The New York Times included Kosovo on the list of 41 Places to go in 2011.[1][2] In the same year, Kosovo saw a jump of about 40 places on the Skyscanner flight search engine which rates global tourism growth.[3][4]
Kosovo's monuments are classified as common property for which the society is responsible to maintain them in order to transmit their authenticity to future generations.[5][6]
Kosovo has a variety of natural features. It is surrounded by mountains: the Sharr Mountains are located in the south and southeast, bordering North Macedonia, while the Kopaonik mountain range rise in the north. The southwest borders with Albania and Montenegro are also mountainous and home to the country's highest peak, Gjeravica, 2,656m (8,714ft) high.
Liqenat Lake is a mountain lake located in the Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Park.
Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Park is located in the districts of Gjakova and Peja in the Accursed Mountains range in western Kosovo. Spanning over 63,028 hectares (155,750 acres) of rugged mountains, the area boasts a multitude of lakes, thick deciduous and coniferous forests, and alpine vistas. Its designation as a park stems from the need to safeguard the diverse ecosystems, biodiversity, and the rich tapestry of cultural and historical heritage it holds.
Sharr Mountains National Park, situated in southwestern Kosovo, it unfolds its natural beauty. Encompassing 53,272 hectares (131,640 acres), the national park includes diverse landscapes, the park features glacial lakes, as well as alpine and periglacial terrains.[7] It was declared a national park in 1986, and re-established in 2012 by the new Kosovar Government.
Other
The Bukuroshja e Fjetur Cave stands as one of the rare caves nestled in Kosovo. Positioned close to the captivating White Drin Waterfall, it emerges as an excellent tourist hotspot.
White Drin Waterfall and the Bukuroshja e Fjetur Cave, both located near each other in the Accursed Mountains in the north of Peja, are some of the most famous tourist destinations in Kosovo, drawing thousands of visitors from both local and international origins.[8]
Brezovica ski resort is one of the best destinations for winter tourism in Kosovo.
Located on the slopes of Sharr Mountains in southern Kosovo, the Brezovica ski resort claims its status as the premier hub for winter tourism in Kosovo. During winter, mainly skiing and snowboarding take place. As the seasons transition to summer, the resort transforms into an eco-tourism haven, offering opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, golf and various outdoor activities.[9]
Gjakova – a city with nightlife and historical monuments. Monuments include mosques, churches, bridges and museums.
Peja – a city along the Lumbardhi i Pejës river. It is located near the Accursed Mountains. The center of the city is marked by different craft shops, such as tailors, goldsmiths and leather tanners. Old mosques like the Bajrakli mosque and the Orthodox church are part of the historical monuments of the city.[11]
Novo Brdo – a municipality in central Kosovo. Novo Brdo offers its visitors various hiking and mountain-biking possibilities. Some archaeological localities of the medieval town include the medieval castle, religious buildings and cemeteries.[13]
Ulpiana – an ancient city of Illyrian Dardania from the 2nd century in the Balkan peninsula. It is known to have been re-constructed by emperor Justinian I.Ulpiana, an ancient Dardanian city
Patriarchate of Peć, this complex of four churches was built between 1230 and 1330 by the medieval Serbian royal Nemanjić dynasty.[14] The church was the seat of the Serbian Patriarchate since 1302. It is considered to be of great national importance to Serbs and Serbia.
Visoki Dečani Monastery, one of the most important monasteries of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Kosovo. It was built from 1307- 1328.
Gračanica monastery- was completed in 1321 by the Serbian King Milutin.[15] The monastery is an example of Serbian medieval (14th century) ecclesiastical architecture, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.[15]
The Statistical Agency of the Kosovo publishes hotel statistics on a quarterly basis since 2008. In 2023, the reported number of hotel nights spent by non-residents was 746,501 compared to 544,701 in the previous year. The number of foreign visitors also increased from 297,588 in 2022 to 357,717 in 2023.[16]
The following table illustrates the number of non resident visitors according to country of origin recorded in 2023. The data was issued by the Statistical Office of the Republic of Kosovo.
Serbia considers Kosovo to be an integral part of its territory and thus does not consider the designated crossing with Kosovo to be an international border. Serbia does not apply entry or exit stamps to the passports of those using these crossings. Serbia also does not recognize the designated entry points between Kosovo (including Pristina airport) and third countries because they are not under the control of Serbian authorities. Foreign nationals have been denied entry to Serbia by Serbian border officials if they don't have a current Serbian entry stamp in their passport. If a visit to Serbia is planned after visiting Kosovo, entering Serbia via North Macedonia is recommended.[17][18][19]
Citizens of Albania, Montenegro and Serbia may use a national ID card at border crossings with no stamping involved. Meanwhile, citizens of EU countries, North Macedonia, Monaco and San Marino may use a biometric national ID card (excluding e.g. Austrian, French and Greek citizens, but including e.g. Dutch, German and Swedish citizens)
De Blocq van Kuffeler, Venetia (1 September 2011). "Picturesque Kosovo". Diplomat Magazine. Archived from the original on 4 August 2012. Retrieved 16 December 2011.
Peja is the fourth most populous city in Kosovo and serves as the seat of the Peja Municipality and the District of Peja. It is located in the Rugova region on the eastern section of the Accursed Mountains along the Lumbardhi i Pejës River in the western part of Kosovo.
Prizren is the second most populous city and municipality of Kosovo and seat of the eponymous municipality and district. It is located on the banks of the Prizren River between the foothills of the Sharr Mountains in southern Kosovo. Prizren experiences a continental climate with some mediterranean influences.
Our Lady of Ljeviš is a 14th-century Serbian Orthodox church in the town of Prizren, in southern Kosovo. Since 2006, the church is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site named Medieval Monuments in Kosovo.
The Šar Mountains or Sharr Mountains is a mountain range in Southeast Europe, extending into several countries from southern Kosovo, to northwestern North Macedonia, to northeastern Albania. The sections in Kosovo, and in North Macedonia are national parks. Rugged and barren, the mountains are among the highest in the Balkans, with 30 peaks higher than 2,500 m (8,202 ft).
Štrpce or Shtërpcë is a town and municipality located in the Ferizaj District in Kosovo. As of 2015, it has an estimated population of 13,630 inhabitants.
Deçan is a town and municipality in the district of Gjakova, Kosovo. The municipality has an area of 293.94 km2 (113.49 sq mi) and it includes the town and 37 smaller settlements.
The Accursed Mountains, also known as the Albanian Alps, is a mountain range in coastal Southeast Europe adjacent to the Adriatic Sea. It is the southernmost subrange of the 1,000-kilometre-long (621 mi) Dinaric Alps range (Dinarides), extending from northern Albania to western Kosovo and northeastern Montenegro. Maja Jezercë, standing at 2,694 m (8,839 ft), is the highest point of the Accursed Mountains and of all Dinaric Alps, and the fifth highest peak in Albania. The range includes the mountain Zla Kolata, which, at 2,534 m (8,314 ft), is the tallest mountain in Montenegro. The range also includes the mountain Gjeravica, which, at 2,656 m (8,714 ft), is the second tallest mountain in Kosovo. One of the southernmost glacial masses in Europe was discovered in the Albanian part of the range in 2009.
The Lumbardhi i Pejës, or Peja Bistrica or Peć Bistrica, is a river in Kosovo. This 62 km-long right tributary to the White Drin river flows entirely within the south-western part of Kosovo.
Lumbardhi i Deçanit, or Deçan Bistrica or Dečani Bistrica, is a river in Kosovo. It is a 53 km (33 mi)-long right tributary of the White Drin River, passing the western part of Kosovo.
The Erenik or Ribnik is a river in Kosovo. Located in the west of the country, it measures 51 km (32 mi)-long, a right tributary to the White Drin.
Gjeravica is a mountain peak in Kosovo. It also is the second-highest mountain peak in the Accursed Mountains range and the Dinaric Alps range, after Jezercë. It has an elevation of 2,656 m (8,714 ft) above sea level. Gjeravica is in the western part of Kosovo, in the municipality of Junik.
A District is the highest level of administrative divisions of Kosovo. The districts of Kosovo are based on the 2000 Reform of the UNMIK-Administration.
Kosovo is a landlocked country in Southeastern Europe. The country is strategically positioned in the center of the Balkan Peninsula enclosed by Montenegro to the west, Serbia to the north and east, North Macedonia to the southeast, and Albania to the southwest. It has no direct access to the Mediterranean Sea but its rivers flow into three seas, the Adriatic, Aegean and Black Sea.
The Catholic Church has a population of approximately 65,000 in a region of roughly 2 million people.
Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Park is a national park in the districts of Gjakovë and Pejë in western Kosovo. It encompasses 63,028 hectares (630.28 km2) of mountainous terrain, with numerous lakes, dense deciduous and coniferous forests and alpine landscapes. The park was established to protect its ecosystems and biodiversity, as well as the cultural and historical heritage.
Hiking in Kosovo started with establishment of the first hiking association in 1928, and it continued with creation of different association all around the territory which was then part of Yugoslavia. After the Kosovo War a lot was done also by the support of societies such as HikingNjeri, which have worked hard to not only organize activities, but also to expose hiking to the general public via social media.
The forests of Kosovo make up about 44.7% Agricultural land comprises 53% of Kosovo's total land area and forests 44.7% of the entire surface of the territory. Most of the forests are located in southwestern Kosovo, including the outskirts of Peja, Deçan, Istog, Junik and Gjakova and are protected by particular laws of the Kosovar Constitution. There are several types of forests in Kosovo and they are mostly represented by pinnate ones.
Monuments of Kosovo comprise all the monuments that are located in Kosovo.
Kosovo has a slowly developing plain industry. In 2009, the Industry accounted for 22.60 of GDP and a general workforce of 800,000 employees. It's on 150 th place, compared to the rest of the world. There are numerous reasons for this kind of stagnation, ranging from consecutive occupations, political turmoil and the recent Kosovo War (1999).
Tourism in Pristina attracted 36,186 foreign visitors in 2012, which represents 74.2% of all visitors that visited Kosovo during that year. Foreign visitors mostly come from countries like Albania, Turkey, Germany, United States, Slovenia and North Macedonia, but also from other countries. Some of the most visited places in Pristina are Lake Batllava and Gadime Marble Cave, which are also among the most visited places in Kosovo.
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