pristina

N°3 - €4pristina.inyourpocket.com

Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps

PRISTINA

Rural tourism Novo Brdo‘s food, hikes, bikes and castle

Fresco heavenGracanica monastery

Autumn - Winter 2009-2010Autumn - Winter 2009-2010

“In Your Pocket:“In Your Pocket: A cheeky, well- A cheeky, well- written series of guidebooks.”written series of guidebooks.”

The New York TimesThe New York Times

3CONTENTS

Autumn - Winter 2009-2010pristina.inyourpocket.com

E S S E N T I A L C I T Y G U I D E S

Arriving 7

Basics 8Visas, streets, money and electricity

History 10The one thing that Kosovo has too much of

Culture & Events 12Cinemas, theatres, concerts

Where to stay 13From business hotels to backpacker beds

Restaurants 17Greasy burek to gourmet dining

Nightlife 23Bars, pubs and clubs

Sightseeing 27Mosques, museums and a map

Gracanica 32The medieval monastery

Novo Brdo 33Food, hikes, bikes and a castle

Getting around 34Planes, taxis and trains

Mail & Phones 38

Shopping 40

Directory 42

Maps & IndexCity map 46-47Street index 48Country map 49Index 50

Contents

Pristina, Prizren, Peja onlinekosovo.inyourpocket.com

Choose Mobitel/IPKO as your roaming network for more convenientprices in Kosova.IPKO roaming services are activated immediately, with no activation needed andno additional payment.

With IPKO roaming you can:• dial and receive calls• send SMS and MMS, and• use GPRS.

For IPKO mobile phone users, while away from home, can even use services as:Credit transfer and Call me message.

Hello!

Hello!Hola!

Mbërrita!

Mbërrita!

Mbërrita!

Allo?

Pronto?Urdhëroni?

Urdhëroni?

Hola!

MOBILETELEPHONY

Away from home? Keep in touch.

4

Pristina In Your Pocket

FOREWORD

pristina.inyourpocket.com

As the dusty summer makes way for cooler days, it’s high time for a newly updated edition of Pristina In Your Pocket, and this issue is packed with details of bars, restaurants, sights and practical information. Autumn kicks off with an exciting and brand new film festival, PriFilmFest, held from 22-30 September. Catch a slew of quality international films (and maybe a tantalising glimpse of Vanessa Redgrave) at the Kino ABC. Music lovers can look forward to Pristina’s famed Jazz festival, taking place this November at the ODA theatre. See page 12 for details on all main events.Newcomers to the city should check out the gleaming marble Indendence Museum beside Tiffany’s restaurant. It’s the only place in town where you can see a handful of photos of the 1999 Kosovo conflict on display, together with various items and documents belonging to the main political players at the time - and of course Ibrahim Rugova’s desk. It’s best to take a local along to fully understand the context. Opening this autumn is the new Ancient Prishtina Archaeological Park, which aims to bring ancient tombs and structures to the attention of a wide audience. It’s certainly a welcome addition to Pristina’s short list of sights.Pristina In Your Pocket could do with your help to keep track of the rapid changes in Kosovo. Let us know your additions, comments and suggestions by writing to [email protected] or by adding your personal comments on specific venues to our website, http://pristina.inyourpocket.com. Enjoy autumn and enjoy Pristina.

E S S E N T I A L C I T Y G U I D E S

The Pristina In Your Pocket city guide is the only dedi-cated English-language guidebook to Kosovo’s capital, and is part of a Europe-wide series of acclaimed city guides. In Your Pocket guides are written for foreign travellers and residents, to provide honest, critical infor-mation that makes visiting the city easier for newcomers. As a private and commercial initiative, Pristina In Your Pocket has been written and researched by a team of local and foreign travel guide experts. The opinions in the guide are those of the writers, and are not in any way meant to glorify or denigrate the city, merely to point out the merits and shortcomings that we think foreign travellers should know about. Although we realise the local name for the city is spelled Prishtina, in this guide we use the official English spelling for the city name, Pristina, as described in article 13 of the Constitution of Kosovo. Every guidebook has its faults, so we appreciate any information that would lead to improving the next issue. Emails can be sent to [email protected].

About this guide

Udhëzuesi i qytetit Pristina In Your Pocket (‘Prishtina në xhepin tuaj’) është udhëzuesi i vetëm në gjuhën angleze që i dedikohet kryeqytetit të Kosovës, dhe është pjesë e një sërë udhëzuesve të njohur të qyteteve në mbarë Evropën. Udhë-zuesit in your pocket janë dizajnuar për udhëtarët e huaj dhe banorët, por thjeshtë që të sigurojnë informata të sinqerta kri-tike që e bëjnë vizitën në qytet më të lehtë për të sapoardhurit. Si një iniciative private komerciale, Pristina In Your Pocket është shkruar dhe hulumtuar nga një ekip i ekspertëve vendor dhe të huaj të udhëzuesve të udhëtimit. Mendimet në udhë-zues vijnë nga shkrimtarët, dhe në asnjë mënyrë nuk kanë për qëllim që të lavdërojnë apo denigrojnë qytetin, por thjeshtë që të tregojnë meritat dhe mangësitë të cilat ne mendojmë se udhëtarët e huaj duhet t’i dinë. Ndonëse e kemi vërejtur që emri i qytetit është shkruar Prishtina, në këtë udhëzues ne kemi përdorur anglishten zyrtare për emrin e qytetit Pristina, siç është paraparë në nenin 13 të Kushtetutës së Kosovës. Çdo udhëzues i ka të metat e veta, prandaj ne do të çmonim çdo informatë që do të çonte në përmirësimin e botimit të ardhshëm. E-mailet mund të dërgohen në [email protected].

Lidhur me këtë udhëzues

Editorial Editorial management Rentapocket.com: Jeroen van Marle, ScoResearch Armend Morina, Nora FazliuFact-checking Donika Ahmeti, Kaltrina HoxhaLayout & Design Tomáš HamanPhotos RentapocketCover photo Hynesha në Fron statue, JvMMaps Trimaks Kartografia, SkopjeThe editors would like to thank Fiona Kelmendi of IKS, iksweb.org, and Shannon of mtcowgirl.us.Sales & Distribution Manager Vullnet Malazogu [email protected], tel. +386 49 17 34 47Assistant Alban RafunaPublishers Gazmend Haxhia, Jeroen van Marle, Sco

Copyright notice Text and photos copyright Pristina In Your Pocket 2006-2010. Maps copyright cartographer. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form, except brief extracts for the purpose of review, without written permission from the publisher and copyright owner. The brand name In Your Pocket is used under license from UAB In Your Pocket (Vokieciu 10-15, Vilnius, Lithuania tel. (+370-5) 212 29 76).

Editor’s noteThe editorial content of In Your Pocket guides is independent from paid-for advertising. We welcome all readers‘ comments and suggestions. We have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information at the time of going to press and assume no responsibility for changes and errors.

Pristina In Your Pocket© Albania Experience Sh.P.Kc/o Tirana In Your PocketRr. Papa Gjon Pali II, Pall 11/1, kati 5,Tirana, AlbaniaTel +355 4 225 56 55Fax +355 4 227 19 [email protected]

ISSN 1819-2890 Printing Evropa 92, KocaniPublished 10,000 copies, twice a year

The 6000 year old Hynesha në Fron (Goddess on a throne) statue is Kosovo's trademark archaeological find and mascot. It was uncovered at Tjerrtorja near Pristina in 1956, went on a short involuntary holiday to Belgrade during the Kosovo conflict and returned to Pristina in 2002. It can be seen in the Kosovo Museum.

Cover story

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By plane Pristina's modern international airport (PRN, www.airport-pristina.com) is 15km west of the city centre. The arrivals hall is separate from the other buildings and not a happy place, but the departures building has ATMs and other services (see Transport). A taxi ride to the centre will cost about €25 and takes about 20 minutes. The airport bus from right outside the arrivals terminal to the Grand Hotel in the city centre theoretically departs daily at 09:00, 11:00, 13:00, 15:00, 17:00 and 18:00; a ticket costs €3 and can be purchased on the bus.

By train Trains from Skopje and within Kosovo all pass through Fushë Kosovë train station, which is Kosovo's main railway hub, seven kilometres west of central Pristina. Hop onto a N°1 kombi minibus outside, which goes to the eastern end of Bul. Bill Clinton every 5-10 minutes for €0.40. Using a taxi will cost around €9. Some trains, including the one from Skopje, continue to Pristina train station, which is a short walk to the centre along Rruga Garibaldi. Don't count on any taxis awaiting ar-rivals here.

By bus Penny-pinchers who choose to get to Pristina by bus will be justly rewarded with a dilapidated bus station with nothing in the way of facilities beyond a couple of grotty cafés and kiosks. There's not even a city bus linking it to the city centre, two kilometres away. Taxis are parked outside the main exit and a ride into the centre will cost less than €2. Alternatively, it's a 20-30 minute walk: go directly north until you get to Bul. Bill Clinton and take a right.

By car Driving around Kosovo in daylight is fairly easy and straight-forward, but we wouldn't recommend a nighttime trip if it's your first time. Check with the rental company if you plan to drive into Kosovo with a rental car.

ARRIVING

Pristina’s city centre (‘qendra’) is surrounded by low hills with several districts draped over them. Velania, to the east between the centre and Germia park has upmarket housing, the city park, and is best known as the place where President Rugova used to live, and where he now lies buried. Just south of Velania is Bregu i Diellit, better known as Sunny Hill. South of the centre, Ulpiana is the high-rise modern district east of Bul. i Deshmoreve, Dardania is west of it. The narrow roads in Arbëria (also known under its Slavic name Dragodan), the district on the hillside west of the centre, are crammed with the 4WDs of the expats and embassies based here. To the north of the centre lies Kodra e Trimave. As a foreign visitor, you’ll probably only ever need to leave the centre to visit Velania, where there are several hotels, and perhaps Arbëria which is home to some good restaurants. A large concentration of cafés, bars and restaurants can be found in ‘Qyteza Pejton’ (Peyton city, named after the raunchy 1960s drama serial, Peyton Place), the low-rise area south of the Grand hotel, between Rr. Garibaldi, Bul. Nënë Teresa and Bul. Bill Clinton.

Pristina’s districts

Our team in Russia is preparing a rather special In Your Pocket guide right now to tie in with the 1150th aniversary of the city of Velikiy Novgorod. Look out for a special supplement in our next Russian guides and online at russia.inyourpocket.com. Elsewhere, you can now get your hands Sarajevo In Your Pocket when visiting the Bosnian capital, and the same team - who have successfully pocketed Slovenia and Bosnia - are now turning their attention to Italy, and to Venice. We welcome enquiries from anyone who would like to take part in our Pocket Revolution, either by contribut-ing content or starting up an IYP. Send us an email at [email protected].

Europe In Your Pocket

Street RrugaSquare SheshiBoulevard Bulevardi

Street smartsHighway AutostradaBridge Ura

When Kosovo grinds to a complete halt. 1-2 Jan New Year7 Jan Orthodox Christmas17 Feb Independence Day4 Apr 2010 Catholic and Othodox Easter9 Apr Constitution Day1 May Labour Day9 May Europe Day20 Sept 2009 Eid Al-Fitr (Ramadan)27 Nov 2009 Eid Al-Addha25 Dec Catholic Christmas

Public holidays

8 BASICS

Pristina In Your Pocket pristina.inyourpocket.com

9BASICS


An alphabetical listing of seemingly random useful facts for the traveller.

Body language & SoundsLike Bulgarians, Turks, Indians and a handful of others, the locals here shake (or perhaps: wobble) their heads to mean ‘yes’ and nod (or rather jerk the head backwards while emitting a bold cluck) to mean ‘no’. Every time you see it done, it’s a pleasant little culture shock.

Crime & SafetyThe well-being of honoured guests (you) is a major source of concern and pride for the locals, and rather than being mugged, you’re more likely to be overwhelmed with hospitality. Despite the locals’ friendly attitude, it’s important to stay alert for petty crime such as bag-snatching and hotel room or house burglaries. Lock up your valuables in the safe or leave them at home, and don’t wander around unlit alleys at night. Pedestrians should be aware of holes in or bits of metal sticking out of the pavement, missing sewer lids and surprisingly deep puddles. Outside Pristina, if you don’t know the area, don’t leave asphalt or well trodden paths as there still are some mines.

Disabled travellers In Pristina we’re all equal and are all forced to dodge speeding cars splashing through puddles, cross streets with malfunctioning traffic lights, stumble across broken pavements, jump over missing manhole covers and wiggle down ankle-twisting uneven steps. If you’re in a wheelchair, forget it. Officially, all state buildings have ‘made arrangements’ for wheelchair users. What this actually means is anyone’s guess.

ElectricityElectricity is the ubiquitous energy product that powers the whole of Europe with the exception of Kosovo, where they’ve chosen the rather novel approach of switching it off for large periods of the day and night. When it works, electrical current is 220 Volts and is distributed by Kosovo’s KEK electricity company via standard European plugs. There are daily power cuts, effectively caused by nobody bothering to pay their electricity bills, and nobody really willing to do anything about it. Electricity in Kosovo is divided into three categories, namely A, B and C. Categories are assigned according to how good individual areas of each municipality are at paying their electricity bills. Under normal circumstances category A means an uninterrupted flow of the stuff. Category B is on for five hours then off for one, and category C entitles you to four on and two off. Under so-called extraordinary circumstances category A becomes B, B becomes C, and C has to suffer power cuts for fifty percent of the time. This makes living (and socialising) a bit of an adventure to say the least. The daily ritual of revving up the smelly little home generator outside all restaurants and shops is the defining and deafening sound of Pristina. In short, bring a torch. In winter, it’s important to ask if your room heater runs on electricity, and if the hotel has a back-up generators. If you’re living here, keep in mind that if there’s no electricity you’ll probably also lose water pressure, so it’s a good idea to keep a few buckets of water handy just in case Pristina goes Stone Age just when you’re shaving.

HealthPristina can get very dusty when the wind from the west brings in dust pumped out of the electricity plant near town – don’t wear your white suit. Although the locals say the water is safe to drink, it’s probably best to stick to bottled water, which is readily available; support the fledgling local economy and buy the local Ola and Bonita brands.

LanguageAlbanian is Kosovo’s majority language – though you’ll find English and Serbian translations on all official signs in Kosovo. German and sometimes English is widely spoken by the many refugees who returned to Kosovo after a few years in western Europe. The names of cities in Kosovo as well as all other Albanian nouns have two different endings. One is definite (Pejë), the other indefinite (Peja, or ‘the Peje’). Even when the names appear in English text, translators don’t agree on which version to use. Add a dash of Serbian (Peć), and such ordinary

pursuits as driving from a to b all of sudden become confusing to say the least. The word Kosovo incidentally is the English spelling. Locals use Kosova (and of course Kosovë).

MoneyThe euro (€, divided in 100 cents) is the official currency of Kosovo, though Serbian dinars are also used in some Serb-majority areas. Euro banknotes come in denominations of €5, €10, €20, €50, €100, €200 and €500, and can look pretty crummy as they’re not replaced as often as in eurozone countries. The coins, whose design depends on in which country they were minted in, come in denominations of €0.01, €0.02, €0.05, €0.10, €0.20, €0.50, €1 and €2. Cash is king in Kosovo, though an increasing number of shops and restaurants is getting plugged into the grid. Although you can change money in banks and exchange offices and with grinning men in black leather jackets, ATMs are really the best way to get cash.

ReligionMost Kosovan Albanians are officially Muslims, although an unwitting traveller would hardly notice in urban areas. Kosovo, like Albania, is quite secular and can not be compared with more religious places like Turkey or countries in the Middle East. Although pork is not readily available, drinking and smoking are practiced with enthusiasm, headscarves are generally not worn by women, and mosque attendance is insignificant compared to the aforementioned countries. Showing deep affection in public is not done. Kosovan Serbs are mainly Orthodox Christians, a religion that has been around here since early medieval times, witness the many magnificent monasteries.

SmokingSmoking is officially forbidden in all public institutions, educational institutions and healthcare institutions unless there’s a smoking area. But in practice, all of Kosovo is a smoking area.

Street namesPristina has street names, with ‘rruga’ meaning street and ‘sheshi’ meaning square, but most locals prefer not to use them. Indeed, many hotels, shops and restaurants have no idea of the street name, let alone the number they’re at. The reasoning is that you can simply ask around when you get lost, though this does make getting around town a little challenging for foreigners. Staying true to ancient Balkan habits, people just refer to places by mentioning nearby landmarks just like they did in the days they lived in the village. So, if you’re looking for Rruga Luan Haradinaj, ask for ‘police avenue’, and if you get directions to a place ‘opposite the police station’ you’ll need to be on Rruga Rexhep Luci. Until 1999, most streets in Pristina had communist-inspired or Yugoslav names written in Serbo-Croat. In 2001 the municipality decided on new names for some 500 streets and squares, some named after famous Kosovans and Albanians, some after people we all know. Out went Moskovska, Beogradska, Proleterska and Partizanska. Kralja Petra I Oslobodioca became Boulevard Bill Clinton, Marsal Tito became Nëna Tereza (Mother Teresa, an ethnic Albanian), Beogradska became Fehmi Agani, and ‘Kosovo Film street’ became Rruga Toni Bler. Other foreigners with their own streets here include Gustav Meyer, Henri Dynan, Holger Pedersen, Jukup Ferri, Goethe, Johan Hahn, ‘Lord Bajron’, Miss Edit Durham, William Shakespeare and Viktor Hygo. Even the great

Pristina has a predominantly continental climate, meaning warm summers and cold, wet winters.

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PopulationKosovo 2,153,139 (2008 estimate)Pristina 197,000 (2009 estimate)Pristina district 401,335 (2009 estimate)Ethnic groups: Albanian 92%, Serb 5,3%, other 2,7%.

Geography Kosovo is located in southeastern Europe in the central Balkan Peninsula. Entirely surrounded by high mountains its terrain is varied, ranging from high plains some 500 metres above sea level to hills and mountains. The country is 10,908 km2, while Pristina covers 572 km2 and can be found between 535 and 580 metres above sea level. Kosovo is bordered by four countries, namely Montenegro (border length 78.6km) to the northwest, Serbia (border 351.6km) to the north and northeast, Macedonia (border 158.7km) to the south and Albania (border 111.8km) to the west and southwest. The longest river in Kosovo is the Drini i Bardhë (122km) that flows through Albania and out into the Adriatic. The highest mountain is Gjeravica (2,656m), located in the Peja region in the west of the country.

Local time Kosovo is in the Central European Time zone (CET), GMT+1 hour. When it’s 12:00 in Pristina it’s 06:00 in New York, 11:00 in London and 19:00 in Tokyo. Central European Summer Time (GMT+2 hours) runs from the last Sunday in March until the last Sunday in October.

Basic data

Ibrahim Rugova's desk in the Independence Museum

Croatian-born inventor Nikola Tesla got a street during the reforms. Despite all this, most locals don’t have a clue about the new or even the former names, and sticking to nearby landmarks like hotels or restaurants is your best bet of finding anything.

ToiletsThere are no public toilets in Pristina – your best bet is to walk into any hotel, café or restaurant and ask if nature calls. You can’t count on sufficient toilet paper so it’s a good idea to carry an emergency supply just in case. Be aware that restaurant toilets can be unheated in winter – be quick.

Visas & BordersCitizens of the EU, the USA and Canada and can stay in Kosovo for 90 days without further paperwork. After this period, extensions can be requested from the Pristina’s main police office on Rr. Luan Haradinaj. Arrival formalities at the borders and airport are dealt with by Kosovo police staff wearing large 1955 NYPD hats. As Serbia does not acknowledge Kosovo’s independence, it considers it illegal for anyone to be there without a valid Serbian entry stamp, but as long as you enter and leave from a third country, there’s not much they can do about it. When travelling from Kosovo to Serbia note that you won’t be able to leave Serbia any other way than back via Kosovo. Entering Serbia from another country with a Kosovo border stamp in your passport may result in petty harassment and a cool but otherwise meaningless ‘annulled’ stamp firmly placed on top of it, but little else. It’s not a problem to travel through Serbia to Kosovo and then leave to a third country.

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HISTORYThe quarrel over just whom Kosovo belongs to goes back to the earliest accounts of life in the region and is split into two distinct camps. The Albanians believe that they are the direct descendents of the Illyrians, who were arguably the first tribe to settle in the region. The Serbs on the other hand see it rather differently, claiming that the Albanians first arrived in Kosovo in the Middle Ages (ie. after the Serbs), and are the descendents of a series of intermarriages between nomadic shepherds and the unromanised remnants of the Illyrian-Dardanian tribes. In short, the current situation in Kosovo that led to the ethnic conflict in 1999 and independence in 2008 boils down to who got there first. What is known for sure is that the region was conquered by Alexander the Great 300 years before the birth of Christ and became part of the Roman province of Dardania in the 4th century.

6th Century Slavs cross the Danube and move into the Balkans. These migrations weaken the Byzantium Empire sufficiently that Illyrian-speaking people, known to their neighbours as Albanians, move eastwards from the Adriatic into the Kosovo region of the Balkans. Their language becomes known as Albanian and their culture allies with Byzantium after the break up of the Catholic Church into Eastern and Western branches in 1054.

12th Century Almost all arable land in the region now known as Northern Albania and Kosovo is in Slavic hands. By 1190 Kosovo becomes the administrative and cultural centre of the Medieval Serbian state ruled by the powerful Nemanjic dynasty. The dynasty lasts 200 years and still today Kosovo is known by the Serbs as Old Serbia.

14th Century The battle of Kosovo Polje in 1389, in which the Serbs concede an honourable defeat to the Ottomans, secures the region a place in Serbian minds.

15th Century Serbia, including Kosovo, is conquered by the Ottoman Turks in 1459. During this time the great majority of Albanians are still Christians. Serbs and Albanians live together in reasonable harmony. Gradually Albanians, and to a lesser extent Serbs, convert to Islam.

19th Century The League of Prizren is created on June 10, 1878 in a Mosque in Prizren, attended by some 300 Albanian nationalist leaders from what is now Kosovo, Macedonia, and Muslim leaders from Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Sandzak. The aim of the League is to achieve an autonomous Albanian state made up of the former Ottoman vilayets of Shkodra, Illyria, Chameria, Janina, Bitola and Kosovo. The 60-member board of the League, led by Abdyl Bey Frashëri, sends a letter to the Great Powers at the Congress of Berlin, asking for the settling of the Albanian issues resulting from the Turkish War. The memorandum is ignored and the territories are given to Serbia and Montenegro.

20th Century In the first Balkan War of 1912 Serbs join the army in large numbers to avenge the Serbian defeat at the Battle of Kosovo Polje. They plunder and occupy Pristina and the Albanian majority are forced into the surrounding mountains. Serb peasants follow the army into Kosovo and re-occupy the region. After fierce battles the Serbs take control of the region and Kosovo comes under Serbian authority. At the Conference of Ambassadors in London in 1912 presided over by Sir Edward Grey, the British Foreign Secretary, Serbia is given sovereignty over Kosovo, which it retains to this day. For the first time in history Albania is internationally recognised. The Treaty of London in 1913 declares Albania a fully independent and sovereign state. The population of Kosovo remains mostly Albanian, and anti-Serb sentiment continues to bubble just under the surface.

1914 On June 28 the teenage Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip assassinates the Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo, changing the course of European and world history forever. Austro-Hungarian and Bulgarian troops move into Kosovo, defeating the Serbs decisively. Many Kosovar Albanians join the Austro-Hungarian army. Albanian language schools are opened to undermine the Serbian presence.

Between the warsBetween 1918 and 1941 the Serbs attempt a mass colonisation of Kosovo. Land is illegally taken away from the Albanians and they are encouraged to leave. Many Albanians resist, and the attempt fails.

1943 Yugoslavia consists of the republics of Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro and Macedonia. Tito consolidates his supremacy and the rule of the Communist Party over all of Yugoslavia. For political reasons Tito favours a Serbian-ruled Kosovo as he needs Serbian support to win them over to Communism. The Second League of Prizren is founded by leading Albanian officials in Kosovo to campaign for the ethnic unification of Albanians in Albania and Kosovo. Their aim is to ensure the formation of a greater Albania made up of Albania, Kosovo and areas such as Debar (now in western Macedonia) that contain significant Albanian populations. Bedri Pejani is appointed President of the League.

1946 The Yugoslav constitution fails to grant territorial autonomy to Kosovo or recognise Albanian as a distinct nationality.

1961 - 1971The combined impact of Albanian immigration, Serb emigration and a higher than average Albanian birth-rate, the Albanian population in Kosovo increases from 67% to 74%.

1967 Tito visits Kosovo for the first time.

1974 The new Yugoslav Constitution makes Kosovo an autonomous province and it becomes one of eight federal units of the Yugoslavian Federation. Although not a republic, its authority within the Federation is equal to that of Serbia.

1980 Tito dies on May 4.

1987 In February the Serbian government proposes to take away Kosovo’s autonomy, despite having no right to do so. Slobodan Milosevic visits Kosovo for the first time in April and replaces Ivan Stambolic as president later in the year. Milosevic gives a now famous speech in Kosovo Polje promising to return the two autonomous provinces of Vojvodina and Kosovo to Serbian authority.

1990 Civil disturbances erupt throughout Kosovo by tens of thousands of Albanian protesters. The complete removal of autonomy is completed in September when a change in the Serbian constitution redefines Kosovo as a region within Serbia. Administrative and executive control is now in the hands of the Serbian National Assembly.

1991 The League for a Democratic Kosovo (LDK) is formed, with 700,000 members. The LDK has offices in Zurich, Stuttgart and Brussels among other cities. The LDK is led by Dr. Ibrahim Rugova, whose ideology for independence was sought through a non-violent solution to the crisis.

1993 - 1997 Ethnic tension and armed unrest escalate due to rising nationalism with the break-up of Yugoslavia and Serbia’s dissolution of the Kosovo Assembly. In defiance of the Serbian authorities, ethnic Albanians elect Ibrahim Rugova as president of a self-proclaimed republic and set up a provincial assembly.

1998 Fighting between the KLA and civilians on one side and the Serbian military, paramilitary and police forces becomes a mainstay of media reporting throughout the world. In March US Secretary of State Madeline Albright blames the Kosovo crisis squarely on the shoulders of Slobodan Milosevic.

1999 On January 28, Nato warns that it’s ready to use military force immediately. In February a conference is held at Rambouillet, France, to negotiate an end to the conflict. The settlement, dictated by the West, demands that Yugoslavia withdraws its forces from Kosovo, that the KLA lays down its arms, that NATO peacekeepers are placed on the ground to enforce the agreement and a three-year period to settle the political future of Kosovo is put in place. The Albanian representatives agree to sign the what’s known as the Rambouillet Agreement. Milosevic refuses to sign and US President Bill Clinton dispatches special envoy Richard Holbrook to Belgrade for one last meeting with Milosevic on March 22. Holbrook is unable to convince Milosevic to sign the agreement, and two days later on March 24 the bombing starts. After 73 days of continuous bombing Serbian infrastructure is seriously damaged. in June 1999 Yugoslavia and NATO sign a peace deal agreeing on the withdrawal from Kosovo of all Serbian military, police and paramilitary forces, the return of all refugees, and an international armed security presence in Kosovo with ‘substantial’ NATO participation. The agreement also calls for respect of the territorial integrity of Yugoslavia.

1999 - 2006 The UN Security Council Resolution adopted on June 10, 1999 places Kosovo under UN administration. On January 21, 2006 President Ibrahim Rugova dies of cancer. In February, Fatmir Sejdiu, a law professor and assembly deputy, is elected to succeed Rugova as president. Rugova’s death comes at the worst possible time, at a crucial point in the negotiations to reach a final solution to Kosovo crisis. Marti Ahtisaari, the former Finish President and status negotiator in Kosovo is expected to make an official statement about full independence in September 2006 when he meets UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.

There is however a distinct possibility that the decision will be postponed until 2007.

2006 October 29 In a referendum, Serbians vote in favour of a new constitution which asserts that Kosovo is an integral part of Serbia. Kosovo Albanians were not able to vote.

2008 The Declaration of Independence is signed on February 17, and thousands of people party the night away. The new constitution is ratified in April. Based on Ahtisaari’s recommendations, it grants specific rights to minority groups.June: Parliament approves Mehdi Mengjiqi’s wordless song ‘Europe’ as Kosovo’s national anthem.

2009 In May, a local Raiffeisen bank manager and her boyfriend are sentenced to six years in prison for stealing €220,000 from the bank.Unlike Serbia, Macedonia and Montenegro, Kosovo is not included on the EU’s whitelist for visa-free travel in July, due to insufficient passport technology.In August Vetevendosje (self determination) protests against EULEX’ cooperation with Serbia on organised crime by vandalising some 25 EULEX vehicles.The election commission denies the opposition parties’ demand to install cameras in all polling stations for the November 2009 local elections.Miss Kosovo, Marigona Dragusha, comes third in the Miss Universe beauty contest in the Bahamas.Pristina’s historical Union Hotel building is badly damaged by fire. A homeless man living in the empty building is suspected of accidentally starting the fire and is arrested.

HISTORY

Kosovo: A Short History by Noel Malcolm. Pan, 1998, 492 pages, ISBN 0330412248.Publ ished just before the NATO bombs started falling in 1999, Noel Malcolm’s epic history of Kosovo is generally acknowledged to be the most balanced critique of one of the world’s most misunderstood, historically enigmatic and politically sensitive regions. An Oxford history graduate and former political columnist for the Daily Telegraph, Malcolm’s colossal history attempts to understand the current situation in Kosovo by analysing almost every manuscript relating to the demographics of the region written over the last fifteen hundred years. By looking at censuses, diaries, ancient travelogues and other documents the book discovers more booby traps than answers, introduces the reader to the strange and complicated world of the crypto-Catholic and generally serves as an excellent tool for unlocking the strange and beautiful culture of the southern Balkans. Despite his best efforts at neutrality, the author comes out of the book slightly in favour of the Albanians, but he does remain apolitical enough to give the reader an entertaining as well as a thought-provoking read. If you’ve got enough room in your hand luggage or are a kilo or so under with your baggage allowance, the book is well worth bringing along with you as it’s unlikely you’ll finish it unless you start reading it a year or so before you leave. Heavy stuff indeed.

Further reading

Kosovo has a democratically elected government with 120 members of parliament (on a four-year term) and with 20 seats reserved for minorities (10 for Serbs, 10 for others). At the moment, power is shared by a coalition between Kosovo’s Democratic Party (PDK) and Kosovo’s Democratic League (LDK). The president is Fatmir Sejdiu, in office since February 10, 2006, and the Prime Minister is Hashim Thaçi, in office since January 9, 2008.

Government

Prishtina train station clock

12 CULTURE & EVENTS


13WHERE TO STAY


Pristina's cultural life is undergoing a revival after several desolate decades.

CinemasCurrently there are two small cinemas in town, though there are longstanding plans for a five-screen multiplex.

Kino ABC B-2, Rr. Rexhep Luci 1, tel. +381 38 24 31 17, www.kinoabc.info. Kino ABC and its sister ABC-1 show Hol-lywood releases, documentaries and occasionally have film festivals. Find the English-language programme on the website.

Kino ABC-1 A-2, Rr. Migjeni, tel. +381 38 22 20 86, www.kinoabc.info. The ABC-1 cinema has a large, modern hall with cheerful rainbow-coloured seating.

Cultural centresBritish Council A - 3, Rr. Perandori Justinian 6, tel. +381 38 243 29 21 01, [email protected], www.britishcouncil.org/kosovo. Travellers are welcome to visit and read books and newspapers in the library. To take items including CDs and DVDs home, membership is required (€20-40 per year). QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

Espace Culturel Français (Qendra Kulturore Franceze) Bul. Nëne Tereza, tel. +377 44 30 90 94, [email protected], www.ecf-prishtina.org. The French cul-tural centre in the French departement of Pristina University offers language courses, a library (€10 per year) with books, CDs and DVDs, and organises events. QOpen 10:00 - 15:00, Mon, Tue 10:00 - 15:00; 17:00-19:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

Music & DanceKosova Ballet (Trupa e Baletit e Kosovës) B-2, Bul. Nëna Tereza 21, tel. +381 38 22 43 97. The trupa was established in 1972, within the National Theatre of Pristina, with the first 27 ballet dancers having graduated in Skopje. After a ten year break due to the conflict, the first School of Ballet established in 2000. The group occasionally performs in the National Theatre building.

Kosova Philharmony & Opera (Opera e Kosovës) B-3, Rr. Sylejman Vokshi, tel. +381 38 24 49 39. The Philharmony and Opera orchestra has about 100 members and performs irregulary.

TheatresDodona Puppet Theatre C-2, Rr. Xhavit Mitrovica, tel. +381 38 23 06 23, [email protected]. Putting on puppet, children's and youth shows since 1986, the Dodona Theatre is very popular with the local kids. During the repressive years of the 1990s, this was the only Alba-nian cultural institution that was not completely restricted. In and after 1999, the theatre did performances for child refugees across the region, and has also toured Kosovo villages with a puppet show warning children of the danger of landmines - which perhaps explains why the puppets all have wooden legs.

National Theatre B-2, Bul. Nëna Tereza 21, tel. +381 38 22 43 97, www.teatrikombetar.eu. Founded in 1946 in Prizren, the bir thplace of all cul tural things Albanian, the National Theatre puts on Albanian-language

P Air conditioning A Credit cards accepted

H Conference facilities U Facilities for the disabled

R Dataport L Guarded parking

F Fitness centre G Non-smoking rooms

K Restaurant C Swimming pool

W Wi-Fi

Symbol keyPristina's accommodation market is small but growing; it offers a limited selection of locally-run hotels with surpris-ingly small price differences between them. Despite what they may claim, few places rise above three-star standard. Pristina has a reputation for having average, expensive hotels, and does suffer somewhat from an all-expenses-paid-all-choices-made foreigner market, but its reputation is undeserved, but the best hotels are all central and affordable.

UpmarketUpmarket for their prices, these hotels with doubles priced over €100 per night are good - but not always the best value.

Ambasador B-3, Rr. Ardian Krasniqi 1, tel. +381 38 24 83 00, fax +381 38 24 85 00, [email protected], www.hotel-ambasador.com. Pristina’s best hotel is defined by its elegant central atrium space that is clad with natural stone. The rooms include elegant doubles, sweet suites and apartments with big Jacuzzi tubs in the open bathrooms. The fifth-floor restaurant, complete with fireplace, is for hotel guests only. The best surprise is the sauna area in the basement. Just east of the city centre, beside the Swiss embassy. Q 20 rooms (3 singles €80-92, 11 doubles €109, 3 suites €126, 3 apartments €149). PLKDW

Baci Rr. Ulpiana I/1, tel. +381 38 54 83 56, fax +381 38 54 83 58, [email protected], www.baci-company.com. Baci is a modern hotel on the southern end of the city, along the main road into town. Behind the mirror glass facade, the wooden lobby is a grand affair with a fountain and attentive staff. Rooms are modern, standard but efficient and fi tted out with showers - the only problem is the street noise; take a room facing the back for peace. Free laundry service included. Q 22 rooms (singles €76, doubles €100, apartments €130-180). PHARLK

Gorenje Niti Tiki Veternik, tel./fax +381 38 55 77 00, [email protected], www.hotelgorenjen-ititiki.com. Just out of town, this tall building is instantly visibly along the Skopje highway, and as you’d expect, the rooms on the top floors offer great views all round. With several modern conference rooms, the hotel that’s linked to the Slovenian Gorenje manufacturing group is firmly geared towards business. The restaurant near the top of the building has equally good views and lists fresh fish and frogs legs on the menu. Q 18 rooms (14 doubles €101, 4 apartments €101), 20% less for stays of more than one night. PHREKW

Grand A-3, Bul. Nëna Tereza, tel. +381 38 22 02 10, fax +381 38 24 81 38, [email protected], www.grandhotel-pr.com. An unfor tunate misnomer, this 1977 building that dominates central Pristina is the hotel that foreigners love to hate. Former EU com-missioner Chris Patten named it the worst hotel in the world, “unbelievably grim, clearly buil t for the politburo of the Yugoslav Communist Party”. The time-warp lobby is indeed perfect for getting an idea of what Yugoslavia felt like. The shabby rooms are just about acceptable for sleeping in, though not at these prices - and you even have to pay extra for wifi access which is free in many other hotels. The Grand is apparently slated for privatisa-tion - we suggest demolition. Q 369 rooms (184 singles €70, 175 doubles €100, triples €120, 2 suites €180-250, 8 apartments €200). HALKW

Prishtina A-3, Rr. Kosta Novakovic 20, tel. +381 38 22 32 84, fax +381 38 22 52 94, [email protected], www.hotelprishtina.com. Better value than most others, the Prishtina is perhaps the best city centre hotel. It has large and modern rooms with soft beds, big TVs and free minibar. The apartments are downright swanky, each with their own sauna booth. Downstairs there’s a good restaurant. Walking distance to anywhere you’d need to be.Q 43 rooms (5 singles €70, 10 doubles €100, 4 suites €115, 14 apartments €115-150). PHARFLGKCW

Victory Bul. i Dëshmorëve, tel. +381 38 54 32 77, fax +381 38 54 32 86, [email protected], www.hotel-victory.com. Located between two busy roads on the southern edge of town, the Victory is popular with foreigners, though is rather pricey compared to some city-centre hotels. As a plus, the bathrooms feature neo-Rococco toilets that we haven’t seen anywhere else in ten years of hotel reviewing. Rooms have good central heating and there’s a thermo-massage centre in the hotel. It’s easy to spot as you drive into town from Skopje - look for the building with Lady Liberty stuck on the roof. Q42 rooms (singles €80, doubles €100, suites €120). PHALKW

Mid-rangeThe mid-range hotels, with double rooms priced from €70 per night, offer some good-value kip.

Afa B-4, Rr. Ali Kelmendi 15, tel. +381 38 22 77 22, fax +381 38 24 46 82, [email protected], www.hotelafa.com. One of our favourite hotels in Kosovo - if you ignore the idiosyncratic plumbing. Featuring friendly receptionists and some rather large and well-furnished rooms, Afa shines brightly above many hotels in Pristina that charge more. Other bonuses include fast laundry service, chambermaids who ask you if you’re happy with their work and a super secluded garden out the back. Q 52 rooms (singles €45-69, doubles 75-92, apartment €92-112). 15% off on Fri/Sat. PHARLKD

plays and shows. With help from the authori ties and sponsors, the theatre has revived after a difficult period of censorship, forced management and staff changes and a dictated repertoire between 1981 and 1999. In that period some directors and actors went underground to performed illegal plays, some performed at the Dodona theatre. Performances start at 20:00.

ODA Theatre (Teatri ODA) A-2/3, Rr. Luan Hara-dinaj, Pallati i Rinisë dhe i Sporteve, 111, tel. +381 38 24 65 55, [email protected], www.teatrioda.com. A small independent theatre founded in late 2002 and kicking off in style with the controversial play 'Vagina Monologues'. Besides plays, the theatre has music, film and art exhibitions, and is known for hosting the Jazz festival every November. ODA works together with New York's Blessed Unrest theatre. There's a pleasant café with an art book library too. Adjacent to the car park behind the Pallati i Rinesë complex. Q Admission to performances €3-7.

9/11 Dedication FestivalThe 6th edition of this film festival that commemorates the 9/11 attacks takes place from 8 to 11 September 2009 at Pristina’s National Theatre. It features short films (5-30 minutes) by local directors, all provided with English subtitles. For more information email [email protected], call +381 38 50 07 23 or see www.911fest.com.

PriFilmFestKosovans love film festivals, as proven by the first edition of the Pristina International Film Festival, held at the Kino ABC cinema from 22 to 30 September 2009. The great actress Vanessa Redgrave (truly unforgettable as Jane in Michelangelo Antonioni’s 1966 film Blowup) will preside over the jury, which hands out awards in six categories. The prize is a ‘Golden Goddess’ award; a stylish golden version of Pristina’s 6000-year old Hynesha në Fron statue. For more information contact tel. +381 38 22 11 44, email [email protected] or see www.prifilmfest.org.

Prishtina Jazz FestivalIn November 2009 Pristina hosts the fifth edition of the annual Prishtina Jazz Festival. Held in the ODA theatre, just behind the Pallati i Rinise complex, there is a concert every evening at 20:00, with bands from across the region and beyond. Tickets are €5 per concert or €25 for the whole festival, and are for sale at the theatre. For more information and bookings, see www.jazzprishtina.com or call Teatri ODA at +381 38 24 65 55.

Skena Up Film & Theatre FestivalThe 7th edition of the Skena Up, from 4-11 December 2009, is a visual arts festival with a competitive element. It’s dedicated to film and theatre students and aims to bring new works to a wide audience and to bring together artists and audiences from varying cultural backgrounds. As it involves students, there will be plenty of beer and parties too. Shows are at the National Theatre and Kino ABC cinema. For more information on the programme and ticketing, see www.skenaup.com, contact [email protected] or tel. +381 38 72 24 63.

Events

How far does your euro. pound or dollar go in Pristina?

Exchange rates (Aug 31, 2009): €1 = £0.88 = US$1.43Product Price Espresso €0.50Glass of local beer (0.5 litre) €1.50Mineral water (1 litre) €1Mars bar €0.40Hamburger €1Cinema ticket €3Public transport ticket €0.30100km by bus or train €3

Purchasing power

14 WHERE TO STAY


Ora B-2, Rr. A.Z. Çajupi 4, tel./fax +381 38 23 37 09, [email protected], www.hotelora.com. An excellent mid-range business hotel on a quiet street just north of the centre, best reached from the eastern end of Rruga UÇK. The Ora has good-sized rooms in bright colours, a restaurant/bar and extremely dedicated, friendly staff. A short walk from most international organisation offices. Q 35 rooms (19 singles €60, 4 doubles €80, 12 apartments €80-100). PALGBKXW

Pandora Apartments A-2, Rr. Zagrebi 19, tel. +377 44 18 25 58. Lead the high life in the Pandora Tower’s handful of top-floor deluxe apartments - each quite large and equipped with a Jacuzzi, wifi, a free minibar and panorama windows displaying Pristina in all its dusty glory. A short walk across the railway tracks to the bars and restaurants on Rruga Fehmi Agani. Q 5 rooms (apartments €79-€109). PKW

Pejton A-3, Rr. Pashko Vasa 14a, tel. +381 38 22 22 04/+377 44 30 80 80, [email protected], www.hotelpejton.com. Next door and similar to the Real, this small modern hotel has a handful of nicely-furnished rooms just a short walk from the city centre. Two of the rooms feature Jacuzzis, and four minibar drinks are on the house. Q 12 rooms (10 singles €69, 2 doubles €92). KW

Pllaza A-3, Rr. Kosta Novakovic 22, tel. +381 38 22 20 09, fax +381 38 22 33 09, [email protected], www.hotelpllaza.com. The fourth and latest addition to Pristina’s hotel row, the Pllaza has comfortable rooms with rustic landscapes on the walls and balconies. The friendly staff and a nice ground-floor café/restaurant round off the offer.Q 12 rooms (10 singles €69, 2 doubles €92). PALKW

Real A-3, Rr. Kosta Novakovic 14, tel. +381 38 24 52 70, fax +381 38 22 50 29, [email protected]. A mirror-image of the attached Pejton Hotel, the Real is a small central hotel offering small but nice rooms with Hollywood ceilings and balconies. The renovated rooms on the fourth floor come in delicate pastel colours. There’s no satellite TV in the rooms, but a couple of drinks from the minibar are on the house. Q 12 rooms (11 singles €60, 1 doubles €80). HALKDW

Royal A-3, Rr. Pashko Vasa 3, tel. +381 38 22 09 02, fax +381 38 22 09 03, [email protected], www.royalhotel-pr.com. A modern hotel on a quiet road in Pej ton, close to bars and offices. Apar t from elegant rooms, i t boasts a restaurant, bar, an underground indoor pool and sauna. There are laun-dry and dry cleaning services and an airpor t tranfser service. Room 112 is the Nicole Kidman sui te - i t was good enough for her, so why not for you? Q 44 rooms (singles €80, doubles €92, apar tments €135-150). PHAFLKDCW

BudgetPenny-pinching businessmen and travellers will find good value accommodation in these hotels, with double rooms priced from €30.

Adria Rr. Ahmet Krasniqi, Arbëria, tel./fax +381 38 22 62 22, [email protected], www.hoteladria-ks.com. Near to the embassy district and along the main road west, Adria offers great views over southern Pristina from some of its well-sized rooms. The new rooms at the rear of the complex are away from the traffic noise and are fabulously kitschy, each with a different design involving plenty of Baroque frills and doors with a red HAL light scan-ning the corridor.Q 17 rooms (singles €39, doubles €59, apartments €79). PKW

Begolli B-1, Rr. Maliq Pash Gjinolli 8, tel. +377 44 30 80 93/+381 38 24 42 77, [email protected], www.hotelbegolli.com. Tucked away in the heart of the bustling bazaar, the Begolli is quite simply a jewel of a find. With lots of brass and marble in the lobby and a gaggle of charming receptionists, the rooms are literally full of eastern promise, with lots of crazy colour schemes, soft, bright drapes all over the place and DVD players. Some rooms come with a balcony overlooking the bazaar, whereas others feature huge baths or, if you're lucky, massive sauna/Jacuzzi cabins. The best budget hotel in town. Q 23 rooms (3 singles €30-40, 18 doubles €40-60, 1 triple €60, 5 apartments €40-100). PALKDW

Hotel HH Prishtina is located in the heart of the city’s PPmost important business district. Our 43 charming guest rooms and suites are reminiscent of a small hotel in the European tradition. You'll immediate-ly feel at home in our living room, sipping a glass of wine in our fine restaurant surrounded by a gallery of paintings by local artists.The hotel offers free fast wifi internet, complimen-tary breakfast, conference room, swimming pool,sauna and laundry service. Just step out the door and you'll find art galleries, bars, specialty shops,theaters and restaurants, all within easy walking distance.

20 Vaso Pasha StreetPayton Place

10000 Prishtina, KosovaTel. +381 38 22 32 84 Fax +381 38 22 52 94

[email protected]

Business & Holidays... with Hotel Prishtinah

The Kosovo Museum

16 WHERE TO STAY


17RESTAURANTS


Luxor Rr. Nazim Gafurri, tel. +381 38 51 78 88, [email protected], www.hotelluxor.net. The best choice for those who appreciate peace, quiet and jogging, the Luxor is set in the quiet green surroundings of Gërmia park, two kilometres east of the city centre. The large rooms have big windows, balconies with views and come with proper show-ers. The restaurant is surprisingly good, with a palm-lined terrace outside.Q 14 rooms (8 singles €50-90, 6 doubles €60-70). PLW

Lyon C-3, Rr. Robert Gajdiku 91, tel. +381 38 22 09 97/+377 44 24 50 82, [email protected]. Up on the hill east of the centre, and overlooking the park with war graves, the Lyon is a decent budget option for those driving, willing to take taxis or to slog up the hill. Rooms are compact, modern and clean but hard to heat in winter. The quiet rooms are at the back. On our first visit, the bouncy rubber lion on the reception desk suggested the hotel name was victim of an unfortunate misspelling.Q19 rooms (10 singles €30, 7 doubles €40, 2 triples €50 ). PALKW

Newborn B-3, Rr. Nak Berisha, tel. +381 38 22 71 20, fax +381 38 22 71 35, www.hotel-newborn.com. A small and quiet retreat that's named after the fledgling republic and within walking distance of the city centre. A dozen simple but adequate rooms in various shades of red overlook the dead-end street or the garden and come with wifi and satellite TV. Q 12 rooms (singles €49, doubles €69). PKW

Princi i Arbërit Rr. Vellezerit Fazliu, Kodra e Trimave, tel. +381 38 24 42 44, fax +381 38 24 44 42, [email protected], www.hotel-princiiarberit.com. A great hotel, unfortunately stuck on the northeast edge of town. The Princi has elegant, spacious rooms, good business facilities and a great little entertainment centre with pool tables, pool and even a bowling centre. Q 23 rooms (2 singles €40, 16 doubles €50, 5 suites €80-150). PHAFKDCW

Sara B-1, Rr. Maliq Pash Gjinolli, tel. +381 38 23 62 03, [email protected], www.hotelsara-medi.com. Very good value accommodation in the heart of the bazaar, Sara comes with a galaxy of plain choices from rooms for one

P Air conditioning B Outside seating

A Credit cards accepted L Guarded parking

E Occasional live music S Take away

G No smoking

Symbol keyFirst impressions when scouring Pristina for something to nibble can make you wish you'd brought sandwiches. However, like so many other things in the city, don't let appearances fool you. A largish Balkan city populated by Albanians and rich Westerners ensures that eating out in Pristina is deliciously varied, and more than often excellent. Eating out is cheap too in Prishtina, with main courses often under €10. You'll soon be endlessly dazzled by superb salads, lashings of lamb, fabulous white cheese, the very best of Turkish food, passable pizza and much more besides. Ignore the battalions of beleaguered expats who tell you what a dreadful experience Pristina is, and simply tuck in. Who cares if the waiter has a cigarette in his mouth? He really is genuinely pleased to serve you.

Chinese Chinese Restaurant A-2, Rr. Luan Haradinaj, tel. +377 44 38 49 28. Popular with foreigners looking to spice up their meals (witness the expat trophy badges and flags on display), this aptly named restaurant is nicely done up with lanterns and painted masks. The short menu offers Chinese classics, including dumplings, seafood and pork options, at around €5; try the sizzler plates or ask the cook (who is from Harbin) for a recommendation. If you just can't get enough, the restaurant also offers foot, head, ear and other mas-sages, starting at €25 per hour. QOpen 11:00 - 22:00, Sun 12:00 - 22:00. (€2-15). S

Fast foodFor the local take on fast food, see the Burek listings.

Hot Dog Adi A-3, Rr. Luan Haradinaj, tel. +377 44 51 93 94. Hot dogs, hot dogs get yer hot dogs at Adi's base-ment hot dog emporium, with mustard, mayo, ketchup or a

variety of other toppings and sauces for just €1,50. Other snacks available for dog haters. QOpen 07:00 - 23:00. Closed Sun. B

Route 66 A-3, Rr. Luan Haradinaj, tel. +381 38 22 72 25/+377 44 93 86 66. A fun, bright and brash American diner right opposite the UN compound. The menu includes classics such as chicken burgers, buffalo wings, fajitas and nachos, and takes the Micky out of UNMIK with its Bondsteel sandwich (named after the largest US military camp), and the Bill Clinton enchilada (with extra chilli sauce). The platter for two is €5,50. QOpen 07:00 - 02:00, Sun 08:00 - 02:00. B

Fish Rio 2 A-2, Rr. Fehmi Agani. Fish, glorious fresh fish, from the Adriatic or from Kosovo's lakes and streams. Sea bass, squid, octopus salad, scampi pizza, Mexican fish filet and pancakes for desert are a few samples from the menu.QOpen 08:00 - 23:00. S

Villa Corona Rr. Nazim Gafurri, tel. +381 38 51 70 00/+377 44 50 95 90. The quiet surroundings of Germia park, only disturbed by the restaurant's fountains and the soft scurrying of waiters' feet, are perfect for a relaxed seafood or meat-based meal. Upmarket furnishings and knowledgeable staff complete the experience. Near the Luxor hotel.QOpen 07:00 - 24:00. (€2-12). PB

Indian Himalayan Gorkha A-2, Rr. UÇK 17, Qafa Centre, tel. +377 44 23 56 68, [email protected]. Indian food with a Himalayan twist. It's a bit of a expedition to find the modestly sized and furnished restaurant on the first floor of the evil Qafa shopping centre, but the food is as authentic as it comes, with lovely Tibetan chicken and mut-ton momos (dumplings), tandoor dishes and some Chinese food from across the mountain passes too. Free delivery to nearby offices, and take-away too. QOpen 11:00 - 22:00. (€3-6). PS

Mumtaz Mahal Rr. Ahmet Krasniqi, Arbëria, tel. +377 44 11 47 26. Next to the Adria hotel along the Mitrovica road, and overlooking the city from its high perch, Pristina's best Indian restaurant serves up curries that have expats reaching for the fire extinguishers, a proper tandoor oven churning out tasty dishes and naan. QOpen 08:00 - 23:00. (€3-5).

Meat & Fish Mish & Peshkbeef Mish lopechicken pulëlamb mish qeng jipork mish derrisausage suxhukveal mish viçischnitzel shnitcellfish mish peshkusalmon salmonsea food ushqim detitrout troftë

Fruits and vegetables Pemët dhe perimetapple mollëbanana bananecabbage lakërcarrot karotëeggplant patëllxhan mushrooms këpurdhaorange portokallpeppers specatomatoes domate

Drinks pijetbeer birrëjuice lëngwine verëwater ujë

Menu decoder

Proper Pizza Rr. Agim Ramadani 24, tel. +377 44 13 13 10/+381 38 54 21 82, [email protected], www.properpizza.com. Huge tasty, proper pizzas, feed-ing 1-4 people, delivered steaming to your front or hotel room door. Q (€3-4,50).

Home delivery

Iliria B-2, Bul. Nëna Tereza, tel. +377 44 261 358. The Iliria’s worn and weary rooms are undergoing a much needed renovation. We’ll report on the newly arisen hotel as soon as it is reopened.

Coming soon

to three people to renovated albeit very simple apartments. Clean and basic, this hotel features lurid red and green cor-ridors, a handful of satellite television channels, a few rooms with small Jacuzzis and a garage for two cars.Q 33 rooms (singles €30, doubles €40, triples €60, apartments €60, suite €99). PHALKW

CheapWho said that sleeping in Pristina is expensive? It's pos-sible to get a decent double room for €30 or less. Here you can get an Oriental-style double room with DVD player for the same price as a sagging dorm bed in a smelly Barcelona hostel.

Guesthouse Velania (Profesor) Rr. Emrush Miftari 4/34, Velania, tel. +381 38 53 17 42/+377 44 16 74 55, [email protected], www.guesthouse-ks.com. Also known as Guesthouse Profesor, Pristina's cheapest accommodation is run by an affable former electronics professor who studied in the UK. The rooms in the three-storey house have a hotch-potch of furniture but are mostly spacious and adequate, each with satellite TV, electric heaters a private bathroom. Breakfast is not included, but rooms share well-equipped kitchens, there's a free laundry service and a few communal balconies. The professor was delighted to see us, as despite being men-tioned in a few travel guides, In Your Pocket was the first to actually visit. Find Velania up the hill east of the centre behind the Lyon hotel. If the guesthouse is full, the profes-sor's brother has an additional 20 similar rooms in a house nearby. Q (singles €10-15, doubles €15-20. triples €25-30, apartments €25-35). W

Xhema B-1, Rr. Malig jash Gjinollli, tel. +377 44 17 76 65, [email protected], www.hotelxhema.com. Featuring lush oriental rooms with heaps of chintzy wall hang-ings and a distinctly feminine feel, Xhema is hidden just off the main road in a peaceful part of the city centre. Facilities include cable television, the ubiquitous bazaar hotel Jacuzzi and a DVD player in the studio room. There's no restaurant, but the surrounding area features plenty of options for eating out. Good value for little money.Q 7 rooms (3 doubles €25, 4 apartments €60). LW

Dorms & RoomsThere's no proper hostel in Pristina yet, nor many private rooms. Internationals looking for long-term accommoda-tion can expect to be fleeced by the locals to pay up to €700 a month for a fleapit room.

University dorms Rr. Agim Ramadani, tel. +381 38 22 39 51 ext. 220/+377 44 22 02 53. Prishtina University has 5 dorm buildings with 1,060 rooms and 2,872 beds available that are occasionally available to travellers - call and ask for Mr. Isak Beha.

Zogu C-4, Vellusha, tel./fax +381 38 24 44 19, tel. +377 44 19 98 74, [email protected]. An agency for budget housing, both long and short term.

These two small airport hotels are in the town nearest to the airport. Not great, but you never know when you might need them.

Aviano Sllatina, tel. +377 44 17 99 12, [email protected]. For the desperate ones who arrive too late or depart too early from Pristina airport to make it to town, this motel along the main road of the village near the airport has small, functional rooms and a huge restaurant. The hotel sign features a large F-16 fighter plane - hopefully you won’t see too many of those. Q (singles €30, doubles €40, triples €45). PARLK

Fitimi Sllatina, tel. +377 44 29 80 98. Four very basic, fairly clean and rather small rooms with local television, big comfy beds and unrenovated bathrooms. Exceed-ingly local, expect not one word of English to be spoken here or for that matter the sort of pleasant Albanian hospitality you find almost everywhere in Kosovo. Find it close to the junction where the airport and Pristina roads meet.Q(singles €30, doubles €40).

Airport hotels

18 RESTAURANTS


International A&A B-4, Rr. Rexhep Mala 39, tel. +381 38 23 95 35/+377 44 16 17 13. A small restaurant on a side street west of the centre. Smartly dressed waiters pop in and out of the kitchen to bring well-prepared salads, home made pastas and dishes such as pan-grilled eggplant with mint and vinagar or birjani chicken. Unfortunately the no-smoking signs are ignored by most patrons and we ended up eating lots of smoke with our dinner. QOpen 07:30 - 23:00. GB

Amaro B-2, Bul. Nëna Teresa 29, tel. +377 44 27 83 13. A small restaurant decorated with wood panelling and pictures of old Pristina. The menu here is standard inter-national, with the Parisian veal as its standout. QOpen 07:00 - 24:00.

Chalet Denis Rr. Ahmet Krasniqi, Arbëria, tel. +377 44 79 91 18. This wooden chalet by the Adria hotel offers good views of town from the terrace and has ample seating at its wooden cartwheel chairs and tables to feed local and international dishes to dozens of people. Speciality of the house is the Omelet Chateau Denis which basically contains everything. QOpen 07:00 - 24:00. (€4-8).

De Rada A/B-2, Rr. UÇK 50, tel. +381 38 22 26 22. Named after a romantic Albanian-Italian writer, this upmar-ket restaurant serves up home made pasta, fillet steaks, fresh bread, salads, daily specials and more. With the light music, some poetry and old photos on the walls, it's a decent choice, though the waiters got bad marks from a few PIYP readers recently.QOpen 08:00 - 24:00. Closed Sun. (€6-8). LBW

Edi-1 A-2, Rr. Luan Haradinaj 6, tel. +377 44 12 47 15. This functional-looking restaurant stands out with its dishes from Zhuri, the owner's village, such as pastry with veal and mushrooms. QOpen 07:00 - 24:00. (€3-9). PB

Ex B-2, Rr. Fehmi Agani 3/8, tel. +377 44 55 77 00. A superb place for spotting Kosovo politicos and other celebri-ties wolfing down excellent dishes like there's no tomorrow. Attentive staff can advise when you're wondering if you should take the Finnish beef or the Thai noodles with curry, the Malaysian saté or the fresh mussels, or perhaps the teriyaki... or the Indian barbecue chicken. Vegetarians are well catered too. Booking ahead is wise, especially for lunch.QOpen 07:00 - 23:00, Sun 16:00 - 23:00. (€2-6).

Gagi Café B-2, Rr. Fehmi Agani 12, tel. +386 49 52 25 11, [email protected]. A dazzlingly modern three-storey venue with food served on all floors, and plenty of terraces to enjoy the sun. The menu includes fresh calamari, frogs' legs and delicious home made cheese cake. The piano is tinkled on Thursday and Saturday. QOpen 07:00 - 24:00. Closed Sun.

Gizzi Grill Pristina-Skopje highway, Grand Store mall, tel. +377 44 65 59 66, www.gizzigroup.com. Perhaps the best thing to come to Kosovo since the Ottomans, Gizzi Grill is a popular restaurant set beside the mall, serving just about anything you'd like. There's a Mexican and US breakfast (with pork bacon), goulash, some excellent lunch sandwiches and burgers, steaks, salads, fish dishes and to top it all off, a selection of local cuisine. Especially popular with the after party clubbing crowd.QOpen 24hrs. Also in Kodra e Diellit (Sunny Hill), Zona e perendimit L5. PBW

Hani i 2 Robertëve A-3, Rr. Zahir Pajaziti, tel. +377 44 11 26 09/+377 44 11 72 19. The 'two Roberts' have found an unusual setting for their excellent restaurant (behind the Pallati i Rinisë, beyond the car park), and it's a popular venue for dinners and receptions. The han (inn) has pizza, grilled meat, pasta, and a suprisingly wide range of seafood on the menu, as well as a good selection of wines. Live music at night; jazz on Wednesdays. Book ahead. QOpen 08:00 - 24:00. (€3-12). EB

Home A-2, Rr. Migjeni, tel. +377 44 33 63 36/+381 38 22 40 41, [email protected]. For many expats working in Pristina, this is as close to home as it gets - the chef cook worked in London and conjures up great breakfasts and divine dinners. Try the Greek chicken, the eggplant tower with tomatoes, or a local specialities such as llokuma (wedding doughnuts) or pershut (dried meat). With two small, dark rooms and quality music playing, the atmosphere inside is relaxed and intimate. QOpen 07:00 - 23:00, Sat, Sun 11:00 - 23:00. (€2-7,5). B

Lounge Food & More A-3, Rr. Perandori Justinian C2, tel. +381 38 73 74 75, www.lounge-prishtina.com. A bustling, barn-like place facing Bulevard Nëna Tereza that does a bit of everything - sandwiches and home made pasta for lunch; Italian and seafood dinners; cocktail, beer and wine specials at night and lavish brunches and rocking club music on weekends.QOpen 07:00 - 24:00. (3-10).

Mozaik B-3, Rr. Sylejman Vokshi, tel. +381 38 24 76 34. A classy-looking upmarket restaurant with congenial staff that's perfect for a quiet business meal. There's lamb, grilled meats and pasta to choose from, but don't be afraid to order the house speciality, the spicy Mozaik Burger. QOpen 07:00 - 23:00. Closed Sun. LW

Parcae A-2, Rr. Fehmi Agani, tel. +377 44 22 27 96. An upmarket restaurant near the OSCE office, rather obviously owned by an architect; the space is filled with an unusual com-bination of gold, brown and red shapes and colours. The Italian-inspired menu lists Filet Parcae with pershut meat, and fresh trout.QOpen 08:00 - 23:00. Closed Sun. (€2-7,5). PLB

Pjata B-3, Rr. Gazmend Zajmi 1, tel. +381 38 22 07 39, [email protected], www.pjata.com. With a modern interior featuring plenty of wood, paintings and shelves of wine, Pjata is a small but popular restaurant serving pasta, various meat dishes, salads and some good cakes for dessert. The set lunch is €7,50 though booking ahead is recommended on weekdays. Find Pjata at the bottom end of the street. QOpen 11:00 - 23:00, Sun 12:00 - 23:00. (€3-14). B

Rings B-2, Bul. Nëna Tereza 16, tel. +377 44 24 79 99, www.restaurantrings.com. Pristina's classiest new restaurant is the flagship of the local Rings chain, and consists of a large interior with dining and lounging happening around a central bar. Like the five other Rings outlets, the food is international, tasty and well-priced; try the beefsteak with mozzarella. For a bit of privacy you can book one of the smaller function rooms, some of them with big windows to keep an eye on the hoi polloi outside. QOpen 07:00 - 24:00, Sun 08:00 - 24:00. Also on Rr. Luan Haradinaj (tel. +381 38 24 79 99) and four other locations. (€5-15). PB

Rings restaurants mark a new era in Prishtina’s gastronomy scene. The first Rings was open in March 2002 and was named after the many circles visible in the restaurant. Today there are five restaurants:

The newest Rings measures over 1000m2 and offers exclusive design and international standards. With various exclusive Italian food and Italian and French wines, Rings is a unique and relaxing place to hang out with friends and family. Or bring your business partners for dinner or a meeting in the private business rooms or conference room.

RINGSFood Wine & café

RINGSTel. 049/044 247 999

[email protected], www.restaurantrings.com

Locations: Rings 2: opposite the police station; Rings 3: opposite the Swiss embassy; Rings 4: beside the KEK building; Rings 5: Santeja; New Rings: Nënë Terezë Boulevard.

Pandora A-2, Rr. Zagrebi 19, tel. +377 44 18 25 58. Compared to a “twinkling 10-storey imperial destroyer from Star Wars” by the Financial Times, Pristina’s first skyscraper has a panorama lift shooting you up to the top floor where there’s a restaurant (serving pizza, pasta, fish and grilled meat) and terrace with views. One floor up is the bar where customers and their drinks are stirred anti-clockwise on the rotating floor. QOpen 12:00 - 24:00. (€3-10).

Food with a view

20 RESTAURANTS


21RESTAURANTS


Select Bistro A-2, Rr. Fehmi Agani 1/1, tel. +377 44 69 48 11. A modest bistro and café with a touch of Canada; the owners used to run a Toronto deli, and proudly serve but-termilk pancakes laced with proper maple syrup. Retreat to the non-smoking dining section for a select international menu with some unusual options such as beef with orange, and New York strip steak. Recommended.QOpen 07:00 - 23:00, Sun 16:00 - 23:00. (€3-7). AGBW

Te Komiteti (Et Itetimok) B-3, Rr. Qamil Hoxha 5/2, tel. 38 24 96 63. Though the name can be spelled in both directions, the food served in this pleasant restaurant is strictly one-way traffic. The light lunches, daily specials, steaks, fresh fish and duck will have you wandering off a happier person. Even if you're just here for drinks (the wine selection is pretty good), you can feast your eyes on the pictures of food on the walls.QOpen 07:00 - 23:00. (€2-13). PB

Ultra B-3, Rr. Sulejman Vokshi, tel. +391 38 24 63 35. Opposite Mosaik, this is another smart business restaurant, with a very snazzy interior that's half post-modern and half exposed brick with paintings. The food on the menu is as varied as the design and caters well to vegetarians.QOpen 08:00 - 23:00, Sun 14:00 - 23:00. B

Italian Il Passatore C-2, Rr. Hilë Mosi 13, tel. +381 38 51 64 73. A restaurant owned by the lovely Antonella, who also ran the succesful Il Passatore restaurant in Tirana. Excellent I talian dishes, accompanied by live music on summer Thursdays. Popular with foreign residents, it has a nice terrace garden. QOpen 12:00 - 16:00; 19:00-23:00. (€4-11). PEB

La Artista A-2, Rr. Rexhep Luci, tel. +381 38 22 53 28. Eager staff, pink walls, soft colours and comfy seats can all be found in this pleasant, central pizzeria. Choose between three dozen thin-crust pizzas and several past and salad options. The smoking volcano-shaped 'surprise pizza' is the most expensive item on the menu and certainly delighted the pyrophile child in us. QOpen 07:30 - 24:00. (€1-5). PBW

Osteria Basilico A-2, Rr. Fehmi Agani 29/1, tel. +386 49 27 62 76/+381 38 22 54 01, www.basilico-ks.com. Rustic-style Italian bistro with a nice deck outside for al fresco dining on balmy evenings. The menu is delightfully short, helping both the clients and the cooks to focus on getting the best pasta, meat and fish dishes. The results are very good indeed. QOpen 08:00 - 23:00. Closed Sun. (€4-10).

Panevino's A/B-2, Rr. Fehmi Agani 10, tel. +377 44 17 78 99. A newly renovated villa holds this modern, upmarket Italian restaurant with a large terrace. Come here for the oven-roasted lamb, wild boar, wood oven pizza, pasta specialities or for the great Italian cheese platters. Q Open 11:00-15:00, 19:00-23:00, Sun closed. PLBS

Pinocchio Rr. 24 Maj 115, tel. +377 44 20 29 52. An excellent Italian restaurant in the western suburb of Arbëria. The multi-level seating in the spacious wooden building offers great views over town, and an opportunity to enjoy salads, pizza, steak, chicken dishes and grilled fish. Impeccable service. Downstairs, a large wine bar is a favourite venue for receptions. QOpen 11:00 - 23:30. (€4-7). PILBW

Spaghetteria Tony A-4, Bul. Bill Clinton, tel. +381 38 23 67 96. Great fresh lasagna, tagliatelli and many other pasta dishes made by the flamboyant Tony in his restau-rant, decked out with portraits of famous Italian heroes. On Wednesdays and Sundays a band plays 1960s/70s music out on the terrace. The restaurant has a non-smoking area indoors, but for all other specifics about his place Tony told us to use Google.QOpen 07:00 - 24:00, Sun 10:00 - 24:00. (€2-7). EGB

XIX A-2, Rr. Luan Haradinaj 2, tel. +377 44 30 00 02, www.xixonline.com. XIX's interior intentions are hard to grasp with the tartan tablecloths and daily specials black-board, but the food couldn't be much better. The menu includes 18 pizzas, plus there's good antipasto, pasta, beef and fish to boot. There's a decent wine list too, and the waiters belong to that rare perfect breed who remain just the right side of attentive without sitting on your lap. Brilliant stuff. QOpen 07:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 07:00 - 02:00. (€2-7). W

Japanese Geba Bar A-4, Rr. Ilaz Kodru, tel. +377 44 44 42 89. A quality first-floor sushi shed set up by waiters who defected from other Japanese restaurants, with impressive results. If

Burek, known to Albanians as byrek, is a flaky pastry containing cheese, spinach or meat, and is the universal and ubiquitous Balkan snack that simply has to be tried when you’re in the region. From the Turkish bur, meaning to twist, burek is found in bakeries all over Pristina, the most popular outlet is the Bosna chain, who have a num-ber of small shops scattered around the city. Below are two of our favourites. Just ask for byrek me mish (byrek with meat) or me djath (with cheese). It’s best downed with ayran, a salty yoghurt drink; count on paying less than €1 for a set.

Bosna 2 A-3, Bul. Nëne Tereza, tel. +377 44 37 54 36. One of this infamous chain’s less salubrious outlets, the location is at least highly central, and the long, thin burek they sell here are out of this world. QOpen 07:00 - 22:00. Closed Sun. (€1-2). BS

Bosna 4 A-3, Rr. Perandori Justinian, tel. +381 38 24 59 19. Great burek amidst extraordinarily quirky décor. Lots of shapes and colours in an instantly recognisable communist style. QOpen 07:00 - 22:00. Closed Sun. (€1-2). BS

Burek

the electricity fails, you're close enough to the gargantuan KEK building to lob chopsticks, bits of shrimp and avocado into the dozing energy managers' offices. Free delivery and take-away too. Q (€2-10).

Sushi Bar A-3, Bul. Nëna Tereza, tel. +377 44 21 89 98, [email protected]. Beside the Grand Hotel, this Japanese restaurant imports fish daily to serve up in delicious nigiri and maki sushi platters - try the medium mixed set for a good cross-section. After dinnertime the 'Bar' part of the name becomes apparent, with cocktails served till late and karaoke nights dragging on well past midnight on weekend nights.QOpen 08:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 08:00 - 02:00. (€8-14).

Tokyo Rr. Bekim Berisha, tel. +377 44 98 85 78/+377 44 37 35 37, [email protected]. Tokyo's chef conjures up a great set of Japanese dishes. Come on Fridays when the very popular English-language karaoke evenings have locals and expats warbling along to evergreen hits. QOpen 10:30 - 22:30. E

Lunch cafésIf you've just read the entire restaurant chapter of this guidebook and you still haven't been served, stay calm, collect your belongings and pop into here, where food is served fresh and fast.

Aroma Bistro A/B-2, Rr. Rexhep Luci 8a, tel. +381 38 24 41 25. Featuring a fascinating array of youngsters who gradually get older as the day progresses, this is an intrigu-ing female-friendly chain bistro with good music, better than average coffee and some of the best sandwiches in Kosovo. Wander over to the buffet to point out the fresh filling, or go for a pasta or salad. QOpen 07:00 - 23:00, Sun 10:00 - 23:00. Also at Bul. Nëna Tereza (next to the theatre, open 07:00-24:00), Rr. Ilaz Kodra (open 08:00-24:00) and Rr. UÇK 17a (open 08:00-16:00, Sat 08:00-13:00, closed Sun). PB

Fresh A-2, Rr. Luan Haradinaj, tel. +377 44 18 56 50. Nice little sandwich place with delivery. QOpen 06:00 - 23:00. Closed Sun. (€1-3). BS

Friends Sandwich Bar A-2, Rr. Fehmi Agani, tel. +377 44 14 10 50. A neat cafe decorated with modern art that turns out sandwiches and salads at high speed during lunchtime hours. QOpen 07:00 - 17:00. B

Mexican Cantina B-3, Rr. Qamil Hoxha 7/1, tel. +377 44 71 07 10, [email protected]. Cantina does a good job of get-ting the Tex-Mex tacos, chimichanga and biftec Cantina spicy and tasty enough to convince real Latinos. If guacamole is not your thing, the cooks can divert to Thai specialities too. QOpen 07:00 - 23:00. (€4-8). PB

Waiter! Kamarier!A table for two Një tavolinë për dy Non-smoking / smoking Ndalohet duhani / Lejohet duhaniThe menu please Menyn ju lutemI’d like to order Do doja ta bëja porosinDo you have vegetarian food? Keni ushqim vegjetarianSurprise me! Më befasoThe bill, please Faturën ju lutem

Restaurant talk

Gërmia Park, just east of the city centre and easily reached by taxi, is home to a handful of restaurants amidst the trees.

Freskia Gërmia Park, tel. +377 44 11 36 27/+377 49 11 36 27. A simple wooden chalet beside a gurgling artificial stream. Unfortunately, they keep two bears cruelly locked in a small cage, where they are teased by the locals, and several PIYP readers have already complained about this. Avoid at all costs until the owner does something about it. QOpen 08:00 - 24:00. (€4-7).

Vila Gërmia Gërmia Park, tel. +381 38 51 77 41/+377 44 29 63 95, [email protected], www.vilagermia.com. The most upmarket restaurant in Gër-mia Park - and indeed one of the best in Pristina - set at the top of the park road with views over the green fields and forests. The ranch-like building has a large terrace and holds various stylish dining areas as well as well-equipped meeting rooms for up to 100 people. The house specials include steak and mixed grill, but there’s also fish, pizza and local cuisine. Open from the first jogger to the last round of cocktails. QOpen 06:30 - 24:00. BW

Villa Lira Gërmia Park, tel. +377 44 16 69 11/+377 44 27 15 18. The wooden building at the far end of Gër-mia Park lacks good views but if you’re willing to make do with the sight of tall trees surrounding the deck terrace, you can let the cuisine make up for that. The mixed grill is very good, as are the fresh fish, steaks and wood-oven pizzas. Try the Kosovo salad, with potatoes, onion, parsley and egg.QOpen 08:00 - 24:00. (€5-8). PLB

In the park

Traditional delicacies include fli (a pie with many thin layers of dough, served with honey), burek (flaky dough stuffed with spinach, cheese or other fillings) and qebapa (spiced meatballs).

Pishat B-3, Rr. Qamil Hoxha 11, tel. +381 38 24 53 33/+377 44 12 20 15. Arguably the best restaurant in Pristina. Located half indoors and half on a terrace that gets covered during the winter, Pishat (‘the fir tree’) is packed with local bigwigs who visit regularly to dine on food including calamari, veal, traditional Albanian dishes, delicious bread baked in a brick oven and the local delicacy that is fli. Pishat is also one of a few places in Pristina serving pork dishes. QOpen 08:00 - 24:00, Sat 12:00 - 24:00. (€2-9). PB

Romantika C-1, Rr. Nazim Gafurri, tel. +377 44 26 35 45. An authentic family-run Kosovo restaurant with only delicious, simple and cheap local cuisine on the menu: qofte, qebap, paqë (sour soup), tavë (oven dishes) and suxhuk shtep (chicken). Find Romantika in the small Ottoman-style shopping area a few hundred metres from the mosques. QOpen 08:00 - 24:00. Closed Sun. (€1-6). B

Tiffany’s A-2, Rr. Fehmi Agani, tel. +381 38 24 40 40. Astonishing. A restaurant any city would give its right arm for, Tiffany’s is a wonderfully laid-back canteen-like affair, brimming with well-heeled locals and foreigners who know a good thing when they see it. The food is prepared in the restaurant according to whatever the chef found at the shops that morning. With no menu, you’re never quite sure what you’ll get, the waiter will tell you what options you have. Whatever it is, it’s bound to be superb. Find the unmarked restaurant on the side road, opposite the Outback bar, across the car park. Highly recommended. QOpen 08:00 - 23:00, Sun 18:00 - 23:00. (€2-7). LB

Kosovan

Elida A-3, Rr. Luan Haradinaj, Pallati i Rinise com-plex, tel. +381 38 22 13 82. Great home made ice-cream served as such or in extravagant coupes, though coffee and cakes are also available. Find Elida inside the Pallati i Rinise mall, with what look like train seats, and equipped with huge windows to see and be seen. QOpen 07:00 - 23:00.

Ice cream

22 RESTAURANTS


23NIGHTLIFE


Mexicana B-4, Rr. Abdyl Frasheri 22. Good Mexican dishes with proper ingredients and heat can be found just up the hill from the national library. Some effort has gone into the kitsching up of the windowless interior with hats, rugs and instruments, and on Friday and Saturday evenings the place is livened up even more by the Mexicana band. Spicy tacos, enchiladas, fajitas and quesadilla con queso are all available, as are specials like chicken in orange sauce and beefsteak in tequila sauce.QOpen 08:00 - 24:00. (€3-9). ES

Princesha Gresa B-2, Rr. Fehmi Agani 23, tel. +381 38 24 58 41/+377 44 11 23 91. The best place in the centre for Mexican food in portions the size of a small independent country - just sink your teeth into the chicken or beef fajitas or enchiladas here. The soups, curry and desserts are worth trying too. Expats in the know order the secret grilled salmon salad, which is not on the menu.QOpen 10:00 - 23:00. (€2-15). PBW

Out of townA few very good restaurants can be found along the road to Gracanica, a ten-minute drive from the city centre. Get-ting here by taxi should cost €3-4.

Puro Veternik, tel. +381 38 60 20 99, www.puro.in. Pristina's best-looking restaurant and lounge, Puro is a gourmet venture serving imaginative, top quality French, Italian and oriental dishes such as halibut in potato crust, or rosemary lamb in honey. Puro has its own pattisserie - try the chocolate pralines. After dinner, cocktails are served in the stylish lounge. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00, Sun 18:00 - 24:00. (€7-13). PB

Rron Veternik, tel. +381 38 60 24 50/+377 44 34 77 77, [email protected], www.rron-ks.com. One of Pristina's most popular upmarket restaurants, well worth the trek out of town. The high-ceilinged modern building has a well-stocked bar and a menu featuring a varied selection of meat and fish dishes. In summer, use the pleasant garden and let the kids romp in the playground.QOpen 09:00 - 23:00. (€7-11). PAB

Bamboo A-3, Rr. Garibaldi 17, tel. +377 44 43 08 40, [email protected]. Loud, smoky, minimalist and very peculiar indeed, Bamboo thrives on a faded 1980s décor, worn down by scruffy students munching on sandwiches and downing cheap beer. But if you like wine and ear damage then you've just found your home away from home. Find it down Rruga Johan Hahn.QOpen 08:00 - 24:00.

Baraka A-2, Rr. Fehmi Agani, tel. +377 44 37 50 84. A no-frills, double-decker summer cottage-style bar popular with students and the usual collection of sinister-looking middle-aged men hiding from their families. Décor comes courtesy of candles in paper bags and the toilet is outside, but if you can live with the basic requirements then Baraka offers a fairly convivial atmosphere. QOpen 08:00 - 24:00. PB

Click A-3, Rr. Luan Haradinaj, tel. +377 44 93 35 22. The Phoenix bar, Pristina's premier expat watering hole, was recently renovated and reborn as Click. With a good selec-tion of beers, a full menu of international food served until 23:00 and sports matches on television screens, Click clearly intends to keep the international punters coming. Find it hug-ging the fence northeast of the UNMIK compound. QOpen 07:00 - 24:00. PEBW

CM (Architects Café) B-3, Rr. Sylejman Vokshi 14a, tel. +377 44 14 98 14. A buzzing bar in an oblong space with sofa seating and large windows. Filled mostly with students from the surrounding university buildings, it's a raucous place for a beer or to listen to the bands that drop by now and then. The bar is unmarked - look for the weird designer doorway. QOpen 07:00 - 24:00. Closed Sun. EB

Downtown A-3, Rr. Brigada, tel. +381 38 247 570, [email protected]. The last in the row of bars op-posite the UNMIK offices, this is a dodgy-looking place set on two floors. Mix with the locals to listen to Mexican music, eat authentic Mexican pizza and get some lungfulls of smoke. QOpen 08:00 - 24:00. B

Legere A-3, Rr. Perandori Justinian 2, tel. +377 44 60 54 57. A modern restaurant and bar that has been very successful at attracting the beautiful people. Serving light food such as pastas, sandwiches and salads until 22:00, this ultramodern lounge bar has very comfortable chairs and sofas, and a great party atmosphere on weekend nights. QOpen 07:30 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 08:00 - 01:00. (€2-7). GB

There are enough bars and clubs in Pristina to keep all but the most demanding snobs satisfied. The influx of foreigners has brought with it a few excellent choices, but even the places frequented by the locals are better than many you'll find in some of the bigger Balkan cities. This is basically down to Albanian hospitality, which is, in short, second to none. The great thing about Pristina is that it's so small you can move from bar to bar until you find something you like. As well as crawling the nightlife in the city centre around Rruga Fehmi Agani and Rruga Garibaldi, the other good place to try is the Santea neighbourhood, at the eastern end of Bul. Bill Clinton. Note that several places listed under Cafés such as the Café e Vogel are also good night spots. And just in case you'd forgotten, Kosovo is a male-dominated society, and many of the cheaper bars are frequented entirely by men.

BarsYou know you've made it when you are allowed (or can blag yourself) into the Friday evening drinking sessions in the UNMIK complex, or in OSCE's ninth-floor restaurant. Lesser mortals can avail of a good selection of other bars.

Apartment 196 A-3, Rr. Garibaldi, tel. +377 44 52 02 89. Looking a lot like the hotel room you are trying to escape, Apartment 196 is a relaxed bar with some decorative books, modern art on the walls and low seating. Jazz, chilled house and Latino tunes are on the stereo. QOpen 07:00 - 24:00. B

Avenue Bar A-2, Rr. Fehmi Agani 48, tel. +377 44 45 50 10. A slick and trendy establishment popular with Pris-tina's slick and trendy professionals, the suave ground floor bar is often packed with good-looking locals and features a pleasantly quirky ambience, finger food and pasta, Sinatra tunes and cocktails by the lorry load, whilst the more subdued cellar is a bright red Oriental den of delight. Owned by a local musical celebrity, expect live piano music from time to time. Behind Café e Vogel.QOpen 08:00 - 24:00. PEBW

Where is the nearest bar / club? Ku ndodhet klubi më I afërt?I need a... Dua një …..... beer birrë... wine Verë... cocktail Koktell... cigarette Cigare... lighter likor... ashtray Tabak... man Burr... woman GruaWhere can I find a taxi? Ku mund ta gjejë një taksi?You have beautiful eyes. Keni sy të bukur.Your place or mine? Vendi im apo i yti?Where I come from, that’s illegal. Prej nga unë vij, kjo është jo legale.

Pub talkFor Kosovars, the difference between a café, a bar, the local disco and indeed their living rooms or workplaces is extremely fluid. What may be a quiet place for a cappucino now may be a stomping bar in an hour. Some cafés listed here are equally good as nightlife spots.

Café e Vogel A-2, Rr. Fehmi Agani 50, tel. +377 44 13 78 24. Run by a friendly local who spent years in the UK, the ‘small café’ is a very relaxed place for a coffee, beer and chat. It’s visited by an alternative crowd of students and foreigners, the two rooms have sofa and ottoman seating, and even when busy it’s not too smoky. During daytime, snacks are served, including lokum, fried batter balls with onion sauce and salad. QOpen 08:30 - 23:30, Sun 11:00 - 23:30. B

Dit’ e Nat’ B-2, Rr. Fazli Grajqevci, tel. +386 49 25 63 62. ‘Day and night’ is Kosovo’s first book café, and a good one at that. Apar t from a wide variety of English-language books and magazines, there’s good coffee, wine, snacks and free wifi to keep the laptop lubricated. Although it’s not open till late at nat’, the atmosphere is relaxed and may have you lingering for hours. QOpen 07:00 - 22:00, Sun 10:00 - 18:00. BW

Elzar A-3, Rr. Perandori Justinian 17, tel. +377 44 47 74 07. One of the nicer lounge cafés along this well-caffeined street - Elzar is a converted villa with sleek furnishings and garden seating all around. An international selection of food is served too. QOpen 07:00 - 24:00, Sat, Sun 08:00 - 24:00. (€2-7). PB

Lumi Bakery B-4, Rr. Eqerem Qabej, tel. +381 38 22 97 52/+377 44 11 53 86. Delicious local and foreign-style pastries, cakes and bread, all served with a smile.QOpen 08:00 - 18:00.

ODA A-2/3, Rr. Luan Haradinaj, Pallati i Rinisë dhe i Sporteve, 111, tel. +381 38 246 555, www.teatrioda.com. Hang out with real artists at the ODA Theatre’s small café. There’s a library corner with art books, novels and other materials for visitors to browse. Free wifi too. QOpen 09:00 - 24:00. W

Odyssea Bakery A-3, Rr. Perandori Justinian E1, tel. +377 44 83 15 41. A fantastic little French-style bakery café with a varied selection of cakes, tarts, sandwiches and pastries. Sit down and have them with a coffee or take away. Open longer in the summer months.QOpen 07:30 - 20:00. BS

Ronzino B-2, Bul. Nëna Tereza, tel. +381 38 22 65 88. On the corner of Rruga Fehmi Agani, the first-floor Ronzino cafe has a wacky name plus some spacious terrace seating beneath the trees of the adjacent park. Inside, admire pictures of what Pristina looked like before the concrete wave. QOpen 07:00 - 23:00.

Syri i Kalter B-3, Bul. Nëne Tereza, tel. +377 44 20 92 92. It’s back to the 1950s at the ‘blue eyes’ café. The large space isn’t exactly intimate, with just some instru-ments hung on the walls as decoration, but at the back there are counters with smiley staff serving coffee and sweet sticky cakes. QOpen 07:00 - 24:00. B

Cafés & Bakeries

Meeting at Skanderbeg's statue

Statue at the Pandora building

24 NIGHTLIFE


Mollëkuqja A-2, Rr. Migjeni, tel. +377 44 14 39 90, fugomollë[email protected]. A distinctively local and not unpleasant bar frequented by a fairly smart after-work crowd of young professionals and the occasional local character. Features include a big stone bar, abstract art on the walls, ice-cold bottled beer and decent espresso. The Albanian-only menu isn't going to win any cookery awards, but they do a very good thin crust pizza. QOpen 0\7:00 - 23:00. (€1-3). PAW

Morena A-4, Bul. Bill Clinton 8, tel. +377 44 11 51 16. Boasting 28 different cocktails including a mintless mojito, wireless internet, jazz on Sunday evenings plus F1 and Champions League on the television, Morena is a breath of fresh air indeed. The place is generally packed out in the evenings with a pleasant, young professional crowd. QOpen 08:00 - 23:00. PEBW

MYC A-3, Rr. Garibaldi 21, tel. +377 44 55 90 55. The small, trendy-looking 'my café' feeds MTV and smoke to a 30-ish crowd. Seated on cream couches you can down a coffee or various bar drinks while listening to Latin jazz and, in the evening, house music. QOpen 08:00 - 22:00.

Odyssea Bistro Bar A-3, Rr. Sejdi Kryeziu, tel. +377 44 55 64 44, [email protected], www.odyssea-group.com. Pristina's prime cocktail bar is found deep down a dead-end street but is well worth the walk. The space is bisected by the large bar with a lounge area near the door and a small restaurant section on the far end. After you've had the waiters serve you some of Odyssea's decent daily specials, let the black-clad baristas perform miracles with the bottled spirits. Come on weekend evenings to join the party atmosphere. Odyssea is also quickly reached from Bul. Nëna Tereza, go down the path beside the Faik Konica school. QOpen 09:00 - 24:00. PAGW

Outback (Kaqa) A-2, Rr. Fehmi Agani, tel. +377 44 11 22 00; +377 44 19 89 49. Officially called Outback but widely known as Kaqa, this is Pristina's prime lounge bar. Set back from the street amidst a cluster of venues, the large wooden shack has lounging space at the front, backed up by a bar and more seating space. A good se-lection of cocktails and drinks is on offer, but despite the raucous crowd there's unfortunately no dancing. QOpen 08:00 - 24:00. PBW

Publicco A-3, Rr. Garibaldi 7, tel. +377 44 62 69 27/+377 44 14 70 20, www.gizzigroup.com. A stylish and relaxed bar featuring black and red steel, stone walls and very friendly staff. Chocaholics can slurp their way through 11 types of hot chocolate; serious drinkers can focus on the good cocktails and coffee - which is also available to go. QOpen 08:00 - 24:00, Sat 09:00 - 24:00.

Queen's Shilling A-4, Bul. Bill Clinton, tel. +377 44 62 96 89. A popular bar with a zebra-motif ceiling, at the bottom end of a double row of busy cafés along Boulevard Bill. The large semi-circular space is good for people-watching and is usually filled with students downing coffee, while MTV and football are displayed on the screens. QOpen 07:00 - 24:00. B

Strip Depot A/B-2, Rr. Rexhep Luci 6/10, tel. +381 38 22 28 88, www.stripdepot.com. There's nothing lewd about the Strip Depot, lads, in fact it's one of Pristina's most pleasant nightlife spots. The classic wallpaper, sofas and camel seats give the Depot a crash pad atmosphere, and there's free wi-fi, relaxed music and comics available for the 30-ish crowd to browse. Yugoslav-era comics in Albanian and Serbian are for sale too. Drinks only. QOpen 08:00 - 24:00, Sun 10:00 - 24:00. PBW

Tingell Tangell A-2/3, Rr. Rexhep Luci, tel. +386 49 88 62 92; +386 49 20 79 97. A bar as you'd find in Berlin's grungier districts - filled with mismatched furniture, comfy old seats and quirky drawings. Join a crowd of students, painters and other escape artists who come here to smoke and drink. Find it marooned in the wastelands behind the buildings along Rr. Haradinaj, beside its recently bulldozed illegal terrace. QOpen 08:00 - 01:00. BW

Tricky Dick's A-3, Rr. Kosta Novakovic, tel. +377 44 20 28 14, [email protected]. Star ted in December 1998, even before NATO intervention, and named after Richard Holbrooke, the US diplomat who tried to prevent the Kosovo mess, this was Pristina's first expat bar. Under new management, i t's not the international meeting place i t used to be, but i t's well placed for the hotels along the street and serves pizza, sandwiches and pancakes. QOpen 07:00 - 23:00. Closed Sun. 8 - 20 PB

Zullu Bar A-4, Bul. Bill Clinton, tel. +377 44 29 69 61. One of many busy cafés along this nightlife stretch - Zullu is owned by Carlos, who seems even younger than his schoolkid clientele. Zullu has a weird white ceiling, worn seats and plays a mix of rock and house. QOpen 08:00 - 22:00.

Casinos Europe Casino Lagjja Kalabria, tel. +381 38 55 12 60, [email protected]. Set in the district near the bus station, the Europe casino offers gambling with slot machines, poker, and roulette and offers guests free drinks and a complimentary buffet.

Clubs Cube A-3, Rr. Johan Hahn 2, tel. +377 44 12 45 84. In the alley off Rruga Garibaldi, you enter the large bar area of Cube. There's a terrace on the roof but all the action is downstairs in the swish club area, where DJs play a mixed styles of music on Wednesday and weekend nights. Admission for well-dressed, over-20, non-square people only. QOpen 08:00 - 24:00, Wed, Fri, Sat 08:00 - 02:00. PNBW

New expat arrivals and any other stray foreigners that find themselves wandering around are welcome to mingle with Prishtina’s active group of expats.

International Women’s ClubFounded in 2004, the IWC unites expatriate women living in Kosovo. For 20 euros per year you’re welcome to join activities such as the Tuesday coffee hour, art classes, book club, walking group and cultural events. Contact tel. +377 44 18 96 71, email [email protected] or see http://groups.yahoo.com/group/iwc_pristina for more information.

Pristina Playgroup International A free dating service, not for lonely expats but for expat children, so that the toddlers have somone else to safely toddle with. More information: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pristina_playgroup.

Expat activities

26 NIGHTLIFE


27WHAT TO SEE


Depo A-2, Rr. UÇK, tel. +377 44 24 67 07. A popular club featuring rap, house and hip-hop music played at combat levels. Find the warehouse door entrance to the club behind the bars and terraces along Rruga Fehmi Agani. QOpen 22:00 - 03:00. Closed Sun. E

Duplex A-3, Rr. Luan Haradinaj, Pallati i Rinisë 11, tel. +386 49 54 55 55, www.duplexprishtina.com. You’ll fit right in with the young and beautiful crowd that descend on Duplex to enjoy a night of drinking and dancing to DJ music. The high-ceilinged club has several bars and lounge rooms, and is especially busy on Wednesday and weekend nights - call ahead to book a table. Find it behind the American School of Kosova. QOpen 21:00 - 03:00. Admission €2-4.

Spray Veternik, tel. +377 44 11 85 18, [email protected], www.sprayclub.com. The best club in Kosovo can be found a few kilometres from the city centre along the road to Skopje, just past the Gorenje building. Spray often features house DJs from the region, Europe and beyond to blast away the 1500-capacity club. See the website for upcoming events. Q Admission €3-5.

Jazz clubs Jazz Club 212 A-3/4, Rr. Mbreti Leka Zogu I, 7a, tel. +377 44 16 72 86, [email protected], www.212pr.com. A large club hosting a variety of live music events, often Jazz but on some nights drifting to Latino, R&B or even karaoke. On weekend nights it's packed and loud, the way we like it. The owner likes to take place behind the drums himself now and then. The small menu of Italian and international dishes includes peculiar sounding food such as parpadeli with shpek. QOpen 22:00 - 02:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Sun. Open Wed, Thu, Fri 22:00-03:00. (€1-10). E

Live music Sokoli e Mirusha A-2, Rr. Fehmi Agani 41, tel. +377 44 78 88 88, [email protected]. A self-proclaimed 'gastropub' on the first floor of a converted house, with a shabby-chic look attracting the right mix of artists, politicians and business bobos, and managed by a restaurateur with experience in London and New York. There's good foor and drinks, but most importantly there's daily live music (except Sunday), with 'Ballkan Atmosphere' Mondays and Jazz most other nights. QOpen 09:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 09:00 - 01:00. (€4-10). PEBW

Why Not A-3/4, Rr. Perandori Justinian, tel. +377 44 19 08 54, www.whynotks.com. A rocking live music venue, popular with locals and expats alike. There's opportunity to make your own noise on karakoke nights (Mon/Tues) and during the jam sessions (Sun), or leave it to the profession-als and visit the Albanian pop and rock nights (Wed/Thurs). Thankfully, the smoke is kept to a reasonable level thanks to effective ventilation. Tables can be booked ahead. QOpen 18:00 - 01:00. Closed Sun. PEW

Zanzibar B-2, Rr. Hajdar Dushi, tel. +377 44 15 21 55, [email protected]. An old Pristina expat favourite, the Zanzibar is a shabby, time-worn basement bar with a wall of smoke and loud live rock music every Friday and Saturday. With just one small exit it's going to be a Darwinian rush to the doors if anything happens down there. Find Zanzibar down the steps in the alley. QOpen 19:00 - 03:00. Closed Sun. E

Pubs Dubliner A-3, Rr. Johan Hahn, tel. +386 49 12 58 25. Although this bar doesn't have all the paraphernalia to make it a real Irish pub, it does have a large space to get rowdy in, some decent sandwiches and burgers on the menu. Occa-sional events liven things up. QOpen 08:00 - 03:00. PBW

Ninety-One A-3, Rr. Luan Haradinaj, tel. +381 38 22 19 91. One of the most popular pubs in town for the foreign community, with the correct wooden interior, sports events screened on televisions and good pub grub. There's breakfasts, English burgers, rice pudding and the house speciality, beef fajitas. Peja, Fosters and Guinness can be found on tap, and there are cocktails too, including mojitos with fresh mint.QOpen 07:00 - 01:00, Fri, Sat 07:00 - 03:00. (€1-4). PBW

XL A-3, Bul. Nëne Tereza, tel. +377 44 22 49 48, [email protected]. A nice pub-style café more or less opposite the National Library, with a vibrant atmosphere and without all the pub kitsch. Sit, smoke, drink, wobble home. QOpen 08:00 - 23:00.

Wine bars People's Bistro & Wine Bar B-3, Rr. Qamil Hoxha 7/10, tel. +381 38 22 44 21/+386 49 30 34 04, [email protected]. A very pleasant wine bar run by people who know what they're doing. It serves wines from Kosovo and abroad together with a limited but quality selection of international dishes.QOpen 07:00 - 23:00. Closed Sun. PBW

Like most Balkan cities, Pristina was a small and dusty market town until fairly recently. The city suffered bomb-ing in the Second World War and again during the 1999 Kosovo crisis, but unfortunately suffered most damage to its cultural monuments due to socialist planning and modern-day neglect. In the 1950s, demolition of parts of the old centre took place in the name of building a new socialist city - publica-tions at the time boast that "old shop fronts and other shaky old structures are quickly disappearing to make room for fine tall, modern-style buildings.” The lovely little Catholic Church was demolished, as was the region's largest covered market, a mosque (which made way for the Iliria hotel), the synagogue, a hamam bath house and many Ottoman-era houses. The rivers Pristevka and Vellushka were hidden beneath concrete. This all goes to explain the apparent dearth of charm. It's a scary fact that the careless attitude of the 1950s still lives on. Several listed buildings have disappeared without trace over the past few years and the remain-ing monuments are often in poor condition. What's even worse is that people protecting Pristina's cultural heritage are in danger. In 2000, city planner Rexhep Luci was conducting an inventory of destroyed historic buildings and unauthorised wild construction when he was murdered on the street. The crime is still unsolved and illegal buildings are still going up. Despite all this, it's pleasant to stroll around the former bazaar area, taking in the lively goings-on at the markets or watching the mosques fill up at prayer time.

Museums Ethnographic Museum (Muzeu Etnologjik, Emin Gjiku complex) B-1, Rr. Iliaz Agushi, [email protected]. A lovely traditional 18th century house set in a walled complex with several other buildings is the only original building left in the old bazaar area. Once owned by Emin Gjiku, a nickname for Emin Gjinolli, whose family owned the house, the complex was turned into a museum in 2006. Professional guides are at hand to give English-language tours, telling about the traditional architecture typical for the region, and showing the separate guest and family parts of the house that are filled with exhibits on clothing, birth and burial rituals, handicrafts and more. The museum sells traditional gifts including white eggshell plis hats. Highly recommended.QOpen 10:00 - 17:00. Admission €2.50/0.50.

Independence Museum (Kosovo Independence House “Dr. Ibrahim Rugova”) A-2, Rr. Fehmi Agani. A new museum about Kosovo's recent history, set in a reconstruction of the small two-room house that was used by Ibrahim Rugova. Glass cases hold various objects relating to the events leading up to Kosovo's independence, such as Rugova's glasses, typewriter and desk, and the mobile phone of media advisor Xhemajl Mustafa. The gleaming white marble floors are slightly incongruous, but the items on display and especially the grim photos of Pristina in the 1990s get the message across. Although there are English captions, it's best visited with a local who can explain the context and personalities. There's a modest bust of the late great Rugova outside. Find the museum beside the Tiffany's restaurant. QOpen 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun. Admission free.

Kosova Art Gallery B-3, Rr. Agim Ramadani 60, tel. +381 38 22 56 27, [email protected], www.kosovaart.com. Behind the national library, this relatively large exhibition building is made up of two exhibition halls covering almost 500 square metres and showcasing shows of mostly 2D work by local, and primarily young, artists. Owned and operated by the Ministry of Culture & Sports, the museum also does a lot of educational work with young children. In front of the entrance stands Pris-tina's most interesting public artwork - a constellation of metal beams jutting out over the footpath like mikado sticks. Q Open 10:00-14:00, 15:00-18:00, Sun 10:00-15:00. Closed Mon.

Kosovo Museum B-2, Sheshi Adam Jashari. This pretty ochre-painted villa housing the Kosovo Museum was built by Austrians for the Turkish army in 1898, and was used by the Yugoslav national army until 1975. The museum used to have a rich collection of prehistoric objects uncovered in Kosovo - these were all spirited off to Belgrade just before the troubles started in 1998, and hundreds of archeological finds and ethnographic items yet have to be returned. The extensive permanent archae-ology exhibition details life in the region in the Illyrian, Dardanian and Roman periods with excellent English-language texts, all accompanied by Philip Glass minimal music. Centre stage is the 6000 year old Hynesha në Fron (Goddess on a throne) statue, found at Tjerrtorja in 1956 and returned to Pristina in 2002. In front of the building recent history is represented by some artillery hardware, while two large Jewish gravestones remind of another recent exodus drama.QOpen 09:30 - 17:30, Sat, Sun 11:00 - 15:00. Closed Mon. Admission free.

Kosovo Railways Museum Fushe Kosovo station, tel. +381 38 536 355. A one-room exhibition inside the Fushe Kosovo railway station dedicated to the railways.

Ottoman Pristina Academy building B-2, Rr. Nazim Gafurri. Right next to the clock tower stands another of Pristina’s few remaining 19th century Ottoman konak-style private houses. It is cur-rently used by the Academy of Arts and Sciences who have added a rather ugly glass winter garden to the building. If you ask you can enter to walk around the courtyard.

ORTA, tel. +377 44 62 86 84/+377 44 65 05 09, [email protected]. ORTA organises guided Pristina heritage day tours, including a walk around the mosques, the hamam, the city’s three museums and other historical buildings in the centre. A drive to Gracanica monastery, the castle at Novo Brdo and ancient Ulpiana can also be arranged. Ask for price offers.

City tours

Pristina, Prizren, Peja online:kosovo.inyourpocket.com

The Ethnographic Museum

28 WHAT TO SEE


Çarshia Mosque (Xhamia e Çarshisë) B-2, Rr. Meto Bajraktari. The ‘market mosque’ is Pristina’s oldest building, constructed in the 15th century by Turkish Sultan Bajazit to commemorate the 1389 victory. Now no longer part of the old bazaar complex and no longer in posession of a a mausoleum, the one-room mosque is marooned in front of the Kosovo Museum.

Bazaar B-1. Pristina’s liveliest area is without doubt the large bazaar, east of Rruga Ilir Konusheci. Although most of it was destroyed in the 1950s, it still retains the bustling atmo-sphere typical of all Balkan markets. All kinds of goods are for sale: fruit, vegetables, Albanian flags, cigarettes (stacked up in walls of cartons), kitchen utensils, car parts, dodgy mobile phones and more, making for a fascinating stroll. Many of the friendly traders are returned refugees and know German, Italian or English, and will be happy to strike up conversation.

Clock Tower (Kulla e Sahatit) B-2, Rr. Ylfete Humolli. Every market town in the Ottoman Empire needed a clock tower so the faithful knew when to pray and shops could all close and reopen at the same time so that no trader got any advantage from staying open longer. Pristina’s 19th century, 26-metre high clock tower looks very similar to the one in Skopje. It was built by Jashar Pasha beside the mosque bearing his name in the centre of the old bazaar area, and was made with sandstone and bricks. The original bell, which originated from Moldova, was stolen in 2001. A new clock was installed with help of the French KFOR troops, and seeing it runs on electricity we were quite surprised that it indicated the correct time on all of its faces when we last checked.

Fatih Mosque (Xhamia e Mbretit) B-1, Rr. Ilir Konusheci. Opposite the clock tower, the Fatih or Imperial Mosque was built in 1461 under Turkish Sultan Mehmed II Fatih (‘the conqueror’), as witnessed by the Arabic engraving above the main door. Inside, painted floral

decorations and arabesques grace the walls and ceiling. Pristina’s grandest building has a spectacular 15-metre dome resting on support pillars, an architectural feat at the time of construction. The minaret is a reconstruction after the original was damaged during an earthquake in 1955. The mosque was briefly turned into a church during the Austro-Turkish wars from 1690-1698. During Friday payers, the congregation spreads out into the courtyard and even onto the street to pray.

Great Hamam (Hamami i Madh) B-1, Rr. Ilir Konushe-ci. Near the Fatih Mosque, Pristina’s grandest remaining bath complex was in a sorry state of repair, and is currently undergoing much-needed restoration. Built in 1470 the public baths form a symmetrical pair of baths within one complex, one for men and women each. The complex is graced with 15 domes, with small holes to let light stream in. Ask the workers if you can have a peek inside.

IMMK building (Kosovo Institute for the Protec-tion of Monuments) B-2, Rr. Ermin Duraku 1, tel. +381 38 24 93 03. About 150m from the clock tower, this recon-structed house that once belonged to the Kocadishi family represents a typical Ottoman 19th century merchant’s home, with an overhanging first floor, veranda, high walls around the perimeter and strictly separated areas within the compound for business and family affairs. The Kosovo Institute for the Protection of Monuments now uses the building; call ahead if you are interested in viewing the interior.

Jashar Pasha Mosque B-2, Rr. Ylfete Humolli. Beside the Academy building, this 16th century mosque (completed much later in the 19th century) is similar to the Carsi Mosque in architecture and interior decoration. The original portico was demolished to make way for a wider road.

Shadërvani fountain B-2, Rr. Nazim Gafurri. The elegant marble shadërvani fountain or water well, just behind the Çarshia Mosque, is one of the last remaining public watering holes in Pristina. Despite the busy road nearby, it’s still used as a place for old men to sit and chat.

Yugoslav Pristina Christ the Saviour Cathedral B-3, Sheshi Hasan Prishtina. A folly of Serbian nationalist aspirations, the Serbian Othodox Cathedral is the unfinished, hulking brick shell of a church on Sheshi Hasan Prishtina, the field beside the national library. Started in 1995, it was supposed to be finished in 1999. During the war and since it has been the focus of attacks, graffiti and vandalism, yet it remains standing and protected by the UN’s principles and barbed wire. Nobody can use or change the Cathedral without the permission of the Serbian Orthodox Church - who still demand must be completed.

The Pristina Heritage map on the next page is kindly provided by IKS (www.iksweb.org), an independent non profit NGO focusing on socio-economic research in Kosovo and the region. In partnership with ESI, European Stability Initiative, IKS has done research into Pristina’s development and published a discussion paper (available online) on the city’s threatened cultural heritage, and is starting a cultural heritage awareness raising campaign amongst both locals and foreign visitors. The map can be downloaded on the website.

Pristina heritage map

Kosovo’s Desmond Tutu, Anton Cetta (1920-1995) is famed and respected for his selfless efforts to end the often violent conflicts between clans and families across Kosovo in the 1980s and 1990s. Originally from Gjakova, he taught Albanian culture and literature in the universi-ties of Belgrade and Pristina before focusing on folklore. He later travelled the region to bring people together and to solve problems peacefully, managing to do more good than decades of government programmes. Anton Cetta’s statue has unceremoniously been left forgotten in an overgrown city centre yard.

Famous Kosovans

Photo by Sco

30 WHAT TO SEE


31WHAT TO SEE


Monument of Brotherhood and Unity B-2, Rr. Meto Bajraktari. Pointing to an era gone by, this 15-metre high monument looks like an upside-down concrete dart. The three slender columns joining near the top symbolise the ‘unity and brotherhood’ (a favourite Yugoslav slogan) of the the three peoples of Kosovo (Albanians, Serbs and Montenegrins). The overgrown bottom end of the monument is surrounded by rusting barbed wire, and you can just about see the inscription 1961 on the rotting base of the pillars. Nearby, a more interest-ing metal statue of a group of faceless people watches on.

National Library B-3, Sheshi Hasan Prishtina, tel. +381 38 24 96 50, www.biblioteka-ks.org. Unleashed on a bewildered public in 1982, Pristina’s extraordinary National Library was designed by the Croatian architect Andrija Mutnjakovic. The outside of the mammoth 16,500 square metre space-age building features a total of 99 white glass cupolas of different sizes and is entirely covered in a metal fishing net. Simultaneously gorgeous and absurd, the library was once home to a huge depository of Albanian literature, much of which, thanks to the enlightened leader-ship of Slobodan Milosovic, was turned into cardboard in the early 1990s. The equally beguiling interior which has some photos of old Pristina still contains over 5,000 fine examples of old and rare books and manuscripts, dating back to the 16th century. The library also holds many foreign titles, and membership is open to anyone.

National Martyr’s Monument C-3, Park of Martyrs. Topping the grassy park at the top of Velania and near Presi-dent Rugova’s grave, the Yugoslav-era Martyr’s Monument honours the partizans that died during the liberation of the region in World War II. The monument consists of a platform with a metal globe shape on a stick, surrounded by several concrete shells sticking out of the ground. Ignored and van-dalised, it has a haunting beauty, and also offers great views over the city and the mountains beyond.

Palace of Youth & Sports (Pallati i Rinisë dhe i Sport-eve) A-3, Rr. Luan Haradinaj, tel. +381 38 29 54 30. The massive 1977 Pallati i Rinisë dhe i Sporteve is an unmissable and spikey Pristina landmark and a nice example of Yugoslav-era city planning. In 1981 the Universal Centre sports complex and the shopping centre were added. The youth centre has an assembly hall, disco, concert and sports halls and a Pioneer’s centre - now catering to children without any additional brainwashing. Planned but as of yet not realised are swimming pools, a hotel and the renovation of the adjacent stadium. The bearded man depicted on the building is local hero Adem Jashari, a UÇK commander who was killed in 1998 together with some 50 others, including nearly his entire family, by the Serb police.

Parks Gërmia Park Rr. Nazim Gafurri. In the hills just east of town, this large park at the end of bus lines N°4,5 and 9 has a popular open-air swimming pool that’s the size of a lake, and endless forests to ramble through - though you should stick to the paths which are landmine-free. Skiing is possible here in winter too, though there are no special facilities. Q Admission free, cars €1.

Parku i Qytetit (City Park) C-2/3. East the the centre, the city park is a pleasant, cleaned-up area with concrete paths, trees and places to sit and play chess in the shade.

Parku i Taukbahqes C-2, Rr. Nazim Gafurri. A pretty park just a short walk east of the bazaar area. The old, tall trees create plenty of pleasant shady spots in summer, and colourful foliage in autumn.

Other sights Bill Clinton billboard A-4, Bul. Bill Clinton. A large billboard of Bill Clinton on the tall building along the boulevard named after him honours Kosovo’s favourite American. The photo has recently been renewed, showing the love affair is still ongoing.

Jewish Cemetery Tauk Bahqe hill. The 19th century Jewish Cemetery on top of Velania's Tauk Bahqe dates from the time that Pristina's Jewish community numbered some 1500 souls. It holds about 50 tombstones which are now overgrown with weeds. After 500 years of presence in Pristina since their immigration from Spain in 1492, the Jewish com-munity that remained after the deportations of World War II was forced to leave in June 1999 and resettled in Belgrade.

Mother Teresa statue B-3, Bul. Nëne Tereza. A small and humble statue of Mother Teresa, a nun of ethnic Albanian origin (born in Skopje in what is now Macedonia) who devoted her life to the poor in India.

Newborn Monument A-3, Rr. Luan Haradinaj. Missing a central rallying point in the heady days of the declaration of independence in February 2008, some cleverclogs designed these seven huge yellow steel letters spelling out the word ‘newborn’ that was placed in front of the Palace of Youth and Sports. The three metre high letters were quickly covered in autographs and texts, scribbled by thousands of people starting with the PM and president.

Photos of the missing B-2, Bul. Nëne Tereza. A poignant reminder of the Kosovo crisis, the gates at the northern end of the street have dozens of photos of Kosovans who have been missing since the conflict. Nearly 1,900 Kosovans remain unaccounted for.

Skanderbeg statue B-2, Bul. Nëne Tereza. The monu-ment of Skanderbeg, or Gjerg j Kastrioti Skenderbeu, stands proudly at the top end ofBul. Nëne Tereza, paying homage to the Albanian superhero who brilliantly fought off the Ottomans for decades in the fifteenth century. Brightly lit at night and surrounded by a small plaza, the pedestal seems formed by a plis, the traditional Albanian egg-shell hat. The statue was designed by Albanian artist Janaq Paco in 2001. Unfortunately, amateur graffiti artists, vandals and poor maintenance have done much to damage the statue.

St. Nicholas Church C-1, Rr. Shkodra. The only active Serbian Orthodox church in Pristina was damaged by fire during the 2004 riots. A temporary roof now covers the low 19th century building and its valuable icon screen from 1840.

Union Hotel building B-2, Bul. Nëne Tereza. Built in 1927, the two-storey former Union Hotel next to the National Theatre is a typical early 20th century eclectic building that's admired for its dainty decorations. It stood derelict and half empty for years before a homeless man living in it accidently set it on fire in August 2009, causing great damage.

Zahir Pajaziti statue A/B-3, Bul. Nëne Tereza. Op-posite the Grand Hotel, this statue commemorates Zahir Pajaziti (1962-1997), a UCK fighter based in the Llapi area. He was killed in action and is now considered one of the biggest patriots during the Kosovo crisis - you'll always see fresh flowers at the statue.

Around town Kosovo Heroes Monument Perhaps the only monu-ment in the world proudly commemorating an embarrassing defeat stands about 200 metres off the Pristina-Mitrovica road on the Kosovo Field (Fushe Kosovo, or Kosovo Polje). The tower built in 1953 by architect Alexander de Roco for the anniversary of the 1389 Battle of Kosovo has lost much of its lustre since the demise of Yugoslavia. Once a symbol of Serb resistance against the Turks, it was used by Milos-evich as a backdrop to his 1989 speech during the 600th anniversary of the defeat, rallying the crowds for the Serbian cause - this is when the weird concrete tubes were added alongside the tower. The UN soldiers guarding the structure can give an English-language printout of what you see. You can climb to the top of the tower for the view of the plateau and the mountains beyond.

Sultan Murad’s Tomb (Tyrbja e Sulltan Muratit) Mazgit, 7km west of Pristina. Along the Pristina-Mitrovica road in Mazgit village, this tomb was built on the spot where the Turkish Sultan Murad was killed during the 1389 Kosovo Battle. At first just a plain memorial, a grander mausoleum was erected in the 19th century. The square building has a porch with domes that is embellished with Ottoman Baroque decorations, and is surrounded by a nice garden. The guard can show you inside, where there’s a simple coffin-shaped stone with a green cloth draped over it, and carpets on the floor. There’s a sign French about the history of the building. The tomb is the focal point of the annual St George (Shen Gjerg ji) festival.

Ulpiana Near Gracanica, excavations revealed the Roman-era town of Ulpiana, built near the silver and lead mines that made Kosovo so important for the Roman Empire. The re-mains of roads, public and religious buildings have been found. There’s not much to see nowadays, though a few restored 4th-6th century graves can be visited at the city necropolis.

Ibrahim Rugova’s Grave C-3, Park of Martyrs. An estimated half a million people turned out to bid farewell to the former president of Kosovo, Ibrahim Rugova, as his coffin passed through the streets of Pristina on January 26, 2006, five days after the chain-smoking, so-called Gandhi of the Balkans lost his fight with lung cancer at the age of 61. Born the only son of a well-off peasant family in the small village of Cerrcë near Istog on December 2, 1944, Kosovo’s unlikely hero studied linguistics at the Sorbonne in Paris before pursuing a successful career as a writer and professor of linguistics. His father was killed by the Communists at the end of WWII, a fact that must have had some influence on Rugova, whose rise through the ranks of politics and the intellectual elite found him being elected head of Kosovo’s politically charged Writ-ers’ Union in 1989, the same year Slobodan Milosevic stripped Kosovo of its autonomous status and started the anti-Albanian regime that led to the 1999 conflict. In December 1989 Rugova and a number of other leading intellectuals and activists set up the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), of which he was elected leader. Boasting a membership of practically every adult Kosovar Albanian, the LDK established a shadow government with Rugova as its figurehead. Initially a hero for his passive resistance to Serbian rule, Rugova lost credibility after the 1995 Dayton Agreement, which effectively brought about the creation of the paramilitary Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) in 1997, and the war two years later. Rugova fled Kosovo to Italy during the conflict, returning shortly after to a hero’s welcome. The end of the conflict saw the KLA lose favour with the population, and Rugova was soon back at the top of the political pile. On March 4, 2002, Rugova was officially made president, and continued to play the passive hand, bringing together the various par-ties in the conflict and leading Kosovo along the path of independence. Still hugely controversial, the dapper and somewhat eccentric president, who was almost never seen without his trademark cravat and who would give items from his crystal collection away as gifts to foreign dignitaries he met, escaped several assassination at-tempts before skilfully bringing everyone to the negotia-tion table. In September 2005 Rugova announced that he was suffering from lung cancer, and died on January 21 2006, just before the final negotiations for independence were about to begin. The Muslim Rugova was buried in a secular ceremony (there were rumours that he had converted to Catholicism towards the end of his life) in Pristina’s Park of Martyrs that occupies a substantial part of the side of Velania hill overlooking the city. His grave can be found just past the Martyr’s Monument and some KLA graves. Rugova, who was married with three children, never got to see his dream of independence, but without him it’s certain that the dream would be a lot further away than it is today.

Ibrahim Rugova’s Grave Ancient Prishtina Archaeological Park Pristina’s new archaeological park will open in autumn 2009. The park will have an exhibition on ancient Kosovo an will show Roman-era tombs and parts of the Mosaic of Gllamnik. Actors will recreate scenes from the Dardanian Kingdom, Prince Leke Dukag jini’s Ulpiana and the Ottoman period in a small amphitheater. Expect a full review in the next edi-tion. For more information, contact the Kosovo Museum.

Coming soon

Pristina, Prizren, Peja online:kosovo.inyourpocket.com

The ancient, 14th-century monastery of Decani lies sheltered in a chestnut forest, 12 kilometres south of Peja, and is famous for its magnificent and nearly completely preserved frescoes from 1350, depicting scenes from the bible and over 1000 portraits of saints, bishops, archangels and prophets. Founded in 1327 by Tsar Stefan Decanski, the church is dedicated to the Ascension of Christ and also holds the carved icon screen and tomb of Tsar Stefan. The monastery complex is protected by UNESCO and is guarded by KFOR; bring ID and be aware you may not always be allowed in. Visitors are sometimes allowed to spend the night in the simple monastery accommodation.

Decani Monastery

32


33


double inscribed cross, one inside the other. Its real beauty is hidden within, where several distinct periods of painting are visible, starting with the earliest in the nave, whose frescoes date from the time of the monastery‘s completion. Extremely well preserved, these paintings depict the early life of Jesus as well as the representations of the ecclesiastical calendar. Painting continued over for the next few hundred years, with additions including some wonderful frescoes added inside the recently remodelled narthex sometime around 1570. Look for the wall featuring the fresco of the Day of Judgement, with terrifying examples of sinners (recognisable as Turks) going to Hell in a vast river of fire; elsewhere you can see portraits of the church architect and his queen. The frescoesrank among the highest achievements of Milutin‘s Nemanjic rule, though some parts are darkened by soot or disfigured with scratched names. Several books about the frescoes, postcards and religious items are available for sale at the entrance.This is the only place where you can pick up a copy of Cruci-fied Kosovo, a book documenting all the Orthodox churches and monasteries that have been damaged or destroyed in

Kosovo since the crisis, many while under the watch of UNMIK soldiers - in the foreword, the highest Orthodox religious official in Kosovo blames the greed of Belgrade politicians for the situation. Having suffered the worst effects of the numerous wars in the region, the monastery escaped the fate of so many others in 1999 and is now permanently guarded by Swedish KFOR troops. A Serbian enclave, the town itself is a depressing affair, with little to see beyond a lot of depressed-looking locals and Roma. To get there from Pristina, take the bus to Gjilan, which passes through the town after 15 minutes. When driving, take the main road out of the city towards Skopje and just over hill as you leave the city turn right (signposted Gjilan; you‘ll see the large Gorenje building on your left, and this is where you have to go). The monastery entrance is easily spotted - it‘s under permanent surveillance of UNMIK soldiers; it‘s a good idea to bring ID. Note that Gracanica is a Serb enclave that sometimes is the focus of unrest, and some embassies warn against visiting. QOpen 06:00 - 17:00. Admission free.

GRACANICA MONASTERY

The monastery in the town of Gracanica, a few kilome-tres south of Pristina, is perhaps Kosovo‘s best religious monument, and is certainly worth a short trip from town. Completed in 1321 and built by the legendary king of Serbia, Milutin Nemanjic, the Serbian Orthodox monastery church represents the height of Serbian Byzantine tradition and the so-called Paleologan Renaissance style. In „Black Lamb and Grey Falcon”, the ultimate Balkan travel book, Rebecca West can‘t get enough of the church, comparing it to the best of French cathedrals and using it as proof of the civilised status of Serb culture that fell with the Turkish invasion. Dedicated to the Dormition of the Holy Virgin, the monastery‘s present form has slowly taken shape over the centuries. It is built with alternating layers of brick and stone and takes the form of a

NOVO BRDO

Gracanica monastery and interiors

Just a short drive from Pristina, Novo Brdo municipality (Novobërde in Albanian) is home to Kosovo's first rural tourism project, offering rural charm, hiking, biking, lavish traditional meals, strawberry picking, guesthouses and cultural attractions in lovely hilly surroundings. Some 40km east of Pristina, Novo Brdo and the villages of Bostane and Vllasali have both Albanian and Serbian inhabitants working to offer quality services to daytrippers and expats want a quiet weekend away from Pristina without leaving the country.

Novo Brdo started life in early medieval times as a gold, silver, lead and zinc mining town, and the modern-day mine installations in the wider area still testify to the riches found underground. Churning out some 6 tonnes of silver annually in the 15th century, the village developed into a large settlement of perhaps 50,000 people, attracting immigrant miners from Saxony and traders from Ragusa (Dubrovnik) and Venice. A castle was built on the hilltop, with the town square on the plateau just below. The town went into decline after the 17th century Austro-Ottoman war, though mining continued on a small scale. The castle is now picturesquely ruined and

little remains of the town, though recent archeological digs show that there are plenty of artifacts to be found, and it's not unusual to see UNMIK soldiers patrolling the area to protect the heritage.

Visitors can drive to the castle hill (easily spotted from the main road) to visit the ruins (which require some scrambling to reach) and the sights of the former town. The castle offers fine views from its crumbling walls and has some old cisterns to peek into. It features a large cross in the western wall, said to be the spot where a desperate father who was locked in the castle killed his son to spare him the same fate, before jumping to his own death. Much to the annoyance of the castle's conservators, some locals think it marks a buried treasure and dig holes below the walls.

On a lower hilltop there are the walls of a 13th century basilica cathedral, which in turn was built on top of a 4th century BC temple. Nearby, the 18th century mosque built under Sultan Suleimani I the Great has a cute stone minaret that can be climbed. Just across the road there's the 16th century Tyrbe në Kala ('fortress tomb'), containing a sufi's grave draped with a green cloth. Legend has it that walking around the tyrbe three times in anti-clockwise direction brings good luck, and lonely souls can turn one of the roof tiles upside down to request a fast-track marriage – annually on 6 and 8 May there's even a tile-turning festival for young unweds.

Daytrippers can enjoy a home-made organic farmers' meal with soup, laknor pie and salad at one of the farmhouses in the area, and can also stay the night at one of 5 simple rural guesthouses situated in Novo Brdo, Bostane and Vllasani, which all offer basic bedding, delicious meals and unmatched hospitality.

By visiting Novo Brdo, tourists help farmers find additional sources of income, empower local women with the catering services and offer the young an alternative to emigrating to the cities. After the first year of the project, some locals already earn more from tourism than from farming, and several villagers have returned from Pristina to work locally.

PracticalitiesNovo Brdo is reached in 30-45 minutes by car. Buses from Pristina depart at 07:30, 13:00, 15:30 and return at 09:45, 14:00 and 16:30; the ride takes an hour and tickets cost €2,50. Lunch at a farm costs from €3,50-12 depending on your choice of food; the only restaurant is Vila Kalaja which serves lamb specialities. Mountain bikes (5 are available) can be rented for €10 per day; an English-speaking guide for the day can be booked ahead for €30.

Tourist Information Centre: tel. +377 44 46 54 71, [email protected], http://tourism-novobrdo.com. Open 08:00-20:00 (09:00-17:00 between Christmas and mid-April.Supported by CARE International and the Dutch Embassy, the local TIC along the main road into the village functions as a central booking office (at no extra cost) for meals, bikes, activities, guides and accommodation. The helpful manager, Fadil Llapashtica, speaks English and is best contacted at least a day in advance for information and bookings.

34 GETTING AROUND


Kosovo is a tiny country, and getting around is often surprisingly fast, sometimes agonisingly slow. Entering from the surrounding countries is very simple, even from Serbia - though be careful to read the travel information in the Glossary.

Airport & AirlinesPristina’s small international airport (PRN, Aeroporti Ndërkombëtar i Prishtinës, www.airportpristina.com, flight information tel. +381 38 595 81 23) is 15km west of the city. Getting there takes about 30 minutes; a taxi ride will cost about €25. The airport bus theoretically departs daily at 08:00, 10:00, 12:00, 14:00, 16:00 and 17:30 from outside the Grand Hotel; tickets cost €3 and are bought on the bus. The European flag-carriers are the main players here, and can be relied on to depart on time - for all other flights it’s a good idea to phone in advance to check exact departure times. Officially, you need to be at the airport 2 hours before take-off, but the airport is small and outside of peak travel times one hour should be enough. Inside the main terminal is a post office (open 08:00-20:00, Sun 08:00-15:00) where you can buy SIM cards and make phone calls; some souvenir shops and a cafe with photos of old Kosovo that used to have views of the runways until the windows were covered for health and safety concerns. Afer customs, there’s the Runways duty-free shop (open 04:00-21:00, tel. +381 38 59 44 22).

Adria (JP) B-3, Rr. Qamil Hoxha 12, tel. +381 38 24 67 46, fax +381 38 24 67 47, [email protected], www.adria-airways.com. Flights to Ljubljana.Air Berlin (AB), www.airberlin.com. From November: flights to Duesseldorf, Frankfurt, Hannover, Munich, Geneva, Zurich and other destinations.Austrian Airlines (OS) Bul. Nëna Tereza, tel. +381 38 54 84 35, [email protected], www.aua.com/ks/eng. Flights to Vienna.Belle Air (LZ) Rr. Luan Haradinaj 4/1, tel. +381 38 22 55 71, [email protected], www.belleair.it. Budget flights to Tirana.British Airways (BA) Pristina Airport, tel. +381 38 54 86 61, www.ba.com. Flights to London Gatwick.Croatia Airlines (OU) A-2, Rr. Luan Haradinaj 27, GSA AltaVia Travel, tel. +381 38 23 38 33, [email protected], www.croatiaairlines.com. Flights to Zagreb.Edelweiss (ED) , www.edelweissair.ch. Flights to Zurich.Germanwings (4U) C-2, , www.germanwings.com. Budget flights to Cologne and Stuttgart in Germany, with guaranteed connections to various other destinations includ-ing Berlin and London.Malev (MA) A-4, Bul. Bill Clinton, Inter Travel Club, tel. +381 38 53 55 35/+381 38 50 24 81, [email protected], www.malev.com. Flights to Budapest.Meridiana (IG) , www.meridiana.it. Flights to Verona.SAS Scandinavian Airlines (SK) , tel. +372 680 43 28, www.flysas.com. Flights to Copenhagen.Swiss (LX) A-3, , tel. +381 38 24 34 46, www.swiss.com. Flights to Zurich.Turkish Airlines (TK) A-4, Rr. Drini i Bardh 45, tel. +381 38 50 20 52, www.turkishairlines.com. Flights to Istanbul.

Long-distance busesBuses in Kosovo run frequently, are reasonably fast, clean and good value. Pristina's bus station (Rr. Lidja e Pejes, tel. +381 38 55 00 11) is near the end of Bul. Bill Clinton at the edge of town, and serves all Kosovo and international des-tinations. To get there you'll need a taxi as there's no public transport from the centre. The bus station is a dismal affair inhabited somewhat ironically by people with nowhere to go. Left luggage services are provided by the shefi I narimit office (open 06:00-20:00, €1/day). Note that if you choose to take a taxi to the bus station you may be asked to pay €1 for the car park - a barrage of obscenities is quite good at getting the gatekeeper to change his mind and open his little barrier. Buses from Pristina to PEJA (€4) depart at 07:30, 08:00 and then every 20 minutes until 20:00, taking 1 hour 30 minutes. Buses to GJAKOVA (€4) depart every half hour between 08:00 and 20:00, taking 1 hour 30 minutes. Buses to PRIZREN (€3) depart at 06:50, 07:20, 08:00 and then every 30 minutes until 20:00, taking 1 hour 30 minutes. Buses to MITROVICA (€1.50) depart evert 15 minutes between 06:30 and 20:00, taking 30 minutes to get there. Buses to GJILAN (tickets €1.50) via GRACANICA depart at 06:30, 07:20 and then every 20 minutes until 20:20, taking 30 minutes to get there.

Driving & Car rentalKosovo's main roads are in a good state and not too busy outside the towns, but stick to daytime trips unless you're a confident driver, as unlit roads in combination with unreliable signposting and oncomers' faulty headlights can be fatal. The maximum speeds are 35km/hr in urban areas, 60km/hr on main roads and 80km/hr on highways. Drivers must officially use headlights at all times, have a yellow vest and first aid kit in the car, and snow chains in winter. You'll be asked to pay €0.20-40 per hour for parking in the centre of Pristina, but you get a nice trilingual ticket under your wipers in exchange.

From Pristina To PristinaDays Dep. Arr. City Days Dep. Arr.1234567 15:05 16:50 BUDAPEST (MA) 1234567 12:55 14:30––––––7 11:00 14:00 COLOGNE (4U) ––––––7 07:20 10:20–––––6– 13:10 16:00 COPENHAGEN (SK) –––––6– 09:15 12:101234567 14:35 15:50 ISTANBUL (TK) 1–3–5–– 12:00 13:301234567 15:45 16:25 LJUBLJANA (JP) 1234567 13:15 15:001234567 05:00 06:30 LJUBLJANA (JP) 1234567 00:00 01:201–3–5–– 17:30 20:30 LONDON (BA) 1–3–5–– 13:15 16:15–––––6– 19:55 22:55 LONDON (BA) –––––6– 15:50 18:50––3––6– 13:25 15:35 STUTTGART (4U) ––3––6– 10:30 12:45––3––6– 12:45 14:10 STUTTGART (ST) ––3––6– 09:50 12:001234567 10:30 11;00 TIRANA (LZ) 1234567 19:00 19:30–2––567 11:40 13:00 VERONA (IG) –2––567 13:45 15:051–3–5–– 07:00 08:40 VIENNA (OS) –2–4––7 19:15 21:451234567 16:35 17:15 VIENNA (OS) 1234567 13:20 15:451––4–6– 06:30 08:00 ZAGREB (OU) ––3–5––7 21:15 22:45–––4––– 17:45 19:15 ZAGREB (OU) –––4––– 15:30 17:00–2––––7 18:15 19:45 ZAGREB (OU) –2––––7 16:00 17:301234567 09:55 12:05 ZURICH (ED) 1234567 08:55 09:051234567 09:30 11:30 ZURICH (LX) 1234567 06:30 08:30The flight schedule was correct at time of research, and is valid until November 2009. Apart from these regular flights, there are various charter flights to European and American destiantions, often seasonal. Passengers are advised to check all flight times in advance.Airline codes: 4U = Germanwings, AB= Air Berlin, BA = British Airways, ED = Edelweiss Air, IG = Meridiana, JP = Adria Airways, LV = Albanian Airlines, LX = Swiss, LZ = Belle Air, MA = Malev, OS = Austrian Airlines, OU = Croatia Airlines, TK = Turkish Airlines.

Flight schedule

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Make the most of your time – fly smoothly and comfortably to Copenhagen. By the way, “Opdage” means discover in Danish. Book your return flights now and discover the beauty of Copenhagen.

36 GETTING AROUND


37GETTING AROUND


Europcar Lagjia e Emshirit, tel./fax +381 38 54 14 01, tel. +381 38 59 41 01, [email protected], w w w.europcar-ks.com. Also at Pristina airport. Their city office is located 200m south of the bus station, along the road to Skopje.Q Also at Pristina airport (tel. +381 38 59 41 01).Hertz C-4, Rr. 22 Nentori, Qendra Tregtare, tel. +381 38 54 44 80/+377 44 11 78 82, fax +381 38 54 44 90, [email protected], w w w.her tz.com. Also at Pristina airport.MCM Rr. Fehmi Agani 9/2, tel. +381 38 24 00 24 /+381 38 59 40 00, [email protected], www.mc-mrent.com. Local car rental company with offices in all cities. From €50/day.Shotani C-2, Rr. Shefqet Shkupi 1, tel. +381 38 54 42 24/+377 44 28 62 86, [email protected], www.rentacarshotani.com.

Public transportPristina is small and taxis are cheap, so you may never need to use public transport (trafiku urban) in the city. The large second-hand city buses lumbering around town are slow but do get there eventually. Tickets cost €0,40 and can be purchased on the buses; enthusiasts can buy a city bus month card for €10. A useful bus line is city bus N°4, which rattles from Sunny Hill (in the southeast of Pristina) via Bul. i Deshmoreve, Rr. Eqrem Qabej and Rr. Luan Haradinaj, through the centre to Gërmia Park. Kombi minibus N°5 follows the same route. Kombi bus N°1 goes from the eastern end of Bul. Bill Clinton to the station at Fushë Kosovë for €0,50.

TaxisStarting at €1,50 (€2 after 22:00) plus €0.60 per kilome-tre, fares are cheap in Pristina. The jury is out as to the trustworthiness of your average Pristina cabbie - some reports claim every taxi is driven by a direct descendent of Mother Teresa herself, whilst others insist it’s all a Serbian conspiracy. Use marked taxis, make sure the meter is running, and if possible call one in advance (the ones listed here are good). It’s also a good idea to have your destination written down in Albanian. Our favourite cabbie

is Musa (tel. +386 49 85 14 50), a former economics teacher who reads Hegel and Kierkegaard and discusses life philosophy in his battered Merc.

Roberti Taxi, tel. +381 38 50 00 06/+377 44 11 19 99.Titanic Taxi, tel. +381 38 23 23 22/+377 44 23 23 24.Victory Taxi, tel. +381 38 55 53 33/+377 44 11 12 22. VIP Taxi, tel. +381 38 50 04 44/+377 44 33 34 44.

TrainsAs the national railway company Kosovo Railways candidly admits on its website, it's in a bad situation. Since 1999, UNMIK has been responsible for the running of the railway network in Kosovo though there's a lack of nearly everything. Originally built by the French (the Skopje-Mitrovica tracks were completed by them in 1874) and still known to older locals as the 'French road' (Udha e Frengut), it is now seemingly more operated as an exercise in ethnic harmony than a useful service. KR operates fast trains (IC) within Kosovo and to Skopje, Freedom of Movement (F) trains linking the Serb enclaves and local trains (LT) that stop at every tree. Tickets are cheap and prices are determined by the number of zones within Kosovo you travel. A confusing railway timetable can be found online and if you're lucky maybe in printed form at the stations - ask for the orari i trenave brochure. Pristina effectively has two train stations. West of the centre near the end of Rruga Garibaldi, Pristina train station is nothing short of disappointing (In Your Pocket dropped by for information and the man who works there had gone for coffee). The station serves trains to Peja and Skopje via Fushë Kosovë train station, seven kilometres west of the city centre. This second station is Kosovo's railway hub and must have been fairly impressive in its day. Now it's an empty shell, with dusty departure boards and a rather beautiful Tito-era statue outside. Get here by taxi (€7-10) or with the N°1 minibus (€0.40), which departs every 5-10 minutes from Bul. Bill Clinton (between Rr. R. Doli and Rr. Perandori Justinian). Fushë Kosovë station has trains to and from Pristina, Peja, Leshak, Mitrovica and Skopje.

Kosovo Railways (Hekurudhat e Kosovës), tel. +381 38 53 63 55/+381 38 53 63 29, [email protected], www.kosovorailway.com. Information about timetables and prices can be found in English on the website.

From Prishtina station To Prishtina station PriceDep. Arr. No. City Dep. Arr. No.07:50 09:46 TL4201 PEJA 05:30 07:30 TSH760 €316:30 18:25 TSH761 PEJA 11:20 13:26 TL4200 €305:50 08:36 IC891 SKOPJE 15:35 18:35 IC892 €4*

From Fushë Kosovë station To Fushë Kosovë station PriceDep. Arr. No. City Dep. Arr. No.07:36 09:40 F4100/4301 LESHAK** 10:00 12:05 F4300 €0.5014:15 16:21 F4303 LESHAK** 16:50 18:54 F4302/4105 €0.5007:36 08:40 F4100/4301 MITROVICA 11:04 12:05 F4300 €0.5014:15 15:18 F4303 MITROVICA 17:54 18:54 F4302/4105 €0.5008:01 09:46 TL4201 PEJA 05:30 07:20 TSH760 €2.8016:41 18:25 TSH761 PEJA 11:20 13:16 TL4200 €2.8006:01 08:36 IC891 SKOPJE 15:35 18:15 IC892 €3.70All trains from Pristina station travel via Fushë Kosovë station.* Price valid till the border; an additional €5 is to be paid on board to the Macedonian conductor for the remaining stretch.** From Leshak, Serbian trains run to Belgrade.Schedule correct at time of research in August 2009. Confirm times before travelling.

Train schedule

Travel agenciesAltavia Travel A-2, Rr. Luan Haradinaj 27, tel. +381 38 54 35 43/+377 44 54 35 43, fax +381 38 24 35 17, [email protected], www.altaviatravel.com. Friendly, professional and English-speaking travel agency.QOpen 08:30 - 19:30, Sat 09:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun.Be in Kosovo Rr. Jakov Xoxa 2, tel. +377 44 38 51 09, [email protected], www.beinkosovo.com. Foreigner-oriented travel services including hotel bookings, car rental, guiding, cultural and adventure tourism.Euro Sky Travel A-2, Rr. Luan Haradinaj 18, tel. +381 38 24 18 41, fax +381 38 24 18 45, www.eurosky-travel.com. QOpen 09:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 15:00. Closed Sun.Kosova Airlines A-3, Rr. Garibaldi, tel. +381 38 24 91 85, fax +381 38 24 91 86, [email protected], www.flyksa.com. Not an airline but a travel agent selling tickets from their office and online by credit card. Agent for various airlines. Their office at the side of the Grand Hotel complex is worth popping into for the sleek plane interior look. QOpen 08:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun. Kosova Reisen A - 3, Rr. Luan Haradinaj, tel. +381 38 24 11 11, fax +381 38 24 34 46, [email protected], www.kosovareisen.net. Charter flights to Switzerland and ticket sales of other airlines.QOpen 08:30 - 19:30, Sat 08:30 - 18:30. Closed Sun.MCM A-4, Bul. Nëna Tereza, tel. +381 38 24 24 24/+381 38 54 84 35, [email protected], www.mcm.travel.com. Official ticketing agent for several major airlines. Opposite the RTK building. QOpen 09:00 - 20:00. Closed Sun.

Albanian is Kosovo’s main language – though you’ll find English and Serbian translations on all official signs in Kosovo. German and sometimes English is widely spoken by the many refugees who returned to Kosovo after a few years in western Europe. The names of cities in Kosovo as well as all other Albanian nouns have two different endings. One is definite (Pejë), the other indefinite (Peja, or ‘the Peje’). Even when the names appear in English text, translators don’t agree on which version to use. Add a dash of Serbian (Peć), and such ordinary pursuits as driving from a to b all of sudden become confusing to say the least. The word Kosovo incidentally is the English spelling. Locals use Kosova (and of course Kosovë).

Pronunciation

Niceties & NecessitiesYes PoNo JoGood MirëPlease Ju lutemThank you FaleminderitSorry! Më vjen keq!Good morning MirëmëngjesGood day MirditaHello ç’kemiGood night Natën e mirëGood luck with your work! Punë e mbarë!Cheers! Gëzuar!All the best! Gjithë të mirat!Excuse me! Më falni!How are you? Si jeni?

PracticalitiesWhen? Kur?Where? Ku?Who? Kush?Why? Pse?What? Çfarë?I have... Kam...I am... Jam...What’s your name? Si quheni? My name is... Quhem...I’m from... Une jam nga......UK ...Anglia...USA ...AmerikaI don’t understand Nuk kuptojI don’t speak Albanian Nuk flas shqip A ticket, please Një biletë, ju lutemHow much does this cost? Sa kushton?

SignsOpen Hapur Closed Mbyllur Entrance Hyrje Exit DaljePush Shtyj Pull Terheq

Numbers

Language

a as in fatherc as in pizzaç as in churchdh as in thate as in set

ë as in termgj as in dodgei as in machinej as in yearII as in still

nj as in unionq as checkr as in roperr is a trilled rx as in judge

0 - zero1 - një2 - dy3 - tre4 - kater

5 - pesë6 - gjashtë7 - shtatë8 - tetë9 - nentë

10 - dhjetë20 - njëzet50 - pesëdhjetë100 - njëqind1000 -njëmijë

Prishtinë/Priština train station

A recycled western bus used in Pristina

38 MAIL & PHONES


39MAIL & PHONES


Post and telephone services are increasingly reliable and better value with the advent of competition.

PostThe mail in Kosovo is run by the PTK (www.postaekosoves.net). Their post offices handle mail, parcels, EMS parcel ser-vice, telephone calls to national and international numbers and have handy tri-lingual complaints boxes.

Centre post office A-2, Rr. UÇK 66. The most central post office. Ironically, a listed historical building which was of importance to the wartime anti-facist movement was demol-ished illegally a few years ago to make way for this ghastly building. Have a think about that while you lick your stamps.Main post office Bul. i Dëshmorëve, tel. +381 38 55 45 54. Along the extension of Bul. Nëna Tereza, south of the city centre. QOpen 08:00 - 20:00. Closed Sun.

Express mailDHL A/B-3, Bul. Nëne Tereza 29b, tel. +381 38 24 55 45, fax +381 38 24 93 07, [email protected], www.dhl.com.QOpen 08:00 - 17:00, Sat 09:00 - 13:00. Closed Sun.EMS Rr. Dardania, Main post office, tel. +381 38 966. PTK's express mail service. Fast same-day deliveries within Kosovo, and express mail abroad.FedEx Rr. Eqrem Qabej 137/145, tel. +381 38 55 08 70/+377 44 55 02 25, fax +381 38 55 08 90, [email protected], www.fedex.com/ks.QOpen 08:00 - 19:00. Closed Sun. TNT A/B-3, Rr. Garibaldi, tel. +381 38 22 22 90/+377 44 59 97 99, [email protected], www.tnt.com. QOpen 08:00 - 17:00, Sat 09:00 - 13:00. Closed Sun.UPS / ALD Express B-3, Rr. UÇK 105/1, tel. +381 38 24 22 22, fax +381 38 24 99 99, [email protected], www.ups.com. ALD Express offers express mail services within Kosovo, and is the authorised service contractor for UPS international mail.QOpen 08:30 - 17:30. Closed Sat, Sun.

TelephonesKosovo’s phone system is deliciously complicated, with two fixed-line providers, two official mobile networks, one semi-legal network and a bunch of international ones spread around the countryside. TelephonesThe privatised PTK (Post and Telecommunications of Kosovo, www.ptkonline.com) are responsible for the fixed-line telephones. Pristina’s overpriced and unreliable network is being converted into a fully digital service. To phone to a Pristina landline, dial +381 (they still use Serbia’s code) 38 (for Pristina) and the six-digit subscriber number. If you need a fixed line installed at home or work, get a local to do it for you, or click to Services - Telecom - FAQ on the website, fill in the form and take it to the main post office; installation is free.

Public telephonesThere are plenty of public telephones scattered around town; all are card-operated, bright yellow and easy to spot. Phone cards come in values from €3,50 upwards and can be bought from post offices and kiosks. Instructions are written in English. Phoning to a landline in Western Europe costs about €0,25 per minute, to a mobile number about €0,50 per minute. Alternatively, you can pop into one of many internet cafés to make a call over the internet; note that local calls are not possible and quality varies. International rates are usually €0.20/minute to fixed-line telephones and €0.40/minute to mobile phones. Mobile phonesPTK operates the UN-initiated local mobile phone network Vala 900 (www.ptkonline.com), whose international code is that of Monaco - misdial a digit and you may get Princess Stephanie on the blower. To phone a Vala 900 number, dial +377 44 followed by the six digit subscriber’s number. More client-friendly are IPKO (www.ipko.com), whose numbers start with Slovenia’s code +386 followed by 49 and a six-digit number, and D3 Mobile, a virtual operator using IPKO’s network with numbers starting with +386 43. As you drive around Kosovo you may get ‘Welcome to Ger-many’ text messages as some foreign operators have local mobile networks around military bases - effectively offering the cheapest roaming rates in Kosovo. To add to the mobile confusion, Serbia’s Telenor network (www.telenor.co.yu) illegally covers parts of Kosovo, including areas of Pristina. To avoid high roaming costs on your home network, buy a local prepaid SIM card at an IPKO or D3 Mobile shop, or at

a post office for Vala 900. New SIM cards cost €5 and can be used immediately. Top-up cards are widely available and come in values of €5, €10, €20, €30, €40 and €50.

IPKO A-3, Rr. Perandori Justinian, tel. +386 49 700 700, [email protected], www.iplo.com. IPKO also offers fixed-line phones with free installation and cheap calls worldwide. QOpen 08:00 - 17:00.

Vala 900 A-4, Rr. Dardania, tel. +381 38 50 05 55, www.valamobile.com.

Internet accessInternet has arrived with a bang in Kosovo, and though Kosovo has not been given a country code yet, it's probably goinf to be ".ks". Many businesses now have websites.

When calling from abroad or roaming, prefix with +381 and drop any first zero.Gjakova 390 Gjilan 280 Ferizaj 029Mitrovica 028 Peja 039 Pristina 038Prizren 029

City codes

Apart from the Pristina pages at www.inyourpocket.com there are still very few good online resources for Pristina and Kosovo in general. Here are the few we actually recommend.www.crisisgroup.org – Ongoing online analysis of the ‘situation’ on their Kosovo pages.www.mtcowgirl.us – an informative blog by an international working in Pristina.www.kosovothanksyou.com – A list of the countries now recognising Kosovo.www.onupks.com – Modern architecture in Kosovowww.visitkosova.org – Kosovo’s official tourism website.

Pristin@

Dozens of hotels, bars and cafés provide free wifi con-nections, and it’s easy to find a place to check your email. PTK’s wireless internet service (www.ptkonline.com) offers access to all sorts of hotspots throughout the country for a monthly fee of €30. If you have a modem, there’s also the DardaNet dialup internet service. Have your PC call tel. 90 90 and enter ptk as both the username and password and away you go. The service is erratic, but better than nothing, and is charged at a reasonable €0.40/hour.

Laptop login

<20g Packages 0.5-1kgKosovo €0,20 €1,40Region €0,70 €8,70Europe €0,70 €10,70Asia/Africa €1,70 €14,70Other €2,20 €19

Postal rates

Albania 355Australia 61Austria 43Belarus 375Belgium 32Bulgaria 359Croatia 385Czech Rep. 420Denmark 45Estonia 372Finland 358France 33Germany 49Greece 30

Hungary 36Ireland 353Israel 972Italy 39Japan 81Kosovo 381Latvia 371Lithuania 370Moldova 373Montenegro 381Netherlands 31Norway 47Poland 48Portugal 351

Romania 40Russia 7Serbia 381Slovakia 421Slovenia 386Spain 34Sweden 46Switzerland 41Turkey 90UK 44Ukraine 380USA 1

Country codes

although unfortunately locals think that having music on websites is a cool idea. There's a slew of places to access internet in Pristina, most with good connections though not always with reliable electricity. Expect to pay €1 per hour and bring a candle.

CPWC (QMGF) B-3, Rr. Gazmend Zajmi 20, tel. +381 38 24 57 87. The Centre for Protection of Women and Chil-dren runs this internet café for the benefit of local women, offering web access and courses. Foreign women are welcome to browse for free. QOpen 08:00 - 18:00. Closed Sun.

Klubi i Studenteve B-3, Rr. Rrustem Statovci, tel. +377 44 43 33 37, [email protected]. A large internet café run by friendly students. €0.50 per hour. QOpen 09:00 - 24:00.

Takime Bul. i Dëshmorëve 51, tel. +377 44 18 07 22, www.takime.de. Internet access from €1 per hour, CD burn-ing, and ISP services. Check out the website for the English-language dating/socialising service. QOpen 09:00 - 01:00.

ISPsIPKO Internet A-3, Bul. Nëna Tereza, RTK building, tel. +381 38 70 07 00, www.ipko.com. The preferred local internet provider. Their Duo offer includes 50 TV channels with broadband internet. No monthly payments, you simply buy pre-paid cards to recharge your account when it runs dry.

Kujtesa Rr. Pashko Vasa 18, tel. +381 38 22 55 99/+381 38 24 87 40, www.kujtesa.com. Broadband internet, cable TV and VoIP phoning. The internet and TV packages are €10-35 per month depending on speed. VoIP charge cards are available at €5, 10, 20 and 50.

40 SHOPPING


41SHOPPING


With the exception of the hypermarkets on the outskirts of the city, shopping in Pristina is not much fun. What few shops there are stock little in the way of choice and what they do stock tends to be of poor quality. Find makeshift stalls everywhere selling the usual array of sunglasses, cigarettes and books. A walk around the central bazaar can be rewarding, with lots of small furniture shops, some of which make the goods that they sell. The bazaar also has a small modern market attached with fake designer clothes, fruit and vegetables, pirate CDs and walls of cigarettes.

ArtArtes B-3, Rr. Rrustem Statovci 24, tel. +377 44 22 22 86. A small gallery selling a range of quirky and often humor-ous paintings and sculptures by the local artist Enver Statovci. Q Opening times at the whim of the owner. Call in advance.Basra Mekolli C-4, Rr. Dervish Rozhaja 33, tel. +377 44 17 31 27, [email protected]. Dali-style surrealist prints and paintings by a local artist, for sale from his home.

Fashion & ShoesCool A-2, Rr. UÇK. High heels, dresses and skirts - from chique to outrageous. Next to De Rada restaurant.Diesel A-3, Rr. Luan Haradinaj, Pallati i Rinisë shopping centre, tel. +377 44 11 53 73. Diesel and G-Star clothing and Camper shoes. QOpen 09:00 - 20:00. Closed Sun.Ervi A-3, Rr. Luan Haradinaj, Pallati i Rinisë shopping centre, tel. +381 38 22 23 78. Sports clothes and shoes by Converse and Nike. QOpen 10:00 - 21:00. Closed Sun.Miss Sixty Albi Center, Veternik, tel. +381 38 500 20 21 00. Ladies' fashion. QOpen 08:30 - 22:30.Springfield Albi Center, Veternik, tel. +381 38 50 02 02. Modern fashion, and some shoes.Tom Tailor Albi Center, Veternik, tel. +381 38 500 20 23 15. Fashion for men and women.Zara Rr. Garibaldi 12, tel. +381 38 23 00 32. Women's fashion. QOpen 09:00 - 21:00. Closed Sun.

Gifts & SouvenirsAntika B-3, Rr. Agim Ramadani, tel. +377 44 20 96 89. One of the few gift shops in town; it sells Skenderbeg statues, Indian products and other presents. Near Rruga Qamil Hoxha. QOpen 09:00 - 20:00. Closed Sun.Women for Women B-2, Rr. UÇK 42, tel. +381 38 24 84 17, [email protected], www.womenforwomen.org. The international organisation promoting women's rights and self-sufficiency in former war zones has shops in Pristina selling hand-made local handicrafts such as rugs, aprons, placemats and clothing. Also available online. QOpen 08:00 - 16:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

Musical instrumentsPro Music A-4, Rr. Perandori Justinian, tel. +377 44 503 322, [email protected], www.promusic-pr.com. A small shop packed with mostly musical electric instru-ments, plus lots of strings and other spare parts. QOpen 09:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Sun. 9 : 30 - 19:00

Flowers & PlantsLabi-N B-3, Rr. Xamil Hoxha, tel. +381 38 24 85 91. Bouquets of flowers, plants and other gifts. QOpen 08:00 - 21:00. ARemember Me B-3, Rr. Qamil Hoxha 3/1, tel. +381 38 24 53 45/+377 44 28 34 44, [email protected],

www.dergonilule.com. Beautiful bouquets and tempting chocolates (€20/kg). Delivers anywhere in Pristina (€3) and Kosovo (€6), and takes orders online or by phone with credit card payment. QOpen 09:00 - 20:00. Closed Sun.

CDs & DVDsYou'll understand that most of those CDs and DVDs that are attractively priced at €2-4 are illegal copies, and cus-toms officials abroad may impose stiff fines for importing them. Ironically, the contraband is mainly sold to foreigners who are here to restore law and order.

DEA Productions A-4, Rr. Ilaz Kodra 4, tel. +377 44 23 28 58. Specialists in Albanian music of all types, find row upon row of CDs and DVDs of the works of people such as Sabriu and Adelina, plus a small selection of traditional Alba-nian instruments including a nice selection of hand-carved lahutas.QOpen 09:00 - 22:00. Closed Sun.Ginger A-3, Rr. Edith Durham 82, Avalla, tel. +381 38 22 71 93/+377 44 12 63 05, [email protected]. The knowledgeable owner of this highbrow CD, DVD and book shop sells 'music and films that matter': classic films and music you don't see in the other shops, and a good place to get advice on local music and ask about gigs. Literature, music and art books too. QOpen 11:00 - 20:00. Closed Mon. Saba B-3, Rr. Gazmend Zajmi, tel. +377 44 11 37 30. A large DVD rental shop near the Afa hotel; rent for €0.50 each or buy for €4. QOpen 11:00 - 23:00.

Books & PressIn addition to the following shops, there are several book-stands beside the Grand Hotel that have some English-language books. For English-language local news, look for the free weekly Prishtina Insight newspaper in restaurants and cafés.

Buzuku A-3, Rr. Luan Haradinaj 16/3, tel. +377 44 23 87 38. Next to Sushi Bar near the Grand hotel, Buzuku is named after the first Albanian book and has a small range of imported novels, art, literature and Balkan-related books. QOpen 09:00 - 20:00. Closed Sun.Dit' e Nat' B-2, Rr. Fazli Grajqevci, tel. +386 49 25 63 62. The city's first book café has a good selection of English-language books and magazines (including the regional In Your Pocket city guides) plus a cool café. Any books you may desire can be ordered from abroad. QOpen 07:00 - 22:00, Sun 10:00 - 18:00.Dukagjini International Bookshop B-3, Bul. Nëna Tereza 20, tel. +381 38 24 81 43, www.dukag jini-bookshop.com. Pristina's largest bookshop has a diverse selection of English-language books, maps, some magazines (including The Economist), and several regional In Your Pocket city guide titles. QOpen 08:00 - 20:00, Sat 09:00 - 19:00. Closed Sun.Kada Books B-2, Rr. Hajdar Dushi 2, tel. +381 38 22 01 74/+377 44 15 12 93, [email protected]. A small shop with a good variety of English language novels, academic and Balkan books. QOpen 09:00 - 20:00. Closed Sun.Krenaria B-2, Rr. Marko Svetozar. For something else, this Islamic bookshop has Albanian-language books, tapes with religious music and interesting electronic toys to help learn children Arabic. Just up the street from the modern Hasan Beg mosque.Monaco A-3, Rr. Luan Haradinaj, Pallati i Rinise shop-ping centre, tel. +381 38 22 74 90. A restaurant with a reliable supply of foreign newspapers and magazines. Todays papers arrive around 18:00 every day except Sunday. QOpen 08:00 - 24:00, Sun 10:00 - 23:00.

Office Equipment & SuppliesAlbus Rr. Eqrem Çabej, tel. +381 38 55 55 27/+381 38 53 44 45, [email protected], www:albus-ks.com. Office supplies, school materials and computer necessities. Dealer for Casio, Senator, Emtec, Targus, OfficePoint and more. QOpen 08:00 - 19:00. Closed Sun.Comtrade Computers Rr. Eqerem Çabej, tel. +381 38 22 26 95/+377 44 22 26 95, www.comtradecom-puters.com. Computers, printers and other hardware and software for in the office and at home. QOpen 08:30 - 17:00. Closed Sun.Talens B-2, Rr. Bajram Kelmendi 6, tel. +381 38 24 56 35. A good selection of stationery and office supplies plus a wide range of artists' materials. QOpen 08:00 - 20:00. Closed Sun.

PhotographyFor analogue and digital photographic services.

Canon B-3, Rr. Agim Ramadani 25, tel. +377 44 14 60 50.QOpen 08:00 - 20:00. Closed Sun.Foto Gagi A-3, Bul. Nëne Tereza 40, tel. +381 38 23 66 66.QOpen 08:30 - 21:00. Closed Sun. Topfoto A-2, Rr. UÇK 17, Qafa Centre, tel. +381 38 24 30 44. QOpen 08:30 - 20:00. Closed Sun.

Speciality shopsFriends 5.11 A-2, Rr. L Haradinaj 15/3-2, tel. +381 38 54 52 44, [email protected]. It's a jungle out there, soldier - buy your tactical clothing and footwear, night vision binoculars, holsters and kit bags here, and go make some friends. QOpen 09:00 - 20:00. Closed Sun.Natyra C-3/4, Rr. Bregu i Diellit 5, tel. +381 44 20 86 28. Pronounced natura and meaning nature, this lovely little English-speaking shop is crammed full of huge sacks of beans, rice, nuts and spices. Also find fresh eggs, Brazilian coffee beans and some delicious local honey. Up an alley east of the centre. QOpen 08:00 - 21:00, Sun 08:00 - 11:00.Rex Balloons A-3, Rr. Perandori Justinian, tel. +381 38 72 24 76, www.reksballoons.com. Life's not worth living without balloons and related party decorations - and Rex has lots of them. Next to Lounge restaurant.Samsonite A-3, Rr. Luan Haradinaj, Pallati i Rinisë shopping centre, tel. +377 49 16 46 47. Samsonite suitcases, bags and bag repairs. Also at the Grand Store. QOpen 09:00 - 20:00. Closed Sun.

SportsMegasport B-2, Rr. Agim Ramadani 59, tel. +381 38 22 34 42, www.megasport.org. A good selection of equip-ment including exercise bikes, running machines, table tennis equipment, squash, badminton etc. QOpen 09:00 - 20:00, Sat 09:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun.Runners A-3, Rr. Garibaldi. Sports shoes and apparel. QOpen 09:00 - 20:00. Closed Sun.Salomon A-3, Bul. Nëne Tereza 40. Ultra-cool sports clothing for the fashion-conscious, roller blades in summer and skis in winter. QOpen 09:00 - 20:00. Closed Sun.

Supermarkets & MallsMost foreigners do their shopping at one of several malls or 'hypermarkets' around town.

Albi Center Veternik, Skopje road, tel. +381 38 50 02 02, [email protected], www.albicenter.com. A budget shopping centre with a large supermarket, a good electronics shop and several boutiques with genuine, imported brand clothing like Tom Tailor, Vero Moda, Springfield and Jack Jones. Near the entrance is a shop selling English-language magazines. QOpen 07:30 - 22:30.City Park Hypermarket Zona Industriale, Fushë Kosovo road/+381 38 60 10 13, [email protected]. Set on two floors, this shopping complex houses the large Era supermarkt and several clothes shops. Some sell cheap Chinese-made pirated clothing including North Face, Versace and Gucci copies. There's an ATM too. QOpen 08:00 - 22:00.Dreni Market B-3, Rr. Zahir Pajaziti, tel. +377 44 25 74 01. Among a multitude of mediocre grocers, this one stands head and shoulders above the rest. As well as stocking a good range of convenience food Dreni Market also has a good selection of fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as fresh ginger, coriander and some fine local bread. QOpen 07:00 - 24:00. Grand Store Veternik, Skopje road, tel. +377 44 48 88 77, [email protected], www.grandstore-pr.com. An aptly named upmarket shopping mall, the first proper one in Kosovo. The ground-floor department store is the largest in the country and has some bargain Chinese-made coats and shoes. Downstairs is the Univertrade hypermarket (open 08:00-23:00). On the upper floors find Diesel, Levi's, Gap Kids and some good electronics shops. For children there's a Kid's Land, for others there's the Vertigo bar/restaurant. The excellent Gizzi Grill restaurant is just outside. A free shuttle bus runs to the mall every hour. QOpen 10:00 - 22.00.Maxi Hipermarket A/B-2, Rr. Rexhep Luci. Very handy for the city centre, this large basement 'hipermarket' is as modern as it gets, and sells the usual goods plus wine, pork meat, fresh fish (sometimes live), foreign magazines and bakery products. Other Maxis can be found near the bus station and along the Fushë Kosovo road, where a former Norwegian army supermarket tent (with ATM) is open to all. QOpen 07:00 - 24:00.Minimax Zona Industriale, Fushë Kosovo road, tel. +381 38 24 72 29. Strategically placed near the exit of a large NATO base at the edge of town, Minimax has three floors of casual and sports clothes (including excellent Goretex coats). The ground floor is crammed with cut-price CDs and DVDs (under €2) and a collection of porn films that's impressive by any standards.QOpen 09:00 - 22:00.Viva Fushë Kosovo road. A medium-sized standard super-market behind a military compound. This one stocks foreign magazines. QOpen 08:00 - 22:00.

Bookstalls on the boulevard

42 DIRECTORY


Find business, health, officials and other useful contact details here.

AccountantsDeloitte Kosova Rr. Bedri Pejani 3, tel. +381 38 24 55 82, fax +381 38 24 55 84.

BanksSeveral commercial banks have ATMs across Kosovo that can be used with international debit and credit cards.

Banka Ekonomike A-2, Rr. Migjeni 1, tel. +383 38 22 53 53, www.bek-bank.com.BKT A-3, Rr. Kosta Novakovic, tel. +381 38 22 29 06, www.bkt.com.al. BPB (Bank for Private Business) B-2, Rr. UÇK 41, tel. +381 38 24 46 66, www.bpbbank.com. Central Bank of Kosovo (BQK) A-3, Rr. Garibaldi 33, tel. +381 38 222 055, www.bqk-kos.org.NLB Prishtina A-2, Rr. Rexhep Luci 5, tel. +381 38 24 61 85, www.nlbprishtina-kos.com. ProCredit Bank A-3, Bul. Nëna Tereza, tel. +381 38 55 55 55, www.procreditbank-kos.com. Raiffeisen Bank B-4, Rr. Eqerem Cabej, tel. +381 38 22 22 22, www.raiffeisen-kosovo.com.

BowlingBo Bowling Fushë Kosovo road, tel. +377 44 32 81 54. Pristina’s best bowling centre with good equipment and a lively bar.Princi i Arbërit Bowling Rr. Vellezerit Fazliu, Kodra e Trimave, tel. +381 38 24 42 44, www.hotel-princiiarber-it.com. Several bowling lanes inside the Princi i Arbërit hotel.

Business connectionsAmerican Chamber of Commerce in Kosovo A-2, Rr. Gustav Majer 6, tel. +381 38 24 60 12, fax +381 38 24 80 12, [email protected], www.amchamksv.org. The American business association, regularly publishing the Kosovo Business Journal which can be downloaded free from the website.Austrian Chamber of Commerce Rr. Ahmet Krasniqi 22, tel. +381 38 54 14 00, [email protected]. Croatian Chamber of Commerce B-2, Rr. Fehmi Agani 69B-1a, tel. +381 38 24 33 99, fax +381 38 24 33 98, [email protected], www.hgk.hr.Kosovo Chamber of Commerce A - 3, Bul. Nëne Tereza 20, tel. +381 38 22 47 41/+377 44 50 12 09, fax +381 38 22 42 99, [email protected], www.odaekonomike.org.Riinvest B-3, Industrial Zone, tel. +381 38 60 13 20, fax +381 38 60 12 33, [email protected], www.riinvestinstitute.org. The Institute for Development Research.Statistical Office of Kosovo (Enti i Statistikës së Kosovës) C-2, Rr. Zenel Salihu 4, tel. +381 38 23 51 11, fax +381 38 23 50 33, [email protected], www.ks-gov.net/esk. Publishes the ‘Kosovo in figures’ brochure and has much information in English online.

DentistsEurodent B-3, Rr. Qamil Hoxha 12, tel. +381 38 22 07 82. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun.Petadent B-4, Rr. Ulpiana U3 III/B1, tel. +381 38 55 36 58/+377 44 62 54 60. QOpen 09:00 - 21:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

EducationAmerican University in Kosovo (AUK) Rr. Nazim Gaf-furi 21, tel. +381 38 51 85 42, [email protected], www.aukonline.org. Kosovo’s leading private university works with the Rochester Institute of Technology in the US. Also operates the Training and Development Institute offering Microsoft Academy and other international training courses for business.University of Prishtina B - 3, Bul. Nëna Tereza, tel. +381 38 24 41 83, fax +381 38 24 41 87, [email protected], www.uni-pr.edu.

FitnessFitness Gym Prishtina A-3, Rr. Luan Haradinaj, Pallati i Rinisë dhe i Sporteve, [email protected], www.fitness-prishtina.com. Pristina’s best gym has 300 square metres of modern equipment, trainers and a website with hot babes. QOpen 10:00 - 22.00. Closed Sun.

Foreign representationsMany countries now have embassies, consulates or liaison offices in Pristina. Their use to travellers in need of help is often quite limited, and you may have to contact or visit your Belgrade or Skopje embassy. Danish visitors - you have a representation here, but they don’t want to be listed. Losing your passport in Kosovo is a very bad idea; your representation office can probably only help you with documents for travel to your Skopje embassy or with an emergency passport that only allows for travel straight home.

Albania Rr. Mujo Ulqinaku 18, tel. +381 38 24 82 08, fax +381 38 24 82 09, [email protected]. QOpen 09:00 - 16:30.Austria Rr. Ahmet Krasniqi 22, tel. +381 38 24 92 84, fax +381 38 24 92 85, [email protected] Rr. Ilirida 23A, tel./fax +381 38 51 76 98, [email protected] Rr. Ismail Qemali 12, tel. +381 38 24 55 40, fax +381 38 24 55 43, [email protected] Rr. Ismail Qemali 47, tel. +381 38 24 85 08, fax +381 38 24 91 26, [email protected] A-3, Rr. Mujo Ulqinaku 20, tel. +381 38 22 39 78, fax +381 38 22 39 79, [email protected] Republic Rr. Ismail Qemali 31, tel. +381 38 24 66 76, fax +381 38 24 87 82, [email protected] Rr. Eduard Lir 50, tel. +381 38 24 30 98, fax +381 38 23 28 63, [email protected] Rr. Ismail Qemali 67, tel. +381 38 22 45 88 00, fax +381 38 22 45 88 01, [email protected] Rr. Azem Jashanica 17, tel. +381 38 25 45 00, fax +381 38 25 45 36, [email protected], www.pristina.diplo.de.Greece Rr. Ismail Qemali 68, tel. +381 38 24 30 13, fax +381 38 24 55 33, [email protected] Rr. 24 Maj, 23, tel. +381 38 24 77 63, fax +381 38 24 77 64, [email protected] Rr. Azem Jashanica 5, tel. +381 38 24 49 25, fax +381 38 22 49 29, [email protected] A-3, Rr. Rexhep Mala 43, tel. +381 38 24 99 95, fax +381 38 24 54 34, [email protected] Rr. Metush Krasniqi 14, tel./fax +381 38 22 67 87, [email protected] Rr. 24 Maji, tel. +381 38 24 74 62, fax +381 38 24 74 63, [email protected], www.mfa.gov.mk.

44 DIRECTORY


45DIRECTORY


Malaysia A-3, Rr. Bedri Shala 48, tel. +381 38 24 34 67, fax +381 38 24 34 64, [email protected], http://www.kln.gov.my/perwakilan/pristina.Netherlands Rr.Ekrem Rexha 17, tel. +381 38 22 46 10, fax +381 38 22 46 55, [email protected] Rr. Fidanishte, tel. +381 38 22 40 59, fax +381 38 24 82 02, [email protected] Rr. Azem Jashanica 25, tel. +381 38 24 62 72, [email protected] Rr. Eduard Lir 20, tel. +381 38 24 71 12, fax +381 38 24 71 13, [email protected] Arabia A-4, Bul. Bill Clinton, tel. +381 38 38 54 92 03, fax +381 38 54 92 11, [email protected] Rr. Metush Krasniqi 7, tel. +381 38 24 01 40, fax +381 38 24 94 99, [email protected] A-3, Rr. Anton Ceta 6, tel. +381 38 24 62 55, fax +381 38 24 62 56, [email protected] Rr. Ekrem Rexha 6, tel. +381 38 24 57 95, fax +381 38 24 57 91, [email protected] Rr. Adrian Krasniqi 11, tel. +381 38 24 80 88, fax +381 38 24 80 78, [email protected], www.eda.admin.ch/pristina.Turkey Rr. Ismail Qemali 59, tel. +381 38 22 60 44, fax +381 38 22 60 31, [email protected]. United Kingdom Rr. Ismail Qemali 6, tel. +381 38 25 47 00, fax +381 38 24 97 99, [email protected], ukinkosovo.fco.gov.uk.USA Rr. Nazim Hikmet 30, tel. + 381 38 59 59 30 00, fax + 381 38 54 98 90, [email protected], pristina.usmission.gov.

HairdressersMenda A-2/3, Rr. Luan Haradinaj, tel. +381 38 22 78 00. A good, modern hairdresser in a designer space. Men’s cuts from €8, women from €18. QOpen 08:00 - 20:00. Closed Sun.

Hospitals & ClinicsPoliklinika Radiologjike Medico Rr. Lamella 11-10, tel. +377 44 16 72 99. QOpen 09:00 - 19:00, Sat 09:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun.Rezonanca A-3, Rr. Ahmet Zogu, tel. +381 38 24 38 01/+377 44 12 96 78, fax +381 38 24 56 50, [email protected], www.rezonanca.com. Q Open 24hrs.

International organisationsCouncil of Europe Kragujevci 8, UNHCR HQ, tel. + 381 38 24 37 49, fax + 381 38 24 37 52, www.coe.int.DAI (Development Alternative Inc) Rr. Shaban Pol-luzha 3, [email protected], www.dai.com.EBRD (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development) A - 2, Rr. Agim Ramadani, tel. +381 38 24 81 53, fax +381 38 24 81 52, [email protected], www.ebrd.com. The EBRD uses investment to help build the market economy and democracy in Kosovo.

MassageNote that the Chinese Restaurant (see Where to Eat) can also perform massages when they’re not busy cooking.

Thai Madam Massage B-2, Rr. Andrea Gropa, tel. +377 44 25 89 13. Six Thai Madams marooned in Kosovo perform massages on weary expats. Traditional Thai mas-sages cost €20 per hour; foot massage €25 per hour. Swedish and ayurvedic massages, herbal treatments and manicure/pedicure also available. Near the corner of Rruga UÇK, above the Fona butchery. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00.

MediaKosovalive A - 3, Pallati i Shtypit, Anex 2, tel./fax +381 38 24 82 76, [email protected], www.kosovalive.com. Local news in English.Prishtina Insight Mensa e Studenteve, tel. +381 38 24 33 58, [email protected], www.prishtinainsight.com. Prishtina Insight is a quality biweekly English-language newspaper published by BIRN, the Balkan Investigative Re-porting Network. The paper is initially free and distributed at the airport, hotels and restaurants; later it will be available by subscription only.

MinistriesMinistry for Community and Return B-2, Bul. Nëne Tereza, tel. +381 38 55 20 47 16 50 4, [email protected], hwww.mkk-ks.org.Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry & Rural Devel-opment Bul. Nëne Tereza 35, tel. +381 38 21 13 74, www.mbpzhr-ks.org.Ministry of Education, Science & Technology Rr. Musine Kokalari 18, tel. +381 38 54 09 74, [email protected], www.masht-gov.net.Ministry of Environment & Spatial Planning C-1, Rr. Nazim Gafurri 31, tel. +381 38 51 76 39, fax +381 38 51 78 45, www.ks-gov.net/mmph.Ministry of Finance & Economy A-3, Bul. Nëne Tereza 21, tel. +381 38 54 05 64, [email protected], www.mfe-ks.org.Ministry of Foreign Affairs Bul. Nëne Tereza, tel. +381 38 21 39 63, fax +381 38 21 39 85, [email protected], www.ks-gov.net/mpj.Ministry of Labour & Social Welfare, tel. +381 38 21 10 70, fax +381 38 24 42 29, www.ks-gov.net/mpms.Ministry of Mining and Energy Bul. Nëne Tereza, tel. +381 38 20 02 15 05, [email protected];diana.krasniqi, www.ks-gov.net/mem.Ministry of Public Administration Rr. Nëna Tereze p.n, Zona A, tel. +381 38 20 03 06 60, [email protected], www.ks-gov.net/MAP.Ministry of Trade amd Industry A-3, Rr. Muharrem Fejza, tel. + 381 38 51 21 64, fax + 381 38 51 27 98, www.mti-ks.org.Ministry of Transport & Communication B-2, Bul. Nëna Tereza, tel. +381 38 20 02 80 05, [email protected], www.mtpt.org.Prime Minister’s Office B-2, Bul. Nëna Tereza, tel. +381 38 21 12 02, [email protected], www.ks-gov.net/pm.

MunicipalityTown Hall B-2, Rr. Trepca 2, tel. +381 38 24 53 48, www.prishtina-komuna.org. Pristina’s mayor is Mr. Isa Mustafa.

ESI (Kosovar Stability Initiative) A-3, Rr. Garibaldi H11-6, tel. +381 38 22 23 21, [email protected], www.iksweb.org. A non-profit research and policy institute. The website has many interesting articles about everything from energy policy to emigration.ICS (International Crisis Group) A-2, Rr. Fehmi Agani 36-1/1, tel./fax +381 38 24 35 61, [email protected], www.crisisgroup.org. A think tank ‘working to prevent conflict worldwide’. Several dozen articles about Kosovo are online.IMF (International Monetary Fund) Bul. Nëna Tereza, tel. +381 38 24 46 55, www.imf.org.KFOR (Kosovo Force), tel. +381 38 50 36 03 20 70, [email protected], www.nato.int/kfor. The NATO-led international force responsible for establishing and maintain-ing security in Kosovo.KFOS (Kosovo Foundation for Open Society) Rr. Imzot Nikëprelaj, Villa 13, Ulpiana, tel. +381 38 54 21 57, [email protected], www.kfos.org. Active in the fields of education and youth, human rights, civil society, media, women programs, etc.KIPRED (Kosovar Institute for Policy Research & Development) C-3/4, Rr. Rexhep Mala 5A, tel./fax + 381 38 22 77 78, [email protected], www.kipred.net. Works to promote democracy in Kosovo.OSCE A-2, Rr. Tirana, tel. +381 38 50 01 62, fax +381 38 24 07 11, www.osce.org/kosovo.PAK (Privatisation Agency of Kosovo) B-1, Rr. Ilir Konushevci 8, tel. +381 38 50 04 00, [email protected], www.pak-ks.org.UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) A - 3, Rr. Peyton 14, tel. +381 38 24 90 66 10 1, fax + 381 38 24 90 67, [email protected], www.ks.undp.org.UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) B-3, Rr. Ali Pashë Tepelena 1, tel. +381 38 24 92 30, [email protected], www.unicef.org.UNMIK A-3, Rr. Luan Haradinaj, tel. +381 38 50 46 04/+377 44 502 017, www.unmikonline.org.World Bank A-3, Rr. Mujo Ulqinaku 3, tel. +381 38 24 94 59, [email protected], www.worldbank.org.EC (European Commission Liaison Office) Rr. Kosovo 1, tel. +381 38 513 13 23, [email protected], www.ec.europa.eu.

Language schoolsBritannica ELT Rr. Imzot Nikprelaj, Ulpiana, tel. +381 38 54 46 53, www.britannica-elt.com. Albanian language courses for foreigners.

LawyersEkrem Smajli B-2, Rr. Fehmi Agani 9/1, tel. +381 38 22 79 24. Fazli Balaj B-2, Rr. UÇK 47/D, tel. +377 44 11 50 26.

MarketingAMM Rr. Luan Haradinaj, Kino ABC, tel./fax +381 38 24 49 36, [email protected], www.ammkosova.com. Outdoor advertising, maintenance and office cleaning services.Ogilvy Kosovo B-1/2, Rr. Ilaz Agushi 4, tel. +381 38 23 23 33, [email protected], www.ogilvyks.com.

NGOsBalkan Sunflowers A-3, Rr. Luan Haradinaj, Pallati i Rin-isë, 114, tel. +381 38 24 62 99, www.balkansunflowers.org. International volunteers participating in local community life.CHwB (Cultural Heritage without Borders) Rr. R. Zogoviq 8, tel./fax +381 38 24 39 18, [email protected], www.chwbkosovo.org. Works to preserve and pro-mote endangered cultural heritage.Ombudsperson B-4, Rr. Agim Ramadani, tel. +381 38 50 14 01, fax +381 38 54 53 02, www.ombudsperson-kosovo.org. Sami Kurteshi investigates abuse of authority and general incompetence by public institutions in Kosovo. A busy man indeed.Save the Children Rr. Nazim Hikmet 4, tel. +381 38 23 12 96, www.savethechildren.net.USAID Rr. Ismail Qemali 1, tel. +381 38 24 36 73, fax + 381 38 24 94 93, [email protected], www.usaid.gov/kosovo. Aims to help the private sector develop, encourages democratic institutions, and rebuilds community infrastructure.

OpticiansOculo Optika B-2, Rr. Agim Ramadani 52, tel. +381 38 22 16 21, [email protected], www.oculoptika.com. QOpen 09:00 - 20:00, Sat 09:00 - 15:00. Closed Sun.

PharmaciesPharmacies (barnatore) like to close early - we gave up looking for a 24hr pharmacy. Bring all your basic medical supplies with you, and get good health insurance before you arrive.

AD Pharma B-4, Rr. Dëshmorët e Kombit 64, tel. +381 38 55 06 98. QOpen 08:00 - 24:00.Leka Med B-1, Veternik, tel. +381 38 54 88 45, fax +381 38 54 07 12. QOpen 08:00 - 23:00.

Printing & DesignRicoh Rr. Agim Ramadani 2, tel. +377 44 84 43 43/+381 38 24 42 85, [email protected], www.ricon-it.com. Photocopying services as well as sales of photocopiers and printers.QOpen 08:00 - 20:30. Closed Sun.

Real estateMany foreigners live in the Arbëria/Dragodan district on the hillside west of the centre. Rents vary per area; apart-ments in the centre are around €400 per month, Sunny Hill €500 and Arbëria up to €700; several agencies can help you find a place to stay, but alternatively just walk around town and look for 'apartment for rent' signs.

Eco Impex B-2, Rr. Fehmi Agani 9/1, tel. +381 38 22 91 59/+377 44 12 44 06, fax +381 38 24 92 63, [email protected], www.ecoimpex-90.com. Property to rent, as well as apartments, houses and land for sale.Prishtina Property A-2, Rr. Edit Durham, tel. +381 44 13 06 15, fax +381 38 24 48 98, [email protected], www.prishtinaproperty.com. The first real estate company in town with detailed photos of their apartments, houses, offices and land online.

Translators & InterpretersV&R Rr. Tirana 36, tel. +377 44 17 34 47. QOpen 08:00 - 20:00. Closed Sun.

Police 92 Fire 93 Ambulance 94

Emergencies

In early 2009, Kosovo announced the opening of em-bassies in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Slovenia, Sweden, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, United States.

Kosovan embassies

48 STREET REGISTER


49


All the street names below refer to the Pristina city centre map and are prefixed with Rruga (Rr.) except for the park/square called Sheshi Hasan Prishtina, and the boulevards: Nëne Tereza, Bill Clinton and Bul. i Deshmorëve.

1 Tetori C-32 Korriku B-324 Maji A-1Abdyl Frashëri B-3/4Adem Gashi C-1Adem Gllavica B-1Afrim Loxha C-1/2Afrim Vitija B-2/3Afrim Zhitija B-4Agim Ramadani B-2/3/4Ahmet Ka. C-1Ali Hadri C-2Ali Kelmendi C-3/4Ali P.Tepelena B-3Andrea Gropa B-2Antigona Fazliu B/C-1Anton Ceta B-3/4Ardian Krasniqi B/C-3Arkitekt Kadri Gega B-3Armend Daci C-4Asim Luzha C-3Avni Rrustemi C-1Azem Bab. C-1Azem Bejta C-1Bajram Curri A-2Bajram Kelmendi B-2

Bajram Bahtiri A-1/2,B-1Bedri P. B-2Bulevardi Bill Clinton A-4Bulevardi Nëne Tereza A-3,B-2/3Bulevardi i Deshmorëve A-4Butrinti C-1Çajupi B-2Dervish Rozhaja C-4Dimitrije T. B-3Eduard Lir A-1Emin Duraku B-2Enver Berisha C-1Eqrem Qabej C-2Edmond Hoxha C-2Esad Mekuli B-1Fan S. Noli C-1Fazli Grajqevci A/B-2Fehmi Agani A/B-2Ferat Dragaj C-4Feriz Bl. A-1/2 Florim Y. B-3/4Ganimete Tërbeshi B-4,C-3/4Garibaldi A-3 Gaspër Gjini B-1Gazmend Zajmi B-3,C-3/4Gjergj Fishta B-1Gjin Gazulli C-4Gustav Majer B-3Hafez A. Korca C-1Hajdar Dushi A/B-2Hajrulla Abdullahu C-4Haki Pava. C-1Haki Tahaj C-1

Hakif Zejnullahu B-4Halil Alidemaj B-3Hamdi Mram. B-2Hamzë Jashari B-2/3Haqif Tetova B-1Haxhi Zeka B-1/2,C-1Henrik Baric B-1/2 Henry Dynan A/B-4Hilë Mosi C-1/2Hilmi Rakovica C-4Hoxhë H.Tahsini C-1/2Hoxhë K. B/C-1Hysni Curri C-2Ibrahim B. C-2Ibrahim L. B-2Idriz A. C-1Idriz Gjilani A-4Ilaz Kodra A-4Ilir Konusheci B-1/2Ilaz Agushi B-1Ingrid Cara C-1Isa Boletini C-2Jeronim De Rada C-1Jonuz Zejnullahu A-3Josip Rela A-2Kacaniku C-3Kadri D. B-1Kajtaz Ramadani A-2Korca C-1Krasni. B-2Lasgush P. A-2Latif Berish. B-3Lidhja e Lezhes A-1Lidhja e Prizrenit A-1/2Lord Bajroni C-3/4Luan Haradinaj A-2/3Maliq P. Gjinolli B-1

Mark Isak A/B-2Mbreti Zogu I A-3/4Mbreti Bardhyl B-1Mehmet A.V. A-1Mehmet P.D. A-1Meto Bajraktari B-2Migjeni A-2Mihail Grameno C-1Mirko Gashi B-1Mithat Frashëri A-1Mitrovica B-3/4Mujë Krasniqi B-4Mujo Ulqinaku A-3Murat Mehmeti A-1Musine Kokolari A-4Mustafë Hoxha C-2Mustafa Kruja B/C-2Nak Berisha B-3Nazim Gafurri C-1/2Nikolla Tesla C-1Pashko Vasa A-3Per. Dioklecian A-2Perandori Justinian A-3/4Pjetër Bogdani A-1Prishtina C-1Qamil Bala C-4Qamil Hoxha B-3Radovan Z. A-3Rasim Kicina C-1Rexhep Luci A/B-2Rexhep Mala B-3/4Rifat Burxheviq C-4Robert Doll A-3/4Rrustem Statovci B/C-3Rrustem Hyseni B/C-2Sali Butka C-1Sali Mani C-1

Sami Peja B-3Selman R. C-2Sejdi Kryeziu A-3Selami Pulaha A-4Shaban Polluzha B-2Shaip Spah. C-3Shefqet K. C-2/3Shefqet Zeka B-1Sheshi Hasan Prishtina B-3Shkodra C-1Sokol Dobr. A-2Sokol Sopi C-3Svetozar Markovic B-2Sylejman Vokshi B-3Taip K. B-2Thimi Mitko C-4Tirana A-2UCK A/B-2Vasil Andoni B-2Vushtrria A/B-1Xhafer Deva A-1Xheladin Kurbaliu C-1Xhelal Mitrovica C-2/3Xhemë Gostivari C-2/3Xhemajl Mustafa A-4Xhemajl Prishtina B-1/2Ylfete Humolli B-2Ymer Alushani A-4Ymer Berisha C-2Zagrebi A-1/2Zeki Shulem. B-2Zejnel Salihu B/C-2Zija Prishtina B-1

KOSOVO MAP

Strolling along pedestrianised Bul. Nenë Tereza

50 INDEX


A&A 18Academy building 27Adria 14Afa 13Amaro 18Ambasador 13Ancient Prishtina Archaeological Park 31Apartment 196 23Aroma Bistro 21Avenue Bar 23Aviano 16Baci 13Bamboo 23Baraka 23Bazaar 28Begolli 14Bill Clinton billboard 31Bosna 2 20Bosna 4 20Café e Vogel 22Cantina 21Çarshia Mosque 28Chalet Denis 18Chinese Restaurant 17Christ the Saviour Cathedral 28Click 23Clock Tower 28CM 23Cube 24Depo 26De Rada 18Dit' e Nat' 22Downtown 23Dubliner 26Duplex 26Edi-1 18Elida 17Elzar 22Ethnographic Museum 27Europe Casino 24Ex 18Fatih Mosque 28Fitimi 16Fresh 21Freskia 21Friends Sandwich Bar 21Gagi Café 18Geba Bar 21Gërmia Park 30Gizzi Grill 18Gorenje Niti Tiki 13Grand 13Great Hamam 28Guesthouse Velania 16Hani i 2 Robertëve 18Himalayan Gorkha 17Home 18Hot Dog Adi 17Ibrahim Rugova's Grave 30Iliria 16Il Passatore 20IMMK building 28Independence Museum 27Jashar Pasha Mosque 28Jazz Club 212 26Jewish Cemetery 31Kosova Art Gallery 27Kosovo Heroes Monument 31Kosovo Museum 27Kosovo Railways Museum 27La Artista 20Legere 23Lounge Food & More 18Lumi Bakery 22Luxor 16Lyon 16Mexicana 22Mollëkuq ja 24Monument of Brotherhood and

Unity 30Morena 24Mother Teresa statue 31Mozaik 18Mumtaz Mahal 18MYC 24National Library 30National Martyr's Monument 30Newborn 16Newborn Monument 31Ninety-One 26ODA 22Odyssea Bakery 22Odyssea Bistro Bar 24Ora 14ORTA 27Osteria Basilico 20Outback 24Palace of Youth & Sports 30Pandora 18Pandora Apartments 14Panevino's 20Parcae 18Parku i Qytetit 30Parku i Taukbahqes 30Pejton 14People's Bistro & Wine Bar 26Photos of the missing 31Pinocchio 21Pishat 20Pjata 18Pllaza 14Princesha Gresa 22Princi i Arbërit 16Prishtina 13Proper Pizza 17Publicco 24Puro 22Queen's Shilling 24Real 14Rings 20Rio 2 17Romantika 20Ronzino 22Route 66 17Royal 14Rron 22Sara 16Select Bistro 20Shadërvani fountain 28Skanderbeg statue 31Sokoli e Mirusha 26Spaghetteria Tony 21Spray 26St. Nicholas Church 31Strip Depot 24Sultan Murad's Tomb 31Sushi Bar 21Syri i Kalter 22Te Komiteti 20Tiffany's 20Tingell Tangell 24Tokyo 21Tricky Dick's 24Ulpiana 31Ultra 20Union Hotel building 31University dorms 16Victory 13Vila Gërmia 21Villa Corona 17Villa Lira 21Why Not 26Xhema 16XIX 21XL 26Zahir Pajaziti statue 31Zanzibar 26Zogu 16Zullu Bar 24

Visitors overlooking the city from Arbëria or driving by on Bul. Bill Clinton can’t fail to notice a huge hole in the ground emitting dust and noise. This is the location of Pristina’s boldest construction project to date, the ENK Complex which consists of five large buildings with a total floor space of 300,000 square metres. The complex will take six years to finish and will have residential apartments, a mall with shops, offices, a five-star hotel, parking and public areas. The main tower will have 42 stories and will reach 165 metres high. Construction (or rather, digging the biggest hole in the Balkans) has been going on for a while and we’re all curious to see if the project will sur-vive the financial crisis, and if the complex will really be the city’s new focal point. For more information, artists’ impressions and photos of construction progress see www.enkinvestgroup.com.

Under construction

Grandpa at the Grand

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