Tourist Attractions & Monuments Kosovo

This series of twelve waterfalls (Ujëvarat e Mirushës, Miruše slapovi) is beautiful. It is part of a protected area created in 1982. A small tributary of the White Drin, the Mirusha River has carved out a narrow canyon 10 km long with cliffs up to 200 m high. It can be reached on foot by a well-developed trail that leads up the last part of the canyon, about 2 km long. On this section, the Mirusha River rises from 600 to 340 m in altitude. In the process, it makes twelve waterfalls, feeding sixteen small lakes. The most important waterfall, 21 m high, is located between the sixth and seventh lake. The last lake, which is the first to be reached, is one of the largest in the canyon, with a depth of 5 to 7 m. It is fed by a waterfall of about 10 m. It is fed by a waterfall about 15 m high. In summer, it is a popular meeting place for divers who climb the nearby rocks to reach the top and jump into the lake. Cool and shady, the site attracts many visitors during the summer season and a bar is set up near the last waterfall.

Regional park. The Mirusha Regional Park (Parku i Mirushës, Miruša Park) is located around the waterfalls. Covering an area of almost 6 km2 (598.4 ha), it covers the last part of the canyon and its surroundings. In addition to waterfalls and lakes, there are also several caves and cavities along the cliff faces. In the Middle Ages, these caves were home to Serbian Orthodox hermits from the 8th century. This complex geological system is the result of a long process with volcanic sedimentary formations dating from the Jurassic period, about 200-145 million years ago. Covered by a forest mainly composed of oaks and white willows, the park is home to 330 plant species, including mosses and lichens, but also a dozen flowers of species endemic to the Balkans, including a rare yellow broom(Genista hassertiana), the Macedonian scabiosa(Knautia macedonica) with small purple petals and the Albanian sanguisorba (Sanguisorbaalbanica), which is also purple. As for the fauna, the Mirusha Park is sometimes visited by the wolf. But the most common animals here are the wild cat, the marten, the badger, the wild boar, the muskrat, the squirrel and Hermann's tortoise. Beware, you may also come across the most dangerous snake in the country, the ammodyte viper.

Banjska means baths into Serb. The village shelters a source of hot water (48°C) sulphur, recognized for a long time to have therapeutic virtues. In May 2015, the unhealthy ancient buildings of the thermal baths were shaved and a project of spa complex on the site is in project. Only the source, emerging from the slope, is always visible.

This 90 ha protected area (Ujëvara dhe shpella e Radavcit, Radavačke pećine i vodopad) is located in the Albanian Alps National Park, less than 1 km west of the village of Radac/Radavac (1,300 mostly Albanian inhabitants). You first reach a parking lot next to the hotel-restaurant Ujëvara e Drinit ("source of the Drin"), then you have to continue on foot through the forest by a path for about 300 m. Then you reach the Radavac waterfall, at 600 m above sea level.

Waterfall. The place is called the "source of the White Drin" (Burimi i Drinit të Bardhë, Izvora Belog Drima), but it is in fact a resurgence. The White Drin is first of all an underground river which takes its source under the mount Žljeb (2 382 m of altitude). It emerges here with a beautiful 25 m high waterfall with a flow that can reach 65^m3/second at the end of winter. Drowned in the greenery, the Radavac waterfall is a bucolic spot and a protected area since 1983. But the place is very frequented by the inhabitants of the region and by the tourists with several restaurants in the vicinity. Slightly below, the river is also developed with a hydroelectric power plant, created by a Russian immigrant in 1934, which still supplies the nearby village with electricity. Following the path to the left of the waterfall, you will reach the Radavac cave.

Cave. Called the "Sleeping Beauty" in Albanian (Bukuroshja e fjetur), this 1,420 m long cave is rich in stalactites, stalagmites and columns. But its main characteristic is to have "baths", small natural limestone basins which retain the water coming from the underground network of the White Drin. Explored from 2002, it has been developed since 2016 with Swiss funding and managed by the Peja/Peć Aragonit Speleo Caving Club. A portion of about 300 m in length is thus open to visitors with three galleries. In the first one, animal bones from the Paleolithic period have been found, suggesting that the site was frequented by the first humans in Kosovo at that time. The third gallery houses the famous "baths". The lighting in red tones was thought for the current inhabitants of the cave. The cave is home to hundreds of bats belonging to four species (great rhinolophus, lesser rhinolophus, lesser murine and Schreibers' minnow).

This cave (Shpella e Kusarit, Pećina Kusari) is located shortly after Kusari/Kusar (less than 200 inhabitants), under Mount Pashtrik (1,986 m above sea level) which marks the border with Albania. The cave, high and shallow, would have been frequented by man in the Neolithic period, but it is of little interest. However, the path leading to it, which will be developed in 2019, is beautiful with wooden stairs that wind for 400 m between rock walls and under a natural arch. Nearby is the "Candle Cave" (Shpella e Qirave, Pećina Sveće).

This national park (Parku Kombëtar Malet e Sharrit, Nacionalni park Šar-planina) was established in 1986 and expanded until 2012 to 533 km2. It is one of the two national parks in the country together with the Albanian Alps National Park in the Western Kosovo region. It stretches along North Macedonia and into Albania, between the Kosovar villages of Štrpce/Shtërpca and Dragaš/Dragash (see Prizren region). Since 2021, it has been part of a huge cross-border protected area of more than 2,400 km2 which includes two national parks in Northern Macedonia, Mavrovo (730 km2) and Šar Mountains (627 km2), as well as the Korab-Koritnik nature park (555 km2) in Albania. But on the Kosovo side, there are no information centres for visitors. To find a guide, you have to turn to the tourist office in Prizren (Visit Prizren) or to the Uspon club in Štrpce/Shtërpca.

Fauna and flora. The national park is home to 1,800 species of plants, 175 of which are protected, 18 of which are found only in the Šar Mountains. You can easily spot the large Macedonian pine (Pinus peuce) and its cousin the Bosnian pine (Pinus heldreichii), but it is more difficult to spot the rare Šar carnation (Dianthus scardicus Wettst.) or the Nathalia ramondie (Ramonda nathaliae). This flower with purple petals is found only in Kosovo, Northern Macedonia and Northern Greece. For its ability to revive at the first rain, it is considered by the Serbs as a symbol of the spirit of resistance of their army during the First World War. There are also 36 kinds of mammals here, such as bears, wolves, roe deer, wild boars and chamois. You will have the best chance of seeing the chamois, as the park is home to over 700 of them. There are also 147 species of butterflies, 45 species of amphibians and reptiles, including the marsh tortoise which lives in the high altitude lakes. Finally, with the creation of the large transboundary protected area, we can hope for a return of the Balkan lynx to Kosovo: this species now numbers only about 50 individuals residing in the Mavrovo National Park (Northern Macedonia) and the Korab-Koritnik Nature Park (Albania).

Lakes. There are no less than 27 glacial lakes in the national park, known as the "eyes of the Šar". At the foot of Mount Peskovi (2,651 m above sea level), the third highest peak in the country, is Lake Jažince (Liqeni i Jazhincës, Veliko Jažinačko jezero). Its own altitude is 2,180 m and it can be reached from Prevalac/Prevalla (14 km southwest of Štrpce/Shtërpca). It is a 2-hour walk south-east of the village and is 120 m long and 50 m wide, with a depth of about 5 m. It is said to be the most beautiful lake in the world. It is reputed to be the coldest lake in Kosovo, yet it is home to trout. Further down, an hour's walk to the north-east, the Black Lake (Liqeni i zi, Malo jažincko jezero) is located at an altitude of 1,416 m and is only 50 m wide at its widest point. But it is one of the most isolated of the massif. Its black colour comes from the dark rocks at the bottom while it is bordered by white rocks on the surface. Above all, it is worth a visit for its pretty heart shape.

Strict nature reserves. The national park includes three strict reserves created in 1960 and located slightly north of the Sredska Valley (see description). The westernmost, above the village of Mushnikova/Mušnikovo, is the Ošljak Strict Nature Reserve (Rezervat Strikt i Natyrës Oshlaku, Strogi prirodni rezervat Ošljak). It is located near the Ošljak mountain (2,212 m above sea level) and covers an area of 20 ha, including a Bosnian pine forest, a few pairs of capercaillie and the rare Alexander's yarrow(Achillea alexandri-regis). Above the village of Gornje Selo/Gornjasella is the "Great Pine" nature reserve (Rezervat Strikt i Natyrës Pisha e Madhe, Strogi prirodni rezervat Golem bor). With an area of 44 ha, it is home to the Macedonian pine, a rocky plant endemic to the Balkans(Sedum flexuosum), and the Lanner falcon(Falco biarmicus). Finally, further east, the small ski resort of Prevalac/Prevalla is dominated by the Popovo Prase mountain nature reserve (Rezervat Strikt i Natyrës Maja e Arnenit, Strogi prirodni rezervat Popovo prase). The 30-hectare protected area around the 1,924-metre-high peak is characterized by a mixed forest of Bosnian pine, Macedonian pine and Balkan beech. Endemic plants of the cross-border region include Šar grass(Vrbascum scardicolum), Albanian bellflower(Campanula albanica) and Albanian thyme (Thymusalbanus).

Activities. The national park is still poorly marked and it is recommended that professional mountain guides be used for hiking. However, it is easy to drive through and provides a nice alternative and bucolic route from Prizren to Pristina (114 km, about 2h20). Along the R115 road, you will find a few gas stations, restaurants, hotels and many villages. Finally, it's not very green, but the national park is home to two ski resorts, including the largest in Kosovo, Brezovica.

Surrounded by mountains exceeding 2,000 m in altitude, this pretty valley (Sredačka župa/Srecka) extends for about 17 km in length along the Prizenska Bistrica. Located in the Šar Mountains National Park, it is mainly inhabited by Bosnians and owes its name to the former medieval Serbian county of Sredska. The road that crosses it (R115) is dotted with villages where you can find shops, restaurants, a few hotels, modern mosques and many small Serbian Orthodox churches from the 16th-17th centuries. Arriving from Prizren, Rečane/Reçan (900 inhabitants, mostly Bosnian) marks the entrance to the national park. From there, secondary roads lead to various villages, including Donje Ljubinje/Lubinja e Poshtme (6.7 km southeast of Rečane/Ressent), which is famous for its weddings where the women wear full makeup. The inhabitants are of Goran culture (see Dragaš/Dragash), but today they declare themselves "Bosnian". On the way back from Rečane/Reçan to Štrpce/Shtërpca, the R115 passes through several Serbian villages that have been depopulated since 1999.

Towards the Prevalac pass. The former political center of the valley, Sredska now has only about 60 inhabitants, mostly Serbs, but is home to several churches, including the 17th-century Dormition of the Mother of God in the hamlet of Pejčiki/Pejçiq (1 km north) and the 16th-century Church of St. George in the hamlet of Milačiki/Milaçiq (1 km south). A little further along the R115, in the cemetery of the hamlet of Bogoševac/Bogoshevc, the church of St. Nicholas preserves its 17th-century frescoes. The road then passes through Mushnikova/Mušnikovo (1,100 inhabitants, mostly Albanians) where stands an elegant little mosque from the 19th century. In the village there are two churches: the church of St. Nicholas (17th century) with well-preserved frescoes, and the church of the Holy Apostles (16th century) with a few fragments of paintings with Greek inscriptions. Three kilometers further on, at the entrance to Gornje Selo/Gornjasella (250 inhabitants, mostly Bosnian), is the beautiful church of St. George with frescoes from the 16th and 17th centuries. The road leaves the Prienzenska Bistrica here and crosses the Prevalac Pass (1,535 m) in a series of four hairpin bends and reaches the Prevalac/Prevalla ski resort, whose only ski lift climbs to 1,991 m. This is the place in the valley with the most hotels. The R115 then continues to Štrpce/Shtërpca for 14 km.

This canyon (Kanjoni i Drinit të Bardhë, Kanjon Belog Drima) is part of a 199 ha protected area since 1986. Just after being joined by the Erenik River, the White Drin rushes into a gorge dug millions of years ago. The river is 900 m long and is surrounded by cliffs up to 45 m high. The canyon is visible in its last section from the bridge of Fshajt which is located shortly before the village of Xërxë/Zrze (3 000 inhabitants). Among the cliffs, two rock formations with evocative shapes are called the "eagle rock"(Shkëmbi i Shqiponjës) and the "Skanderbeg rock"(Shkëmbi i Skenderbeut). The latter, larger than the others, is located on the left bank (to your right when you are on the bridge) and is distinguished by its pointed top that resembles the helmet of the leader of the anti-Ottoman rebellion in Albania in the 15th century. A portrait of Skanderbeg was painted on the rock in 1968 on the occasion of the five hundredth anniversary of the warrior's death, but it has now disappeared. Some Albanian nationalists now want the rocks in the canyon to be carved with the effigy of the "Albanian hero" like Mount Rushmore in the United States. The authorities have not yet responded to this request. The longest river in the country (166 km, including 111 km in Kosovo), the White Drin then runs for 20 km before joining the Black Drin at Kukës, in Albania, to form the Drin, which flows into the Adriatic Sea shortly after Shkodra.

This artificial lake (Liqeni i Batllavës, Batlavsko jezero) was created in 1958 on the Batlava River to supply water to Pristina and Podujeva/Podujevo. It is the third largest lake in the country and covers 3 km2 (6 km long, 700 m wide, 35 m deep). On its banks are two former Serbian villages now populated by Albanians: Batllava (2,000 inhabitants), to the west, and Orllan (700 inhabitants), to the east. Its waters full of fish (carp, roach, chub) attract fishermen. In summer, the Pristinians come to bathe and picnic.

This artificial lake (Liqeni i Radoniqit, Radonjićko jezero) is the second largest body of water in the country (5.62 km2) and supplies Gjakova/Đakovica and Rahovec/Orahovac with drinking water. The site was the scene of a massacre on September 9, 1998, when KLA militants killed 34-39 Serb, Roma and Albanian civilians in retaliation for Yugoslav artillery fire on nearby villages. As a result, the lake has been little developed since. But it is not uncommon for families to come and enjoy the coolness of the lake in the heat of summer.

The highest point of the Albanian Alps National Park, Mount Gjeravica/Đeravica reaches 2,656 m and dominates the Junik region. It was considered the highest peak in Kosovo (and Serbia), until the discovery of the Great Rudoka (2,658 m above sea level), in the Šar Mountains in 2011. It remains no less impressive. In fact, it is the second highest peak in the Dinaric Alps chain after the Jezerca (Maja Jezercë) peak in Albania, which reaches 2,694 m in altitude. The surroundings of Mount Gjeravica are in any case suitable for beautiful hikes. To reach it, the easiest way is still to start from Deçan/Dečani. The most popular routes are those leading to the many glacial lakes. The largest is the Gjeravica lake (Liqeni i Gjeravicës. Đeravičko jezero), at about 2,200 m above sea level. Measuring 240 m in length and 120 m in width, it feeds the Erenik River, which rises right next to it, and is home to a host of insects that have a colony of salamanders as predators. In its northern part, Mount Gjeravica is connected by a ridge line to Mount Gusan (Maja e Gusanit, Gusan) which reaches 2,540 m in altitude on the border with Albania. Between the two peaks is the Heart Lake (Liqeni i Zemrës, Srcoliko jezero). Located at an altitude of about 2,200 m, it is 150 m long and 140 m wide and is indeed heart-shaped. The Albanian border is then very close (about 400 m), and one can cross it without realizing it.