This tiny nation is home to Europe's newest adventure scene

A youthful energy permeates Kosovo. Europe's youngest country is also home to the region's youngest population, with 55% under 30 years old. In the 20 years since the 1998-1999 Kosovo War, which resulted in the country's declaration of independence in 2008, Ottoman-era villages have been rebuilt, Byzantine villages have been rebuilt. fortresses were restored and nature tourism took off, with activities centered on the mountain ranges that Kosovo shares with its Balkan neighbors.

Prizren, the cultural center of the country during the Ottoman period (1455 to 1912), remains the most charming city in Kosovo. A 90-minute drive north, the appeal of little Peja lies in its location at the foot of Rugova Canyon. Carved over millennia by a retreating glacier, the gorge played a central role in the city's rebirth as an adventure hub. These contrasting cities offer a comprehensive overview of the country – one of Europe's only Muslim-majority countries – close to the capital, Pristina. Euros extend further here than anywhere else in Europe, and although Kosovo's tourism infrastructure is still developing, a reliable bus network makes getting around easy.

Day 1: Culture & cooking in Prizren

Morning
Prizren is home to a fascinating collection of museums overlooking the hilly northern bank of the namesake river. Start at the Archeology Museum, which houses hundreds of artifacts discovered in and around the city. The collection is housed in former 15th-century Ottoman baths, located under a clock tower dating from 1912. Climb the hundred or so stairs for stunning views of the old town before heading to the Ethnographic Museum on the street Bujar Godeni. Located in one of the city's few Ottoman-era mansions, its eclectic displays of clothing, furniture and curios offer a window into 19th-century Prizren, then aflame with radical ideas. To learn more, visit the Albanian League Complex in Prizren, site of an 1878 assembly at which local leaders first proposed a united Albanian state that would have included what is now Kosovo .

Afternoon
Cross the 16th-century stone bridge over the river and enjoy a traditional lunch at the Ambient, a restaurant with tables spread along the waterfront. Prepare your tava (a casserole-style dish cooked in a clay pot) with a short but steep hike that passes the hillside church of the old town to the Prizren Fortress. Originally built by the Byzantines and expanded by a succession of Serbian kings and Ottoman rulers, the fortress site has been in use since the Bronze Age. Damaged during the Yugoslav Wars, the fortification has since undergone extensive restoration, offering a glimpse of its former glory. Don't miss the displays of Neolithic pottery and Ottoman-era relics in the main building, and be sure to plan your visit for sunset, when the city below takes on a golden hue. The fortress occasionally hosts concerts during the summer months.

Evening
The cafes in Prizren's old town fill up after dark. Most locals stick to coffee and cigarettes (macchiatos are a popular choice), although traditional dishes and alcoholic drinks are also served. Try the wine; the vineyards of Rahovec, Kosovo's main wine-growing region, are just 30 km away. To take a break from the meat dishes that dominate most local menus, look for Noja Kujine. A cozy vegetarian restaurant run by a welcoming grandmother and her small team, its daily menu can include anything from a delicately spiced falafel wrap to a generous plate of pasta made with local cheese and dill. Check into the half-timbered Prizreni Hotel, a chalet-style property in the heart of the old town. For views of the cobblestone streets and gushing river, opt for a room with a balcony.

Day 2: History & nature in Peja

Morning
Get up early and head to the town of Peja, in the Rugova mountain region. Its old bazaar, razed during the Kosovo war, has since been rebuilt and is worth a detour. Follow your nose to the Saturday cheese market at the nearby market before visiting the Peja Museum, which takes place in the old restored house of a merchant. Inside, cleverly reconstructed rooms transport visitors to bygone eras. On the ground floor, displays of shimmering ceramics, local textiles and everyday objects like coffee grinders and cooking pots provide an intimate insight into the region. A 10-minute walk west from here, Art Design Restaurant straddles a gurgling mountain stream, making for a relaxing lunch stop. Traditional appetizers include meat-stuffed peppers known as speca dollma.

Afternoon
Seven miles north of Peja, White Drin Waterfall plunges 82 feet from the tip of a rock outcropping into a mossy mountain gorge. From the modern resort at its base, follow a paved path through a forest to the base of the falls, then climb a steep staircase to its gushing edge. On the way back, stop in the nearby village of Radavc to take a look inside the Bërdynaj Mill. Believed to have been built over 300 years ago, the stone flour mill has been in the same family since 1925 and still relies on the river to power its imposing millstone. Back in Peja, pick up a cultural trail map at the tourist information center opposite the Dukagjini Hotel and wander around the town looking for historical remains, from a ruined ancient hammam to the mosque Kursumli from the 16th century, one of the oldest buildings in the city.

Evening
Relax with a drink in one of William Walker Street's friendly bars. Stay local and order a shot of belly-warming rakia (fruit brandy) or try a glass of Crudo de Birra Peja beer, brewed with water from the mountain spring-fed White Drin River. Wine lists tend to be dominated by bottles produced by Stone Castle Vineyards and Winery, Kosovo's largest winery, but keep an eye out for drops from boutiques such as family-owned Daka Wine. For dinner, soak up the architectural heritage of Peja at Hotel Kulla and Zenel Beut, a renovated farmhouse serving traditional cuisine in its restaurant on the ground floor. Characterized by beautiful masonry and narrow arched windows, the Kulla recalls a time when houses were built to protect the occupants from enemy invasion.

Outdoor Adventures to Try

Prizren and Peja are ideal gateways to explore the wild and rugged landscapes of southern Kosovo. Here's where to sample the region's best outdoor activities and savor its most breathtaking views.

Via ferrata
The Cursed Mountains have become a mecca for via ferrata (climbing via a metal rail bolted into the mountain). Around Peja you will find four routes leading to the Rugova Canyon. The lowest and shortest mat is ideal for children. Nearby, Ari and Shpellat follow the same route before splitting up halfway, the latter passing through a series of caves to a peak about 200 meters above the canyon floor. Completed in 2021, Marimangat is Kosovo's newest and most difficult route. Often slippery due to its shady location, it takes three hours to complete. Kosovo outdoors And Natural from the Balkans Guided adventure tours and equipment rental.

Hiking
Rising behind Prizren, Sharr Mountains National Park is one of Europe's newest protected wilderness areas. The infrastructure is minimal, so you will need to contact the company based in Prizren. Sharri Ecotour, Balkan Natural Adventure or Outdoor Kosovo to organize a guided hike among the park's alpine lakes and wildflowers. Peja, located at the gateway to the Accursed Mountains, is a more established starting point for single and multi-day hikes, including the famous Via Dinarica, which connects seven countries. Day hikes include excursions to Gjeravica — to 2,656 meters, the highest mountain in Kosovo — and a scenic hike to two turquoise lakes above the village of Kuqishtë.

Potholing
Outdoor Kosovo's Fatos Katallozi has played a pioneering role in exploring the vast limestone cave systems of the Peja region, making their surreal formations more accessible to the public. His company offers tours of Sleeping Beauty Cathedral Cave, a network of underground channels just steps from Peja's White Drin Waterfall, as well as the more challenging Grand Canyon Cave in Rugova Canyon. No caving experience is required for either tour, although you'll need to be fit enough to undertake up to four hours of hiking along the river's underground passages on the Great Canyon Cave Trekking tour.