pasha Mosque, on the other hand, has recently been restored and features a beautiful wooden exterior for its prayer room. Finally, there’s the Imperial Mosque, which was built by Sultan Mehmed II in 1461 and is a protected cultural monument.

Kosovo Museum

Another place to visit in Pristina Old Town is the National Museum of Kosovo. Set inside a grand Austro-Hungarian building, this is the largest museum in Kosovo. Here you can learn about the history of the region, starting in the prehistoric era and going all the way up to World War I.

Ethnographic Museum

The other museum in Pristina that you should definitely visit is the Ethnological Treasure of Kosovo at the northern end of the Old Town. Set inside the traditional Emin Gjiku Complex, the museum includes the main exhibition as well as several authentic Ottoman buildings. On display is an assortment of historic clothes, tools, weapons, and furniture. You’ll also have the chance to explore an Ottoman family home, a guesthouse, and an arts studio.

Mother Teresa Boulevard

Running right through the heart of Pristina is Mother Teresa Boulevard, which is very much the center of its city life. That might not be apparent during the day, but if you visit in the evening, you’ll see Pristina come alive. The local habit known as “korza” is when people of all ages come to this pedestrian street to socialize, and participating in this is one of the best things to do in Pristina. Station yourself at a bar or cafe like many locals do, joining in on some good old-fashioned people-watching to see what modern life is like in Kosovo.

Have More Than 24 Hours in Pristina?

You shouldn’t have much trouble getting through the city’s main sights to make the most of your first 24 hours in Pristina. While you could move on, there’s value in sticking around. With more time, you can explore at a relaxed pace and get to know Pristina’s burgeoning food scene. 

You can also use that extra time to take some interesting day trips from the city. Here are just a few to get you started.

1. Prizren

The second most popular city in Kosovo is historic Prizren. Unlike Pristina, Prizren has an intact Old Town full of character, making it a great idea for a day trip to see the contrast between the two. 

Start your visit on the scenic riverfront with the charming Old Stone Bridge, then head over to Shadervan Square, where you can start to explore the streets of the Old Town. Prizren is home to quite a few mosques and churches, but its most important house of worship is the Sinan Pasha Mosque, which dates back to 1615. 

There are also some interesting sights on the far bank of the Prizren Bistrica river, including Mehmet Pasha’s Turkish Bath and the local Archaeological Museum. While the inside is off limits to visitors now, make sure to stop at the Church of Our Lady of Ljeviš, an important Serbian Orthodox church and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Finally, don’t miss a trip up to Prizren Fortress, which offers great views across the city.

2. Pristina Bear Sanctuary 

In the countryside to the southeast of Pristina lies Bear Sanctuary Prishtina, a wildlife refuge for 20 brown bears once kept captive as “restaurant bears.”

In this large outdoor park, you’ll learn how these bears, native to the forests of Kosovo and Albania, were held in small cages at restaurants. When the practice was finally outlawed in 2010, the bears were abandoned, suffering severe psychological trauma. Since 2013, Bear Sanctuary Prishtina has cared for an increasing number of these bears in open-air habitats while trying to rehabilitate them.

Walking through the sanctuary, you’ll spot some of the bears within their large enclosures. At each enclosure, you can read about the bears’ history and their progress since their arrival at the sanctuary.

3. Skopje

With North Macedonia so close to Pristina, why not take a day trip across the border to see one of Europe’s most unusual capital cities?

Begin your visit to Skopje by heading straight for Macedonia Square, the main plaza in the city center. There you’ll find fountains surrounding the gigantic statue of the Warrior on a Horse, as well as quite a few other statues and the Porta Macedonia memorial arch. 

At the northern end of the square lies the Vardar River, whose riverfront is a mix of historic attractions and modern, grandiose architecture. On the historic side of things is the Stone Bridge from the sixth century, while the Archaeological Museum of Macedonia is a textbook example of Skopje’s new look.

Venturing across the river, you’ll arrive in the Ottoman side of the city, which centers on the Old Bazaar. Spend some time looking through its shops and cafes before walking up to Fortress Kale, which watches over Skopje from the city’s highest point.

That just about sums up what you can look forward to when you plan to see Pristina in one day. While it may not be a main tourist destination, you’ll probably agree that this Balkan city is well worth a visit.