Discovery Of Kosovo: 8-Day Trip

Day 1. Pristina, Kosovo
Meet our guide at the airport and head to the city center.
Join Pristina, Capital of Kosovo, the youngest country in Europe. Explore the political and economic capital of Kosovo where you will discover an architectural contrast unprecedented in Europe and a constantly evolving effervescent city.
Dinner and overnight in Pristina.

Day 2. Pristina, Kosovo
After breakfast, start a guided tour of Pristina, the newest and smallest capital in the Balkans. It already has everything of a large metropolis with a lively city center with its many cafes and restaurants.
Lunch in a traditional agritourism restaurant serving local and organic products to discover the excellent Albanian gastronomy.
You will leave in the direction of Mitrovica, for a stroll in the most divided city of the Balkans. Since 1999, the Ibar river with its pot has served as a border between the small North Mitrovica, mainly Serbian, and the large South Mitrovica, mainly populated by Albanians.
On the way back to Pristina, stop at Gazimestan. Built in 1953, it represents the famous battle of Kosovo Polje, which took place on June 15, 1389 in which a Balkan force coalition confronted the growing Ottoman Empire.
Dinner and overnight in Pristina.

Day 3. Pristina – Peja, Kosovo
After breakfast, depart for Peja, the largest city in western Kosovo located at the foot of the Rugova mountains and gorges.
Join the Drin Blanc waterfall, stroll to the top where you will reach the “Sleeping Beauty” caves for an interior visit to the galleries sculpted for centuries by the force of water.
Lunch in a traditional restaurant in Peja.
After lunch, visit the Patriarchal Monastery of Peja, one of the strongholds of the Orthodox religion in the region. Admire its many well-preserved frescoes and the calm and serene atmosphere present in this place.
Visit the Ethnological Museum of Peja where you will immerse yourself in the traditional life of Kosovars of the 20th century.
Drop off your luggage at the hotel and enjoy the Spa. Dinner and overnight in Peja. Dukagjini Hotel & Spa 5 *
OPTION: Gala dinner accompanied by traditional Albanian music and dance.

Day 4. Peja – Decani – Gjakova – Rahovec – Prizren, Kosovo
After breakfast, head towards Visoki Decani Monastery. Monument dating from the 14th century and listed as a UNESCO heritage, you can admire these frescoes which constitute one of the peaks of Serbian art, powerfully inspired by Byzantine art, in particular by the Church of the Savior of Constantinople
You will then go to a “Kula”, a traditional Albanian house to discover the former life of Albanian villages.
Take the road to Gjakova, a charming town in Kosovo with its authentic old center and its many craft shops. Meet local artisans depending on availability who practice trades that no longer exist in Western Europe. You will discover makers of “Plis” (traditional Albanian hat), “diep” (wooden cradles) as well as Albanian seamstresses.
Continue to Prizren and make a stop in the town of Rahovec famous for its vineyards. Explore the wine world of Kosovo by visiting a family business and tasting several internationally recognized local wines.
Finally arrive at Prizren and check into your hotel. Dinner and overnight in Prizren.

Day 5. Prizren, Kosovo
After breakfast, guided tour of Prizren, the cultural and historical capital of Kosovo. Surrounded by mountainous landscapes, discover the old Ottoman center of the city where the Lumbardhi River passes.
Its cobbled streets and tea rooms in the old bazaar give Prizren a unique Ottoman charm. You will visit three religious precincts located nearby: the Sinan Pasha Mosque, the Saint George Orthodox Cathedral and the Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.
Also visit the Albanian League of Prizren, the first Albanian rights defense league established at the end of the 19th century.
Lunch in a traditional Prizren restaurant.
Free time to go to the Prizren fortress for a breathtaking view of the city.
Possibility to visit a filigree, traditional Albanian jewelry originated in ancient Egypt.
Dinner and overnight in Prizren.

Day 6. Prizren – Gračanica, Kosovo
After lunch and depart towards Gračanica through the Sharr Mountains. Possibility of making a stop in a village for a tasting of Sharr cheese (subject to availability).
Visit Ulpiana, the country’s largest archaeological site covering 33 ha. It houses the remains of a Roman city founded by Emperor Trajan at the turn of the 1st century AD.
Go to Janjevo, an abandoned Croatian village. Go on a tour that will retrace the history of the Croatian community that settled in Janjevo in the 14th century. An important economic center for the Croats who worked alongside the Saxons in the mines of Novo Brdo and Kopaonik.
You will then reach Gračanica, a Serbian village 10 minutes from Pristina. Drop off your luggage at the hotel and free time in a beautiful natural setting.
Dinner and overnight at Gračanica.

Day 7 Gračanica – Novo Brdo – Gračanica, Kosovo
After breakfast, visit the UNESCO-listed Gračanica Monastery.
You will head towards the “Bear Sanctuary”, a park in which many captive bears in private restaurants in Kosovo and Albania were released.
Then leave for Kukaj, a small village rebuilt as at its origin located in the mountains where you will taste a traditional Albanian meal like the Flija (traditional pie) prepared before you by women of the region.
After lunch, set off for Novo Brdo Castle, located on the heights of a plateau offering a splendid panoramic view of the region. (4 hour hike possible for a group limited to 20 people).
Dinner and overnight at Gračanica.

Day 8. Gračanica – Pristina Airport, Kosovo
After breakfast, free time in your hotel until your transfer to the airport for your return flight.