Balkan Trip 3 - Day Trip to Prizren, Kosovo - 19 October 2026

Last evening I had been to the Prishtina bus station and confirmed that buses for Prizren leave almost every half hour from platform number 5. I had also arranged with the owner of the accommodation to drop me at the bus station. We scheduled to leave at 7.30 am for bus station. In 20 minutes, he dropped me off and there was a bus on platform 5, which the driver said would leave in 10 minutes.

The bus pulled out of the platform at 7.50, With the start of the working week, the traffic was heavy and the roads were congested. Besides, the bus made many stops along the way to pick up and drop passengers. In addition, the single lane carriage way further slowed down traffic, particularly in the mountainous stretch between the two cities. I paid €5 for the trip. The cleanliness of the bus and its comfort left a lot to be desired, though.

We reached Prizren at 9.45 am. I enquired from a local shop where I could obtain a Sim card from and he directed me to an IPKO store near the platforms of the bus stand. I told the lady at the store that I would like a card that would work in Montenegro and Serbia as well. She suggested a diaspora card with 50 GB data, 500 SMS and many minutes of call for €25. I went for it. She did the paperwork swiftly once the passport was given to her. She wasn't sure about her proficiency with English and she got a young customer, who was waiting in the store, to let me know that the sim would be activated in 10 minutes. I was told to call a particular number to confirm the activation.

I took a chair outside the store and munched on a few snacks, waiting for the sim to be activated. While waiting for there I used the new toilet complex at the bus station. I was mighty impressed by the clean and neatly maintained complex. For the first time I didn't grudge the €0.50 I had to pay to do the job!

I went back to the IPKO store and the pleasant lady made the necessary call and confirmed that the sim had indeed been activated. I was assured of using the time in Prizren optimally once I got the Google maps working. Now it was time to start the schedule that I had chalked out in Prizren. I got through the schedule in the next four hours, without a false step.

The first stop from the bus station was at a building described in travel records as the "Leaning tower of Pisa Prizren". It is a weird local landmark and photoshoot spot. It is not any historical monument, but a building that leans against the one behind it for structural support. It is one of the most photographed buildings in Prizren.

Not far from the "leaning tower" is the Church of Our Lady of Ljevis, a 14th-century medieval Serbian Orthodox church. Built in the early 14th century, the church was built on the foundations of an 11th-century Byzantine Basilica and an even older ancient site. The design visibly includes Romanesque and Gothic influences. The interior houses celebrated early 14th-century frescoes painted by the renowned Greek masters.

Photography is strictly prohibited due to the precarious nature of the previous frescoes. The church was converted into a mosque during the 15th century under Ottoman rule with the addition of a minaret, which was removed in 1923. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site now. Access is free, but the caretakers regularly check in visitors to ensure that photographs are not taken.

A short walk from the church and I reached the Prizren Clock Tower, another cultural heritage monument, thought to have been built in the 15th century. The tower, along with the attic, was originally built of wood, but was rebuilt in stone in the 19th century, with the addition of a clock and a small bell. In 1975 the building was converted into a museum and exhibits objects excavated from the region.

I climbed the steep wooded staircases, covering about 100 steps, to the top of the tower. The views from there, albeit enclosed with glass panes on all four sides, were awesome. A group of boisterous school children were on tour of the historical edifice and its museum. Some of them crowded around me wanting to know where I am from. My response brought forth loud comments in their language. Anyway, I was happy to have brought some smiles into their lives this morning.

The Bistrica River runs through the city possibly demarcating the Old and New parts of the city. The celebrated bridge that spans the river in the city is the Old Stone Bridge, much like the one in Skopje. It is said to have been built during the Ottoman period in the late 15th to early 16th century. The original bridge was completely destroyed by massive floods in 1979. It was difficult to believe this considering the poor flow of water in the river at the time of my visit. It looked more like a stream.

The bridge was reconstructed in 1982 with a shorter deck of 17 metres to improve flood resistance. However, it retained the classic ashlar stone and arched style. The central arch is flanked by smaller side arches and a curved, cobblestone pedestrian walkway that is slippery when wet. It is a popular place for folks to lounge near the river and is more popular for selfies and photos, with the Sinan Pasha Mosque in the background.

I crossed the Old Stone Bridge and came to the Shadervan Square, the historic central square and market heart of Prizren. The square takes its name from the ornate Ottoman-style stone fountain located at the centre of the plaza, called the Shadervan Fountain. Legend has it that if one drinks from the fountain, one is sure to come back to Prizren or get married here. Not only did I drink from the fountain but also filled up three small bottles of the cool, mountain water to last me the day in the city. While I would not mind coming back to the city, getting married again here is certainly not acceptable. The square has around it, well-preserved Ottoman-era buildings, cobblestone pathways, traditional shops, and numerous cafes and restaurants. It is, undoubtedly, the liveliest part of the city.

Step out of the Shadervan Square and you are in front of the Sinan Pasha Mosque, a 17th-century Ottoman-era Mosque. The mosque is a square stone building with thick walls, a large lead-covered main dome, a smaller half-dome over the mihrab, and a slender minaret. The interior is embellished with vibrant 19th-century floral wall paintings, Quranic inscriptions, and an intricately carved stone mihrab. Admission is free for tourists, but one must be mindful of prescribed traditions, as it is also open for prayer.

In close proximity to the Mosque is the St George Cathedral. The modern cathedral was built in the late 19th century as the old church went under Ottoman control. The modern cathedral fell victim to the 2004 unrest and was looted, set in fire and almost fully destroyed by Albanian rioters. It was restored only in 2010. The old church stands by the side of the cathedral. Both were enclosed at the time of my visit.

I trudged a steep cobblestone path, wanting to visit the Church of the Holy Saviour, a medieval 14th-century Serbian Orthodox church located below the Prizren Fortress. Built by a Serbian nobleman and was gifted to the Holy Archangels Monastery later. Attempts to enlarge the church in the 19th and 20th centuries were not successful. The 2004 unrest sealed its fate, leaving it largely roofless and semi-ruined. The premises were locked and I couldn't get inside to even survey the surroundings. I skipped the climb to the Prizren fortress and got back to the old town centre.

I walked beside the river and came to Door 52, a historic, 200-year-old traditional pinewood door joined using iron hinges forged by local Prizren blacksmiths. It includes a traditional metal knocker, that acted as a doorbell, and handles. In May 2020, the historic house it belonged to faced demolition. However, the door was rescued and restored. It is now preserved as a public monument to showcase Prizren's architecture and heritage.

Walking past Door 52, I came to the Marash neighbourhood, which was developed during the Ottoman period as a residential and civic quarter along the Bistrica River. Its stone houses, wooden balconies, and winding alleys reflect the architectural style of 18th and 19th-century Prizren. The neighbourhood was home to artisans, merchants, and religious scholars, many of whom contributed to the city’s cultural and spiritual life.

I crossed the Bistrica River once more and walked to the building that houses the Museum of the Albanian League of Prizren, a political organization founded in 1878 to protect Albanian lands from partition by neighbouring states. The League opposed the transfer of Albanian-inhabited districts to Montenegro, Serbia, and Greece, initially seeking autonomy within the Ottoman Empire. While the League's military resistance was brutally crushed by the Ottoman forces, the formation of the League is widely considered the starting point of the modern Albanian national awakening and independence movement. At the time of my visit, the museum was closed.

The last part of the day's schedule was to visit the Gazi Mehmet Pasha Hammam, built between 1563-1574. At the time of my visit the entire complex was under restoration. I was rudely told off the grounds by a person working in the premises. And, thus ended my Prizren sightseeing tour abruptly.

Before walking back to the Bus Station, I had a late lunch in an Italian restaurant, the chocolate... I ordered a chicken trip from the menu. What landed on the table was a huge portion of pasta, coleslaw and a large portion of crumb fried chicken. As if that was not enough, I had a piece of pistachio cake and a cup of coffee to wind up the gastronomical experience.

I felt like a python that had swollen a buffalo, after the meal. Nevertheless, I mustered enough resolve to walk to the Bus Station. As luck would have it, a bus was already at the platform for Prishtina. The bus was in stark contrast to the one I had travelled from Prishtina. The seats were more comfortable and the bus was near and clean. Along the journey, I felt the need to use the toilet - not surprising for the quantity I had imbibed in Prizren! The conductor got the bus stopped at a Shell fuel station and told me to hurry up with the job!

Traffic jams while nearing Prishtina delayed arrival. From the bus station I walked 3 plus kms to get to the accommodation. It had been an eventful day.