Pristina In Your Pocket is the English-language city guide to Kosovo's capital city....
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
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CONTENTS
Contents Arriving
8
Basics
9
Visas, streets, money and electricity
Culture & Events
iPhone App...
10
Cinemas, theatres, concerts
Where to stay
12
From business hotels to backpacker beds
Restaurants
17
Greasy burek to gourmet dining
Cafés & Nightlife
24
Bars, pubs and clubs
What to see
29
Mosques, museums and a map
Gazimestan
34
Memorials to the Battle Bat tle of Kosovo
Getting around
35
Planes, taxis and trains
Language
36
Speak shqip
Mail & Phones
38
Shopping
39
Directory
41
Maps & Index Country map City map Index & Street register
47 48-49 4849 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
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FOREWORD Three years years after declaring independence, in dependence, 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 Kosovoo is one of Kosov o f the more interesting, scenic and affordable destinations in the th e 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’ Pristina’ss friendly café, ca fé, 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 York Times, 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 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 th e guide, keep an eye on our website www.pristina.inyourpocket.com 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@inyourpock
[email protected]. et.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
[email protected] 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, criti cal 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 exper ts. 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 articl e 13 of the Constitution of Kosovo. Every Every guidebook guideb ook has its faults, so we appreciate any information that would lead to improving the next issue. Emails can be sent to
[email protected].
[email protected].
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 sinqer sinqerta ta kritike që e bëjnë vizitën në qytet më të lehtë për të sapoardhurit. Si një iniciative iniciati ve private komerciale, Pristina In Your Pocket është shkruar dhe hulumtuar hul umtuar nga një ekip i ekspertëve vendor dhe të huaj të udhëzuesve të udhëtimit. Mendimet në udhëudhë zues vijnë nga shkrimtarët, dhe në asnjë mënyrë nuk kanë për qëllim që të lavdërojnë apo denigrojnë qytetin, por thjeshtë që të tregojnë meritat dhe mangësitë të cilat ne mendojmë se udhëtarët e huaj duhet t’i dinë. Ndonëse e kemi vërejtur që emri i qytetit është shkruar Prishtina, në këtë udhëzues ne kemi përdorur anglishten zyrtare për emrin e qytetit Pristina, siç është paraparë në nenin 13 të Kushtetutës së Kosovës. Kosov ës. Çdo udhëzues udhëzu es i ka të metat e veta, prandaj ne do të çmonim çdo informatë që do të çonte në përmirësimin e botimit të ardhshëm. E-mailet mund të dërgohen në
[email protected].
Editorial Editorial management Rentapocket.com: Jeroen van Marle, Sco Research Kaltrina Hoxha, Rrita Pula Ha man Layout & Design Tomáš Haman Photos, cover Jeroen van Marle Photo contributors Ivan Adams (
[email protected]), Greta Howard (www.grete-david.co.uk) Maps Trimaks Kartografia, Karto grafia, Skopje Sales & Distribution Manager Vullnet Malazogu
[email protected], tel. +377 45 59 50 01 Publishers Gazmend Haxhia, Jeroen van Marle, Sco
Copyright notice Text and photos copyright Pristina In Your Pocket 2006-201 2006-2011. 1. Maps copyright copyri ght cartographer. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form, except brief extracts for the purpose of review, review, with out writ ten permission from the publisher and copyrigh t owner. The brand name In Your Your Pocket is used under license from UAB In Your Your Pocket (V (Vokieciu okieciu 10-15, Vilnius, Lithuania Lith uania 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 By plane 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 wi thin Kosovo all pass through Fushë Kosovë train station, which is Kosovo’s Kosovo’s main railway hub, hu b, seven kilometres west of central Pristina. Hop onto a N°1 kombi minibus outside, which goes to the eastern end of Bul. Bill Clinton Cli nton 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 shor t walk to the centre along Rruga Garibaldi. Don’t count on any taxis awaiting arrivals here.
By bus Penny-pinchers who ch oose 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 linki ng it to the city centre, two kilometres away. Taxis Taxis are parked outside outsi de the main exit and a ride into the centre c entre will cost less than €2. Al ternatively, it’s a 20-30 minute walk: go directly north until you get to Bul. Bill Clinton and take a right.
By car Driving around Kosovo in daylight is fairly easy and straight forward, but we wouldn’t recommend a nighttime trip if it’s your first time. Check with the rental company i f you plan to drive into Kosovo with a rental car from abroad.
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 Labour Day 1 May 9 May Europe Day Eid Al-Fitr (Ramadan) 29 Aug 2011 5 Nov 2011 Eid Al-Adha 28 Nov National flag day 25 Dec Catholic Christmas
Street smarts Street Square Boulevard
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 hillsi de 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 concentrati on 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, h otel, between Rr. Garibaldi, Bul. Nënë Teresa and Bul. Bill Clinton.
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BASICS Crime & Safety The well-being of honoured guests (you) is a major source of concern and pride for the locals, and rather than being bein g 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. pavement Outsidee Pristina, if you don’t know the area, don’t leave asphalt Outsid or well trodden paths as there still are some mines.
Electricity Electricity is the ubiquitous energy product that powers the whole of Europe E urope with the exception o f Kosovo, Kosovo, where they’ve chosen the rather novel approach of switching it off for large periods of the day and a nd 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 electrici ty bills, and nobody really willing to do anything about it. Electricity Elec tricity in Kosovo is divided into three categories, namely A, B and C. Categories are assigned according to how good individual areas of each municipali ty are at paying their electricity bills. bil ls. Under normal circumstances category A means an uninterrupted flow of the stuf f. Category Category B is on for five hours then of f for one, and category C entitles you to four on and two off. Under so-called extraordinar y circumstances category A becomes B, B becomes C, and C has to suffer power cuts for fifty percent perce nt of the time. This makes living (and socialising) a bit of o f 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, shor t, bring a torch. In winter, it’s important to ask if your room heater runs on electri city, and if the hotel has a back-up generators. If you’re living here, keep in mind that i f there’s no electricity electrici ty 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 ju st when you’re shaving.
Money The euro (€, divided in 100 cents) is the official currency of Kosovo,, though Serbian Kosovo Serbi an dinars are also used in some Serb majority areas. Euro banknotes come in denominations of €5, €10, €20, €50, €100, €100, €200 and €500, and can look lo ok pretty
Climate Pristina has a predominantly continental climate, meaning warm summers and cold, col d, wet winters. 70
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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 ca fés have some kind of non-smoking area. And since early 2011, authoriti authorities es 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 Kosovo’s independence, independen ce, it considers it illegal il legal for anyone to to be there without a valid S erbian 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 to Serbia note that you won’t be abl e to leave Serbia any other way than back via Kosovo. Entering Serbia from another country countr y with a Kosovo 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 cou ntry.
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 pl ains 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 Gjeravic a (2,656m), (2,656m), located in the Peja region in the west of the cou ntry. 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. Tokyo. Central European Summer Time (GMT+2 hours) runs from the last Sunday in March until un til the last Sunday in October. O ctober.
Spring - Summer 2011
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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. Th ere’s a small 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 che erful rainbow-coloured seating.
Cultural centres British Council A - 3, Rr. Perandori Justinian 6, tel.
+381 38 243 29 21 01,
[email protected], www.britishcouncil.org/kosovo. Travellers are welcome to visit and read rea d books and newspapers n ewspapers in the library. lib rary. To To take items including includin g CDs and DVDs 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 bet ween 1981 and 1999. In that period some s ome directors and actors went underground underground to performed illegal plays, some performed at the Dodona theatre. Performances start a t 20:00.
ODA Theatre Theatr e (Teatri (Teatri ODA) O DA) A-2/3, Rr. Luan Haradinaj,
Pallati i Rinisë dhe i Sporteve, 111, tel. +381 38 24 65 55, fax +381 (0)38 24 65 55,
[email protected], www. teatrioda.com. A small independent theatre th eatre 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 b ook library too. Adjacent to the car park behind the Pallati i Rinesë complex. Q Tickets €3-7.
Events in Pristina DAM Fest The International Festival of Young Musicians brings classical music to Pristina, with performances by hundreds of musicians in various venues during March and April. Admis sion is free. Informati on: tel. +377 44 55 54 04,
[email protected], 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 fm
[email protected], 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.
SURF Urban Festival The Summer Urban Festival organises various events throughout the city from June to August: concerts, exhibi tions, workshops, etc. Informati on: +386 49 50 75 21, www.summerurbanfestival.com www.summerurbanfestival.com..
Music & Dance
9/11 Dedication Festival The film festival that commemorates the 9/ 9/11 11 attacks takes place around 11Septembe r 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.
Kosova Ballet (Trupa (Trupa e Baletit Balet it e Kosovës) B-2, Bul.
Nëna Tereza 21, tel. +381 38 22 43 97. The trupa was established in 1972 within the National Theatre of Pristina, with the first 27 ballet dancers having graduated in Skopje. After a ten year year break due to the conflict, the first ballet balle t school was established in 2000. The group occasionally per forms at the National Theatre.
Kosova Philharmony & Opera (Opera e Kosovës)
B-3, Rr. Sylejman Vokshi, tel. +381 38 24 49 39, kosova.
[email protected]. 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,
[email protected]. Putting on puppet, children’s and youth shows since 1986, the Dodona Theatre is very popular with the local kids. During the repressi ve years of the 1990s, this was the only onl y Albanian cultural institution that was not completely completely restricted. restric ted. In and after 1999, the theatre th eatre did performances for child 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 l egs.
National Theatre B-2, Bul. Nëna Tereza 21, tel./fax
+381 38 24 39 30,
[email protected], 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 peri od of censorship, forced management and staff
Pristina In Your Pocket
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, ww w.prifilmfest.o w.prifilmfest.org. rg. 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 regi on 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, students, there’s plenty of b eer and par ties too. Shows are at the National Theatre and Kino ABC cinema. Information: tel. +381 38 72 24 63, contact
[email protected], www.skenaup.com.
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LORD HOEL
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HOTEL LORD Veternik, Prishtina, Kosova Tel: +381 38 55 33 91, +377 45 322 522
[email protected], www.lordroom.com
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WHERE TO STAY Pristina’s accommodation scene is i s improving; there’s now a good selection of mid-range mid -range and (slightly) upmarket hotels, though few rise above three-star standard. No international chains have h ave 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,
[email protected], www.hotel-ambasador.com. Pristina’s best hotel is defined by its elegant central atrium space that is clad with natural stone. The rooms include elegant ele gant doubles, sweet suites and apartments with big Jacuzzi tubs in the open bathrooms. The fifth-floor fi fth-floor restaurant, complete with fireplace, fireplace, is for hotel guests only. only. The best surprise is the th e 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. w ww.bacicompany.com. 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 apartm ents €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. inf o@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
Conference nce facilities H Confere
Facilities lities for the disabled U Faci
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): 2 011): €1 = £0.86 = US$1.40 Pr o d u c t Pr i c e Espresso co f fee €0.70 Glaass of lo Gl loccal bee eerr (0.5 lilittre) €1.5 .500-2 2 Mineral water (1 li tre) €0.30 Hamburger €1-2.50 Cinema ticket € 3 -5 Publi c transpor t ticket €0.40 Li tre o f petrol €1.12 100km by bus/train € 3 -5 undergoing much-needed renovations and room upgrades. The spacious facilities on the th e lower floors attract attra ct large conferences and dinners, and there’s free wifi on the upper floors. Q 369 rooms (184 singles €70, 175 doubles €100, triples triple s €120, 2 suites €180-250, 8 apartments apart ments €200). HALKW
Adria Hotel is among the best hotels in Kosovo, close to the embassies and international offices. Built in 2006, it has 7 floors f loors designed to combine classic and modern. An elegant hotel with staff that makes your stay in Kosovo Kosovo special.
Rruga Ahmet Krasniqi, Arbëria, Prishtina, Tel: +381 (0)38 226 222
[email protected],
[email protected], www.hoteladria-ks.com
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In the heart o Prishtina Located along the pedestrianised main shopping and business street o Prishtina, the Grand Hotel is an elegant, modern hotel that is perectly situated or easy exploration o Prishtina's principal attractions. Te hotel ofers ree minibar and wi in the rooms, various bars and restaurants. Te Grand Hotel is also the ideal venue or business events, corporate meetings and receptions.
Grand Hotel Prishtina Blv. Mother Teresa, 10000 Prishtina, Kosova el:+381 38 220-210 / 220-211 / Ext: 359, Fax: +381 38 248-138 in
[email protected],
[email protected] www.grandhotel-pr.com
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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
PHARFLGKCW
Lyon C-3, Rr. Rrustem Statovci, tel. +381 38 22 09
38 22 32 84,
[email protected], www.hotelprishtina.com. Better value than most others, the Prishtina is perhaps the best city centre hotel. It has large and modern rooms with soft beds, big TVs and free minibar. minibar. The apar tments are downrig ht swanky, each with their own sauna booth. Downstairs there’s a good restaurant. Walking distance to anywhere you’d need to be. Q 43 rooms (20 singles €81, 4 doubles €100, 6 sui tes €150, 13 apartments €116).
Royal A-3, Rr. Robert Doll 3, tel. +381 38 22 09 02,
fax +381 38 22 09 03,
[email protected], www. royalhotel-pr.com. A modern hotel on a quiet road in 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 - i t was good enough enoug h for her, her, so why not n ot 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 Vic tory is easy to spot as you drive into town from Skopje - look for the building with the statue of Lady Libert y 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, inf o@hoteladria-ks. com, w ww.hoteladria-ks. ww.hoteladria-ks.com. com. Near to the embassy district and along t he main road west, Adria offers offers great views over southern Pristina from some of i ts 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 di fferent design involving plenty of Baroque frills and doors with a re d HAL ligh t scanning the corridor. Q 17 rooms (singles €44, doubles €62, apartments €99). PHKW
Afa B-4, Rr. Ali Kelmendi 15, tel. +381 38 22 77 22, fax
+381 38 24 46 82,
[email protected],
[email protected], ww w.hotelafa. com. One of our favourite favourite hotels h otels in Kosovo, Kosovo, featuring friendly friendl y receptionists and some rath er large and well-furnished rooms, Afa shines shines brightly brigh tly above ab ove many hotels in Pristina Pristina that charge more. Other bonuses b onuses include fast laundry laundry ser vice, chambermaids who ask you if you’re happy with their work, discounts at weekends and a super seclude d 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@ inf o@ 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. Th ere’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
60 87 77, reser vation@hotellux
[email protected], or.net, ww w.hotellux w.hotelluxor. or. bes t choice for those who appreciate peace, quiet net. The best and jogging, jog ging, the Luxor Lu xor is set in the quiet green surroundings of Gërmia park, two kilometres kilometres east of the cit y centre. The large rooms have big windows, balconies with views and come with proper showers. The restaurant is surprisingly good, with a palm-lined palmlined terrace outside. Q 14 rooms (8 singles €50-90, 6 doubles €60-70). PLW 97/+377 44 24 50 82,
[email protected], www. ww w. 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 compac t, modern and equipped with central cen tral heating, and some have big bathtubs. The quiet rooms are at the back. On our first visit, the bouncy b ouncy rubber lion on the reception desk suggested the hotel ho tel name was was simply an unfortunate misspelling. Q 18 rooms (10 singles €35, 5 doubles €45, 2 triples €70, 1 suite €50 ). PALKW tel . +381 38 22 71 20, Newborn B-3, Rr. Nak Berisha 27, tel.
fax +381 38 22 71 35, www.hotel-newborn.com. A small and quiet retreat that’s named after the fledgling fl edgling 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,
[email protected], www. hotelora.com. An excellent mid-range business hotel on a quiet street just north of the centre, best reached from the eastern end of Rruga UÇK. The Ora has good-sized rooms in bright colours, a restaurant/bar and extremely de dicated, friendly staff. A short walk from most international organisation office offices. s. Q 35 rooms (19 singles €60, 4 doubles double s €80, 12 apartments €80-100). PALGBKXW
Pandora Pand ora Apartments A-2, Rr. Zagrebi 19, tel. +377 44
18 25 58. Lead the high hi gh life in the th e Pandora Tower’s Tower’s handful of top-floor topfloor deluxe apartments apartmen ts - each quite large and equipped with a Jacuzzi, wifi, a free minibar and panorama windows displaying display ing Pristina in all i ts dusty glor y. A short sh ort walk across the railway rail way 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 shor t walk from from the ci ty 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
Pinocchio Apartments Rr. 24 Maji 115, tel. +386
49 60 99 91,
[email protected]. 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
20 Vaso Pasha Street Payton Place 10000 Prishtina, Kosova tel/fax +381 38 22 32 84
[email protected] www.hotelprishtina.com
H otel P otel P rishtina 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.
Business & Holidays... with Hotel with Hotel Prishtina
16
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. I f the guesthouse guesth ouse 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 €25-35).). W
Fazliu, tel. +381 38 24 42 Princi i Arbërit Rr. Vellezerit Fazliu,
55 36 72/+386 49 55 01 11,
[email protected], www. Fully lly furnished apartments apar tments in the inpristina.webs.com. Fu cityy centre and in Dardania, sleeping up to 5 persons at a cit flat rate of €20-60 per night depending on th e duration. Also long-term apartment rental (www.acommodation. webs.com).
44, fax +381 38 24 44 42,
[email protected], info@hotel-princiiarb erit.com, www.hotel-princiiarberit.com. A great hotel, unfortunately stuck on the northeast nor theast edge of town. The Princi has elegant, spacious rooms, good business facilities and a great little entertainment centre with po ol 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,
[email protected], 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 Closed Sun. Apar tments from €10-20 per night, €250€250-300 300 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, hotelpll aza.com, ww www.hote w.hotelpllaza.com. lpllaza.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 nic e ground-floor ground-flo or café/restaurant café/restauran t round off the offer. 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,
[email protected], www. hotel-real.net. A mirror-image mirror-image of the a ttached Pej ton Hotel, the Real is a small central hotel ho tel offering offering small but nice rooms ro oms with Holly wood ceilings and and balconies. The renovated rooms on the fourth floor come in delicate pastel colours. There’s no satellite TV in th e rooms, but a couple of drinks drinks from the minibar are on the house. hou se. Q 12 rooms (singles €69, doubles €80). PHALKW
Budget Who said that sleeping sleepi ng in Pristina is expensive? It’s possible to get a decent and affordable doubl e room in or near the city centre. here are the hotels with doubl e 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 bu stling 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 craz crazyy colour schemes, soft, bright drapes all over the place and DVD players. players. Some rooms come with wi th a balcony overlooking overlookin g the bazaar, whereas others oth ers 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 accommodaacc ommodation 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 T V, electri c heaters a private bathroom. bathro om. Breakfast is not included, bu t rooms share well-equipped well-equipped kitchens, there’s th ere’s a free laundry ser vice and a few communal communal balconies. In the
Pristina In Your Pocket
03/+381 38 73 53 22,
[email protected],
[email protected], www. ww w. hotelsara-medi.com. Very good value accommodation ac commodation in the heartt of the bazaar, hear bazaar, Sara comes with a galaxy galax y of plain choices from rooms for one to three people to renovated albeit very simple simp le apartments. apar tments. 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. Maligjash Gjinollli, tel. +377 44 17
76 65,
[email protected], www.hotelxhema.com. Featuring lush oriental rooms with heaps of chintz y wall hangings and a distinctly feminine feel, Xhema is hidden just off the main road in a peaceful part of the cit y centre. Facilities Facilities include cable television, the ubiquitous bazaar hotel Jacuzzi and a DVD player in the studio room. There’s no restaurant, but the th e 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,
[email protected],
[email protected], ww w.emeraldh w.emeraldhotel. otel. info. Opened in early 2011, Emerald is a large, top-class business hotel located a few kilometres out of town on the Skopje Skop je road. Modern rooms ro oms have plenty of space and there are good conference conference and dining facilities. It’s also one of the few hotels with wi th an indoor pool po ol complex, with spa and Turkish 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,
[email protected], www.hotel-gntc.com. Just out of town, this tall building is instantly visibly along the Skopje highway high way,, and as you’d expect, expec t, the rooms room s on the top floors offer great views all round. With several modern conference rooms, the hotel h otel that’s linked to the Slovenian Gorenje manufacturing group is firmly geared towards business. The restaurant near the top of the building b uilding 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,
[email protected], www.lordroom.com. Near the Skopje Skop je road sou th 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
pristina.inyourpocket.com
RESTAURANTS First impressions when scouring Pristina for something to nibble can make you wish you’d brought sandwiches. However,, like so many other However oth er things in th e city, don’t let appearances fool you. A largish Balkan city populated by Albanians and rich foreigners ensures that eating out in Pristina is deliciousl y varied, and more than often excellent. Eating out is cheap too in Prishtina, with main courses often under und er €10. You’ll You’ll soon be endlessly dazzled daz zled by superb salads, lashings of lamb, fabulous white cheese, the very best of o f Turkish Turkish food, passable pizza piz za and much more besides. Ignore the battalions of beleaguered expats who tell you what a dreadful experience Pristina is, and simply tuck in. Who cares if the waiter has a cigarette in his mouth? He really is genuinely pleased to serve you.
Chinese Chinese Restaurant A-2, Rr. Luan Haradinaj, tel. +377
44 38 49 28. Popular with foreigners looking to spice up their meals (witness the expat trophy badges and flags on display), this aptly named restaurant is nicely done up with lanterns and painted masks. The short menu offers Chinese classics, including dumplings, seafood and pork options, at around €5; try the sizzler plates or ask the cook (who is from Harbin) for a recommendation. If you just can’t get enough, the restaurant also offers foot, head, ear and other massages, starting at €25 per hour. QOpen 11:00 - 22:00, Sun 12:00 - 22:00. €€ GS
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 militar y camp), and and the sandwich (named after the largest US military 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 Yes, trucked in every day from Shëng jin 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? Surprise me! The bill, please
A keni ushqim veg jetarian? Më befaso Faturën ju lutem
pristina.inyourpocket.com
Symbol key P Air conditioning
B Outside seating
A Credit cards accepted L Guarded parking E Occasional live music
a way 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 withou t drinks: € up to €5 €€ between €5 and €10 €€€ over €10
Hemingway A-4, Rr. Ilaz Kodra 9, tel. +386 49 14 56
37/+377 44 14 56 37,
[email protected]. Hemingway is tucked away in an unappealing end of the city but worth wor th a trip if i f you are craving food of the piscine variety. It’s a pretty prett y basic sort sor t of set-up and relatively expensive for the setting, bu t undoubtedly one of the best places in town for fresh sea fish. QOpen 09:00 - 23:00. €€
Vila Corona Rr. Shpëtim Robaj, tel. +381 38 51 70
00/+377 44 50 95 90. The quiet quie t surroundings of Gërmia park, only disturbed by the th e restaurant’s fountains fountains and the soft scurrying of waiters’ feet, are perfect for a relaxed seafood or meat-based meal finished finish ed off wit withh a Sharr cheese chees e platter. Upmarket furnishings, furnishin gs, 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 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,
[email protected]. Bollywood’s Bolly wood’s dead-end street location and drab and dingy decor do its decent de cent food a disservice. disservi ce. If you’re desperate for a taste of the subcontinent, it’s certainly cer tainly not bad place, with a varied selection of Indian dishes, but it would improve considerably if they gave the place a lick li ck 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 Mi trovica road, and overlooking the city from its high perch, Pristina’s best Indian restaurant serves up curries that have ha ve expats 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. Smartl y dressed waiters pop in and out of the kitchen ki tchen to bring well-prepared salads, home made pastas and dishes such as pan-grilled pan-grilled eg gplant with mint and vinegar or birjani chicken. The terrace terrac e features a cool foggin g system for hot days. QOpen 08:00 - 23:00. €€ PGBSW
Spring - Summer 2011
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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 th ese 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 h ouse dish, veal veal steak with prosciut prosciutto to 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 offers good views of town from th e 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 everything. 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 Meat & Fish beef chicken lamb pork sausage veal schnitzel fish salmon sea food trout burger kebab
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 wine water
pijet birrë juice
Pristina In Your Pocket
lëng verë ujë
Burek Burek, known to Albanians as byrek , is a flaky pastry containing cheese, spinach or meat, and is th e 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 ou r 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 chain’s less salubrious ou tlets, the location is at least highly central, and the long, thin burek they sell here is ou t 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 spottin g Kosovo Kosovo politicos and other celebri ties wolfing down excellent dishes like there’s no tomorrow. Attentive staff can advise when you’re wondering if you should take the Finnish beef or the Thai noodles with curry, the Malaysian saté or the fresh mussels, or perhaps the teriyaki... or the Indian barbecue chicken. Vegetarians are well catered too. Booking ahead is wise, especially for lunch. QOpen 07:00 - 23:00, Sun 16:00 - 23:00. €€
Gagi Café B-2, Rr. Fehmi Agani 12, tel. +386 49 52
25 11,
[email protected], 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
Pristina-Skopje opje highway, Grand Store mall, Gizzi Grill Pristina-Sk
tel. +377 44 65 59 66, www.gizzigroup.com. Perhaps the best be st thing to come to Kosovo Kosovo since the Ottomans, Ot tomans, 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 sandwi ches 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,
[email protected], 2roberteve.co m, ww www.han w.hani2roberteve.c i2roberteve.com. om. 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 sel ection 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 Ma ssage & Spa Spa
Relax All your senses 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. needs. Our team of Thailand-trained Thailand-trained therapists 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 refexology massage - Body scrub - Facial treatments Albana M Market
Open Every Eve ry Day Day from 11.00 till 23.00 Address: dre s: Qaa Gallery a r 1st Floor Floor,, UCK St.. Prishtina Tel: 044 168 521
UÇK Street SALA THAI
Massage & Spa
L
Qafa Gallery u a First Floor n
H a r a d F OSCE E i e h n m i a A g j a n
i
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RESTAURANTS Mig jeni 1, tel. +381 38 22 40 41/+377 Home A-2, Rr. Migjeni
44 33 63 36,
[email protected]. For many expats working in Pristina, this is as close to home as it gets - the chef cook worked in London and conjures up great breakfasts and divine dinners. Try Try the th e Greek chicken, the eggplant eggplan t 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. in timate. 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 mea ts 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
lunch is €7,50 though booking ahead is recommended on weekdays. Find Find Pjata at the bottom b ottom 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-s h orse-size ize 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 garg antuan 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 supp lied 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 obviously 96. 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 l ocal Rings chain has a large interior with dining and lounging happening around a central bar. Like the other Rings outlets, the food is international, 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
Parcae A-2, Rr. Fehmi Agani, tel. +377 44 22 27
[email protected], www.pjata.com. With a modern interior featuring plent y of wood, paintings and shelves of wine, Pjata is a small but popular restaurant ser ving pasta, various meat dishes, salads and some good cakes for dessert. The set
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,
[email protected], www. ww w. vilagermia.com. The most upmarket restaurant in Gërmia Park Park - and indeed one of the th e 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 well-equ ipped meeting rooms for up to 100 people. The house specials include steak and mixed grill, but there’s also fish, pizza and local lo cal cuisine. 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 Gër44 27 15 18. The wooden building at th e far end of Gërmia Park lacks good views but bu t if you’re willing to make do with the th e 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
44 69 48 11,
[email protected]. A modest bistro and café with a touch of Ontario; the owners used to run a Toronto deli, and proudly serve Canadian breakfasts and buttermil but termilkk 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
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 restaurant is strictly stric tly one-way traffic. 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 picture s of food on the walls. QOpen 08:00 - 23:00, Sun 10:00 - 23:00. €€ PGBXSW
Ultra B-3, Rr. Sylejman Vokshi 9/1, tel. +381 38 225 155. Opposite Mozaik, this is another smart business restaurant, with a very snazzy interior that’s half post-modern and half exposed brick wi th paintings. paintings. The food on the menu is as varied as the design and caters well to vegetarians. Deliciously non-smo non-smoking. king. QOpen 08:00 - 23:00, Sun 14:00 - 23:00. €€€ PGB
Italian Arte B-2, Rr. Rexhep Luci 1, tel. +381 38 24 97 09.
Ravioli, penne, tagliatelle and more are served a t this pleasRavioli, ant Italian bar/restaurant bar/restaurant with its large windows and outdoor seating near the th e street corner. corner. QOpen 07:00 - 23:30. Closed Sun. €€ PGBXW
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RESTAURANTS Il Passatore C-2, Rr. Hilë Mosi 13, tel. +381 38 51
64 73. Run by the lovely Antonella, Il Passatore serves up excellent excel lent I talian dishes, dishes, accompan ac companied ied by live music on summer Thursdays. Popular Popular with for foreign eign residents, it has h as a nice terrace garden. QOpen 12:00 - 16:00; 19:00-23:00. Close Closedd Sun. €€ PEB
Osteria Basilico A-2, Rr. Fehmi Agani 29/1, tel. +381
38 22 54 01/+386 49 27 62 76,
[email protected],
[email protected] , 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, ww www.proper w.properpizza.com. pizza.com. Tasty, proper pizzas, feeding 1 to 4 people, delivered steaming to your table in their modest restaurant, or to your home or h otel. 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,
[email protected], ww w.xixonline. w.xixonline.com. 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 sit ting 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,
[email protected]. Tokyo’s chef conjures up a great set of Japanese dishes. di shes. Come Com e on Fridays 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 ser ved, stay calm, collect your belongings belon gings and pop into one of the bel ow, 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 ut terly charming chain of espresso bars is not to be missed. One of the first places with self-service, it has fantastic coffee, coffee, delicious delici ous soups, crepes, quiche and pastas, as well as a dozen freshly made sandwiches to choose from, including goat cheese and roast beef. Or tr y 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 bes t sandwich es in Kosovo. Kosovo. Wander Wander over to the buffet to point out th e 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,
[email protected], 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 sandwich es 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
Metro Café A-3, Rr. Garibaldi 3/1, tel. +377 44
85 85 85/+377 44 11 30 00,
[email protected], 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 th e front and back, it’s a prime people-watching people-watching spot too. QOpen 07:00 - 20:00. € PGBXW
Pristina’s best restaurant? Pristina’s r estaurant? See page 44 and tell us A café terrace in spring
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Spring - Summer 2011
21
22
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 h ere 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-min 15-minute ute drive outside ou tside Pristina (on a good day) and provides glorious views across rolling, verdant hills and is especially pleasant place in th e summer to watch watch the sunset. Overall the food quality i s 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.
Pristina’s ’s best-looking bes t-looking restaurant and in, ww w.puro w.puro.in. .in. Pristina 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 - tr y the chocolate pralines. After dinner,, cocktails dinner cocktail s are served in the stylish styli sh lounge. QOpen 11:00 - 24:00, Sun 18:00 - 24:00. €€-€€€ PGBXW
Veternik, nik, tel. +381 38 60 24 50/+377 44 34 Rron Veter
77 77,
[email protected], www.rron-ks. com. One of Pristina’s most popular upmarket restaurants, well worth the trek out of town. The high-ceilinged modern building has a well-stocked bar and a menu featuring a varied selection of meat and fish dishes. In summer, use the pleasant garden and let the kids romp in the playground. QOpen 09:00 - 23:00. €€-€€€ PAGBX
Kosovan
with well-heeled locals lo cals and foreigners foreigners who know a good thing when they see i t. The food is prepared in the restaurant according to whatever the chef found at the shops that mornin g. 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 opposite the th e Outback Ou tback bar, bar, across the car park. Highly recommended. QOpen 09:00 - 23:00, Sun 18:00 - 23:00. €-€€ PLGBXW
Mexican Cantina am/pm B-3, Rr. Qamil Hoxha 7/1, tel. +377 44 71 07 10,
[email protected]. Cantina does a good job of getting the th e Tex-Mex Tex-Mex tacos, chimichanga and biftec bi ftec Cantina Can tina spicy and tasty enough to convince real Latinos. If guacamole is not your thing, the cooks can diver divertt to Thai specialities specialitie s 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 Ultimat Ultimate e Tower beer. Combo , washed down with one of fi ve types of Mexican beer. The homely h omely dining room on the first floor has all the required Mexicana, and there’s live music on weekend nigh nights. ts. 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 ef effort fort has gone into the kitsching up of the interior with hats and rugs, and at weekends the place is li vened 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
Nepali Himalayan Gorkha A-2, Rr. UÇK 17, Qafa Centre,
Liburnia 1&2 B-2, Rr. Meto Bajraktari, tel. +381 38 22
tel. +377 44 40 22 65/+377 44 19 82 98,
[email protected]. 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 wi th 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
Pishat B-3, Rr. Qamil Hoxha 11, tel. +381 38 24 53
Serbian
other, 27 19. There are actuall y two Liburnias opposite each other, both very similar in style and food. Housed in a fine O ttoman abode and surrounded by pleasant walled gardens, Liburnia oozes atmosphere, whether in summer or winter. The food is a roll call of decent de cent 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. €€
33/+377 44 24 53 33. Arguably the best restaurant in Pristina. Located Located half indoors and half on a terrace th at gets covered during during th e winter, winter, Pishat (‘the fir tree’) is packed with wi th local bigwi gs who who visit visi t regularly to dine on food including includin g 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 ser ving pork dishes. QOpen 08:00 - 24:00, Sat 12:00 - 24:00. €€ PIGBXW
Romantika C-1, Rr. Nazim Gafurri, tel. +377 44 26
au thentic family-run Kosovo Kosovo restaurant restaurant with wi th only 35 45. An authentic 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 restauran t any city would give its right rig ht arm for, for, Tiffany’s is a wonder wonder fully laid-back lai d-back canteen-like cante en-like affair affair,, brimming
Pristina In Your Pocket
Čao Pristina-Skopje road, tel. +386 49 30 54 70.A family-
run Serbian restaurant restaurant with a wonderfully wonder fully cluttered living li ving room interior, thick clouds of smoke and large portions porti ons of fantasti fantasticc Serbian cooking. Here’s your chance to catch up on those pork dishes that are other wise so elusive in Pristina. They’re They’re used to foreigners dropping dropping by and will be glad to explain the Cyrillic Cy rillic menu and ply you with th eir lethal home-made brandy till you fall over. over. Along Alon g the road to Skopje. Q €-€€
Thai Le Siam Thai A-2, Rr. Fehmi Agani 21/1, tel. +377 45
24 35 88,
[email protected]. 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 you’ll find the th e typical assor tment of curries, salads and deep fried frie d treats, delivered deli vered to good standard. Take-away Take-away and home/hotel delivery too. QOpen 11:00 - 23:00. €€-€€€. JVGBS
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THE UNIQUE TASTE TASTE OF THAI CUISINE CUI SINE 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
Open Every Day Day from 11.00 11.0 0 till 23.00 21/1 Fehmi Agani, Pristina Tel: 045 243588
[email protected] UÇK Street L a n H a r a F d e h m i OSCE i n A g a a n j i Qafa Gallery u
24
CAFÉS & NIGHTLIFE There are enough cafés, bars and clubs i n 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 big ger Balkan cities. The great thing about abou t Pristina is that it’s so small you can walk from bar to bar until you find something you like. Nightli fe is concentrated around Rruga Fehmi Agani and the Pejton area just south of Rruga Garibaldi, with more studen ty 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 Kosovo is a male-dominated society, societ y, and many of the cheaper bars are frequented entirely by chain-smoking men.
Bars You know you’ve made it when you are all owed (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 celebrit cel ebrityy, expect li ve 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 double-decker summer cottage-style bar popular p opular with students and th e usual collection of sinister sinister-looking -looking middleaged men hiding from their families. Décor comes courtesy of candles in paper bags and the toilet is outside, bu t if you can live with the basic requirements then Baraka offers a fairly fai rly convivial atmosphere. QOpen 08:00 - 24:00. PB
Bistro Bar A-3, Rr. Sejdi Kryeziu, tel. +386 49 540 20
95,
[email protected]. 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 sec tion on the far end. After you’ve had the waiters serve you the daily special, let the black-clad baristas perform miracles miracles with the th e 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,
[email protected]. Firmly aiming at expats, Click is an English-lite bar with a selection sele ction of flags on the walls, walls, screens for watching football and rugby rugb y and fresh English newspapers. There’s UK beer on tap, a menu m enu of hamburgers, pizza and salads, and English breakfasts. Drop by on Saturday to hear the ‘Newborn’ ‘Ne wborn’ 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, ww w.cremeprishtina. com. Crème is probably the b est all-round bar in the city. It’s run for the amusement of the young, art y owners and not for profit, which explains the more-than-generous more-than-generous pricing arrangements, especially especially for the perfectly p erfectly executed cocktails. Its five
Pristina In Your Pocket
Cafés For Kosovans, the difference bet ween a café, a bar, the local disco and indeed their living rooms or workplaces is extremely fluid. What may be a qui et 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,
[email protected]. 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 Res- ), they are brigh t, uncluttered, smoke-free smoke-free and taurants ), visited by all kinds of young locals. Also on Rr. Perandori Justinian E1 (open 07:00-21:30) and Rr Rr.. Agim A gim 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, cof fee, beer and cha t. It’s visited by b y an alternative crowd of students and foreigners, th e two rooms have sofa and ottoman seating, and even when busy it’s i t’s not too smoky. During daytime, snacks are served, including lokum, frie d batter balls with wi th onion sauce and salad. QOpen 08:30 23:30, Sun 11:00 - 23:30. B
Fazli Grajqevci, Graj qevci, tel. +386 49 25 Dit’ e Nat’ B-2, Rr. Fazli
63 62,
[email protected]. inf
[email protected]. ‘Day and night’ nigh t’ is Kosovo’s 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 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. cof fee. There’s also a menu including inclu ding anything any thing 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,
[email protected], www.teatrioda.com. Hang out with real artists at the ODA Theatre’s small underground café. There’s a library corner with art books, novels and other materials for visitors to browse, and free free wifi to o. Find the entrance behind the Duplex club. QOpen 09:00 - 24:00. LW Tereza, tel. +377 44 20 Syri i Kaltër B-3, Bul. Nëne Tereza, 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 th e back there are counters with smiley staff serving coffee and sweet sticky cakes. QOpen 07:00 - 24:00. € B
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CAFÉS & NIGHTLIFE 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, Th u, Sun. Open Wed, Fri, Sat 20:00-03:00.
Mollëkuqja A-2, Rr. Migjeni, tel. +377 44 14 39 90,
fugomollë
[email protected]. A distinctively local and not unpleasant bar frequented by a fair fairly ly 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 bottl ed beer and decent decen t espresso. The Albanian-only 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 cock cocktails tails including a mintless mintless mojito, moji to, wireless internet,t, jazz on Sunday interne Sunda y evenings plus F1 and Champions League on the television, Morena is a breath of fresh air indeed. The Th e place is generally packed out in the evenings with a pleasant, young professionall crowd. QOpen 08:00 - 23:00. PEGBXW professiona
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 Chocaholi cs can slurp slurp their way through 11 types of hot chocolate; ch ocolate; serious drinkers can focus on the good cocktails and an d coffee coffee - which whi ch 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 th e Strip Depot, lads, in fact it’s one of Pristina’s 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 Alb anian 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 de cadent 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 wi th mismatched furniture, comfy old seats and quirky drawings. drawin gs. Join a crowd of studen students, ts, painters and other escape ar tists who come here to smoke and drink. drink. Wildly imaginati ve vegetarian vegetarian lunches are available too. Find it marooned in the wastelands behind b ehind the buildings along Rr. HaHaradinaj. QOpen 08:00 - 01:00, Fri, Sat 08:00 - 02:00. BW
Trafik Galeri A-3, Rr. George Bush,
[email protected].
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 talente d local artists. ar tists. Grab a beer, spark spark up a conversation and survey some art. Turn down the first steps to the right righ t when walking south from the Grand Hotel. QOpen 16:00 - 03:00.
Xhoni’s Bar B-4, Rr. Rexhep Mala, tel. +377 44 75
“Johnny’s”” is with out doubt a Pristina institu tion. It’s 07 20. “Johnny’s small, friendly friendl y, smokey, smokey, plays excellent soul, disco disc o and classic rock music from vinyl and is open until th e last man or woman 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 i t gets incredibly busy. busy. It doesn’t d oesn’t have a name on the door,, but i t’s the place with round windows next to the A&A door 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 cl osed in 2010, but lives on as a party part y 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 th e large bar area of Cube. There’s a terrace on the roof but all the action ac tion is downstairs in the swish club area, where wh ere DJs DJs play a mixed st yles of music on Wednesday and weekend nigh ts. Admission for well-dressed, well-dressed, over-20, non-square people only onl y. 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 volu me levels. Find the ware warehouse house door d oor entrance to the th e 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 th e 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 Am erican 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 internati onal DJs DJs congregate to play house, hip-hop hip-h op 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 Tereza, tel. +381 38 55 25 Peppermint B-3, Bul. Nëna Tereza,
55, info@peppermin
[email protected] t-ks.com,, ww www.pepper w.peppermint-ks. mint-ks.com. 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 supposedly 21+ only, though young ‘uns seem to get in too. Sunday is ‘internationalss night’, and just a foreign ID card should get you ‘international in. QOpen 23:00 - 04:00.
Bar talk Where is th e nearest bar/club? Ku ndodhet klubi më i afërt? afër t? I need a... Dua një … ... beer birrë verë ... wine ... cocktail koktel cigare ... cigarette ... 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 Tek ti apo tek unë? Your place or mine?
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?
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CAFÉS & NIGHTLIFE Expat activities New expat arrivals and any other stray foreigners that find themselves wandering around aroun d are welcome to mingle with Prishtina’s active group of expats.
International Women’s Club Foundedd in 2004, the IWC unites expatriate women living Founde 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
[email protected] or see http://groups.yahoo. com/group/iwc_pri com/group /iwc_pristina stina 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. with . More information: informati on: http://groups.yahoo.com/ 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,
[email protected]. 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 XI X restaurant. QOpen 17:00 - 24:00. Admission €3 after 23:00.
Hard Rockers Club Rr. Ilaz Kodra, tel. +377 44 11 26
46,
[email protected]. It’s one of the few places in Pristina where you can catch regular live acts, and the onl y place which caters for those who like their rock ser ved up heavy heav y, 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 7a, tel. Jazz Club 212 A-3/4, Rr. Mbreti Leka Zogu I, 7a,
+377 44 16 72 86,
[email protected], www.212pr.com. ww w.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 n ow and then. Th e 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,
[email protected]. An old Pristina expat favourite, the Zanzibar is a shabby, time-worn basement bar with a wall of smoke and loud live rock music every Friday and Saturday. With just one small exit it’s going to be a Darwinian rush to the doors i f 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,
[email protected], www. filikaqa.com. Whistle, as it translates from Albanian, offers a dizz ying array of televisions on which to watch your sport of choice and eat the b est burgers in town. 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,
[email protected]. 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 Engli sh burgers, rice pudding and the house specialit y, beef be ef fajitas. Peja, Fosters 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,
[email protected], www.paddyobriens. com. Pristina’s only Irish pub serves good Guinness, good pub grub and plenty of spor t on its several big screens placed around the wood-panelled room. Serving almost as a community centre c entre for ex-pats, Paddy O’Briens O’Brien s also offers 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 nigh ts 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.
[email protected]. A very pleasant wine bar run by people who know what they’re th ey’re doing. It serves ser ves wines from Kosovo 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 villa-
turned-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. PE PEB B
44 Sokoli e Mirusha A-2, Rr. Fehmi Agani 41, tel. +377 44
78 88 88,
[email protected] self-proclaimed ‘gastropub’ on the first floor of a converted house, with a shabby-chic shabby-c hic look attracting the th e right mix of artists, ar tists, politicians politicians and business bobos, and managed by a restaurateur with experience in London and New York. There’s good food and drinks, drink s, but most importantly th ere’s daily daily li ve music (except (except Sunday), with ‘Ballkan Atmosphere’ Atmosphere’ Mondays and Jazz most other nights. QOpen 09:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 09:00 - 01:00. €€ PEBW
Pristina In Your Pocket
Stock up on smokes at the bazaar
pristina.inyourpocket.com
WHAT TO SEE Like most Balkan cities, Pristina was a small and dusty market town until fairly recently. The The city su ffered bombing in i n the Second World War and again during th e 1999 Kosovo crisis, but unfortunately unfortu nately suffered suf fered 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 mad e way for the Iliria hotel), h otel), 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 l ively goings-on at the markets or watching the mosques fill up at prayer time.
Museums Ethnographic Museum (Muzeu Etnologjik Emin Gjiku) B-1, Rr. Iliaz Agushi, museuetnologjic@gmail.
walled com. A lovely traditional 18th century house se t in a walled complex with several other buildings is th e only original building left lef t in the old bazaar area. Once owned by Emin Gjiku, Gjiku, a nickname for Emin Gjinolli, whose family owned the house, the complex compl ex was turned into a museum in 2006. Professional guides are at hand to gi ve English-language English-language tours, telling telling about ab out the traditional tradi tional architecture typical for the region, and showing the separate guest and family family parts par ts of the house that th at are filled with exhibits on clothing, birth and b urial 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 typewri ter and desk, and the mobile phone of media advisor Xhemajl Xh emajl Mustafa. Mustafa. The gleaming white marble floors are slightl slightlyy incongruous, but th e items on display and 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 Th ere’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,
[email protected]. ORTA organises guided Pristina heritage day tours, including a walk around the mosques, the hamam, the city’s three museums and other historical buildings in the centre. A drive to Gracanica monastery monaster y, the castle at Novo Brdo and ancient Ulpiana can also be arranged. arran ged. Ask for price offers. offers. 1975. The museum used to have a ri ch collection of prehistoric objects uncovered in Kosovo - these were all spirited offf to Belgrade just before the troubles star ted in 1998, and of hundreds of archeological finds and ethnographic i tems yet have to be returned. The extensive permanent archaeolog archaeolog y 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 Tjerr torja in 1956 and returned to Pristina in 2002. In front front of the building recent history is represented by some artillery artiller y 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.
inf o@ Stacion Rr. Zija Prishtina, tel. +381 38 22 25 76, info@
stacion.org, www.stacion.org. The Center for Contem- porary 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.
Ottoma Ot tomann Pristina Academy Building B-2, Rr. Nazim Gafurri, tel. +381
38 24 93 03,
[email protected], www.ashak.org. Right next to th e clock tower stands another of Pristina’s few few remaining 19th century Ottoman O ttoman konak-style konak-style private houses. hous es. It is currently used by the Academy for Sciences and Arts (Akademia e Shkencave dhe e Arteve, ASHAK) who have added a rath er 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,
[email protected],
[email protected], ww w.koso w.kosovaart.com. vaart.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 e ducational work with young children. children. In front of the entrance stands Pristina’s most interesting public art work - 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
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
pristina.inyourpocket.com
Flowers on the main boulevard
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WHAT TO SEE Fatih Mosque (Xhamia e Mbretit) B-1, Rr. Ilir Konu-
shevci. Opposite the th e clock tower, tower, the Fatih or Imperial Mosque was built in 1461 under Turkish Sultan Mehmed II Fatih (‘the conqueror’),), as witnessed by the conqueror’ th e Arabic engraving above the main door. door. Inside, painted floral decora tions and arabesques arabesqu es grace the walls and ceiling. Pristina’s Pristina’s grandest building has h as 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 in to a church during the Austro-Turkish wars from 1690-1698. During Friday 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 Konush-
evci. Near the Fatih Mosque, Pristina’s grandest remaining bath complex was in a sorry state of repair af ter decades of neglect. i t 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 bath s 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 centur y mosque (completed much later in the 19 th century) is simila similarr to the Carsi Mosque in architecture and interior decoration. The original portico was demolished to make way for a wider road.
Kocadishi House (Kosovo (Kosovo Institute for the Protection of Monuments) B/C-2, Rr. Zenel Salihu. About
The clock tower Pristina’s a’s liveliest area is without doubt the Bazaar B-1. Pristin
large bazaar, bazaar, east of Rruga Ilir Konusheci. Al thou though gh most of it was destroyed in the 1950s, it still retains the bustling atmosphere atmosph ere typical of all Balkan markets. All kinds of goods are for sale: fruit, vegetables, Albanian flags, cigarettes (stacked up in walls of cartons), cartons), ki tchen utensils, car par ts, 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 h elp of the French KFOR 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
150m southeast of the clock tower, this reconstructed house that once belonged to the th e Kocadishi Kocadishi family 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 Monuments now uses th e 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 tha t the ‘Stone of Lazar’ in the garden was used to behead Prince Princ e Lazar during the Battle Ba ttle of Kosovo in 1389, 1389, and that he was buried in this mosque with the th e Sultan’s permission permission before being moved to Ravanici Monastery in central Serbia. S erbia.
Shadërvani Fountain B-2, Rr. Nazim Gafurri. Th e
elegant marble shadërvani fountain fountain or water well, just behind the Çarshia Mosque, is one of the last remaining public watering wateri ng holes h oles in Pristina. Despite the busy road nearby, nearby, it’s i t’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 Kosovoo and the region. In partnership with ESI, European Kosov Stabilityy Initiative, IKS has done research into Pristina’s Stabilit development and published a discussion paper (available online) on the city’s threatened cultural heri tage, and is starting a cultural herita ge 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
National Library B-3, Sheshi Hasan Prishtina, tel. +381
38 24 96 50, www.biblioteka-ks. ww w.biblioteka-ks.org. org. Unleashe Unleashedd on a bewildered public in 1982, Pristina’s extraordinary National Library was designed by the Croatian architect Andrija Mutnjakovic. The outside ou tside 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 deposi tory of Albanian literature, much of which, thanks to the enlightened leadership l eadership of Slobodan Milosovic, was turned into cardboard in the early 1990s. The equally equall y beguiling interior which has some photos of old Pristina still contains over 5,000 fine examples examples of old and rare books bo oks and manuscripts, dating back to the 16th century. The library librar y also holds many foreign titles, and membership m embership 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 glob e shape on a stick, surrounded by several concrete concrete shells sticking ou t of the ground. Ignored and vandalised, vandalised, it has a haunting beauty. b eauty.
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. Complete d in 1321 and built by the th e 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 Orthod Or thodox ox 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 th e ‘unity and brotherho od’ (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 rot ting base of th e pillars. Nearby, 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 Youth & Sports (Pallati i Rinisë dhe i SportSpor teve) A-3, Rr. Luan Haradinaj, tel. +381 38 24 94 24, www.
1977-1981 is an pallatirinise.com. The massive complex from 1977-1981 unmissable and spikey Pristina landmark, and a nice ni ce example of Yugoslav-era city planning. The youth centre has an assembly hall, disco, concert and sports spor ts halls and a Pioneer’s centre - now catering to children without any additional brainwashing. The bearded man depicted on the building is local hero h ero Adem Jashari, Jashari, a UÇK commander who was killed in 1998 together with some 50 others, including nearly his entire family. 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 pa ths which are landmine-free. Skiing Skiing is possible p ossible here in winter too, though there are no special facilities. Q Admission free, cars €1.
Parku Par ku i Qytetit Qy tetit (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 grass y hilltop in the Velania area is not much of a park, but still well worth worth visiting for the Martyr’s Monument, Rugova’s and several KLA graves and the great views over over the ci ty and the th e 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 summertime th eatre and film shows. Near the Kosovo Museum, on the corner of Rruga Haxhi Zeka. Q Open March-October.
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WHAT TO SEE Catholic Cathedral Cathedr al (Mother Teresa Teresa Cathedral) Cathedral ) A-4,
Rr. George Bush. Pristina’s new cathedral, unofficially named after the th e famous ethnic Albanian nun, nun, is a welcome addition addi tion to city’s skyline. Built in ne w-ren w-renaissance aissance 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.
surrounded by a small plaza, the pedes tal seems formed by a plis, the traditional Albanian egg-shell hat. The statue was designed by Albanian artist Janaq Paco in 2001. Unfortunately, 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 during the 2004 riots, riots, but was rebuilt and now n ow services are once more held in the low 17th century b uilding. Q The church can be visited most days around 17:00.
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 anywh ere else in the city. It’s a welcome welcome addition to the th e grey boulevard.
Union Hotel building B-2, Bul. Nëne Tereza. Built in
Jewish Cemetery Tauk Bahqe hill. The 19th century
posite the Grand Hotel, this statue commemorates Zahir Pajaziti (1962-1997), a UCK fighter based in the Llapi area. He was killed in action and is now considered one of the biggest patriots during the Kosovo crisis - you’ll always see fresh flowers flowers at the statue.
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 depor tations of World World War War II was forced forced to leave in June 1999 and resettled in Belgrade.
Mother Teresa statue B-3, Bul. Nëne Tereza. A small
and humble statue sta tue of Mother Moth er Teresa, Teresa, a nun of ethnic Albanian origin (born in Skopje in what is now Macedonia) Mace donia) 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 h eady days of the declaration de claration of independence in February 2008, some cleverclogs cleverclogs designed these seven huge yellow steel letters spelling out the word ‘newborn’ ‘newb orn’ that was placed place d in front of the Palace of Yout Youthh and Sports. The three metre high letters were quickly covered in autographs and texts, scribbled by thousands of people starting with th e PM and president.
Photos of the missing B-2, Bul. Nëne Tereza. A poignant reminder of the Kosovo Kosovo crisis, the gates at the north northern ern end of the boulevard have dozens of photos of Kosovans who have been missing since the conflict; nearly 1,900 people remain unaccounted unacc ounted for 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 who died die d of lung cancer on January 21, 2006. The chain-smoking, ‘Gandhi of the Balkans’ was was a writer who entered politics in the late 1980s and helped set se t up the Democratic Demo cratic League of Kosovo Kosovo (LDK). (LDK). Initially a hero for his passive resistance to Serbian rul e, Rugova lost credibility after the 1995 Dayton Agreement, but made a comeback and became president in 2002. He lies buried a t the top of the Parku Varrezat e Dëshmorëve (Park of Mart Martyrs). yrs).
Skanderbeg statue B-2, Bul. Nëne Tereza. The monu-
ment of Skanderbeg, or Gjerg j Kastrioti Skenderbeu, Skenderbeu, stands proudlyy at the top end ofBul. Nëne Tereza, proudl Tereza, paying homage h omage to the Albanian superhero who brilliantly brilliantl y fought off off the Ot tomans for decades in the fifteenth century. Brightly lit at night and
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1927, the two-storey former Union Hotel next to the National Theatre is a typical early 20th century eclectic building that’s admired for for its dainty decorations. It’s arguably the pret ties building in the city, yet authorities let it stand derelict and half empty for years before 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. Op-
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 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 de cline from the 17th century century means the castle and the original town on a plateau just below it are pi cturesquely 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 nigh t at one of 5 simple rural guesthouses.
Ulpiana (Fontana Ulpiane) Rr. Imzot Nikprelaj, Ul-
piana. The important Roman city of Ulpiana was built near the silver and lead mines tha t made Kosovo Kosovo so important at a t the time. Remains of roads and public and religious buildings have been found, though you nee d 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 ci ty necropolis ne cropolis.. Ulpiana’s Ulpiana’s ruins lie half way along the road between bet ween Gračanica and Laplje 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 guide is especially valuable valuabl e 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.
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GAZIMESTAN Practicalities
Gazimestan Gazime stan tower
© Greta Howard
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, herita ge, and comes not to fight at the Battle Battl e of Kosovo, 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 architectura architecturally lly 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 medi eval kingdom, involving many tens of thousand thousandss of troops. Almost every aspect of the Battle of Kosovo is contested. While Serbs mark the clash on Ju ne 28, St Vitus Day,, most believe it actually took place on Ju ne 15. And while Day Serbs often describe the battle as their empire’s defining defeat at the hands of o f 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 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 h ill, 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 poi nting to the tower or tomb. Take Take the first available availa ble to the right ri ght after af ter you spot the tower and follow the dirt track next to an unfinish ed 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 recen tly took over providing providin g security securi ty from Kosovo’s Kosovo’s NATO NATO force, KFOR. Plans are afoot to open an information centre he re and provide a multilingual guide. Sultan Murat’s Türbe Türbe is 1600 metres further nor th 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 shou ld cost around €12), but you can also grab gra b 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 stati on, 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 Türb Türbee 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 th e imperial museum in Bursa, Turkey. Turkey. The 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-dizz not-so-dizz ying height of 25 metres, Gazimestan tower nonetheless provides excellent views across the plain of Kosovo. The tower was erected in 1953 on a raise d platform, surrounded by some bizarre concrete chi mneys. At the front is the inscription of th e Kosovo curse, supposedly written by Prince Lazar, the Serbian leader killed on the battlefield battlefi eld on 1389, but first put to paper by the nationalist poet Vuk Karadzic. The tower not only marks the location of the legendar y 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 You can admire the mountains separating separa ting 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
Sultan Murat’s tomb
© Ivan Abrams
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GETTING AROUND Kosovo is a tiny country, and getting around is often surprisingly fast, sometimes agonisingly slow. Entering from the surrounding countries is very simple, even from Serbia - though be careful to read the travel information in the Glossary .
Airport & Airlines Pristina International International Airport (PRN) tel.
+381 38 595 81 23, www.airportpristina. com. Pristina’ Pristina’ss ‘Adem Jashari’ international airpor t is 18km southwest southwes t 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 depar ting every two hours from outside the th e Grand Hotel; tickets 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 wi th photos of old Kosovo. After customs, there’s the Runway duty-free shop (see ). Shopping ).
Adria (JP) B-3, Rr. Qamil Hoxha 12, tel.
Flight schedule From Pristina To Pristina Days Dep. Arr. City Days Dep. Arr. ---4--19:00 21:10 ---4--16:10 18:20 BASEL (U2) -----620:30 22:40 -----617:40 19:50 BASEL (U2) BERLIN (4U) -----613:20 15:45 -----610:10 12:35 1234 12 3456 5677 15: 5:05 05 16: 6:50 50 BUDAPEST (MA) 1234567 12:55 14:30 ––––––7 11:00 14:00 COLOGNE (4U) ––––––7 07:20 10:20 –––––6– 13:10 16:00 COPENHAGEN (SK) –––––6– 09:15 12:10 ––3 –– 3–– ––6 6– 09 09:0 :00 0 11 11:1 :15 5 DUESSELDORF (AB) ––3––6– 12:00 14:20 --3--619:45 22:40 DUSSELDORF (ST) --3--609:55 12:45 ------7 04:50 07:30 DUSSELDORF (XL) ------7 -----607:45 10:25 DUSSELDORF (XL) -----617:50 20:35 --3---17:50 20:35 DUSSELDORF (XL) --3---08:05 10:45 -----610:30 13:00 FRANKFURT (AB) -----607:15 09:45 GENEVA (4T) --3--609:00 11:20 --3--605:55 08:15 GENEVA (U2) --3---08:55 11:10 --3---06:00 08:15 -----619:35 21:45 -----616:45 18:55 GENEVA (U2) GENEVA (WK) -----614:55 17:10 -----612:00 14:10 HAMBURG (AB) -----6-----617:50 20:40 07:40 10:20 -----611:05 13:35 HANNOVER (AB) -----614:30 17:00 1234 12 3456 5677 14: 4:3 35 15: 5:50 50 ISTANBUL (TK) 1–3–5–– 12:00 13:30 ISTANBUL (TK) ---4--7 1----5-05:25 06:50 22:15 23:45 1234 12 3456 5677 05 05:0 :00 0 06 06:3 :30 0 00::00 01:20 LJUBLJANA (JP) 1234567 00 1234 12 3456 5677 15: 5:45 45 16: 6:25 25 LJUBLJANA (JP) 1234567 13:15 15:00 LONDON (BA) 1–3–5–– 17:30 20 20::30 1–3–5–– 13:15 16:15 –––––6– 19:55 22 22::55 –––––6– 15:50 18:50 LONDON (BA) -----619:15 21:20 -----616:15 18:30 MUNICH (ST) 1234 12 3456 5677 06 06:4 :45 5 07 07:3 :30 0 PODGORICA (YM) 1234567 19:45 20: 0:3 30 ------7 08:30 10:45 STUTTGART (4U) ------7 05:35 07:50 ––3––6– 13:25 15:35 STUTTGART (4U) ––3––6– 10:30 12:45 ––3––6– 12:45 14:10 STUTTGART (ST) ––3––6– 09 09::50 12:00 --3---11:30 13:55 STUTTGART (XL) --3---14:40 17:05 -----616:55 19:15 STUTTGART (XL) -----620:20 22:40 1234 12 3456 5677 10: 0:3 30 11; 1;00 00 1234567 19:00 19:30 TIRANA (LZ) VERONA (IG) –2––567 11:40 13:00 –2––567 13:4 :45 5 15:05 1–3–5–– 07:00 08 08::40 –2–4––7 19:15 21:45 VIENNA (OS) 1234 12 3456 5677 16: 6:35 35 17: 7:15 15 1234567 13:20 15:45 VIENNA (OS) ZAGREB (OU) 1–– 1– –4– 4–6– 6– 06 06:3 :30 0 08 08:0 :00 0 ––3– –– 3–5– 5––7 –7 21 21:1 :15 5 22 22:4 :45 5 ZAGREB (OU) –––4– 4–– –– 17:45 19:15 –––4––– 15:30 17:00 –2––––7 18:15 19:45 –2––––7 16:00 17:30 ZAGREB (OU) ZURICH (4T) 12-45-7 09:45 11:55 12-45-7 06:15 08:30 ZURICH (4T) --3--615:20 17:30 --3--612:25 14:35 1234 12 3456 5677 09 09:5 :55 5 12: 2:05 05 1234567 08 08::55 09 09::05 ZURICH (ED) 1234 12 3456 5677 09 09:3 :30 0 11 11:3 :30 0 1234567 06 06::30 08:30 ZURICH (LX) Flight schedule correct at time of research, though travellers are advised to check che ck all flight times in advance. Airline codes: 4R = Hamburg International Airlines, 4T = Belair, 4U = Germanwings, AB = AirBerlin, BA = British Airways, IG = Meridiana, JP = Adria Airways, LZ = Belle Air, LX = Swiss MA = Malev, OS = Austrian Airlines, OU = Croatia Croa tia Airlines, ST = Germania, Ger mania, TK = Turkish Turkish Airlines, Airline s, U2 = EasyJet, YM = Montenegro Airlines
+381 38 24 67 46, fax +381 38 24 67 47,
[email protected], 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), Travel), tel. +381 38 54 35 43, fax +381 38 24 35 17, info@altaviatrav inf o@altaviatravel. el. 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,
[email protected], www. belleair.it. Budget flights to Tirana and several cities in I taly taly,, Germany and Belgium. Bel gium. British Airways (BA) Pristina Airport, tel. +381 38 54 86 61, www.ba.com. Flights to London Gatwick. Croatia Airlines (OU) A-2, Rr. Luan Haradinaj 27, Alta Alt a Via Travel, Travel, tel. tel . +381 38 23 38 33, croatia@altaviatrav croatia@alt aviatravel.com, el.com, ww www.croatiaair w.croatiaair-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. germanwings.com. Budget flights to Cologne and Stuttgart. Stutt gart. Lufthansa (LH) A-2, Rr. Luan Haradinaj 27 (AltaVia Travel), tel. +381 38 54 35 43, fax +381 38 24 35 17, www.lufthansa.com. Flights to Duesseldorf. Malev (MA) A-4, Bul. Bill Clinton 12 (InterTravel Club), tel. +381 38 53 55 35,
[email protected], ww w.malev.com. Flights to Budapest. Montenegro Airlines (YM) A-3, Rr. Robert Doll 41, tel./fax +381 38 61 01 11, www.montenegroairlines. com. Flights to Podgorica. SAS Scandinavian Airlines (SK) tel. +45 70 10 20 Copenha gen. 00, www.flysas.co w ww.flysas.com. m. Flights to Copenhagen. Swiss (LX) A-3, Bul. Nëna Tereza, tel. +381 38 24 34 46, www.swiss.com. Flights to Zurich. Turkish Airlines Air lines (TK) (TK ) A-4, Rr. Mujo Ulqinaku, tel. +381 38 50 20 52, www.turkishairlines.com. ww w.turkishairlines.com. Flights to Istanbul.
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Driving & Car rental Kosovo’s main roads are in a good state and not too busy outside the towns, but sti ck to daytime trips unless unl ess you’re a confident driver, as unlit roads in combination with unrelia ble signposting and oncomers’ faulty headlights can be fatal. The maximum speeds are 35km/hr i n urban areas, 60km/ hr on main roads and 80km/hr on highways. Drivers must officially offici ally use headlights headli ghts at all times, have a yellow vest and first aid kit in the car, and snow chains in winter. Parking in Pristina is free, but don’t risk parking wh ere it’s not allowed.
Lagjia jia e Emshirit, tel./fax +381 38 54 14 01, Europcar Lag tel. +381 38 59 41 01 (airport),
[email protected], www.europcar-ks.com. Their city office is located 200m south of the th e bus station, along the th e road to Skopje. Skopje. Hertz C-4, Bul. Nëna Tereza, tel. +381 38 54 44 80/+377 44 11 78 82, fax +381 38 54 44 90, hertz@ albaniaonline. albania online.net, net, ww www.hertz.com. w.hertz.com.Also at Pristina airport.
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GETTING AROUND Long-distance buses
Language Alban ian is Kosovo’s Albanian Kosovo’s main langua language ge – thou though gh you’ll find English and Serbian translations transla tions on all official signs in Kosovo. Germa Germann and sometimes English is widely spoken by the many refugees who returned to Kosovo after a few years in western Europe. Eu rope. 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. spell ing. 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 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
Buses in Kosovo run frequently, are reasonably fast, clean and good value. Pristina’s bus station serves all Kosovo and international destinations. 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 minu tes 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 b e sure to refuse the €1 car park fee for being dropped off. Left luggage services are provided by the shefi I narimit of office fice (open (op en 06:00-20:00, €1/day).
International bus schedule From Pristina Dep. Arr. City Price Comment 11:00 17:00 €10 10-1 -15 5 Exc Excep eptt Sat. Sat. BELGRADE € 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: 9:0 00 00:30 PODGORICA* €10-15 SKOPJE 05:3 :30 0 07:00 €5 SKOPJE 06:00 07:30 €5 SKOPJE 06:30 08:00 €5 SKOPJE 07:25 09:00 €5 E xcept Sun. SKOPJE 07:55 09:30 €5 E xcept Sun. SKOPJE 09:0 :00 0 10:30 €5 E xcept Sun. SKOPJE 10:00 11:30 €5 E xcept Sun. SKOPJE 10:30 11:00 €5 11:30 13:00 €5 SKOPJE 12:30 14:00 €5 SKOPJE 14:30 16:00 €5 SKOPJE 15:00 16:30 €5 SKOPJE 15:30 17:00 €5 SKOPJE 17:00 18:30 €5 SKOPJE TETOVA 06:30 09:3 :30 0 €5-10 TETOVA 07:15 10:15 €5-10 TETOVA 10:00 13:00 €5-10 TETOVA 13:00 16:00 €5-10 TETOVA 15:00 18:00 €5-10 TETOVA 17:00 20:00 €5-10 TIRANA** €20-25 04:00 10:00 TIRANA** €20-25 05:0 :00 0 11:00 TIRANA** €20-25 06:00 12:0 :00 0 15:00 21:00 TIRANA** €20-25 Tue, Thu, Sun. 17:00 23:00 TIRANA** €20-25 On Tue, * Travels on to Ulcinj ** Via either Kukes or Tetovo (Macedonia) Schedule correct at time of research in March 2011. Confirm all times before travelling.
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GETTING AROUND Public transport
Train schedule
Pristina is small and taxis are F r o m Pr i s h t i n a s t a t i o n To Prishtina station Pr i c e cheap, so you may never need No . Cit y Dep. Arr. No. to use public transport ( trafiku trafiku Dep. Arr. PEJA 0 7 : 5 0 0 9 : 5 7 T L 4 2 0 1 05:32 07:32 IC760 €3 urban) in the city. The large PEJA 16:30 18:26 IC761 12:10 14:10 TL4200 €3 second-hand city buses lumSKOPJE 0 7 : 1 0 0 9 : 5 2 I C 8 9 1 1 6 : 3 5 1 9 : 3 5 I C 8 9 2 €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 D e p . A r r . N o . C i t y D ep. Arr. No. be purchased on the buses; 08:01 09:46 TL4201 05:32 07:21 I C760 € 2. 80 PEJA enthusiasts can buy a city bus 1 6 : 4 1 1 8 : 2 6 I C 7 6 1 1 2 : 1 0 1 3 : 5 9 T L 4 2 0 0 € 2 . 80 PEJA month card for €10. A useful 07:22 09:52 I C891 16:35 19:25 I C892 €3.70 SKOPJE 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 Fush ë Kosovë station. southeast of Pristina) via Bul. i * Price valid till the bord er; an additional €5 is to be paid on board for the remaining stretch. Deshmoreve, Rr. Eqrem Qabej and Rr. Luan Haradinaj, through the centre to Gërmia Park. Kombi minibus N°5 follows the fairly impressive in its day. Now it’s an empty shell, with dusty same route. Kombi bus N°1 goes from the eastern end of Bul. departure boards and a rather beautiful Tito-era statue outside. Bill Clinton Cli nton to the station at Fushë Fush ë Kosovë for €0,50. Get here by taxi (€7-10) or with the N°1 minibus (€0.40), which departs every 5-10 minutes from Bul. Bill Clinton (between Rr. R. Doli and Rr. Perandori Justinian). Fushë Kosovë station has trains to and from Pristina, Peja and Skopje. Starting Starti ng at €1,50 (€2 after 22:00) plus €0.60 €0.60 per kilometre, fares are cheap in Pristina. The jury is out as to the trust worKosovo Railways (Hekurudhat e Kosovës) Sheshi i Lirisë, Fushë Kosovë, tel. +381 38 55 05 50 55, info@ thiness of your average Pristina cabbie - some reports claim every taxi is driven by a direct desc endent of Mother Teresa kosovorailway.com, www.kosovorailway.com. Information herself,f, whilst others insist it’s all a Serbian conspiracy. Use hersel about timetables and prices pric es 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 Albani an. Our favourite cabbie cabbi e is Musa (tel. +386 49 85 14 50), a for- Kosovo Kosovo’s ’s most reliable travel agencies. mer economics teacher who reads Hegel and Kierkegaard Note to the numerous readers reader s 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 directl y. 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 Rober ti Taxi 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 22/+377 44 23 23 24. English-speaking travel agency. QOpen 08:30 - 19:30, Sat Victoryy Taxi Victor 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,
[email protected], www. beinkosovo.com. Foreigner-oriented travel services including hotel bookings, bo okings, car rental, guiding, guiding, cultural and adventure ad venture tourism. As the national railway ra ilway company Kosovo Railways (KR) candidly Kosova Airlines A-3, Rr. Garibaldi, tel. +381 38 22 02 bo okingprn@kosovaairlines. admits on its website, it’s in a bad situation. Originally Originall y built by 20, fax +381 38 24 91 86, bookingprn@kosovaairlines. the French (the Skopje-Mitrovica tracks were completed by com, www.flyksa.co w ww.flyksa.com. m. 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 Agent for various airlines. Below the Grand Hotel. QOpen Udha e Frengut), it is now seemingly operated more as 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 trai n 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 informatio n the man who worked there had gone for cof coffee). fee). 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
Taxis
Travel a gen gents ts
Trains
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MAIL & PHONES Post and telephone services are increasingly reliable and better value with the advent of competition.
E xpress mail mail DHL A/B-3, Bul. Nëne Tereza 29b, tel. +381 38 24
55 45, fax +381 38 24 93 07,
[email protected], www.dhl.com. QOpen 08:00 - 17:00, Sat 09:00 - 13:00. Closed Sun. FedEx Rr. Eqrem Qabej 137-145, tel. +381 38 55 08 70, fax +381 38 55 08 90,
[email protected], www. fedex.com. QOpen 08:00 - 19:00. Closed Sun. TNT A-3, Rr. Garibaldi, tel. +381 38 22 22 90,
[email protected], www.tnt.com. QOpen 08:00 - 17:00, Sat 09:00 - 13:00. Closed Sun. UPS (ALD Express) B-3, Rr. UÇK 105/1, tel. +381 38 24 22 22, fax +381 38 24 99 99, 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 wi th a bang in i n Kosovo just a few years ago. Many businesses now have websites, though many of th em 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,
[email protected], www.takime.de. Internet access from €1 per hour, CD burning, and ISP services. Check out the website for the English-la En glish-language nguage dating/socialising dating/socialising service. ser vice. 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 Kosovo neighbou ring countries, countrie s, €0,70 €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@post-
aekosoves.net, ww aekosoves.net, www.postaek w.postaekosoves.net. osoves.net.The city centre post office. Ironically, a listed historical building which was of importance to the wartime anti-fascist movement was demolished demolish ed illegally to make way for for this ghastly new building. buildin g. Have a think about that while you lick your stamps. Main Post Offi Office ce Bul. i Dëshmorëve, tel. +381 38 55 45 54, info@postaekos inf
[email protected], oves.net, ww w.postaekos w.postaekosoves.net. oves.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, nectio ns, 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 The service ser vice is erratic, but better than nothing, and is charged at a reasonable €0.40 €0.40/hour. /hour.
Pristina In Your Pocket
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 th e 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 Princes s Stephanie Stephani e on the blower. IPKO and D3 numbers start with S lovenia’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 - effecti effectively vely offering the cheapest roaming rates in Kosovo. Serbia’s Telenor network illegally covers parts of Kosovo, Kosovo, including areas a reas of Pristina, with authorities regularly pulling pul ling down their thei r masts. To To avoid high roaming costs on your home network, buy b uy a local prepaid prepai d SIM card at an IPKO or D3 Mobile shop, or at a post office of fice 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,
[email protected], 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,
[email protected], 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, pre fix with +381 and drop any first zero. ze ro. 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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SHOPPING 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, shops, some of whi ch 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,
[email protected]. The cit y’s first first book café has a good selection selec tion of English-language English-language books and magazines (including the regional In Your Pocket city guides) plus a cool café. Any books you may desire can be ordered from abroad. QOpen 07:00 - 22:00, Sun 10:00 - 18:00. Dukagjini Dukag jini International International Bookshop B-3, Bul. Nëna Tereza 20, tel. +381 38 24 81 43,
[email protected], www.dukagjinibookshop.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 You’ll understan d that most of those th ose 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. kn owledgeable owner of this highbrow CD, DVD and com. The knowledgeable book shop sells ‘music and films that matter’: classic films and music you don’t see in the oth er shops, and a good place to get advice on l ocal music and ask about abou t gigs. Literature, music and art books too. QOpen 11:00 - 20:00. Closed Mon.
pristina.inyourpocket.com
The frame shop
Fashion & Shoes Sho es 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,
[email protected], www.dergonilule.com. Beautiful bouquets and tempting chocolates (€20/kg). Delivers anywh ere 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 statu es, Indian products and other presents. presen ts. Near Rruga Qamil Hoxha. Hoxha. QOpen 09:00 - 20:00. Closed Sun. Silver Gallery A-2, Rr. Rexhep Luci 15, tel. +381 38 wi th delicate Prizren filigran jewellery 24 85 20. A boutique with as well as importe imp ortedd silver i tems from Turkey Turkey.. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00. Closed Sun. Women for Women B-2, Rr. UÇK 42, tel. +381 38 24 84 17,
[email protected], www.womenforwomen. in ternational organisation organisation promoting women’s rights org. The international and self-sufficiency self-su fficiency in former war zones has shops in Pristina selling hand-made local handicrafts such as rugs, aprons, placemats and clothing. Also availab available le online. QOpen 08:00 - 16:00. Closed Sat, Sun.
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SHOPPING What you said
Photography
A selection of reader’s comments from the Pristina In Your Pocket website. You too can add your opinion, below every review on www.pristina.inyourpocket. com.
QOpen
Ambasador Great service, nice breakfast, and the sauna is good. Best hotel that I have seen in Pristi na. Vaari, Finland
Sara I really loved my one-night one-ni ght stay here. My room was spotless and quiet, and bed be d was comfy. Staff were without withou t exception helpful and friendl y. Best of all, really good value. Philomena O’Brien, Belgrade, Serbia
Kosovo Museum Had an awesome time today with some fellow US Ar my National Guard soldiers while touring the museum. Levi Biass, Atlanta, USA
Amélie I love Amelie, such great food and I am SO happy they have complied with the non-smoking law, Bravo! I’ll be there all of the th e time now. Maggie, Pristina, Kosovo
Mumtaz Mahal Really really good; never had anything there that I did not love. VM, USA
Pjata Fantastic little place. Great food, great atmosphere, superb service servic e and friendl friendlyy prices. Every Everything thing we ordered was just great. Slobodan Milic Milic,, Kraljevo, Serbia
Sokoli e Mirusha The best place to have an unforgettable night, and never never boring even if you go every night! The best jazz music musi c ever. ever. Arta, Prishtina, Kosovo
Musical instruments Pro Music A-4, Rr. Perandori Justinian, tel.
+377 44 50 33 22,
[email protected], w ww. promusic-pr.com. A small shop shop packed with mostl y electric instruments, plus lots of strings and other spare parts. Q Open 09:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 18:00. Closed Sun.
Office Equipment & Supplies Albus Rr. Eqrem Çabej, tel. +381 38 55 55
27/+381 38 53 44 45,
[email protected], www:albus-ks.com. Office supplies, school materials and computer necessities. Dealer for Casio, Senator, Emtec, Targus, OfficePoint an d more. Q Open 08:00 19:00. Closed Sun. Comtrade Computers Rr. Eqerem Çabej, tel. +381 38 22 26 95/+377 44 22 26 95, www.comtradecomputers.com. Computers, printers and other hardware and software soft ware for for in the office and at home. QOpen 08:30 - 17:00. Closed Sun.
Pristina In Your Pocket
Foto Gagi A-3, Fehmi Agani 40, tel. +381 38 23 66 66. 08:30 - 21:00. Closed Sun.
Topfoto A-2, Rr. UÇK 17, Qafa Centre, tel. +381 38 24 30 44. QOpen 08:30 - 20:00. Closed Sun.
Specialit Specia lityy shops sh ops Lumi Bakery B-4, Rr. Eqerem Qabej, tel. +381 38 22 97
52/+377 44 11 53 86. Delicious local and fore foreign-style ign-style pastries, cakes and bread, all served with a smile. QOpen 08:00 - 18:00. Natyra C-3/4, Rr. Bregu i Diellit 5, tel. +381 44 20 86 lovely little li ttle 28. Pronounced natura and meaning nature, this lovely English-speaking English-sp eaking shop is crammed full of huge sacks of beans, rice, nuts and spices. Also find fresh eggs, Brazilian coffee beans and some delicious deli cious local lo cal honey. Up an alley east of the centre. QOpen 08:00 - 21:00, Sun 08:00 - 11:00. Runway Duty Free Pristina Airport, tel. +381 38 59 44 22, ww w.ari.ie. Beyond customs at the airport, Runway offers officially imported and guaranteed original perfumery, jewellery,, fashion, tobacco and liquor products, besides of jewellery fering souvenirs and the b est range of Kosovo T-shirts in the country. QOpen 04:00 - 21:00.
Sports Megasport B-2, Rr. Agim Ramadani 59, tel. +381 38
22 34 42, www.megasport.org. A good selection selec tion of equipment including includin g exercise exercise bikes, running machines, table tennis equipment, squash, badminton etc. QOpen 09:00 - 20:00, Sat 09:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun. Runners A-3, Rr. Garibaldi, tel. +377 44 13 83 32. Sports shoes and appare apparel.l. QOpen 09:00 - 20:00. Closed Sun.
Supermarkets & Malls Most foreigners do their shoppin g at one of several malls or ‘hypermarkets’ around town.
Albi Mall Veternik, Skopje road, tel. +381 38 50 02
02,
[email protected], www.albicenter.com. Th Thee recently expanded Albi Mall now has two additional floors, over 100 100 shops including a hypermarket, a good electronics shop and several boutiques with genuine, imported brand clothing like Tom Tailor, Vero Moda, Springfield and Jack Jones. There’s also a bowling alley and a kids’ playground. QOpen 07:30 - 22:30. Veternik, nik, Skopje road, tel. +377 44 48 88 Grand Store Veter 77, info@grandsto
[email protected], re-pr.com, w ww.grandstore-pr ww.grandstore-pr.com. .com. A large mall mall with a department store and hypermarket (open 08:00-23:00). On the upper floors find Diesel, Levi’s, Gap Kids and some good electronics elec tronics shops. For children there’s a Kid’s Land, for for others there’s th ere’s the Verti Vertigo go bar/restaurant. The excellent excel lent Gizzi Giz zi Grill restaurant is just outside. A free shut tle bus runs to the mall every hour. QOpen 10:00 - 22.00. Maxi Hipermarket A/B-2, Rr. Rexhep Luci, tel. +381 38 22 52 30,
[email protected], www.maxiks.com. Very hand y for the city ci ty centre, this large basement ‘hipermarket’ is as modern as it gets, and sells the usual goods plus wine, pork, fresh fish (sometimes live), foreign magazines and bakery products. Several other outlets across town. QOpen 07:00 - 24:00. Minimax Arberia, Film City, tel. +381 38 24 72 29, www.minimax-ks.com. Strategically placed near the exit of a large NATO base at the edge of town, Minimax has three floors of casual and sports clothes (including excellent Goretex coats). coats). The ground floor is crammed with cut-price CDs and DVDs DVDs (under €2) and a collection colle ction of porn films that’s th at’s impressive by any standards. QOpen 09:00 - 22:00.
pristina.inyourpocket.com
DIRECTORY Find business, health, officials and other useful contact details here.
Accountants Deloitte Kosova Rr. Bedri Pejani 3, tel. +381 38 24 55 82, fax +381 38 24 55 84.
Banks Several commercial banks have ATMs across Kosovo that can be used with international debit and credi t cards.
Banka Ekonomike A-2, Rr. Migjeni 1, tel. +383 38 22
53 53, fax +381 38 22 54 54,
[email protected], www.bek-bank.com. BKT A-3, Rr. Pashko Vasa 9, tel. +381 38 22 29 06, www.bkt.com.al. BPB (Bank for Private Business) B-2, Rr. UÇK 41, tel. +381 38 24 46 66, www.bpbbank.com. Central Bank of Kosovo (BQK) A-3, Rr. Garibaldi 33, tel. +381 38 222 055, www.bqk-kos.org. NLB Prishtina A-2, Rr. Rexhep Luci 5, tel. +381 38 24 61 85,
[email protected], www.nlbprishtinakos.com. ProCredit Bank A-3, Rr. George Bush, tel. +381 38 55 55 55,
[email protected], www. procreditbank-kos.com. Raiffeisen Bank B-4, Rr. UÇK 51, tel. +381 38 22 22 22, www.raiffeisen-kosovo.com. TEB Bank B-2, Rr. Agim Ramadani 15, tel. +381 38 23 00 00, fax +381 38 24 77 99, w ww.teb-kos.com.
Business connections American Chamber of Commerce in Kosovo A-2,
Rr. Gustav Majer 6, tel. +381 38 24 60 12, fax +381 38 24 80 12,
[email protected], www.amchamksv. regularly publishing org. The American business associa tion, regularly the Kosovo Business Journal Journal which can be downloaded free from the website. Austrian Chamber of Commerce Rr. Ahmet Krasniqi 22, tel. +381 38 54 14 00,
[email protected]. Croatian Chamber of Commerce B-2, Rr. Fehmi Agani 69B-1a, tel. +381 38 24 33 99, fax +381 38 24 33 98,
[email protected], www.hgk.hr. Kosovo Chamber of Commerce A-3, Bul. Nëne Tereza 20, tel. +381 38 22 47 41/+377 44 50 12 09, fax +381 38 22 42 99,
[email protected], www. odaekonomike.org. Riinvest B-3, Industrial Zone, tel. +381 38 60 13 20, fax +381 38 60 12 33,
[email protected], www.riinvestinstitute.org. The Institute Insti tute for Development Development Research.
Statistical Office of Kosovo (Enti i Statistikës së Kosovës) B-2, Rr. Zenel Salihu 4, tel. +381 38 23 51
Bowling Bo Bowling Rr. Shefqet Shkupi, tel. +377 44 24 12
51/+381 38 50 00 60. Pristina Pristina’s ’s best b owling centre with good equipment and a lively li vely cocktail bar and crepe restaurant. Also at the Albi Mall. QOpen 16:00 - 01:00, Sat, Sun 14:00 - 01:00. Princi i Arbërit Bowling Rr. Vellezerit Fazliu, Kodra e Trimave, tel. +381 38 24 42 44, www. hotel-princiiarberit.com. Several bowling lanes inside the Princi i Arbërit hotel. h otel.
pristina.inyourpocket.com
New architecture in Pristina
11, fax +381 38 23 50 33,
[email protected], ww w.ksgov.net/esk. Publishes lots of information online in English.
Cleaning Divine Cleaning Service Rr. Ismail Qemali 76, Arbëria,
tel. +377 44 54 12 21,
[email protected], www. divinecleaning.eu. House cleaning from €20-35, laundry/ ironing service, pet- and house sitting, and an After Party Rescue service. Pio A-4, Rr. Dardania SU1/5, 32, tel. +381 38 55 82 13/+377 44 17 34 47,
[email protected]. Cleaning of offices, houses and apartments, window and carpet cleaning, junk removal, and more. QOpen 08:00 20:00. Closed Sun.
Dentists Eurodent B-3, Rr. Qamil Hoxha 12, tel. +381 38 22 07 82. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00, Sat 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun. Petadent B-4, Rr. Ulpiana U3 III/B1, tel. +381 38 55 36 58/+377 44 62 54 60. QOpen 09:00 - 21:00. Closed Sat, Sun.
Education American School of Kosova A-3, Rr. Luan Haradinaj,
Pallati i Rinisë, tel. +381 38 22 72 77, inf o@askosova. org, www.askosova.org. The city-centre cit y-centre American school is an elementary and high school with about 450 pupils. American University in Kosovo (AUK) Rr. Nazim Gaffuri 21, tel. +381 38 60 86 08, fax +381 38 60 80 24,
[email protected], www.aukonline.org. Kosovo’s leading private university works with the Rochester Institute of Technology in the US. Also operates the Training and Development Developme nt Institute Insti tute offering offering Microsoft Academy and other international training courses for business. University of Prishtina B-3, Rr. George Bush, tel. +381 38 24 41 83,
[email protected], www.uni-pr.edu.
Spring - Summer 2011
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42
DIRECTORY Malaysia A-3, Rr. Bedri Shala 48, Velania, tel. +381 38
Sports Fitness Gym Prishtina A-3, Rr. Luan Haradinaj,
Pallati i Rinisë dhe i Sporteve, info@fitness-prishtina. Pallati info@fitness-prishtina. Pristina’s ’s best gym g ym com, www.fitness-prishtina.com. Pristina has 300 square metres of modern equipment and trainers. QOpen 10:00 - 22.00. Closed Sun.
Gërmia Park swimming pool Rr. Nazim Gafurri. Large open-air swimming pool in the park. sion €1,5.
Q
Admis-
Prishtina Golf Llapnasellë, tel. +377 45 34 34
33/+389 49 34 34 33,
[email protected],
[email protected], www. ww w. prishtinagolf.com. Minigolf with a difference; no concrete here, but 18 grass miniature versions of famous holes across the world, so you can put t your way from St Andrews to Ballybunion. Ballybuni on. There’s also a driving range and a restaurant. QOpen 12:00 - 22:00, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 22:00. Minigolf €5, children €3. Driving range ran ge clubs €5, 50/100 balls €5/8.
Foreign For eign representations representation s Many countries now have embassies, consulates or liaison offices in Pristina. Their use to travellers in need of help is often quite limited, and you may have to contact or visit your Belgrade or Skopje embassy. Losing your passport in Kosovo is a very bad idea; your representation office can probably only help you with documents for travel to your Skopje embassy or with an emergency passport that only allows for travel straight home.
Albania Rr. Mujo Ulqinaku 18, tel. +381 38 24 82 08,
fax +381 38 24 82 09,
[email protected]. Austria Rr. Ahmet Krasniqi 22, tel. +381 38 24 92 84, fax +381 38 24 92 85,
[email protected]. Belgium Rr. Ilirida 23A, tel. +381 38 73 47 34, fax +381 38 73 57 35,
[email protected], www. diplomatie.be/pristina. Bulgaria Rr. Ismail Qemali 12, tel. +381 38 24 55 40, fax +381 38 24 55 43,
[email protected], www.mfa.bg/en/111. China Rr. Ismail Qemali 47, tel. +381 38 24 85 08, fax +381 38 24 91 26. Croatia A-3, Rr. Mujo Ulqinaku 20, tel. +381 38 22 39 78, fax +381 38 22 39 79,
[email protected]. Czech Republic Rr. Ismail Qemali 31, tel. +381 38 24 66 76, fax +381 38 24 87 82,
[email protected]. pristina@embas sy.mzv.cz. Finland A-3, Rr. Perandori Justinian 19, tel. +381 38 73 70 00, fax +381 38 73 28 63, sanomat.pri@formin. fi, ww www.finland w.finlandkoso kosovo.org vo.org.. France Rr. Ismail Qemali 67, tel. +381 38 22 45 88 00/+381 38 22 45 88 05, fax +381 38 22 45 88 01,
[email protected]. Germany Rr. Azem Jashanica 17, tel. +381 38 25 45 00, fax +381 38 25 45 36,
[email protected], ww w. pristina.diplo.de. Greece Rr. Ismail Qemali 68, tel. +381 38 24 30 13, fax +381 38 24 55 33,
[email protected]. Hungary Rr. 24 Maji, 23, tel. +381 38 24 77 63, fax +381 38 24 77 64,
[email protected]. Italy Rr. Azem Jashanica 5, tel. +381 38 24 49 25, fax +381 38 22 49 29,
[email protected]. Japan A-3, Rr. Rexhep Mala 43, tel. +381 38 24 99 95, fax +381 38 24 54 34,
[email protected]. Luxembourg Rr. Metush Krasniqi 14, tel./fax +381 38 22 67 87. Macedonia Rr. 24 Maji, tel. +381 38 24 74 62, fax +381 38 24 74 63,
[email protected], www.mfa.gov.mk.
Pristina In Your Pocket
24 34 67, fax +381 38 24 34 64. Netherlands Rr. Xhemajl Berisha 12, tel. +381 38 51 61 01, fax +381 38 51 61 03,
[email protected], www.mfa. ww w.mfa. nl/en/europe/kosovo/embassy_pristina. Norway Rr.Sejdiu Kryeziu nr. 6, tel. +381 38 23 21 11 00, fax +381 38 23 21 11 22,
[email protected], www.norway-kosovo.no. Romania Rr. Azem Jashanica 25, Arbëria, tel. +381 38 24 62 72,
[email protected]. Russia Rr. Eduard Lir 20, tel. +381 38 24 71 12, fax +381 38 24 71 13,
[email protected]. Slovakia Rr. Metush Krasniqi 7, tel. +381 38 24 01 40, fax +381 38 24 94 99, branchemb.pristina@mzv. sk, www.mzv.sk/pristina. Slovenia A-3, Rr. Anton Ceta 6, tel. +381 38 24 62 55, fax +381 38 24 62 56,
[email protected]. Sweden Rr. Perandori Justinian 19, tel. +381 38 24 57 95, fax +381 38 24 57 91, ambassaden.pristina@sida. se, www.swedenabroad.com. Switzerland Rr. Adrian Krasniqi 11, tel. +381 38 24 80 88/+381 38 24 80 89, fax +381 38 24 80 78, pri.
[email protected], www.eda.admin.ch/pristina. Turkey Rr. Ismail Qemali 59, tel. +381 38 22 60 44, fax +381 38 22 60 31,
[email protected].
[email protected]. United Kingdom Rr. Ismail Qemali 6, tel. +381 38 25 47 00, fax +381 38 24 97 99, britishembassy.pristina@ fco.gov.uk, www.ukinkosovo.fco.gov ww w.ukinkosovo.fco.gov.uk. .uk. USA Rr. Nazim Hikmet 30, tel. +381 38 54 95 16, fax +381 38 54 98 90,
[email protected], http:// pristina.usembassy.gov.
Hair & Beauty Menda A-2/3, Rr. Luan Haradinaj, tel. +381 38 22 78 00.
A good, modern hairdresser in a designer space. Men’s cuts from €8, women from €18. QOpen 08:00 - 20:00. Closed Sun. Vogue Hair Rr. Agim Ramadani 22/31, tel. +381 38 24 72 96,
[email protected], www.voguehair.net. Join the local celebrities celebri ties at the best-known salon in the city, city, with several English-speaking hairdressers.
Hospitals & Clinics Euromed Rr. Nëna Tereza 158, Fushë Kosova, tel.
+381 38 53 40 72, fax +381 38 53 40 73, info@klinikainf
[email protected], www.klinika-euromed.com. Modern, private general hospital just west of Pristina. Poliklinika Radiolog Radiologjike jike Medico Rr. Lamella 11-10, tel. +377 44 16 72 99. QOpen 09:00 - 19:00, Sat 09:00 - 16:00. Closed Sun. Rezonanca A-3, Rr. Ahmet Zogu, tel. +381 38 24 38 01/+377 44 12 96 78, fax +381 38 24 56 50, mail@ rezonanca.com, www.rezonanca.com. Q Open 24hrs.
International organisations Council of Europe Kragujevci 8, UNHCR HQ, tel. +
381 38 24 37 49, fax + 381 38 24 37 52, ww w.coe.int. DAI (Development Alternative Inc) Rr. Shaban Polluzha 3,
[email protected], www.dai.com.
EBRD (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development) A - 2, Rr. Agim Ramadani, tel. +381 38
24 81 53, fax +381 38 24 81 52,
[email protected], www.ebrd.com. The EBRD uses investment to help build the market economy and democracy in Kosovo. ESI (Kosovar Stability Initiative) A-3, Rr. Garibaldi H11-6, tel. +381 38 22 23 21,
[email protected], www.iksweb.org. A non-profit research and policy institute. institu te. The website has many interesting articles about ab out everything from energy policy to emigration.
pristina.inyourpocket.com
44
DIRECTORY The Best of Pristina The staff at Pristina Pris tina In Your Pocket have had fun writing what we thing about the city’s restaurants, bars, clubs and sights – but now it’s time for the readers to make themselves themsel ves heard. What is your favourite favourite place in Pristina for local food, for a snack, for drinks, or for a confere conference? nce? In the next edition we’ll have a questionnaire and an online poll. Write to us at
[email protected] to let us know your favourites so we can draw up the shortlist shortli st for voting. The The categories are... Best Kosovan restaurant Best Italian restaurant Best international restaurant Best fast food restaurant Best burek shop Best pizza restaurant Best café/bar Best club Best cultural institution Best Pristina sight Best daytrip destination Best daytrip destination Best shopping centre Best business hotel Best leisure hotel Best hotel outside Pristina Best conference venue
EULEX Rr. Muharrem Fejza, tel. +386 43 78 20 00, fax
+386 43 78 65 56,
[email protected], www.eulexkosovo.eu. The European Union Rule of Law Mission, which supports the Kosovo police, judiciary and customs. ICS (International Crisis Group) A-2, Rr. Fehmi Agani 36-1/1, tel./fax +381 38 24 35 61,
[email protected], www.crisisgroup.org. A think tank ‘working to prevent prevent conflict worldwide’. Sever S everal al dozen articles ab out Kosovo are online. Tereza,, IMF (International Monetary Monetar y Fund) Bul. Nëna Tereza tel. +381 38 24 46 55, www.imf.org. KFOR (Kosovo Force) Arberia, Film City, tel. +381 38 50 36 03 20 70,
[email protected], www.nato. int/kfor. The NATO-led international force responsible for establishing and maintaining security in Kosovo. KFOS (Kosovo Foundation for Open Society) Rr. Imzot Nikëprelaj, Villa 13, Ulpiana, tel. +381 38 54 21 57,
[email protected], www.kfos.org. Active in the fields of education and youth, human rights, civil society, media, women programs, etc.
KIPRED (Kosovar Institute for Policy Research & Development) C-3/4, Rr. Rexhep Mala 5A, tel./fax
+ 381 38 22 77 78,
[email protected], www.kipred.net. Works to promote democracy in Kosovo. OSCE A-2, Rr. Tirana, tel. +381 38 50 01 62, fax +381 38 24 07 11, www.osce.org/kosovo. PAK (Privatisation Agency of Kosovo) B-1, Rr. Ilir Konushevci 8, tel. +381 38 50 04 00,
[email protected], www.pak-ks.org.
UNDP (United Nations Development Programme)
A - 3, Rr. Perandori Justinian 16, tel. +381 38 24 90 66, fax + 381 38 24 90 67,
[email protected], www. ks.undp.org. UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) B-3, Rr. Ali Pashë Tepelena Tepelena 1, tel. +381 38 24 92 30, fax +381 38 24 92 34,
[email protected], www.unicef.org. UNMIK A-3, Rr. Luan Haradinaj, tel. +381 38 50 46 04/+377 44 502 017, www.unmikonline.org.
Pristina In Your Pocket
World Bank A-3, Rr. Mujo Ulqinaku 3, tel. +381 38
24 94 59,
[email protected], www.worldbank.org. EC (European Commission Liaison Office) Rr. Kosovo 1, tel. +381 38 513 13 20 00, fax +381 38 51 31 305, delegation-k
[email protected] [email protected], uropa.eu, www.delprn. w ww.delprn. ec.europa.eu.
Language schools Britannica EL ELT T Rr. Imzot Nikprelaj, Ulpiana, tel. +381
38 54 46 53,
[email protected], www.britannica-elt.com. Albanian language courses for foreigners.
Lawyers Ekrem Smajli B-2, Rr. Fehmi Agani 9/1, tel. +381 38 22 79 24.
Fazli Balaj B-2, Rr. UÇK 47/D, tel. +377 44 11 50 26.
Libraries Municipality Library Hivzi Sylejmani A-2, Rr. UÇK 10, tel. +381 38 23 29 80. 08:00 - 15:30. Closed Sun.
QOpen
08:00 - 19:00, Sat
National & University Library of Kosova B-3, Sheshi
Hasan Prishtina, tel./fax +381 38 24 96 50, www. biblioteka-ks.org. For a description, see the Sightseeing chapter. QOpen 07:00 - 21:00, Sat 07:00 - 14:00. Closed Close d Sun.
Marketing AMM Rr. Luan Haradinaj, Kino ABC 1, tel./fax +381 38
24 49 36,
[email protected], www.ammkosova.com. Outdoor advertising, ad vertising, maintenance and office office cleaning cleaning services. servi ces. Ogilvy Kosovo B-1/2, Rr. Ilaz Agushi 4, tel. +381 38 23 23 33,
[email protected], www.ogilvyks.com.
Massage Sala Thai Massage & Spa A-2, Rr. UÇK, Qafa complex,
flo or of the Qafa complex, tel. +377 44 16 85 21. On the first floor Sala Thai of offers fers traditional Thai T hai massage massa ge for €25/hr, €25/hr, Swedish massage at €35/hr, Thai herbal massage, foot massage, bodyy scrub, facial treatment, aromatherapy and a sauna. bod
Media Kosovalive A - 3, Pallati i Shtypit, Anex 2, tel./fax
+381 38 24 82 76,
[email protected], www. kosovalive.com. Local news in English. Prishtina Insight tel. +381 38 24 33 58/+381 38 22 44 98,
[email protected], ww w.prishtinainsigh w.prishtinainsight. t. com. Prishtina Insight is a qualit y biweekly English-la English-language nguage newspaper published by BIRN, the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network. The paper is for sale at €1 at the airport, hotels and shops, and as a PDF by internet subscription. 38 55 Radio 21 A-3, Pallati i Shtypit Anex 2, tel. +381 38 00 88,
[email protected], www.rtv21.tv. RTK B-2, Rr. Xhemail Prishtina 12, tel. +381 38 23 01 02/+381 38 23 12 11, www.rtklive.com. Kosovo’s public television.
Ministries Ministry for f or Community and Return B-2, Bul. Nëne
Tereza, tel. +381 38 55 20 4716 50 4, sabit.hykolli@ ks-gov.net, hwww.mkk-ks.org.
Ministr y of Agriculture, Forestry & Rural DevelopMinistry Tereza 35, tel. te l. +381 38 21 18 21, jusuf. ment Bul. Nëne Tereza
[email protected], www.mbpzhr-ks.net.
pristina.inyourpocket.com
46
DIRECTORY Ministry of Education, Science & Technology Rr.
Musine Kokalari 18, tel. +381 38 54 09 74, masht@ masht-gov.net, www.masht-gov.net. Ministry of Environment & Spatial Planning C-1, Rr. Pashko Vasa, tel. +381 38 51 78 00, fax +381 38 51 78 45, www.ks-gov.net/mmph. Ministry of Finance & Economy A-3, Bul. Nëne Tereza 21, tel. +381 38 20 03 43 39/+381 38 20 03 41 71,
[email protected], www.mef-rks.org. Tereza, tel. +381 Ministry of Foreign Affairs Bul. Nëne Tereza, 38 21 39 63, fax +381 38 21 39 85,
[email protected], www.ks-gov.net/mpj. Ministry of Labour & Social Welfare tel. +381 38 20 02 13, fax +381 38 24 42 29, info_mpms@yahoo. com, www.ks-gov.net/mpms. Ministry of Mining and Energy Bul. Nëne Tereza, tel. +381 38 20 02 15 05,
[email protected], mem.inf
[email protected], www.ks-gov.net/mem. Ministry of Public Administration Rr. Pashko Vasa, tel. +381 38 20 03 09 42,
[email protected], ww www. w. ks-gov.net/map. Ministry of Trade amd Industry A-3, Rr. Muharrem Fejza, tel. + 381 38 51 21 64, fax + 381 38 51 27 98, www.mti-ks.org. Ministry of Transport & Communication B-2, Bul. Nëna Tereza, Tereza, tel. +381 38 20 02 80 05,
[email protected], www.mtpt.org. Prime Minister’s Office B-2, Bul. Nëna Tereza, tel. +381 38 21 12 02,
[email protected], www. kryeministri-ks.net.
Municipality Town Hall B-2, Rr. Trepca 2, tel. +381 38 24 53 48, www.prishtina-komuna.org. Pristina’s mayor is Mr. Isa Mustafa.
NGOs Balkan Sunflowers A-3, Rr. Luan Haradinaj, Pallati i
Rinisë, 114, tel. +381 38 24 62 99, www.balkansunflowers.org. International volunteers participating in local communitityy life. commun li fe. CHwB (Cultural Heritage without Borders) Rr. R. Zogoviq 8, tel./fax +381 38 24 39 18, kosovo@chwb. org, www.chwbkosovo.org. Works to preserve and promote endangered cultural heritage. Also a major contribu tor to the Prizren and Peja In Your Pocket guides. ww w. Çohu tel. +381 38 24 85 06/+377 44 11 05 08, www. democracy. cohu.org. Fighting corruption and promoting democracy. Ombudsperson B-4, Rr. Agim Ramadani, tel. +381 38 50 14 01, fax +381 38 54 53 02, ombudsperson@ ombudspersonkosovo.org, ombudspersonkosov o.org, ww www.ombudspersonk w.ombudspersonkosovo. osovo. org. Sami Kurteshi investigates abuse of authority and general incompetence by public institutions in Kosovo. A busy man indeed. Save the Children Rr. Nazim Hikmet 4, tel. +381 38 23 12 96, www.savethechildren.net. USAID Rr. Ismail Qemali 1, tel. +381 38 24 36 73, fax + 381 38 24 94 93,
[email protected], www. usaid.gov/kosovo. Aims to help the private sector develop, encourages democratic institutions, and rebuilds community community infrastructure.
Opticians Oculo Optika B-2, Rr. Agim Ramadani 52, tel. +381
38 22 16 21,
[email protected], www.oculoptika.com. QOpen 09:00 - 20:00, Sat 09:00 - 15:00. Closed Sun.
Pristina In Your Pocket
Emergencies Police 92
Fire 93
Ambulance 94
Pharmacies barnatore ) like to close earl y - we gave up lookPharmacies ( barnatore ing for a 24hr pharmacy. pharma cy. Bring all your basic medical medic al supplies with you, and get good health insurance b efore you arrive.
AD Pharma B-4, Rr. Dëshmorët e Kombit 64, tel. +381
38 55 06 98. QOpen 08:00 - 24:00. Leka Med B-1, Veternik, tel. +381 38 54 88 45, fax +381 38 54 07 12. QOpen 08:00 - 23:00.
Public Pub lic Util U tilities ities For when the light goes off or the water turns brown.
KEK A-4, Rr. Ilaz Kodra, tel. +381 38 22 78 42, www.
kek-energy.com. The ser vice you’ll love to hate. While While you still have electricit electri cityy, check the websi te for for an estimate of how many hours of power you’ll have today. KRM Pastrimi Bul. Bill Clinton, tel. +381 38 52 51 91, fax +381 38 60 31 51,
[email protected]. Waste utility. KUR Prishtina A-4, Bul. Bill Clinton, tel. +381 38 60 30 10, info@kur-prisht inf
[email protected], ina.com, ww w.kur-pr w.kur-prishtina.com. ishtina.com. Pristina’s water utility. Termokosi A-4, Dardania p.n, tel. +381 38 54 40 15,
[email protected], info@termok os.org, ww w.termok w.termokos.org. os.org. The heating utility. Ring these chaps when you’re not so warm and kosi.
Reall estate Rea es tate Many ‘internationals’ prefer to live in the Arbëria/Dragodan district on the hillside west of the centre. Rents vary per area; apartments in the centre are around €400 per month, Sunny Hill €500 and Arbëria up to €700; several agencies can help you find a place to stay, but alternatively just walk around town and look l ook for ‘apartment for rent’ signs. To avoid avoid hassle, sign a proper contract, make sure the landl ord does all utility utilit y payments, and be clear up front about your privacy (see www.mtcowgirl.us for more tips). tips). Foreigners rarely bu y houses here, but prices of quality houses are fairly stable at €1,200-2,000 per square metre.
Eco Impex B-2, Rr. Fehmi Agani 9/1, tel. +381 38 24
92 64, fax +381 38 24 92 63,
[email protected], www.ecoimpex-90.com. Proper Property ty to rent, as well well as apartments, houses and land for sale. Prishtina Property A-2, Rr. Edit Durham, tel. +377 44 13 06 15, fax +381 38 24 48 98, rent@prishtinaproper ty. com, www.prishtinaproperty.com. The first real estate company in town with detailed photos of their apartments, houses, offices and land online. YREA Rr. Lekë Dukagjini 6/6, tel. +377 44 55 01 11,
[email protected], www.acommodation.webs.com. Your Real Estate Agent has long and short-term apartment rental.
Relocations Matrix Relocations tel. +381 38 548 265, www. matrixrelo.com.
Translators & Interpreters V&R Rr. 28 Nentori BB 1/5, 1/32, tel. +386 49 17 34 47. QOpen 08:00 - 20:00. Closed Sun.
pristina.inyourpocket.com
KOSOVO MAP
47
Strolling along pedestrianised Bul. Nenë Tereza
pristina.inyourpocket.com
Spring - Summer 2011
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INDEX & STREET REGISTER Index A&A 17 Academy Building 29 Adria 14 Afa 14 Amadeus 18 Ambasador 12 Amélie 21, 24 Archaeological Archae ological Park 32 Aroma Bistro 21 Arte 20 Avenue Bar 24 Baci 12 Baraka 24 Baron 18 Bazaar 30 Begolli 16 Bel Ami 17 Bistro Bar 24 Bollywood 17 Bosna 2 18 Bosna 4 18 Bukka 24 Café e Vogel 24 Cantina am/pm 22 Čao 22 Çarshia Mosque 30 Catholic Cathedral 33 Cavallero 22 Centro 14 Chalet Denis 18 Chinese Restaurant 17 Christ the Saviour
Cathedral 32 Click 24 Clinton Billboard & Statue 33 Clock Tower 30 Country House 22 Crème de la Crème 24 Cube 25 Depo 25 De Rada 18 Dit' e Nat' 24 Duplex 25 Elzar 24 Emerald 16 Ethnographicc Museum 29 Ethnographi Ex 18 Fatih Mosque 30 Filikaqa 28 Fresko 21 Friends Sandwich Sandwich Bar 21 Full House 25 Gagi Café 18 Gërmia Park 32 Gizzi Grill 18 Gorenje Niti Tiki 16 Gračanica Gračan ica Monastery Monastery 32 Grand 12 Great Hamam 30 Guesthouse Guest house Velania 16 Hamam Jazz Bar 28 Hani i 2 Rober tëve 18 Hard Rockers Club 28
Street regist r egister er All the street names below refer to the Pristina city centre map on pages 48-49 and are prefixed with Rruga (Rr.) except for the squares (sheshi) and boulevards (Bulevardi). 1 Tetori C-3 2 Korriku B-3 24 Maji A-1 Abdyl Frashëri B-3/4 B-3/ 4 Adem Gashi C-1 Adem Gllavica B-1 Afrim Loxha C-1/2 Afrim Vitija B-2/3 Afrim Zhitija B-4 Agim Ramadani B-2/3/4 Ahmet Ka. C-1 Ali Hadri C-2 Ali Kelmendi C-3/4 C-3/ 4 Ali P.T .Tepel epelena ena B-3 Andrea Gropa B-2 Antigona Fazliu B/C-1 B/C1 Anton Ceta B-3/4 Ardian Krasniqi B/C-3 Arkitekt Kadri Gega B-3 Armend Daci C-4 Asim Luzha C-3 Avni Rrustemi C-1 Azem Bab. C-1 Azem Bejta C-1 Bajram Curri A-2 Bajram Kelmendi B-2
Bajram Bahtiri A-1/2,B-1 Bedriri P. Bed B-2 Bulevardi Bill Clinton A-4 Bulevardi Nëne Tereza A-3,B-2/3 Bulevardi i Deshmorëve A-4 Butrinti C-1 Çajupi B-2 Dervish Rozhaja C-4 Dimitrije T. B-3 Eduard Lir A-1 Emin Duraku B-2 Enver Berisha C-1 Eqrem Qabej C-2 Edmond Hoxha C-2 Esad Mekuli B-1 Fan S. Noli C-1 Fazli Grajqevci A/B-2 Fehmi Agani A/B-2 Ferat Dragaj C-4 Feriz Bl. A-1/2 Flor im Y. B-3/4 Ganimete Tërbeshi B-4,C-3/4 Garibaldi A-3 Gaspër Gjini B-1 Gazmend Zajmi B-3,C-3/4 George Bush A-3 Gjergj Fishta B-1 Gjin Gazulli C-4 Gustav Majer B-3 Hafez A. Korca C-1 Hajdar Dushi A/B-2
Pristina In Your Pocket
Hemingway 17 Himalayan Gorkha 22 Home 20 Il Passatore 21 Independence Museum 29 Izz y's Deli 21 Jashar Pasha Mosque 30 Jazz Club 212 28 Jewish Cemetery 33 Kocadishi House 30 Kosovaa Art Gallery Kosov 29 Kosovo Museum 29 Le Siam Thai 22 Liburnia 1&2 22 Lord 16 Lounge Food & More 20 Luxor 14 Lyon 14 Ma Belle 24 Maroon Pub 28 Metro Café 21 Mexicana 22 Mollëkuqja 25 Monument of Brotherhood and Unity 32 Morena 25 Mother Teresa statue 33 Mozaik 20 Mumtaz Mahal 17 National Library 32 National Martyr's Monument 32 Newborn 14 Newborn Monument 33 Ninety-One 28
Novo Brdo 33 ODA 24 Ora 14 ORTA 29 Osteria Basilico 21 Paddy O'Brien's 28 Palace of Youth & Sports 32 Pandora 17 Pandora Apartments 14 Parcae 20 Parku i Qytetit 32 Parku i Taukbahq es 32 Parku Varrezat e Dëshmorëve 32 Pejton 14 People's Bistro & Wine Bar 28 Peppermint 25 Photos of the missing 33 Pinocchio 21 Pinocchio Apartments 14 Pirinaz Mosque 30 Pishat 22 Pjata 20 Pllaza 16 Princeshaa Gresa Princesh 20 Princi i Arbëri Arbëritt 16 Prishtina 14 Proper Pizza 21 Publicco 25 Puro 22 Real 16 Renaissance II 20 Rings 20
Romantika Route 66 Royal Rron Rugova's Grave Sara Select Bistro Shadër vani Fountain Skanderbeg statue Sokoli e Mirusha Stacion St. Nicholas Church Strip Depot Syri i Kaltër Te Komit Komiteti eti The Cuban Tiffany's Tingellll Tangel Tinge angelll Tokyo Trafik Galeri Ulpiana Ultra Union Hotel building Victory Vila Corona Vila Gërmia Villa Lira Xhema Xhoni's Bar XIX YREA Zahir Pajaziti statue Zanzibar Zogu
22 17 14 22 33 16 20 30 33 28 29 33 25 24 20 25 22 25 21 25 33 20 33 14 17 20 20 16 25 21 16 33 28 16
Hajrulla Abdullahu C-4 Haki Pava. C-1 Haki Taha ahajj C-1 Hakif Zejnullahu B-4 Halil Alidemaj B-3 Hamdi Mram. B-2 Hamzë Jashari B-2/3 Haqi f Tetova B-1 Haxhi Zeka B-1/2,C-1 B-1/2,C1 Henrik Baric B-1/2 Henry Dynan A/B-4 Hilë Mosi C-1/2 Hilmi Rakovica C-4 Hoxh ë H.T H.Tahsi ahsini ni C-1/2 Hoxhë K. B/C-1 B/C1 Hysni Curri C-2 Ibrahim B. C-2 Ibrahim L. B-2 Idriz A. C-1 Idriz Gjilani A-4 Ilaz Kodra A-4 Ilir Konusheci B-1/2 Ilaz Agushi B-1 Ingrid Cara C-1 Isa Boletini C-2 Jeronim De Rada C-1 Jonuz Zejnullahu A-3 Josip Rela A-2 Kacaniku C-3 Kadrii D. Kadr B-1 Kajtaz Ramadani A-2 Korca C-1 Krasni. B-2 Lasgush Lasgu sh P. A-2 Latif Berish. B-3 Lidhja e Lezhes A-1 Lidhja e Prizrenit A-1/2 Lord Bajroni C-3/4 C-3/ 4
Luan Haradinaj A-2/3 Maliq P. Gjinolli B-1 Mark Isak A/B-2 Mbretiti Zogu I Mbre A-3/4 Mbreti Bardhyl B-1 Mehm et A.V. A-1 Mehm et P.D. A-1 Meto Bajraktari B-2 Migjeni A-2 Mihail Grameno C-1 Mirko Gashi B-1 Mithat Frashëri A-1 Mitrovica B-3/4 Mujë Krasniqi B-4 Mujo Ulqinaku A-3 Murat Mehmeti A-1 Musine Kokolari A-4 Mustafë Hoxha C-2 Mustafa Kruja B/C-2 Nak Berisha B-3 Nazim Gafurri C-1/2 Nikollaa Tesla Nikoll C-1 Pashko Vasa A-3 Per. Dioklecian A-2 Perandori Justinian A-3/4 A-3/4 Pjetër Bogdani A-1 Prishtina C-1 Qamil Bala C-4 Qamil Hoxha B-3 Radovan Z. A-3 Rasim Kicina C-1 Rexhep Luci A/B-2 Rexhep Mala B-3/4 B-3/ 4 Rifat Burxheviq C-4 Robert Doll A-3/4 A-3/ 4 Rrustem Statovci B/C-3 Rrustem Hyseni B/C-2 Sali Butka C-1
Sali Mani C-1 Sami Peja B-3 Selman R. C-2 Sejdi Kryeziu A-3 Selami Pulaha A-4 Shaban Polluzha B-2 Shaip Spah. C-3 Shefqet K. C-2/3 Shefqet Zeka B-1 Sheshi Hasan Prishtina B-3 Shkodra C-1 Sokol Dobr. A-2 Sokol Sopi C-3 Svetozar Markovic B-2 Sylejman Vokshi B-3 Taip K. B-2 Thimi Mitko C-4 Tirana A-2 UCK A/B-2 Vasil Andoni B-2 Vushtrria A/B-1 Xhafer Deva A-1 Xheladin Kurbaliu C-1 Xhelal Mitrovica C-2/3 Xhemë Gostivari C-2/3 Xhemajl Mustafa A-4 Xhemajl Prishtina B-1/2 Ylfete Humolli B-2 Ymer Alushani A-4 Ymer Berisha C-2 Zagrebi A-1/2 Zeki Shulem. B-2 Zejnel Salihu B/C-2 B/C2 Zija Prishtina B-1
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