Best Day Trips and Places to Visit in Kosovo from Pristina

The capital, Pristina, makes a great base for exploring central Kosovo. The country’s small enough to get around easily, and most of the main towns are linked by bus. For some of the more rural or scenic spots, you might need to hop in a taxi or join a local tour, but that’s part of the fun. Or you might prefer to drive and hire a car.

You’ll find a map below showing all the places to visit in Kosovo from Pristina referenced in this post, ranging from nearby monasteries and mountain getaways to some of the other cities in Kosovo. I’ve also added a cross-border option too. I haven’t personally made it to everything I’ve included here (yet). But those I haven’t visited are on my list for a return trip early next year.

Some spots, like Skopje in North Macedonia, really deserve more than a day, and Prizren is even better if you can stay overnight. But not everyone has endless time, so this list focuses on the realistic day and half-day trips from Pristina that still give you a real feel for Kosovo.

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Looking at Day Trips from Pristina? Here’s Where You’ll Find Things

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Map of Day Trips From Pristina, Kosovo

Here’s a map of options, which you are welcome to save and share for your own use.

I’ve marked the main bus station, around a 20-minute walk from the city centre. Be aware that you may be asked to pay a small platform fee before boarding your bus, usually around €0.50. It’s worth having some small change ready and leaving time to hand it over, so you’re not delayed or stopped from boarding.

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Nearby Places To Visit In Kosovo From Pristina

I’ve given the public transport options where possible, but to reach everything on the list, you will need to use taxi services or hire a car.

Gërmia Park

If you don’t want to wander too far, Gërmia Park is Pristina’s outdoor playground. It’s a large forested park on the eastern edge of the city with hiking trails, picnic areas, and an outdoor pool in summer. It’s where locals go to unwind, exercise, or enjoy a long weekend lunch surrounded by pine trees.

Bear Sanctuary Pristina

If you’re looking for an ethical wildlife experience, the Bear Sanctuary Pristina is one of the most rewarding trips from the capital. It’s located about 20 km southwest of Pristina, near the village of Mramor, and it’s run by Four Paws, the same organisation that runs the Libearty Bear Sanctuary in Romania, which I visited previously. Both exist for the same reason: to give rescued bears a second chance at life after years in captivity.

Kosovo banned the practice of keeping bears for entertainment in 2010, and this sanctuary became a permanent home for those animals. The bears live in large, wooded enclosures that allow them to roam, climb, and forage safely in conditions that are as close to wild as possible for animals that can’t be released. Visitors follow a forest path with viewing platforms, learning about the individual bears’ stories and the sanctuary’s rescue work.

There’s a very similar approach here to Libearty in Romania. Educational, respectful, and firmly focused on animal welfare rather than tourism. It’s one of the few places where you can observe bears in peace without feeling like you’re intruding.

Graçanica Monastery

Just a short distance from the Bear Sanctuary lies Graçanica Monastery, a 14th-century Serbian Orthodox monastery and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built in 1321 by King Stefan Milutin, it’s one of the most significant examples of Byzantine architecture in the Balkans, with domed roofs and beautifully preserved frescoes inside.

Badovac (Graçanica) Lake

Beyond the monastery sits Badovac Lake, it’s a quiet reservoir which was built to provide water for Pristina. It’s ringed by low hills and it’s a favourite with locals escaping the city on weekends. Swimming, fishing, walking and picnics are popular activities. While not a major tourist attraction, if you’re in the area, it could be a worth a stop, especially on a fine day.

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Day Trips from Pristina Within KOSOVO

Prizren

My Article on Prizren 👉 10 Things to Do in Prizren, Kosovo – Why It Deserves a Spot on Your Balkan Itinerary

Kosovo’s most picturesque city, Prizren is all cobbled streets, riverside cafés, Ottoman bridges, and mountain views. Climb to the fortress for the best panorama, then wander between mosques, churches, cafes and craft shops.

Peja (Peć)

At the gateway to the Rugova Mountains, Peja combines historic charm with outdoor adventure. You can start in the centre with Peja Bazaar, the Peja Museum, and the Bajrakli Mosque. Then visit Patriarchate of Peć Monastery (a UNESCO site) on the outskirts of the city before heading into the mountains. Here you can see the White Drin Waterfall and Rugova Canyon where you can go hiking, zip-lining, or simply enjoy the mountain air.

And no visit to Peja is complete without trying Birra Peja, the country’s best-known beer, brewed right in the town since the 1970s. It’s a light, easy-drinking lager you’ll find all over Kosovo and also across the border in Albania.

Gjakova (Đakovica)

Gjakova is smaller and more traditional than Prizren or Peja. Much of the city was destroyed during the Balkan wars, but it has been lovingly rebuilt piece by piece. Its main draw is the Çarshia e Madhe, Gjakova’s old bazaar and possibly the most interesting in Kosovo. Among the usual wares, you’ll still find craftspeople making beautiful hand-carved wooden cradles, a long-standing Kosovan tradition.

Be sure to visit the Hadum Mosque, with its richly decorated interior, and the neighbouring hammam. The city also has graceful stone bridges, a striking clock tower, and if you climb Cabrati Hill, you’ll be rewarded with sweeping views over the town.

Kosovska Mitrovica (Mitrovicë)

Mitrovica remains one of the most divided cities in Europe, split by the Ibar River into Albanian and Serbian sectors. The atmosphere is generally calm, but the bridge still represents a physical and symbolic divide. There’s not a lot to do in the way of sightseeing, but for anyone interested in Kosovo’s political reality, it offers important context.

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Cross Border Trips From Pristina

Skopje, North Macedonia

My Article on Skopje 👉 Best Things to Do in Skopje: Your Comprehensive Travel Guide to Europe’s Most Kitsch Capital

Just 80 km south, Skopje makes an easy cross-border day trip. Skopje is an eclectic mix of Ottoman bazaar, modernist architecture, and oversized statues. The change in language, currency, and culture makes it feel like a genuine mini-adventure from Pristina.

Balkan Itinerary: Four Cities, Three Capitals in One Week

Or follow my detailed itinerary by bus from Tirana to Skopje, via Pristina and Prizren.

👉 Tirana to Skopje: A Flexible Overland Itinerary via Kosovo (3 Capitals in 1 Week)

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From rescued bears and mountain monasteries to riverside cities and cross-border adventures, Kosovo’s compact size makes exploring remarkably easy. Nowhere is more than a few hours from the capital, and every direction tells a different part of the country’s story. Whether you spend a quiet morning in the hills, a full day in Prizren, or cross into Skopje for a taste of the wider Balkans, Pristina makes the ideal base, small, affordable, and right at the centre of it all.

Have you visited Kosovo? Or do you plan to visit? Let me know in the comments,

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