Travel by Robert Evans

Hotels Restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps

PRISTINA Spring - Summer 2011

Gazimestan Battlefield memorials

Unexpected nightlife Pristina’s cafés and bars

N°4 - €4 pristina.inyourpocket.com

CONTENTS

Homeowners Association Homeowners Association is offering houses for rent. If you feel like renting in the one and only organized community in Pristina, please call

044 12 00 12 The International Village, located just 5 minutes drive from downtown Prishtina is an ideal location for your home. Tucked away on this beautiful property are three main types of houses that offer privacy without sacrificing a vibrant community with charm around every corner. Along with it we offer a swimming pool, tennis and basketball court, gym and running track.

Contents Arriving

Basics

Visas, streets, money and electricity

Culture & Events

Introducing the new In Your Pocket iPhone Ap pp...

Cinemas, theatres, concerts

Where to stay

From business hotels to backpacker beds

Restaurants

Greasy burek to gourmet dining

CafĂŠs & Nightlife

Bars, pubs and clubs

What to see

Mosques, museums and a map

Gazimestan

Memorials to the Battle of Kosovo

Getting around

Planes, taxis and trains

Language

Speak shqip

Mail & Phones

Shopping

Directory

Maps & Index

If you enjoy high quality of life in a private and healthy environment and want to provide the best living conditions for your family we would be proud to welcome you as a member of our community.

Country map City map Index & Street register

47 48-49 50

Pristina, Prizren and soon also Peja In Your Pocket In print and online at kosovo.inyourpocket.com pristina.inyourpocket.com

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Spring - Summer 2011

FOREWORD Three years after declaring independence, Kosovo is experiencing how hard it can be to go it alone. Youth unemployment is still sky-high due to a faltering economy, it remains one of a few countries in the region subject to strict visa rules, and many of its politicians are as unreliable as can be expected in the Balkans. Yet for travellers Kosovo is one of the more interesting, scenic and affordable destinations in the region. What it lacks in coastline scenery it makes up for in the mountain and cultural heritage departments, and every visitor is pleasantly surprised at Pristina’s friendly café, food and nightlife scene. So it’s no surprise that Kosovo made it into the “41 places to go in 2011” list in the New York Times, where its “mountains, medieval Slavic and Ottoman architecture and unexpected night life” were highly recommended. In this issue of Pristina In Your Pocket we highlight the two impressive war monuments at Gazimestan, just north of town, and have reams of new hotel, café, restaurant and bar reviews. Those of you toting iPhones will be happy to hear that we’ll launch a Pristina iPhone app in the coming months containing the full content of the guide, keep an eye on our website www.pristina.inyourpocket.com for more details. As always, comments about the guide and the venues we review are welcome via the website or pristina@inyourpocket.com.

Cover story Located in what remains of Pristina’s old city centre, the grand Austrian-era Kosovo Museum building houses the country’s most important archaeological artefact, the Hynesha në Fron (‘Goddess on a throne’) statue. The museum is well worth a visit, see page 29 for more details.

Pristina In Your Pocket © Albania Experience Sh.P.K c/o Tirana In Your Pocket Rr. Elbasanit, Nd.10, H.5, 1010 Tirana, Albania Tel: +355 4 225 56 55 Fax: +355 4 227 19 60 pristina@inyourpocket.com www.inyourpocket.com ISSN 1819-2890 Printing Evropa 92, Kocani Published 10,000 copies, twice a year

Pristina In Your Pocket

About this guide The Pristina In Your Pocket city guide is the only dedicated 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 information 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 pristina@inyourpocket.com.

Lidhur me këtë udhëzues 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. Udhëzuesit in your pocket janë dizajnuar për udhëtarët e huaj dhe banorët, por thjeshtë që të sigurojnë informata të sinqerta kritike 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 udhëzues 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 pristina@inyourpocket.com.

Editorial Editorial management Rentapocket.com: Jeroen van Marle, Sco Research Kaltrina Hoxha, Rrita Pula Layout & Design Tomáš Haman Photos, cover Jeroen van Marle Photo contributors Ivan Adams (iabrams3985@gmail.com), Greta Howard (www.grete-david.co.uk) Maps Trimaks Kartografia, Skopje Sales & Distribution Manager Vullnet Malazogu vullnet.malazogu@inyourpocket.com, tel. +377 45 59 50 01 Publishers Gazmend Haxhia, Jeroen van Marle, Sco

Copyright notice Text and photos copyright Pristina In Your Pocket 2006-2011. 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 note The 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.

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ARRIVING Pristina’s modern international airport (PRN, www.airportpristina.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 arrivals 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 straightforward, 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 from abroad.

Pristina’s districts 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 In Your Pocket

Crime & Safety

Public holidays The days when even the people who have jobs stop working. 1-2 Jan New Year 7 Jan 2012 Orthodox Christmas 17 Feb Independence Day 28 March 2011 Catholic and Orthodox Easter 9 Apr Constitution Day 1 May Labour Day 9 May Europe Day 29 Aug 2011 Eid Al-Fitr (Ramadan) 5 Nov 2011 Eid Al-Adha 28 Nov National flag day 25 Dec Catholic Christmas

Street smarts Street Square Boulevard

Rruga Sheshi Bulevardi

Highway Bridge

Autostrada Ura

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The 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.

Electricity Electricity 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.

Money The euro (€, divided in 100 cents) is the official currency of Kosovo, though Serbian dinars are also used in some Serbmajority areas. Euro banknotes come in denominations of €5, €10, €20, €50, €100, €200 and €500, and can look pretty

Albania Greece

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

In Your Pocket has broken much new ground of late, publishing new guides in the Netherlands (Den Bosch, Utrecht), in Austria (Vienna), in Croatia (Brac and Senj), in Slovenia (Celje), in Serbia (Nis) and in Switzerland (Zurich). A new guide to Minsk, Belarus, will be the next In Your Pocket to launch. We have also begun rolling out iPhone apps to all our cities. We will be launching even more In Your Pocket guides as apps throughout 2011: to find out which cities we will be covering, and to keep up to date with all In Your Pocket news and events, like In Your Pocket on Facebook (facebook.com/inyourpocket) or follow us on Twitter (twitter.com/inyourpocket).

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average daily temp. (max)

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By plane

BASICS

rainfall (mm)

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.

Smoking Smoking is forbidden in all public institutions, educational institutions and healthcare institutions unless there’s a designated smoking area. Most bars and cafés have some kind of non-smoking area. And since early 2011, authorities are actually enforcing the law.

Visas & Borders Citizens 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.

Basic data Population Kosovo 2,180,686 (2010 estimate) Pristina 197,000 (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.

Spring - Summer 2011

CULTURE & EVENTS Pristina’s cultural life is slowly improving after several desolate decades.

Cinemas Currently 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 Hollywood releases, documentaries and occasionally have film festivals. Find the English-language programme on the website. There’s a small bar with old film projectors too.

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

Cultural centres British Council A - 3, Rr. Perandori Justinian 6, tel. +381 38 243 29 21 01, Info@ks.britishcouncil.org, 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,

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 Haradinaj,

Events in Pristina DAM Fest The International Festival of Young Musicians brings classical music to Pristina, with per formances by hundreds of musicians in various venues during March and April. Admission is free. Information: tel. +377 44 55 54 04, info@damfest.com, www.damfest.com. Freedom Fest A music festival held on 11 and 12 June, organised by a local radio station. Information: bardhi@radiourban. fm, www.radiourbanfm.com SURF Urban Festival The Summer Urban Festival organises various events throughout the city from June to August: concerts, exhibitions, workshops, etc. Information: +386 49 50 75 21, www.summerurbanfestival.com.

Music & Dance

9/11 Dedication Festival The film festival that commemorates the 9/11 attacks takes place around 11September at Pristina’s National Theatre. It features short films (5-30 minutes) by local directors, all provided with English subtitles. Information: tel. +381 38 50 07 23, info@911fest. com, www.911fest.com.

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 ballet school was established in 2000. The group occasionally performs at the National Theatre.

Kosova Philharmony & Opera (Opera e Kosovës) B-3, Rr. Sylejman Vokshi, tel. +381 38 24 49 39, kosova. philharmony@gmail.com. Pristina’s orchestra has about 100 members and performs irregulary.

Theatres Dodona Puppet Theatre C-2, Rr. Xhelal Mitrovica, tel. +381 38 23 06 23, dodona86@yahoo.com. 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 Albanian 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./fax +381 38 24 39 30, info@teatrikombetar.eu, www. teatrikombetar.eu. Founded in 1946 in Prizren, the birthplace of all cultural things Albanian, the National Theatre puts on Albanian-language plays and shows. With help from the authorities and sponsors, the theatre has revived after a difficult period of censorship, forced management and staff Pristina In Your Pocket

HOTEL

Pallati i Rinisë dhe i Sporteve, 111, tel. +381 38 24 65 55, fax +381 (0)38 24 65 55, oda@teatrioda.com, www. teatrioda.com. A small independent theatre founded in 2002 staging plays, music, film and art exhibitions, and is known for hosting the Jazz festival every November. There’s a café with an art book library too. Adjacent to the car park behind the Pallati i Rinesë complex. Q Tickets €3-7.

ecf_pr@yahoo.fr, www.ecf-prishtina.org. The French cultural 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.

Kosova Ballet (Trupa e Baletit e Kosovës) B-2, Bul.

LORD

PriFilmFest The Pristina International Film Festival is held at the Kino ABC cinema in September. The main prize is a ‘Golden Goddess’ award; a stylish golden version of Pristina’s 6,000-year old Hynesha në Fron statue. Information: tel. +381 38 22 11 44, info@prifilmfest. org, www.prifilmfest.org. Prishtina Jazz Festival In November Pristina hosts 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. Information: tel+381 38 24 65 55, jazzprishtina@ gmail.com, www.jazzprishtina.com. Skena Up Film & Theatre Festival Skena Up, held in December, 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’s plenty of beer and parties too. Shows are at the National Theatre and Kino ABC cinema. Information: tel. +381 38 72 24 63, contact info@skenaup.com, www.skenaup.com.

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At Hotel Lord, our goal is to provide our guests with far more than a tranquil place to rest. That’s precisely why each and every one of our 22 guest rooms is gracefully appointed, boasting thoughtful amenities enhanced by truly attentive service. Price from 49 euros per person.

HOTEL LORD Veternik, Prishtina, Kosova Tel: +381 38 55 33 91, +377 45 322 522 info@lordroom.com, www.lordroom.com

WHERE TO STAY Pristina’s accommodation scene is improving; there’s now a good selection of mid-range and (slightly) upmarket hotels, though few rise above three-star standard. No international chains have dared enter the local market yet.

Upmarket Ambasador B-3, Rr. Ardian Krasniqi 1, tel. +381 38 24 83 00/+381 38 24 84 00, fax +381 38 24 85 00, info@hotelambasador.com, 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 18 rooms (singles €80-92, doubles €110, suites €127, apartments €150). PLKDW

Baci Bul. i Dëshmorëve, tel. +381 38 54 83 56/+381 38 35 63 57, fax +381 38 54 83 58, hotel@bacicompany. com, www.bacicompany.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 fitted 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). PHARLKW Grand A-3, Bul. Nëna Tereza, tel. +381 38 22 02 10/+377 44 72 69 13, fax +381 38 24 81 38, info@grandhotel-pr. com, www.grandhotel-pr.com. This huge 1977 building that dominates central Pristina is the main local landmark, the lobby a quaint relic of 1970s design. The hotel is currently slowly

Symbol key 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

Purchasing power How far does your euro. pound or dollar go in Pristina? Exchange rates (15 Mar 2011): €1 = £0.86 = US$1.40 Product Price Espresso coffee €0.70 Glass of local beer (0.5 litre) €1.50-2 Mineral water (1 litre) €0.30 Hamburger €1-2.50 Cinema ticket €3-5 Public transport ticket €0.40 Litre of petrol €1.12 100km by bus/train €3-5 undergoing much-needed renovations and room upgrades. The spacious facilities on the lower floors attract large conferences and dinners, and there’s free wifi on the upper floors. Q 369 rooms (184 singles €70, 175 doubles €100, triples €120, 2 suites €180-250, 8 apartments €200). HALKW

In the heart of Prishtina Located along the pedestrianised main shopping and business street of Prishtina, the Grand Hotel is an elegant, modern hotel that is perfectly situated for easy exploration of Prishtina's principal attractions. The hotel offers free minibar and wifi in the rooms, various bars and restaurants. The Grand Hotel is also the ideal venue for business events, corporate meetings and receptions.

Adria Hotel is among the best hotels in Kosovo, close to the embassies and international offices. Built in 2006, it has 7 floors designed to combine classic and modern. An elegant hotel with staff that makes your stay in Kosovo special.

Rruga Ahmet Krasniqi, Arbëria, Prishtina, Tel: +381 (0)38 226 222 hoteladria@yahoo.com, info@hoteladria-ks.com, www.hoteladria-ks.com

Pristina In Your Pocket

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Grand Hotel Prishtina Blv. Mother Theresa, 10000 Prishtina, Kosova Tel:+381 38 220-210 / 220-211 / Ext: 359, Fax: +381 38 248-138 info@grandhotel-pr.com, reception@grandhotel-pr.com www.grandhotel-pr.com

WHERE TO STAY Prishtina A-3, Rr. Pashko Vasa 20, tel./fax +381

Luxor Rr. Nazim Gafurri, tel. +381 38 60 88 88/+381 38

38 22 32 84, reser vations@hotelprishtina.com, w w w.hotelprishtina.com. Bet ter 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 apar tments are downright swank y, each with their own sauna booth. Downstairs there’s a good restaurant. Walking distance to anywhere you’d need to be. Q 43 rooms (20 singles €81, 4 doubles €100, 6 suites €150, 13 apar tments €116). PHARFLGKCW

60 87 77, reservation@hotelluxor.net, 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 showers. The restaurant is surprisingly good, with a palm-lined terrace outside. Q 14 rooms (8 singles €50-90, 6 doubles €60-70). PLW

Royal A-3, Rr. Robert Doll 3, tel. +381 38 22 09 02, fax +381 38 22 09 03, info@royalhotel-pr.com, www. royalhotel-pr.com. A modern hotel on a quiet road in Pejton, close to bars and offices. Apart from elegant rooms, it boasts a restaurant, bar, an underground indoor pool and sauna. There are laundry and dry cleaning services and an airport transfer service. Room 112 is the Nicole Kidman suite - it was good enough for her, so why not for you? Q 44 rooms (singles €82, doubles €110, apartments €135-150). PHAFLKDCW

Victory Bul. i Dëshmorëve, tel. +381 38 54 32 77/+381 38 54 32 67, fax +381 38 54 32 86, info@hotel-victory. com, www.hotel-victory.com. Located between two busy roads on the southern edge of town, the Victory is popular with foreigners. rooms are large, and the bathrooms feature magnificent neo-Rococco toilets that we haven’t seen anywhere else. Victory is easy to spot as you drive into town from Skopje - look for the building with the statue of Lady Liberty on the roof. Q 42 rooms (singles €80, doubles €100, suites €120). PHALKW

Mid-range The mid-range hotels, with double rooms priced from €60100 per night, offer good-value kip.

Adria Rr. Ahmet Krasniqi, Arbëria, tel./fax +381 38 22 62 22, tel. +377 44 355 366, info@hoteladria-ks. com, 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 scanning the corridor. Q 17 rooms (singles €44, doubles €62, apar tments €99). PHKW Afa B-4, Rr. Ali Kelmendi 15, tel. +381 38 22 77 22, fax +381 38 24 46 82, office@hotelafa.com, www.hotelafa. com. One of our favourite hotels in Kosovo, 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, discounts at weekends and a super secluded garden out the back. Q 52 rooms (singles €45-69, doubles €75-92, apartment €92112). PHARLKDW

Centro A-3, Rr. Perandori Justinian 56, tel. +386 49 80 98 09/+381 38 60 98 09, fax +381 38 60 98 10, info@ hotelcentro-ks.com, www.hotelcentro-ks.com. A modern villa along the Pejton district’s main street has neat rooms arranged around a central atrium. There’s a restaurant and café/bar with a terrace facing the street so you don’t even have to leave the hotel to enjoy Pristina’s famed café scene. Q 9 rooms (doubles €69-99). PALW

Pristina In Your Pocket

20 Vaso Pasha Street Payton Place 10000 Prishtina, Kosova tel/fax +381 38 22 32 84 reservations@hotelprishtina.com www.hotelprishtina.com

Lyon C-3, Rr. Rrustem Statovci, tel. +381 38 22 09 97/+377 44 24 50 82, hotel_lyon@hotmail.com, www. hotel-lyon-pr.com. Up on the hill east of the centre, overlooking the park, the Lyon is a decent budget option for those willing to take taxis or to slog up the hill. Rooms are compact, modern and equipped with central heating, and some have big bathtubs. The quiet rooms are at the back. On our first visit, the bouncy rubber lion on the reception desk suggested the hotel name was simply an unfortunate misspelling. Q 18 rooms (10 singles €35, 5 doubles €45, 2 triples €70, 1 suite €50 ). PALKW

Newborn B-3, Rr. Nak Berisha 27, 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 deadend street or the garden and come with wifi and satellite TV. Q 12 rooms (singles €49, doubles €69). PLKW

Ora B-2, Rr. A.Z. Çajupi 4, tel./fax +381 38 23 37 09, tel. +377 44 15 78 35, ora_hotel@yahoo.com, 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, fax + 381 38 22 22 04, info@ hotelpejton.com, 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). KDW

Hotel Prishtina is located in the heart of the city’s most important business district. Our 43 charming guest rooms and suites are reminiscent of a small hotel in the European tradition. You'll immediately 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, complimentary breakfast and minibar, 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.

Pinocchio Apartments Rr. 24 Maji 115, tel. +386 49 60 99 91, pinocchiohotel-ks@hotmail.com. Uphill in the upscale Arbëria suburb, and right above the excellent restaurant of the same name, Pinocchio has balconied rooms affording great views over town. Q 9 rooms (5 singles €55, 4 doubles €85). PKW

Pristina’s best hotel? See page 44 and tell us pristina.inyourpocket.com

Business & Holidays... with Hotel Prishtina

RESTAURANTS

WHERE TO STAY Apartments & Rooms Internationals looking for long-term accommodation are advised to search carefully to avoid being fleeced.

YREA (Your Real Estate Agent) tel. +381 38

Velania district, up the hill east of the centre. If the guesthouse is full, there are an additional 20 similar rooms in a house nearby. Q (singles €10-15, doubles €15-20. triples €25-30, apartments €25-35). W

Princi i Arbërit Rr. Vellezerit Fazliu, tel. +381 38 24 42

55 36 72/+386 49 55 01 11, yrea@live.com, www. inpristina.webs.com. Fully furnished apartments in the city centre and in Dardania, sleeping up to 5 persons at a flat rate of €20-60 per night depending on the duration. Also long-term apartment rental (www.acommodation. webs.com).

44, fax +381 38 24 44 42, info@hotel-princiiarberit.com, 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

Zogu C-4, Rr. Edit Durham, tel./fax +381 38 24 44

Sara B-1, Rr. Maliq Pash Gjinolli, tel. +381 38 23 62

19, tel. +377 44 88 80 01, agzogu@hotmail.com, www.agencyzogu.tk. An agency for budget apartment housing, both long and short term. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00, Sat 09:00 - 18:00. Closed Sun. Apartments from €10-20 per night, €250-300 per month.

Pllaza A-3, Rr. Pashko Vasa 22, tel. +381 38 22 20 09/+381 38 60 91 22, fax +381 38 22 33 09, info@ hotelpllaza.com, www.hotelpllaza.com. The fourth establishment on Pristina’s hotel row, 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. Pashko Vasa 14, tel. +381 38 24 52 70, fax +381 38 22 50 29, hotel.real@yahoo.com, www. hotel-real.net. 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 (singles €69, doubles €80). PHALKW

Budget Who said that sleeping in Pristina is expensive? It’s possible to get a decent and affordable double room in or near the city centre. here are the hotels with double rooms priced under €60.

Begolli B-1, Rr. Maliq Pash Gjinolli 8, tel./fax +381 38 24 42 77, tel. +377 44 30 80 93, info@hotelbegolli. com, 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. Q 28 rooms (singles €40, doubles €50, apartments €50-60). PHALKDW

Guesthouse Velania (Profesor) Rr. Emrush Miftari 4/34, tel. +381 38 53 17 42/+377 44 16 74 55, info@ guesthouse-ks.net, www.guesthouse-ks.net. Also known as Guesthouse Profesor, Pristina’s cheapest accommodation is run by an affable former electronics professor. 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. In the

Pristina In Your Pocket

03/+381 38 73 53 22, info@hotelsara-medi.com, 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 to three people to renovated albeit very simple apartments. Clean and basic, this hotel features lurid red and green corridors, a handful of satellite television channels, a few rooms with small Jacuzzis and a garage for two cars. Q 33 rooms (singles €35, doubles €50, triples €70, apartments €60-80, suite €99). PHALKW

Xhema B-1, Rr. Malig jash Gjinollli, tel. +377 44 17 76 65, info@hotelxhema.com, www.hotelxhema.com. Featuring lush oriental rooms with heaps of chintzy wall hangings 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

Out of town A short drive from Pristina there are a number of good, affordable and often brand new hotels.

Emerald Pristina-Skopje highway, tel. +381 38 58 88 88, contact@emeraldhotel.info, www.emeraldhotel. info. Opened in early 2011, Emerald is a large, top-class business hotel located a few kilometres out of town on the Skopje road. Modern rooms have plenty of space and there are good conference and dining facilities. It’s also one of the few hotels with an indoor pool complex, with spa and Turkish baths.Q72 rooms (33 singles €89, 32 doubles €109, 7 suites €160-395). PHUFLKCW Gorenje Niti Tiki Veternik, tel./fax +381 38 55 77 00, info@hotel-gntc.com, www.hotel-gntc.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 €80, 4 apartments €80). PHARLKW

Lord Veternik, tel. +381 38 55 33 91/+377 45 32 25 22, info@lordroom.com, www.lordroom.com. Near the Skopje road south of town, Lord hath created a comfortable five-storey hotel with hypoallergenic sheets, wifi and free transportation. Deluxe rooms come with a choice of private jacuzzis or sauna cabins and suites have ample space for conducting business. Q 22 rooms (singles €49-69, doubles €74-99, suites €99-139). PHRLW

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First 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 foreigners 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.

Symbol key P Air conditioning

B Outside seating

A Credit cards accepted L Guarded parking E Occasional live music

S Take away

G No smoking

I Fireplace

Restaurant prices As an indication of cost, in each review we’ve indicated the average price of a main course, without drinks: € up to €5 €€ between €5 and €10 €€€ over €10

Chinese Chinese Restaurant A-2, Rr. Luan Haradinaj, tel. +377

Hemingway A-4, Rr. Ilaz Kodra 9, tel. +386 49 14 56

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 massages, starting at €25 per hour. QOpen 11:00 - 22:00, Sun 12:00 - 22:00. €€ GS

37/+377 44 14 56 37, hemingway038@gmail.com. Hemingway is tucked away in an unappealing end of the city but worth a trip if you are craving food of the piscine variety. It’s a pretty basic sort of set-up and relatively expensive for the setting, but undoubtedly one of the best places in town for fresh sea fish. QOpen 09:00 - 23:00. €€

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

Bel Ami A-2, Rr. Luan Haradinaj, tel. +377 44 13 38 48/+386 49 13 38 48. The ideal city centre stop for a quick lunch or take-away snack, Bel Ami unceremoniously serves the best chicken doner in Pristina in a surprisingly ungreasy, smoke-free environment. Ask for the komplet to get the classic doner packed with salad and sauces and wrapped in tin foil. QOpen 09:00 - 19:30, Sat 09:00 - 20:00. Closed Sun. € GS

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. € GBX

Fish Yes, you can get fresh sea fish in landlocked Kosovo - it’s trucked in every day from Shëngjin on the Albanian coast.

Restaurant talk Waiter! Kamarier A table for two Një tavolinë për dy persona Non-smoking/smoking Ndalohetduhani/Lejohetduhani The menu please Menyn ju lutem I’d like to order Do të doja ta bëja porosinë Do you have vegetarian food? A keni ushqim vegjetarian? Surprise me! Më befaso The bill, please Faturën ju lutem

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Vila Corona Rr. Shpëtim Robaj, tel. +381 38 51 70 00/+377 44 50 95 90. The quiet surroundings of Gërmia 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 finished off with a Sharr cheese platter. Upmarket furnishings, a fireplace and knowledgeable staff complete the experience. Near the Luxor hotel. QOpen 07:00 - 24:00. €€-€€€ PTIB

Food with a view 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. €€

Indian Bollywood B-2, Rr. Hajdar Dushi 20, tel. +377 45 46 31 86/+386 49 30 41 53, bollywoodrestaurant@ymail.com. Bollywood’s dead-end street location and drab and dingy decor do its decent food a disservice. If you’re desperate for a taste of the subcontinent, it’s certainly not bad place, with a varied selection of Indian dishes, but it would improve considerably if they gave the place a lick of paint. QOpen 11:00 - 22:00. €-€€ VS 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 10:00 - 23:00. €

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 vinegar or birjani chicken. The terrace features a cool fogging system for hot days. QOpen 08:00 - 23:00. €€ PGBSW Spring - Summer 2011

RESTAURANTS Amadeus Rr. Ahmet Krasniqi, Arbëria, tel. +381 38 22 35 00/+377 44 18 56 50, admin@restaurantamadeus. com, www.restaurantamadeus.com. A long-surviving restaurant at the foot of Arbëria hill, serving up Italian and Kosovar dishes. There’s traditional food like mantia and fli, but call ahead to order as these take hours to prepare. Q €€ PBX

Baron A-3, Rr. Garibaldi, tel. +381 38 72 00 74/+386 49 12 22 29. Set in the side of the Pallati i Rinisë complex, Baron is a large modern restaurant with a huge terrace. The house dish, veal steak with prosciutto ham and cheese comes recommended. On Wednesday and Friday evenings there’s live music. QOpen 08:00 - 24:00, Sun 12:00 - 24:00. €€ PGBW Chalet Denis Rr. Ahmet Krasniqi, tel. +381 38 22 58 75/+377 44 79 91 18. This wooden chalet by the Adria hotel offers good views of town from the terrace and has enough 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, which basically contains ever y thing. Q Open 07:00 - 24:00. €€ PGBXW

De Rada A/B-2, Rr. UÇK 50, tel. +381 38 22 26 22. Named after a romantic Albanian-Italian writer, this upmarket 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. €€ PLBXW

Menu decoder Mish & Peshk Mish lope pulë mish qeng ji mish derri suxhuk mish viçi shnitcell mish peshku salmon ushqim deti troftë pleskavicë qebapa

Fruits and vegetables apple banana cabbage carrot eggplant mushrooms orange peppers tomatoes pickles

Pemët dhe perimet mollë banane lakër karotë patëllxhan këpurdha portokall speca domate turshi

Drinks beer juice wine water

Pristina In Your Pocket

pijet birrë lëng verë ujë

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 number 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. Dëshmorëve, 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 is out of this world. QOpen 07:00 22:00. Closed Sun. € BS

Bosna 4 A-3, Rr. Perandori Justinian, tel. +381 38 24 59 19/+381 38 22 65 11. Great burek amidst extraordinarily quirky décor. Lots of shapes and colours in an instantly recognisable communist style. QOpen 07:00 - 22:00. Closed Sun. € BS

Ex B-2, Rr. Fehmi Agani 3/8, tel. +377 44 55 77 00/+377 44 15 70 39. A superb place for spotting Kosovo politicos and other celebrities 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. €€

Gagi Café B-2, Rr. Fehmi Agani 12, tel. +386 49 52 25 11, gagicafe@gmail.com, www.gagicafe.com. 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, Sun 12:00 - 24:00. €€-€€€ PVEGXW

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. There’s also a Gizzi Exclusive in the Kodra e Diellit district. QOpen 07:00 02:00. €€ PGBXW Hani i 2 Robertëve A/B-3, Bul. Nëna Tereza 3, tel. +377 44 11 72 19/+377 44 11 26 09, info@hani2roberteve.com, www.hani2roberteve.com. The excellent ‘two Roberts’ restaurant is a popular venue for dinners and receptions. The han (inn) has grilled meat, pasta, and seafood on the menu, as well as a great selection of wines. There’s live music every Friday. Located near the Grand, behind the Zahir Pajaziti monument. Book ahead. QOpen 08:00 - 24:00. €€-€€€ PEGBX

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SALA THAI Massage & Spa Relax All your senses in an oasis of serenity Escape from daily life stress and pamper yourself at Sala Thai. We provide a full range of massage and spa treatments catered to your individual needs. Our team of Thailand-trained therapists will help you restore the peace of mind you lost in your busy life. Our selection of services: - Thai traditional massage - Thai herbal Massage - Aromatherapy - Swedish massage - Foot reflexology massage - Body scrub - Facial treatments Albana Market M

Open Every Day from 11.00 till 23.00

UÇK Stree U Street SALA THAI Massage & Spa

Q Qafa Gallery y First Floor

Addre Add Ad ess: s Qafa Q Qaf aafaa Gallery Galler Galler alle lllery lle ry 1st 1st Floor, Flo Flo Fl oo or,r, UCK or, or UC UCK CK St. St Stt.. Address: Prishtina Tel: 044 168 521

Fe hm

OSCE E

Luan Haradinaj

Meat & Fish beef chicken lamb pork sausage veal schnitzel fish salmon sea food trout burger kebab

Burek

RESTAURANTS Home A-2, Rr. Mig jeni 1, tel. +381 38 22 40 41/+377 44 33 63 36, home@prishtinanet.com. 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 përshutë (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. €€ GBXW Lounge Food & More A-3, Rr. Perandori Justinian C12, tel. +381 38 73 74 75/+381 38 22 62 15, www. lounge-prishtina.com. A bustling, barn-like place 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. Opposite the cathedral entrance. QOpen 07:00 - 24:00. €-€€ PGBXW 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. €€ PLGXW

RESTAURANTS 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. €€-€€€ B

Princesha Gresa B-2, Rr. Fehmi Agani 23, tel. +381 38 24 58 41/+377 44 11 23 91. If you have a horse-size hole in your stomach to fill, this is the place to come. The meal starts with some free bread and dips and is followed by gargantuan portions of salad, meat, fish, or anything else on the varied menu. The food is sometimes great, sometimes average but always served in massive portions. QOpen 10:00 - 23:00. €€-€€€ PGBXW

Renaissance II A-3, Rr. George Bush, tel. +377 44 11 87 96. Renaissance offers arguably the best overall dining experience in Pristina. It’s quite an experience just to find the place, tucked away off a tiny alleyway, and enter the homely, stone building through heavy wooden doors. It’s €15 per head, and for that you will be kept fed, watered and supplied with booze for at least a three course meal, including a wonderful meze starter and a delicious main course cooked on embers. Behind the Pro Credit Bank HQ. QOpen 11:00 - 23:00. €€-€€€ Rings B-2, Bul. Nëna Tereza 16, tel. +377 44 24 79 99,

96. An upmarket restaurant that’s rather obviousl y owned by an architect; the space is filled with an unusual combination 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. €€-€€€ PLGBX

www.restaurantrings.com. The flagship of the local Rings chain has a large interior with dining and lounging happening around a central bar. Like the 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. Also on Rr. Luan Haradinaj (tel. +381 38 24 79 99) and four other locations. QOpen 07:00 - 24:00, Sun 08:00 - 24:00. €€ PGBXW

Pjata B-3, Rr. Gazmend Zajmi 1, tel. +381 38 22 07 39,

Select Bistro A-2, Rr. Fehmi Agani 1/1, tel. +377

info@pjata.com, 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

44 69 48 11, selectbistro@gmail.com. A modest bistro and café with a touch of Ontario; the owners used to run a Toronto deli, and proudly serve Canadian breakfasts and buttermilk pancakes laced with maple syrup. Retreat to the non-smoking dining section to sample the cinnamon toast or omelette breakfasts, the beef with orange, or New York strip steak with garlic potatoes. QOpen 07:00 - 23:00, Sun 16:00 - 23:00. €€ PAGBXW

Parcae A-2, Rr. Fehmi Agani, tel. +377 44 22 27

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

Vila Gërmia Gërmia Park, tel. +381 38 51 77 41/+377 44 29 63 95, info@vilagermia.com, www. vilagermia.com. The most upmarket restaurant in Gërmia 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. €€-€€€ LGBXW

Villa Lira Gërmia Park, tel. +377 44 60 09 30/+377 44 27 15 18. The wooden building at the far end of Gërmia 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 woodoven pizzas. Try the Kosovo salad, with potatoes, onion, parsley and egg. QOpen 08:00 - 24:00. €€ PLB Pristina In Your Pocket

Te Komiteti (Et Itetimok) B-3, Rr. Qamil Hoxha 5/2, tel. +381 38 24 96 63/+377 44 78 41 47. 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 08:00 - 23:00, Sun 10:00 - 23:00. €€ PGBXSW

Il Passatore C-2, Rr. Hilë Mosi 13, tel. +381 38 51 64 73. Run by the lovely Antonella, Il Passatore serves up excellent Italian 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. Closed Sun. €€ PEB

Osteria Basilico A-2, Rr. Fehmi Agani 29/1, tel. +381 38 22 54 01/+386 49 27 62 76, info@basilico-ks.com, 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. Leave space for the tiramisu. QOpen 08:00 - 23:00. Closed Sun. €€ PGBXW 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. €€ PILGBXW Proper Pizza B-3, Rr. Agim Ramadani 24, tel. +377 44 13 13 10/+381 38 54 21 82, info@properpizza. com, www.properpizza.com. Tasty, proper pizzas, feeding 1 to 4 people, delivered steaming to your table in their modest restaurant, or to your home or hotel. Choose small, medium or large, and loosen that belt. QOpen 24hrs. € PVGBXS XIX A-2, Rr. Luan Haradinaj 2, tel. +377 44 30 00 02, info@xixonline.com, www.xixonline.com. XIX’s interior intentions are hard to grasp with the tartan tablecloths and daily specials blackboard, 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. €-€€ BW

Japanese Tokyo Rr. Lidhja e Pejës, tel. +377 44 98 85 78/+377 44 37 35 37, tokyoinkosovo@yahoo.com. 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 - 14:30; 17:30-22:30. €€ E

Lunch Cafés If 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 one of the below, where food is served fresh and fast.

Amélie A/B-2, Rr. Fehmi Agani 10, tel. +377 45 69 16 61/+377 45 58 05 80, amelieespressobar@gmail. com. This utterly charming chain of espresso bars is not to be missed. One of the first places with self-service, it has fantastic coffee, delicious soups, crepes, quiche and pastas, as well as a dozen freshly made sandwiches to choose from, including goat cheese and roast beef. Or try the shakshuka, eggs with tomato-paprika sauce. Come early to secure a seat at lunchtime, or call the second number to have your coffee or meal delivered. Also on Rr. Perandori Justinian E1 (open 07:00-21:30) and Rr. Agim Ramadani (corner Rr. Karl Gega; open 07:00-24:00, Sun closed). QOpen 07:00 - 24:00. € PVGBSW

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 intriguing 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. Also on Bul. Nëna Tereza and Rr. Ilaz Kodra. QOpen 08:00 - 23:00, Sun 10:00 - 23:00. €€ PVGBXSW Fresko B-2, Rr. Fehmi Agani 17, tel. +377 45 59 75 97, info@freskorks.com, www.freskorks.com. Fresko isn’t a bad place to grab a sandwich, salad or fresh juice. This place has some healthy food choices, often with lots of rucola, which make a pleasant change from meat and pastry. Their lemon and ginger ale drink is a taste explosion. QOpen 08:00 - 22:00, Sat 09:00 - 22:00, Sun 10:00 - 17:00. € PVGBXS Friends Sandwich Bar A-2, Rr. Fehmi Agani 23, tel. +377 44 14 10 50. A neat café decorated with modern art that churns out sandwiches and salads at high speed during lunchtime hours. QOpen 07:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun. € PGBXW Izzy’s Deli B-2, Rr. Andrea Gropa 38, tel. +381 38 71 60 06/+377 44 20 90 90. Fabulous fresh sandwiches, made with quality Italian ingredients - to go, to deliver, or to eat in at Izzy’s simple café. There’s a wide choice of cut meats, cheese and bread. QOpen 08:00 - 18:00, Sat 08:00 - 15:00. Closed Sun. € PVS

Ultra B-3, Rr. Sylejman Vokshi 9/1, tel. +381 38 225

Metro Café A-3, Rr. Garibaldi 3/1, tel. +377 44

155. Opposite Mozaik, 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. Deliciously non-smoking. QOpen 08:00 - 23:00, Sun 14:00 - 23:00. €€€ PGB

85 85 85/+377 44 11 30 00, info@metrocaffe.net, www.metrocaffe.net. The Metro Café provides a great buffet - a display case full of fresh salads and sandwich ingredients for you to pick. Adorned with large windows both at the front and back, it’s a prime people-watching spot too. QOpen 07:00 - 20:00. € PGBXW

Italian Arte B-2, Rr. Rexhep Luci 1, tel. +381 38 24 97 09. Ravioli, penne, tagliatelle and more are served at this pleasant Italian bar/restaurant with its large windows and outdoor seating near the street corner. QOpen 07:00 - 23:30. Closed Sun. €€ PGBXW pristina.inyourpocket.com

Pristina’s best restaurant? See page 44 and tell us A café terrace in spring

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Spring - Summer 2011

RESTAURANTS Out of town A few very good restaurants can be found along the road to Gracanica, a ten-minute drive from the city centre. Getting here by taxi costs under €5.

Country House Pristina-Podujevo road, Bërnicë e Epërme, tel. +381 38 51 52 55/+377 44 65 60 54. This rustic restaurant is a 15-minute drive outside Pristina (on a good day) and provides glorious views across rolling, verdant hills and is especially pleasant place in the summer to watch the sunset. Overall the food quality is decent, with special notes for the fresh bread, straight from the wood stove, and speca me maze (pepper in cream). Find it right after the Muciqi Mercedes-Benz garage. QOpen 10:00 - 23:00. €€-€€€ Puro Veternik, tel. +381 38 60 20 99, info@puro. in, 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. €€-€€€ PGBXW Rron Veternik, tel. +381 38 60 24 50/+377 44 34 77 77, rron_restaurant@yahoo.com, 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. €€-€€€ PAGBX

Kosovan Liburnia 1&2 B-2, Rr. Meto Bajraktari, tel. +381 38 22 27 19. There are actually two Liburnias opposite each other, both very similar in style and food. Housed in a fine Ottoman abode and surrounded by pleasant walled gardens, Liburnia oozes atmosphere, whether in summer or winter. The food is a roll call of decent traditional Albanian food, including the usual tave (stews) and grilled meat. It’s not the best place in town to sample local delicacies, but a good choice given the setting. QOpen 08:00 - 23:00. €€

Pishat B-3, Rr. Qamil Hoxha 11, tel. +381 38 24 53 33/+377 44 24 53 33. 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. €€ PIGBXW 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. € 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 Pristina In Your Pocket

Mexican Cantina am/pm B-3, Rr. Qamil Hoxha 7/1, tel. +377 44 71 07 10, info@cantina-pr.com. Cantina does a good job of getting 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. €-€€ PBW Cavallero A-3, Rr. Edit Durham, tel. +377 44 23 42 44. Importing ingredients directly from Mexico, Cavallero is a convincingly good restaurant. Have some fajitas, tacos, one of the vegetarian options of the impressive Ultimate Tower Combo, washed down with one of five types of Mexican beer. The homely dining room on the first floor has all the required Mexicana, and there’s live music on weekend nights. QOpen 10:00 - 23:00, Sat, Sun 11:00 - 23:00. €€ PGX

Mexicana B-4, Rr. Abdyl Frasheri 22. Good Mexican dishes with proper ingredients and heat. Some effort has gone into the kitsching up of the interior with hats and rugs, and at weekends the place is livened up by the Mexicana band. Spicy tacos, enchiladas, fajitas and quesadilla con queso are all available, as are specials like beefsteak in tequila sauce. QOpen 08:00 - 24:00. €€ VEGS

THE UNIQUE TASTE OF THAI CUISINE IN A WARM AND COZY ATMOSPHERE Come and enjoy a fine dining experience in a distinguished, friendly, non-smoking environment where you will be treated as a very special guest. Let your senses explore the balance and harmony of Thai exquisite cuisine specially prepared for you at Le Siam.

Outdoor Terrace - Weekly Special Menu Take Away - Home Delivery

Nepali Himalayan Gorkha A-2, Rr. UÇK 17, Qafa Centre, tel. +377 44 40 22 65/+377 44 19 82 98, himalayangorkha@hotmail.com. 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 mutton momos (dumplings), some tandoor and other Indian dishes and Chinese food from across the Himalayas too. Free delivery to nearby offices, and take-away. QOpen 11:00 - 22:00. €-€€ PVS

Serbian Čao Pristina-Skopje road, tel. +386 49 30 54 70. A familyrun Serbian restaurant with a wonderfully cluttered living room interior, thick clouds of smoke and large portions of fantastic Serbian cooking. Here’s your chance to catch up on those pork dishes that are otherwise so elusive in Pristina. They’re used to foreigners dropping by and will be glad to explain the Cyrillic menu and ply you with their lethal home-made brandy till you fall over. Along the road to Skopje. Q €-€€

Open e Every Day from 11.00 till 23.00 3 21/1 Fehmi Agani, Pristina Tel: 045 243588 lesiamthai@gmail.com UÇK Street Qafa Gallery

Thai Le Siam Thai A-2, Rr. Fehmi Agani 21/1, tel. +377 45 24 35 88, lesiamthai@gmail.com. Stylishly designed and smoke-free, Le Siam has become a real hit for the international community in Kosovo. If you are acquainted with Thai food, you’ll find the typical assortment of curries, salads and deep fried treats, delivered to good standard. Take-away and home/hotel delivery too. QOpen 11:00 - 23:00. €€-€€€. JVGBS pristina.inyourpocket.com

Fe hm

OSCE

Luan Haradinaj

Romantika C-1, Rr. Nazim Gafurri, tel. +377 44 26

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 09:00 - 23:00, Sun 18:00 - 23:00. €-€€ PLGBXW

CAFÉS & NIGHTLIFE There are enough cafés, 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. The great thing about Pristina is that it’s so small you can walk from bar to bar until you find something you like. Nightlife is concentrated around Rruga Fehmi Agani and the Pejton area just south of Rruga Garibaldi, with more studenty places in the Santea area at the eastern end of Bul. Bill Clinton. Note that several places listed under Cafés are also good night spots. Just in case you’d forgotten, Kosovo is a male-dominated society, and many of the cheaper bars are frequented entirely by chain-smoking men.

Bars You 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.

Avenue Bar A-2, Rr. Fehmi Agani 48, tel. +377 44 45 50 10. A slick and trendy establishment popular with Pristina’s slick and trendy professionals, the suave ground floor bar is often packed with good-looking locals, finger food, 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

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 middleaged 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

Bistro Bar A-3, Rr. Sejdi Kryeziu, tel. +386 49 540 20 95, odysseabb@hotmail.com. Pristina’s prime cocktail bar is found deep down a dead-end street in the Pejton area. 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 the daily special, let the black-clad baristas perform miracles with the bottled spirits. Also quickly reached from Rr. George Bush, go down the path beside the Faik Konica school. QOpen 09:00 - 24:00. €€ PAGW Bukka A-2, Rr. Fehmi Agani, tel. +377 44 11 22 00. Set back from the street amidst a cluster of nightlife venues, this large wooden shack has lounging space at the front, backed up by a bar and more seating space. In summer the terrace with fountain is great for hanging out. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00. PBW

Click A-3, Rr. Luan Haradinaj, tel. +377 44 93 35 22, clickbar.prishtina@gmail.com. Firmly aiming at expats, Click is an English-lite bar with a selection of flags on the walls, screens for watching football and rugby and fresh English newspapers. There’s UK beer on tap, a menu of hamburgers, pizza and salads, and English breakfasts. Drop by on Saturday to hear the ‘Newborn’ band play. QOpen 07:00 - 24:00. PEBW

Crème de la Crème A-3, Rr. Mujo Ulqinaku, tel. +377 44 25 99 12/+386 49 22 00 08, www.cremeprishtina. com. Crème is probably the best all-round bar in the city. It’s run for the amusement of the young, arty owners and not for profit, which explains the more-than-generous pricing arrangements, especially for the perfectly executed cocktails. Its five Pristina In Your Pocket

CAFÉS & NIGHTLIFE

Cafés For Kosovans, 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.

Amélie A/B-2, Rr. Fehmi Agani 10, tel. +377 45 58 05 80, amelieespressobar@gmail.com. With a dozen types of coffee to choose from, as well as tea, hot choc and other drinks, the three Amélie self-service cafés are a huge hit in Pristina. Serving lunch as well (see Restaurants), they are bright, uncluttered, smoke-free and visited by all kinds of young locals. Also on Rr. Perandori Justinian E1 (open 07:00-21:30) and Rr. Agim Ramadani (corner Rr. Karl Gega; open 07:00-24:00, Sun closed). QOpen 07:00 - 21:30. € PVGBS 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, info@ditenat.com. ‘Day and night’ is Kosovo’s first book café, and a good one at that. Apart 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. TBW

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. €-€€ PBW Ma Belle A-2, Rr. Luan Haradinaj. This “Coffee and Cake House” does an excellent job of serving various delicious types of cake to the masses, along with good coffee. There’s also a menu including anything from pasta and salads to Asian dishes. Outlet at the Albi Mall too. QOpen 07:00 - 23:00.

ODA A-2/3, Rr. Luan Haradinaj, Pallati i Rinisë 111, tel. +381 38 24 65 55, oda@teatrioda.com, www.teatrioda.com. Hang out with real artists at the ODA Theatre’s small underground café. There’s a librar y corner with ar t books, novels and other materials for visitors to browse, and free wifi too. Find the entrance behind the Duplex club. QOpen 09:00 - 24:00. LW

Syri i Kaltër 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 instruments 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

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tiny floors heave on Fridays and Sundays with Pristina’s cool to the variety of beats. QOpen 20:00 - 03:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Thu, Sun. Open Wed, Fri, Sat 20:00-03:00.

Mollëkuqja A-2, Rr. Mig jeni, tel. +377 44 14 39 90, fugomollëkuqja@hotmail.com. 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 07:00 - 23:00. € PAW Morena A-4, Bul. Bill Clinton 8, tel. +377 44 11 51 16. Boasting dozens of 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. PEGBXW 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.

Strip Depot A/B-2, Rr. Rexhep Luci 6/1, 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. QOpen 08:00 - 23:30. PBW The Cuban A-3, Rr. Luan Haradinaj, tel. +377 45 62 06 20. Pristina’s latest ‘place to be’ is a decent addition to the city’s drinking scene, even if the place can be full of spivs and tarts who aren’t going to a fancy-dress party. The Cuban-themed décor is decadent Havana, the food is average and not very Caribbean, but the cocktails are good. Come on Wednesdays for salsa dancing. QOpen 08:00 - 01:00.

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. Wildly imaginative vegetarian lunches are available too. Find it marooned in the wastelands behind the buildings along Rr. Haradinaj. QOpen 08:00 - 01:00, Fri, Sat 08:00 - 02:00. BW

Trafik Galeri A-3, Rr. George Bush, gallerytraffic@hotmail.com. This place has always been a great late-night drinking den. It’s tiny, grungy and always busy with a friendly, edgy bunch. After a recent renovation, Trafik now offers beverages and art, usually produced by young, talented local artists. Grab a beer, spark up a conversation and survey some art. Turn down the first steps to the right when walking south from the Grand Hotel. QOpen 16:00 - 03:00. Xhoni’s Bar B-4, Rr. Rexhep Mala, tel. +377 44 75 07 20. “Johnny’s” is without doubt a Pristina institution. It’s small, friendly, smokey, plays excellent soul, disco and classic rock music from vinyl and is open until the last man or woman staggers out. Arrive by 23:00 at the weekend to secure a corner, or even better a seat, if you intend to make a night of it as it gets incredibly busy. It doesn’t have a name on the door, but it’s the place with round windows next to the A&A restaurant. QOpen 20:00 - 03:00. Closed Sun. I pristina.inyourpocket.com

Clubs Kosovars party like there is no tomorrow, because there may well not be one. As around or scour Facebook to find out what’s on. The legendary Spray Club closed in 2010, but lives on as a party organiser, see www.sprayclub.com for events.

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 Depo A-2, Rr. UÇK, tel. +377 44 24 67 07. A popular club featuring rap, house and hip-hop music played at combat volume levels. Find the warehouse door entrance to the club behind the bars and terraces along Rruga Fehmi Agani. Q Open Wed, Fri, Sat 22:00-03:00. 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. Closed Mon, Tue, Thu, Sun. Admission €2-4. Full House A-3, Rr. Luan Haradinaj, Pallati i Rinisë, tel. +386 49 38 36 01/+386 49 40 66 66. A large club at the rear of the Palace of Youth and Sports where local and international DJs congregate to play house, hip-hop and R&B to the happy crowds. There’s a good dance floor, modern laser equipment and wall-sized mirrors in the ladies room. Q Open Wed, Fri, Sat 23:00-05:00. PEB Peppermint B-3, Bul. Nëna Tereza, tel. +381 38 55 25 55, info@peppermint-ks.com, www.peppermint-ks.com. A classy members-only club on the main boulevard. Inside it’s all smoke, lasers and mirrors, with angels and fish tanks on the walls. Get invited or contact the club. It’s supposedly 21+ only, though young ‘uns seem to get in too. Sunday is ‘internationals night’, and just a foreign ID card should get you in. QOpen 23:00 - 04:00.

Bar talk Where is the nearest bar/club? Ku ndodhet klubi më i afërt? I need a... Dua një … ... beer birrë ... wine verë ... cocktail koktel ... cigarette cigare ... lighter shkrepse ... ashtray tabëll duhani ... man burrë ... woman grua Where can I find a taxi? Ku mund ta gjej një taksi? You have beautiful eyes. Keni sy të bukur Your place or mine? Tek ti apo tek unë? Where I come from, that’s illegal. Prej nga unë vij kjo është ilegale Can I have your number? A mund ta kem numrin tënd?

Spring - Summer 2011

Dear citizens, you don’t need to go for treatment abroad. Euromed Hospital - Nëna Naile is your place of treatment.

FIRST LICENSED HOSPITAL IN KOSOVO

S SERVICES Radiology Laboratory Histopathology C Cardiology Internal Medicine Neurology A Abdominal Surgery Head-Neck Surgery Thoracic surgery Vascular Surgery Child Surgery Orthopedics Urology Endocrinology Gynecology and obstetrics Physiotherapy Neurosurgery Pediatrics Pharmacy …

HOSPITAL - EUROMED NËNA NAILE is the only place in Kosova where there is a diagnosis, treatment and full rehabilitation of patients. We unite in one place, with the most successful, best local and western experts. With modern equipment and modern space we draw a special attention to patients.

Tel: 0280 385 665 / Mob: 044 504 043 / Email: dr_radiologu@yahoo.com

WHAT TO SEE

CAFÉS & NIGHTLIFE Expat activities 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 Club Founded 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 iwc_pristina@yahoo.com 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.

Live music Hamam Jazz Bar A-2, Rr. Luan Haradinaj, tel. +377 44 22 22 89/+381 38 22 22 89, hamampr@gmail.com. Hamam’s interior decor of stressed concrete, leather and a mud-slab ceiling would be cutting edge anywhere in the world . And its nightly jazz performances, well stocked and tended bar and fine finger food menu - think seafood with wasabi mayonnaise - makes it the best Pristina has to offer in terms of upscale venues. Live music starts at 22:00 and the recently opened venue is promising to stage a wealth of local and international talent. Next to the XIX restaurant. QOpen 17:00 - 24:00. Admission €3 after 23:00.

Hard Rockers Club Rr. Ilaz Kodra, tel. +377 44 11 26 46, vraja_fatos@hotmail.com. It’s one of the few places in Pristina where you can catch regular live acts, and the only place which caters for those who like their rock served up heavy, or hard. It’s quite a comfortable place to grab a beer even if you are not being entertained by long-haired strummers. Q E

Jazz Club 212 A-3/4, Rr. Mbreti Leka Zogu I, 7a, tel. +377 44 16 72 86, info@212pr.com, 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. Q Open Wed-Sat 22:00-03:00. €-€€ E

Zanzibar B-2, Rr. Hajdar Dushi, tel. +377 44 15 21 55, remzimustafa@hotmail.com. 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 Filikaqa A-3, Rr. Mujo Ulqinaku 4/1, tel. +381 38 24 42 88/+377 44 78 87 48, info@filikaqa.com, www. filikaqa.com. Whistle, as it translates from Albanian, offers a dizzying array of televisions on which to watch your sport of choice and eat the best burgers in town. Select a booth, ask the amiable staff to tune into your match and grab a ‘double decker’ or ‘triple burger’, which look like American fast-food classics but taste better. Friday night karaoke is a must-see must-sing event. Q P Ninety-One A-3, Rr. Luan Haradinaj, tel. +381 38 22 19 91, theninetyone@hotmail.com. 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. PBW

Paddy O’Brien’s B-2, Rr. Tring Smajli, tel. +381 38 22 10 70, paddy@paddyobriens.com, www.paddyobriens. com. Pristina’s only Irish pub serves good Guinness, good pub grub and plenty of sport on its several big screens placed around the wood-panelled room. Serving almost as a community centre for ex-pats, Paddy O’Briens also offers an array of fun evening and weekend events to entertain its regulars, including Kosovo’s only pub quiz on Thursdays, as well as quiet brunches and raucous nights of dancing. Q LW

Wine bars People’s Bistro & Wine Bar B-3, Rr. Qamil Hoxha 7/1, tel. +381 38 22 44 21/+386 49 30 34 04, bistro. peoples@gmail.com. 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

Maroon Pub A/B-2, Rr. Fehmi Agani 10. A rocking villaturned-pub with lots of wood, a large central space for partying and plenty of seating as well. There’s regular live rock music, cocktails and whiskeys galore, and pizzas and salads to snack on. When the rest of Pristina is dead on Wednesday and Thursday nights, Maroon often puts on good live music. QOpen 07:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 07:00 - 01:00, Sun 09:00 - 24:00. PEB Sokoli e Mirusha A-2, Rr. Fehmi Agani 41, tel. +377 44 78 88 88, sokoliemirusha@hotmail.com. 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 food 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. €€ PEBW Pristina In Your Pocket

Like most Balkan cities, Pristina was a small and dusty market town until fairly recently. The city suffered bombing 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 - publications at the time boasted 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. 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 Etnolog jik Emin Gjiku) B-1, Rr. Iliaz Agushi, museuetnolog jic@gmail. com. 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 small museum about Kosovo’s recent history, set in a reconstruction of the 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.

City tours ORTA Rr. Skenderbeu, Deçan, tel. +377 44 39 26 48/+377 44 65 05 09, ngo.orta@gmail.com. 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. 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 archaeology 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.

Stacion Rr. Zija Prishtina, tel. +381 38 22 25 76, info@ stacion.org, www.stacion.org. The Center for Contemporary Art Prishtina is the only place in the country with regular contemporary art exhibitions and events. QOpen 11:00 - 16:00, Sat 11:00 - 14:00. Closed Mon, Sun.

Ottoman Pristina Academy Building B-2, Rr. Nazim Gafurri, tel. +381 38 24 93 03, ashak_pr@hotmail.com, www.ashak.org. Right next to the clock tower stands another of Pristina’s few remaining 19th century Ottoman konak-style private houses. It is currently used by the Academy for Sciences and Arts (Akademia e Shkencave dhe e Arteve, ASHAK) who have added a rather ugly glass winter garden to the building. If you ask you can enter to walk around the courtyard.

Kosova Art Gallery B-3, Rr. Agim Ramadani 60, tel. +381 38 22 56 27, gak@ipko.org, 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 Pristina’s most interesting public artwork - a constellation of metal beams jutting out over the footpath like mikado sticks. QOpen 10:00 - 14:00, 15:00-18:00, Sun 10:00 - 15:00. Closed Mon. Kosovo Museum B-2, Sheshi Adam Jashari, tel. +377 Stock up on smokes at the bazaar

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44 50 80 55. 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

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Flowers on the main boulevard

Spring - Summer 2011

WHAT TO SEE Fatih Mosque (Xhamia e Mbretit) B-1, Rr. Ilir Konushevci. 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 Konushevci. Near the Fatih Mosque, Pristina’s grandest remaining bath complex was in a sorry state of repair after decades of neglect. it is currently undergoing much-needed restoration, but this being Kosovo it’s become another scandal with accusations of shoddy workmanship. 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.

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. Kocadishi House (Kosovo Institute for the Protec-

The clock tower

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 atmosphere 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.

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 possession of a a mausoleum, the one-room mosque is marooned in front of the Kosovo Museum.

Clock Tower (Sahat Kulla) 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. Pristina In Your Pocket

tion of Monuments) B/C-2, Rr. Zenel Salihu. About 150m southeast of the clock tower, this reconstructed 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. Pirinaz Mosque (Xhamia e Pirinazit) C-2, Rr. Ismail Dunoshi. Built in the second half of the 16th century, the Pirinaz Mosque was founded by the Ottoman Vizier Piri Nazir. Legend has it that the ‘Stone of Lazar’ in the garden was used to behead Prince Lazar during the Battle of Kosovo in 1389, and that he was buried in this mosque with the Sultan’s permission before being moved to Ravanici Monastery in central Serbia. 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.

Pristina heritage map 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.

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WHAT TO SEE Gračanica Monastery

WHAT TO SEE 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 leadership 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 (Varrezat e Dëshmorëve) C-3, Rr. Rrustem Statovci. Topping the Park of Martyrs at the top of Velania, the Yugoslav-era Martyr’s Monument honours the partisans 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 vandalised, it has a haunting beauty.

Gračanica Monastery (Manastir Gračanica) Gračanica. The monastery in the village of Gračanica, a short drive south of Pristina, is one of Kosovo’s best religious monuments. 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. Its real beauty is hidden within, where several distinct periods of fresco painting are extremely well preserved, depicting the early life of Jesus as well as the representations of the ecclesiastical calendar and a terrifying Day of Judgement. The monastery is guarded by police who may require to see your ID. To get there from Pristina, take the bus to Gjilan, which passes through the town after 15 minutes. Note that Gračanica is a Serb enclave that sometimes is the focus of unrest, and some embassies warn against visiting. QOpen 06:00 - 17:00. Admission free.

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. Monument of Brotherhood and Unity B-2, Rr. Meto Bajraktari. These three 15-metre high 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 interesting metal statue of a group of faceless people watches on. The sad square it’s on was once the bustling heart of the bazaar, which got demolished in the name of progress.

Pristina In Your Pocket

Palace of Youth & Sports (Pallati i Rinisë dhe i Sporteve) A-3, Rr. Luan Haradinaj, tel. +381 38 24 94 24, www. pallatirinise.com. The massive complex from 1977-1981 is an unmissable and spikey Pristina landmark, and a nice example of Yugoslav-era city planning. 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. 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.

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, Rr. Hmez Jashari. 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.

Parku Varrezat e Dëshmorëve (Park of Martyrs) C-3, Rr. Isa Kastrati. The grassy hilltop in the Velania area is not much of a park, but still well worth visiting for the Martyr’s Monument, Rugova’s and several KLA graves and the great views over the city and the mountains beyond.

Other sights Archaeological Park Rr. Agim Ramadani. Pristina’s new archaeological park has exhibits on ancient Kosovo, Romanera tombs and parts of the Mosaic of Gllamnik. There’s an amphitheatre for summertime theatre and film shows. Near the Kosovo Museum, on the corner of Rruga Haxhi Zeka. Q Open March-October. pristina.inyourpocket.com

Catholic Cathedral (Mother Teresa Cathedral) A-4, Rr. George Bush. Pristina’s new cathedral, unofficially named after the famous ethnic Albanian nun, is a welcome addition to city’s skyline. Built in new-renaissance Italianate style, its two campanile towers will reach 70 metres once completed, but building work appears to have slowed down since the venue’s consecration in September 2010. Some €1 million was raised for the building by the Albanian diaspora. While the building is open to public, remember it’s still a building site so say your prayers before entering. Clinton Billboard & Statue A-4, Bul. Bill Clinton. Kosovo’s favourite superhero is honoured with a large billboard overlooking the boulevard named after him. Right below, a three metre high bronze statue of Bill Clinton was unveiled in 2009, showing the love affair is still fresh. The statue, depicting Bill waving and clutching the 1999 agreement that permitted US troops to enter Kosovo, was paid for by the ‘Friends of the USA’ association who didn’t get permission to put it anywhere else in the city. It’s a welcome addition to the grey boulevard.

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 community 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. The fountain around the statue is sadly crumbling - and rumours have it that a new, bigger statue of the tiny lady will be erected in front of the new cathedral to replace this one.

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 boulevard have dozens of photos of Kosovans who have been missing since the conflict; nearly 1,900 people remain unaccounted for. Rugova’s Grave C-3, Park of Martyrs. Half a million people turned out for the funeral procession of the former president of Kosovo, Ibrahim Rugova, who died of lung cancer on January 21, 2006. The chain-smoking, ‘Gandhi of the Balkans’ was a writer who entered politics in the late 1980s and helped set up the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK). Initially a hero for his passive resistance to Serbian rule, Rugova lost credibility after the 1995 Dayton Agreement, but made a comeback and became president in 2002. He lies buried at the top of the Parku Varrezat e Dëshmorëve (Park of Martyrs).

Skanderbeg statue B-2, Bul. Nëne Tereza. The monument 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

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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 badly damaged by fire during the 2004 riots, but was rebuilt and now services are once more held in the low 17th century building. Q The church can be visited most days around 17:00.

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’s arguably the pretties building in the city, yet authorities let it stand derelict and half empty for years before a homeless man living in it set it on fire in 2009, causing great damage. In 2011, the dispute is still ongoing.

Zahir Pajaziti statue A/B-3, Bul. Nëne Tereza. Opposite 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 Novo Brdo tel. +377 44 46 54 71, rural.tourism.nb@ gmail.com, www.tourism-novobrdo.com. 40km east of Pristina, Novo Brdo (Novobërde in Albanian) has rural charm, hiking, biking, lavish traditional meals, strawberry picking, guesthouses and a whopping big castle ruin in lovely hilly surroundings. Silver mining started here in ancient times, though decline from the 17th century means the castle and the original town on a plateau just below it are picturesquely ruined. Call Fadil Llapashtica at the tourist office in advance to arrange bike rental, a home-made organic meal at one of the farmhouses or to stay the night at one of 5 simple rural guesthouses. Ulpiana (Fontana Ulpiane) Rr. Imzot Nikprelaj, Ulpiana. The important Roman city of Ulpiana was built near the silver and lead mines that made Kosovo so important at the time. Remains of roads and public and religious buildings have been found, though you need to apply a lot of imagination to envisage the way it looked. Apart from a complex of low walls and foundations, a few restored 4th-6th century graves can be visited at the city necropolis. Ulpiana’s ruins lie halfway along the road between Gračanica and Laplje Selo. Q Admission free.

Out of Pristina The second edition of the Bradt Kosovo guidebook was published in late 2010 and holds a wealth of information for those venturing out of Pristina for the day or on longer trips. The guide is especially valuable for hiking and other outdoor activities in Kosovo’s western mountains and for visiting cultural heritage in historical towns and villages across the country. Available from the Dukagjini bookshop or at www.bradt.co.uk.

Spring - Summer 2011

GAZIMESTAN

GETTING AROUND Practicalities

Gazimestan tower

A short trip from Pristina, two memorials remind the visitor of a gruesome battle that took place on Kosovo's plains over 600 years ago.

Gazimestan "Whoever is a Serb and of Serb birth, and of Serb blood and heritage, and comes not to fight at the Battle of Kosovo, may he never have the progeny his heart desires!” starts the 1845 nationalist adaptation of the so-called Kosovo curse. And while latter-day science may question the site’s birth control powers, the site of the famous Battle of Kosovo, just 10km from Pristina, may be architecturally uninspiring but it remains a must-see for those interested in the history of the region. The Gazimestan memorial tower stands in the fields where, in the summer of 1389, the Ottoman Empire clashed with the Serbian medieval kingdom, involving many tens of thousands of troops. Almost every aspect of the Battle of Kosovo is contested. While Serbs mark the clash on June 28, St Vitus Day, most believe it actually took place on June 15. And while Serbs often describe the battle as their empire’s defining defeat at the hands of the Ottomans, it was probably more of a draw. Less contentious is the fact that both Serbian Prince Lazar and Sultan Murat, leader of the Ottomans, died in the battle, along with thousands of others. Both men are thus commemorated at the site. The battle, to this day, plays an essential part in Serbian nationalist narrative, reinforcing the national identity as a bastion against the orient and Islam.

Both sites are along the main road north from Pristina to Mitrovica, around 10km from the city. As you climb to the crest of the first hill, you will spot the tower 400m off the road to the right. At time of research the main road was a mess as it is being transformed, slowly, into a highway, and there are no signs pointing to the tower or tomb. Take the first available to the right after you spot the tower and follow the dirt track next to an unfinished warehouse until you reach the parking by the security gate. You will need some form of identity to show the disinterested Kosovo Police officers, who recently took over providing security from Kosovo’s NATO force, KFOR. Plans are afoot to open an information centre here and provide a multilingual guide. Sultan Murat’s Türbe is 1600 metres further north along the main road. Keep your eyes peeled for the small domed building, 200m to the left. It’s an easy trip by car or taxi (visiting both spots should cost around €12), but you can also grab a bus to Mitrovica and ask the driver to drop you at the main road close to either spot. Buses run every 15 minutes all week and can be picked up at the main bus station, tickets should cost you €0.50. Simply flag down a passing bus to get to the next site, or back to town.

Sultan Murat’s Türbe Across the main road, you will find Sultan Murat's Türbe, or mausoleum. Through an arched stone gate is a little complex renovated in recent years with Turkish funds. The fine stone mausoleum houses a large tomb which doesn’t actually contain the remains of Sultan Murat – they have been moved to the imperial museum in Bursa, Turkey. The building, constructed in the 1850s, is pleasant enough, but there is little to see inside. Perhaps the most notable sight is the 700-year-old mulberry tree beside it, one of the few survivors from the battle. You are likely to encounter the keepers of the tomb on your trip. A man-and-wife team has been looking after the building for generations, and the current incumbents are Sanija and Fahri Türbedari.

Built to the not-so-dizzying height of 25 metres, Gazimestan tower nonetheless provides excellent views across the plain of Kosovo. The tower was erected in 1953 on a raised platform, surrounded by some bizarre concrete chimneys. At the front is the inscription of the Kosovo curse, supposedly written by Prince Lazar, the Serbian leader killed on the battlefield on 1389, but first put to paper by the nationalist poet Vuk Karadzic. The tower not only marks the location of the legendary battle: in 1989, it was also the location for Slobodan Milosevic’s most notorious speech marking the battle’s 600th anniversary, which many historians consider pivotal in the collapse of Yugoslavia. Take the winding staircase up to the top platform to admire the view and consult an ornamental map of how the Battle of Kosovo panned out. You can admire the mountains separating Kosovo and Serbia, the suburban edges of Pristina and even the hulking monstrosities that are Kosovo A and B, the country’s power plants spewing out toxic smoke. It may sound a little underwhelming, but in the right light it can be spectacular. Just down the hill from the tower stands the small Bajraktar Türbe, a monument for Sultan Murat's standard bearer, now an important place of worship for the Sadije dervish order.

Pristina In Your Pocket

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 & Airlines Pristina International Airport (PRN) tel. +381 38 595 81 23, www.airportpristina. com. Pristina’s ‘Adem Jashari’ international airport is 18km southwest of the city. Getting there takes about 30 minutes; a taxi ride will cost about €25. There’s a 24hr airport bus service, theoretically departing every two hours 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 confirm. Inside the main terminal is a post office (open 08:00-15:00) where you can buy SIM cards and make phone calls; some souvenir shops and a café with photos of old Kosovo. After customs, there’s the Runway duty-free shop (see Shopping).

Flight schedule From Pristina Days Dep. ---4--19:00 -----620:30 -----613:20 1234567 15:05 ––––––7 11:00 –––––6– 13:10 ––3––6– 09:00 --3--619:45 ------7 04:50 -----607:45 --3---17:50 -----610:30 --3--609:00 --3---08:55 -----619:35 -----614:55 -----617:50 -----611:05 1234567 14:35 1----5-05:25 1234567 05:00 1234567 15:45 1–3–5–– 17:30 –––––6– 19:55 -----619:15 1234567 06:45 ------7 08:30 ––3––6– 13:25 ––3––6– 12:45 --3---11:30 -----616:55 1234567 10:30 –2––567 11:40 1–3–5–– 07:00 1234567 16:35 1––4–6– 06:30 –––4––– 17:45 –2––––7 18:15 12-45-7 09:45 --3--615:20 1234567 09:55 1234567 09:30

To Pristina Arr. City Days Dep. 21:10 BASEL (U2) ---4--16:10 22:40 BASEL (U2) -----617:40 15:45 BERLIN (4U) -----610:10 16:50 BUDAPEST (MA) 1234567 12:55 14:00 COLOGNE (4U) ––––––7 07:20 16:00 COPENHAGEN (SK) –––––6– 09:15 11:15 DUESSELDORF (AB) ––3––6– 12:00 22:40 DUSSELDORF (ST) --3--609:55 07:30 DUSSELDORF (XL) ------7 10:25 DUSSELDORF (XL) -----617:50 20:35 DUSSELDORF (XL) --3---08:05 13:00 FRANKFURT (AB) -----607:15 11:20 GENEVA (4T) --3--605:55 11:10 GENEVA (U2) --3---06:00 21:45 GENEVA (U2) -----616:45 17:10 GENEVA (WK) -----612:00 20:40 HAMBURG (AB) -----607:40 13:35 HANNOVER (AB) -----614:30 15:50 ISTANBUL (TK) 1–3–5–– 12:00 06:50 ISTANBUL (TK) ---4--7 22:15 06:30 LJUBLJANA (JP) 1234567 00:00 16:25 LJUBLJANA (JP) 1234567 13:15 20:30 LONDON (BA) 1–3–5–– 13:15 22:55 LONDON (BA) –––––6– 15:50 21:20 MUNICH (ST) -----616:15 07:30 PODGORICA (YM) 1234567 19:45 10:45 STUTTGART (4U) ------7 05:35 15:35 STUTTGART (4U) ––3––6– 10:30 14:10 STUTTGART (ST) ––3––6– 09:50 13:55 STUTTGART (XL) --3---14:40 19:15 STUTTGART (XL) -----620:20 11;00 TIRANA (LZ) 1234567 19:00 13:00 VERONA (IG) –2––567 13:45 VIENNA (OS) –2–4––7 19:15 08:40 17:15 VIENNA (OS) 1234567 13:20 08:00 ZAGREB (OU) ––3–5––7 21:15 19:15 ZAGREB (OU) –––4––– 15:30 19:45 ZAGREB (OU) –2––––7 16:00 11:55 ZURICH (4T) 12-45-7 06:15 17:30 ZURICH (4T) --3--612:25 12:05 ZURICH (ED) 1234567 08:55 11:30 ZURICH (LX) 1234567 06:30

Arr. 18:20 19:50 12:35 14:30 10:20 12:10 14:20 12:45 20:35 10:45 09:45 08:15 08:15 18:55 14:10 10:20 17:00 13:30 23:45 01:20 15:00 16:15 18:50 18:30 20:30 07:50 12:45 12:00 17:05 22:40 19:30 15:05 21:45 15:45 22:45 17:00 17:30 08:30 14:35 09:05 08:30

Adria (JP) B-3, Rr. Qamil Hoxha 12, tel. +381 38 24 67 46, fax +381 38 24 67 47, eticketprn@adria.si, www.adria-airways.com. Flights to Ljubljana. Air Berlin (AB) Rr. Vellusha e Poshtme 17, tel. +381 38 50 20 62, www.airberlin.com. Flights to Duesseldorf, Frankfurt, Hannover, Munich, Geneva, Zurich etc. Austrian Airlines (OS) A-2, Rr. Luan Haradinaj 27 (AltaVia Travel), tel. +381 38 54 35 43, fax +381 38 24 35 17, info@altaviatravel. com, www.austrian.com. Flights to Vienna. Belle Air (LZ) A-2, Rr. Luan Haradinaj 4/1, tel. +381 38 22 55 70, fax +381 38 22 55 72, belleair.kosova@flybelleair.com, www. belleair.it. Budget flights to Tirana and several cities in Italy, Germany and Belgium. British Airways (BA) Pristina Airport, tel. Flight schedule correct at time of research, though travellers are +381 38 54 86 61, www.ba.com. Flights to advised to check all flight times in advance. Airline codes: 4R = Hamburg International Airlines, 4T = Belair, 4U = London Gatwick. Croatia Airlines (OU) A-2, Rr. Luan Haradi- Germanwings, AB = AirBerlin, BA = British Airways, IG = Meridiana, JP = Adria Airways, LZ = Belle Air, LX = Swiss MA = Malev, OS = Austrian naj 27, Alta Via Travel, tel. +381 38 23 38 33, Airlines, OU = Croatia Airlines, ST = Germania, TK = Turkish Airlines, U2 croatia@altaviatravel.com, www.croatiaair= EasyJet, YM = Montenegro Airlines lines.com. Flights to Zagreb. Edelweiss (ED) Bul. Nëna Tereza 23, tel. +381 38 54 84 33, www.edelweissair.ch. Flights to Zurich and Geneva. Germanwings (4U) tel. +381 38 24 91 85, www. Kosovo’s main roads are in a good state and not too busy germanwings.com. Budget flights to Cologne and Stuttgart. outside the towns, but stick to daytime trips unless you’re a Lufthansa (LH) A-2, Rr. Luan Haradinaj 27 (AltaVia confident driver, as unlit roads in combination with unreliable signposting and oncomers’ faulty headlights can be fatal. Travel), tel. +381 38 54 35 43, fax +381 38 24 35 17, The maximum speeds are 35km/hr in urban areas, 60km/ www.lufthansa.com. Flights to Duesseldorf. Malev (MA) A-4, Bul. Bill Clinton 12 (InterTravel Club), hr on main roads and 80km/hr on highways. Drivers must officially use headlights at all times, have a yellow vest and tel. +381 38 53 55 35, info@itclub.cc, www.malev.com. first aid kit in the car, and snow chains in winter. Parking in Flights to Budapest. Montenegro Airlines (YM) A-3, Rr. Robert Doll 41, Pristina is free, but don’t risk parking where it’s not allowed. tel./fax +381 38 61 01 11, www.montenegroairlines. com. Flights to Podgorica. Europcar Lag jia e Emshirit, tel./fax +381 38 54 14 01, SAS Scandinavian Airlines (SK) tel. +45 70 10 20 tel. +381 38 59 41 01 (airport), info@europcar-ks.com, www.europcar-ks.com. Their city office is located 200m 00, www.flysas.com. Flights to Copenhagen. Swiss (LX) A-3, Bul. Nëna Tereza, tel. +381 38 24 34 south of the bus station, along the road to Skopje. 46, www.swiss.com. Flights to Zurich. Hertz C-4, Bul. Nëna Tereza, tel. +381 38 54 44 Turkish Airlines (TK) A-4, Rr. Mujo Ulqinaku, tel. +381 80/+377 44 11 78 82, fax +381 38 54 44 90, hertz@ albaniaonline.net, www.hertz.com. Also at Pristina airport. 38 50 20 52, www.turkishairlines.com. Flights to Istanbul.

Driving & Car rental

Sultan Murat’s tomb

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Spring - Summer 2011

GETTING AROUND Language 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 a as in father c as in pizza ç as in church dh as in that e as in set

ë as in term gj as in dodge i as in machine j as in year II as in still

Niceties & Necessities Yes No Good Please Thank you Sorry! Good morning Good day Hello Good night Good luck with your work! Cheers! All the best! Excuse me! How are you? Practicalities When? Now Where? Here There Who? Why? What? I have... I am... What’s your name? My name is... I’m from... ...UK ...USA I don’t understand I don’t speak Albanian A ticket, please How much does this cost? Signs Open Closed Entrance Exit Push Pull No smoking

nj as in new q as check r as in rope rr is a rolled r xh as in judge

Po Jo Mirë Ju lutem Faleminderit Më fal Mirëmëngjes Mirdita Tung Natën e mirë Punë e mbarë! Gëzuar! Gjitha të mirat! Më falni! Si jeni? Kur? Tani Ku? Këtu Atje Kush? Pse? Çfarë? Kam... Jam... Si quheni? Quhem... Une jam nga... ...Anglia ...Amerika Nuk kuptoj Nuk flas shqip Një biletë, ju lutem Sa kushton?

Hapur Mbyllur Hyrje Dalje Shtyj Tërheq Ndalohet pirja e duhanit

Pristina In Your Pocket

GETTING AROUND Long-distance buses

Public transport

Buses in Kosovo run frequently, are reasonably fast, clean and good value. Pristina’s bus station serves all Kosovo and international destinations.

Pristina is small and taxis are From Prishtina station To Prishtina station Price cheap, so you may never need Dep. Arr. No. City Dep. Arr. No. to use public transport (trafiku 07:50 09:57 TL4201 PEJA 05:32 07:32 IC760 €3 urban) in the city. The large 16:30 18:26 IC761 PEJA 12:10 14:10 TL4200 €3 second-hand city buses lum07:10 09:52 IC891 SKOPJE 16:35 19:35 IC892 €4* bering around town are slow but do get there eventually. From Fushë Kosovë station To Fushë Kosovë station Price Tickets cost €0,40 and can Dep. Arr. No. City Dep. Arr. No. be purchased on the buses; 08:01 09:46 TL4201 PEJA 05:32 07:21 IC760 €2.80 enthusiasts can buy a city bus 16:41 18:26 IC761 PEJA 12:10 13:59 TL4200 €2.80 month card for €10. A useful 07:22 09:52 IC891 SKOPJE 16:35 19:25 IC892 €3.70 bus line is city bus N°4, which Schedule valid until December 2011. Confirm times before travelling. All trains from rattles from Sunny Hill (in the Pristina station travel via Fushë Kosovë station. southeast of Pristina) via Bul. i * Price valid till the border; an additional €5 is to be paid on board for the remaining stretch. Deshmoreve, Rr. Eqrem Qabej and Rr. Luan Haradinaj, through fairly impressive in its day. Now it’s an empty shell, with dusty the centre to Gërmia Park. Kombi minibus N°5 follows the departure boards and a rather beautiful Tito-era statue outside. same route. Kombi bus N°1 goes from the eastern end of Bul. Get here by taxi (€7-10) or with the N°1 minibus (€0.40), which Bill Clinton to the station at Fushë Kosovë for €0,50. 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 and Skopje. Starting at €1,50 (€2 after 22:00) plus €0.60 per kilometre, fares are cheap in Pristina. The jury is out as to the trustworKosovo Railways (Hekurudhat e Kosovës) Sheshi thiness of your average Pristina cabbie - some reports claim i Lirisë, Fushë Kosovë, tel. +381 38 55 05 50 55, info@ every taxi is driven by a direct descendent of Mother Teresa kosovorailway.com, www.kosovorailway.com. Information herself, whilst others insist it’s all a Serbian conspiracy. Use about timetables and prices can be found in English on the website. 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 forKosovo’s most reliable travel agencies. mer economics teacher who reads Hegel and Kierkegaard Note to the numerous readers who are eager to go on holiday and discusses life philosophy in his battered Merc. to Kosovo: please do not use the In Your Pocket comments feature to contact a travel agent, as we will delete these London Taxi Service tel. +377 44 30 03 00/+381 messages. Use the agent’s email to contact them directly. 38 70 07 00. A fleet of 15 London black cabs, comfortably seating 5 people. AltaVia Travel A-2, Rr. Luan Haradinaj 27, tel. +381 Roberti Taxi tel. +381 38 50 00 06/+377 44 11 19 99. 38 54 35 43, fax +381 38 24 35 17, info@altaviatravel. Titanic Taxi Rr. Shaip Kamberi, tel. +381 38 23 23 com, www.altaviatravel.com. Friendly, professional and English-speaking travel agency. QOpen 08:30 - 19:30, Sat 22/+377 44 23 23 24. Victory Taxi tel. +381 38 55 53 33/+377 44 11 12 22. 09:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun. VIP Taxi tel. +381 38 50 04 44/+377 44 33 34 44. Be in Kosovo Rr. Jakov Xoxa 2, tel. +377 44 38 51 09/+386 49 38 51 09, info@beinkosovo.com, www. beinkosovo.com. Foreigner-oriented travel services including hotel bookings, car rental, guiding, cultural and adventure tourism. As the national railway company Kosovo Railways (KR) candidly Kosova Airlines A-3, Rr. Garibaldi, tel. +381 38 22 02 admits on its website, it’s in a bad situation. Originally built by 20, fax +381 38 24 91 86, bookingprn@kosovaairlines. the French (the Skopje-Mitrovica tracks were completed by com, www.flyksa.com. Not an airline but a travel agent them in 1874) and still known to older locals as the ‘French selling tickets from their office and online by credit card. road’ (Udha e Frengut), it is now seemingly operated more as Agent for various airlines. Below the Grand Hotel. QOpen an exercise in ethnic harmony than a useful service. 08:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun. 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 ticket from Pristina to Peja costs €3, Skopje €4; return tickets are 20% cheaper than two singles. Tickets on the Freedom of Movement train are €0.50 regardless of destination. 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 (when In Your Pocket first dropped by for information the man who worked 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 The Pristina-Skopje express second station is Kosovo’s railway hub and must have been

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 (€4) 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 (€2) via GRACANICA depart at 06:30, 07:20 and then every 20 minutes until 20:20, taking 30 minutes to get there. Buses to FERIZAJ (€2) depart at 06:45, 07:45, 08:00 and then every 15 minutes until 20:30, taking 45 minutes.

Pristina Bus Station (Stacioni i autobusave) Rr. Lidja e Pejes, tel. +381 38 55 00 11. The bus station is a fairly dismal affair, 2km southwest of the city centre, near the end of Bul. Bill Clinton. To get there you’ll need a taxi as there’s no public transport from the centre, though be sure to refuse the €1 car park fee for being dropped off. Left luggage services are provided by the shefi I narimit office (open 06:00-20:00, €1/day).

International bus schedule From Pristina Dep. Arr. City Price Comment 11:00 17:00 BELGRADE €10-15 Except Sat. 22:00 04:00 BELGRADE €10-15 22:30 05:30 BELGRADE €10-15 23:00 05:00 BELGRADE €10-15 17:45 23:00 PODGORICA* €10-15 19:00 00:30 PODGORICA* €10-15 05:30 07:00 SKOPJE €5 06:00 07:30 SKOPJE €5 06:30 08:00 SKOPJE €5 07:25 09:00 SKOPJE €5 Except Sun. 07:55 09:30 SKOPJE €5 Except Sun. 09:00 10:30 SKOPJE €5 Except Sun. 10:00 11:30 SKOPJE €5 Except Sun. 10:30 11:00 SKOPJE €5 11:30 13:00 SKOPJE €5 12:30 14:00 SKOPJE €5 14:30 16:00 SKOPJE €5 15:00 16:30 SKOPJE €5 15:30 17:00 SKOPJE €5 17:00 18:30 SKOPJE €5 06:30 09:30 TETOVA €5-10 07:15 10:15 TETOVA €5-10 10:00 13:00 TETOVA €5-10 13:00 16:00 TETOVA €5-10 15:00 18:00 TETOVA €5-10 17:00 20:00 TETOVA €5-10 04:00 10:00 TIRANA** €20-25 05:00 11:00 TIRANA** €20-25 06:00 12:00 TIRANA** €20-25 15:00 21:00 TIRANA** €20-25 17:00 23:00 TIRANA** €20-25 On Tue, Thu, Sun. * Travels on to Ulcinj ** Via either Kukes or Tetovo (Macedonia) Schedule correct at time of research in March 2011. Confirm all times before travelling.

pristina.inyourpocket.com

Train schedule

Taxis

Travel agents

Trains

pristina.inyourpocket.com

Spring - Summer 2011

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

Express mail DHL A/B-3, Bul. Nëne Tereza 29b, tel. +381 38 24 55 45, fax +381 38 24 93 07, pleurat.hoti@dhl.com, www.dhl.com. QOpen 08:00 - 17:00, Sat 09:00 - 13:00. Closed Sun. FedEx Rr. Eqrem Qabej 137-145, tel. +381 38 55 08 70, fax +381 38 55 08 90, fedexkosovo@gmail.com, www. fedex.com. QOpen 08:00 - 19:00. Closed Sun. TNT A-3, Rr. Garibaldi, tel. +381 38 22 22 90, tntkosova@hotmail.com, 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, www.ups.com. Express mail within Kosovo with ALD Express, abroad with UPS. QOpen 08:30 - 17:30. Closed Sat, Sun.

Internet access Internet arrived with a bang in Kosovo just a few years ago. Many businesses now have websites, though many of them are appallingly designed. Now that most cafés offer free wifi, there are no more internet cafés in central Pristina.

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

Post The mail in Kosovo is run by the PTK (www.postaekosoves. net). Their post offices handle mail, parcels, EMS parcel service, and telephone calls to national and international numbers. Sending a postcard or letter (under 20g) costs €0,20 within Kosovo, €0,50 to neighbouring countries, €0,70 to the rest of Europe and €1.50-€2 outside Europe. Sending small packages (0.5-1kg) costs €1,40 within Kosovo, €8,70 to neighbouring countries, €10,70 to the rest of Europe and €10,70-15,50 to elsewhere.

Central Post Office A-2, Rr. UÇK 66, info@postaekosoves.net, www.postaekosoves.net. The city centre post office. Ironically, a listed historical building which was of importance to the wartime anti-fascist movement was demolished illegally to make way for this ghastly new building. Have a think about that while you lick your stamps. Main Post Office Bul. i Dëshmorëve, tel. +381 38 55 45 54, info@postaekosoves.net, www.postaekosoves.net. South of the city centre. QOpen 08:00 - 20:00. Closed Sun.

Laptop login Dozens of hotels, bars and cafés provide free wifi connections, 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.

Pristina In Your Pocket

SHOPPING Telephones Calling Kosovo To phone to a Pristina landline, dial +381 (still the same as Serbia’s code), 38 (for Pristina) and the six-digit subscriber number. To call a mobile phone, dial the operator’s country code (+377 or +386) and the phone number without the initial zero. Public telephones Bright yellow public telephones are scattered around town and are card-operated. 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. Mobile phones PTK operates the UN-initiated local mobile phone network Vala, whose international code is that of Monaco - misdial a digit and you may get Princess Stephanie on the blower. IPKO and D3 numbers start with Slovenia’s code +386. As you drive around Kosovo you may get ‘Welcome to Germany’ text messages as some foreign operators have local mobile networks around military bases - effectively offering the cheapest roaming rates in Kosovo. Serbia’s Telenor network illegally covers parts of Kosovo, including areas of Pristina, with authorities regularly pulling down their masts. 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. New SIM cards cost €5 and can be used immediately. Top-up cards are widely available.

IPKO A-3, Rr. Perandori Justinian, tel. +386 49 70 07 00/+381 38 70 07 00, info@ipko.net, www.ipko.com. IPKO also offers fixed-line phones with free installation and cheap calls worldwide. QOpen 08:00 - 17:00. Vala A-4, Rr. Dardania, tel. +381 38 50 05 55, info@ valamobile.com, www.valamobile.com. Z Mobile A/B-2, Rr. UÇK 105a, tel. +377 45 50 05 00, info@zmobileonline.com, www.zmobileonline.com. D3 Rr. Dëshmoret e Kombit 78, tel. +381 38 50 03 00, www.d3-mobile.com.

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

Country codes Albania Australia Austria Belarus Belgium Bulgaria Croatia Czech Rep. Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece

355 61 43 375 32 359 385 420 45 372 358 33 49 30

Hungary Ireland Israel Italy Japan Kosovo Latvia Lithuania Moldova Montenegro Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal

36 353 972 39 81 381 371 370 373 381 31 47 48 351

Romania Russia Serbia Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland Turkey UK Ukraine USA

40 7 381 421 386 34 46 41 90 44 380 1

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Pristina won’t be a major European shopping destination anytime soon, but the situation has improved a lot in the past few years. Now there are several department stores and hypermarkets on the roads leading east and south out of the city, and both variety and quality has increased. In the centre, makeshift stalls are everywhere selling 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.

Books & Press In addition to the following shops, there are several bookstands beside the Grand Hotel that have some Englishlanguage books. For English-language local news, look for the bimonthly Prishtina Insight newspaper.

Buzuku A-3, Rr. Edith Durham, tel. +377 44 23 87 38. In the alley 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, info@ditenat.com. 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. Dukag jini International Bookshop B-3, Bul. Nëna Tereza 20, tel. +381 38 24 81 43, info@dukag jinigroup.com, www.dukag jinibookshop.com. Pristina’s largest bookshop has a diverse selection of Englishlanguage 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. Jinglebells Rr. Ernest Koliqi 12, tel. +386 49 74 11 70. An oddly-named shop selling English and otherlanguage books, newspapers, and souvenirs. Opposite the EULEX HQ. Monaco A-3, Rr. Luan Haradinaj, Pallati i Rinisë, tel. +377 44 11 09 81. A restaurant with a reliable supply of foreign newspapers and magazines on sale. Papers arrive around 18:00 daily except Sunday. QOpen 08:00 - 24:00, Sun 10:00 - 23:00.

CDs & DVDs You’ll understand that most of those CDs and DVDs that are attractively priced at €2-4 are illegal copies, and customs 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 Albanian 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, gingermaterials@gmail. com. 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.

pristina.inyourpocket.com

The frame shop

Fashion & Shoes Cool 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. OVS Industry Veternik, tel. +381 38 55 66 88, www. oviesse.com. Italian fashion at reasonable prices. In the Gorenje building. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00. 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.

Flowers & Plants Remember Me B-3, Rr. Qamil Hoxha 3/1, tel. +381 38 24 53 45/+377 44 28 34 44, info@dergonilule.com, 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.

Gifts & Souvenirs Antika 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. Silver Gallery A-2, Rr. Rexhep Luci 15, tel. +381 38 24 85 20. A boutique with delicate Prizren filigran jewellery as well as imported silver items from Turkey. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00. Closed Sun. Women for Women B-2, Rr. UÇK 42, tel. +381 38 24 84 17, wfwi_knora@hotmail.com, 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. Spring - Summer 2011