Things to Do in Kosovo: City Guides & Audio Tours

Looking for things to do in Kosovo? This small country in the centre of Southeastern Europe combines ancient archaeological sites, medieval monuments, lively cities, high plains and mountain landscapes. Its history has been shaped by Dardani, Roman, Byzantine, Serbian and Ottoman influences, while its cultural life reflects Albanian and Serbian traditions.

Neywo offers free audio guides for 4 cities in Kosovo, with 75 narrated places in total across 6 walking tours. Each story plays as you reach the place, at your own pace, with narration available in 11 languages.

What to see and do in Kosovo

For a first trip, the best cities to visit in Kosovo are Pristina, Prizren, Peja and Gjakova. Together, they introduce you to the country’s capital, its historic religious architecture, its mountain setting and its traditional urban heritage.

Explore Pristina, Kosovo’s capital

Pristina brings together several of the country’s most recognisable modern and historic landmarks. The city’s Neywo guide includes 24 narrated places, including the Cathedral of Saint Mother Teresa in Pristina, Christ the Saviour Cathedral, the National Library of Kosovo and the Newborn monument.

These places reflect different parts of Pristina’s story. Religious buildings show the city’s varied cultural and architectural heritage, while the National Library of Kosovo and the Newborn monument belong to its modern identity. Pristina is a useful starting point for understanding how Kosovo presents itself today.

Discover the historic character of Prizren

Prizren is one of the country’s richest destinations for history and architecture. Its Neywo guide covers 33 narrated places, including Our Lady of Promise, the Sinan Pasha Mosque in Prizren, the Monastery of the Holy Archangels and the Fortress of Prizren.

The city’s monuments reveal the different civilisations and religions that have shaped Kosovo. The mosque and Christian sites belong to distinct religious traditions, while the fortress adds a defensive and historical dimension to the visit. Prizren is an especially strong choice if you want to see several layers of Kosovo’s past in one city.

Visit Peja and the western mountains

Peja lies in Kosovo’s mountainous west, an area associated with some of the country’s coldest conditions and Alpine climate. Its Neywo guide includes 7 narrated places, among them the Church of Saint Jeremije, Peja, Peja District and the Medieval Monuments in Kosovo.

The city provides a way to connect Kosovo’s natural setting with its cultural heritage. Mountain areas rise above 2,500 metres in parts of the country, while forests cover nearly two-fifths of Kosovo. Protected areas, nature reserves and national parks help conserve the region’s varied plants and animals, although pollution, waste, biodiversity loss and climate change remain environmental challenges.

See Gjakova’s bridges, mosques and traditional buildings

Gjakova offers a more focused look at Kosovo’s urban heritage. Its Neywo guide includes 11 narrated places, with the Terzi Bridge, Hadum Mosque and Kulla e Abdullah Pashë Drenit among the highlights.

These sites show how everyday structures, religious buildings and historic residences can preserve a city’s past. Gjakova is a good place to explore Kosovo beyond its capital and largest historic centres, with monuments that make the country’s architectural layers more tangible.

Kosovo’s history and cultural heritage

Kosovo’s story reaches back to the Dardani, an Illyrian people known from classical sources. Their kingdom probably had its political and cultural centre near present-day Lipjan, at ancient Ulpiana. Rome later incorporated the kingdom and made Dardania a separate province.

The region subsequently stood on a shifting frontier between Roman and Byzantine power. Slavic migrations and competing states altered the balance, and Kosovo later became an important part of the Serbian medieval state. The Battle of Kosovo in 1389 became one of the defining moments in the region’s history: a Serbian-led coalition of different ethnicities fought the expanding Ottoman Empire.

After the Ottoman conquest, Kosovo remained under Ottoman rule for centuries. In the modern era, it became part of Serbia and then Yugoslavia. Tensions between Albanian and Serb communities eventually led to the Kosovo War. Following a period of United Nations administration, Kosovo declared independence on 17 February 2008. Serbia does not recognise Kosovo as sovereign, while many United Nations member states do, and this unresolved status remains central to the country’s story.

Kosovo’s cultural heritage is equally layered. Architecture reaches back through the Neolithic period, the Bronze Age and the Middle Ages. Medieval monasteries and churches form part of Kosovo’s Serbian Orthodox legacy, while Albanian and Serbian traditions continue to shape daily life.

Albanian and Serbian are official languages at national level. Albanian is predominant and is spoken by more than 92 percent of the population; spoken Albanian in Kosovo is mainly Gheg, while its written standard combines Gheg and Tosk influences. Kosovo is a secular state, and its constitution guarantees freedom of belief, conscience and religion.

Music adds another dimension to the country’s identity. Albanian and Serbian musical traditions continue, Albanian music is associated with the çifteli, and classical music is taught in music schools and universities.

Landscapes and climate in Kosovo

Kosovo’s landscape is more varied than its compact size might suggest. High plains and rolling hills rise towards mountains above 2,500 metres. The country is landlocked, but its climate is influenced by the Adriatic Sea to the west, the Aegean Sea to the south and the European landmass to the north.

Much of Kosovo has a continental climate. The west and southeast mountain areas have Alpine conditions, while the far south near Albania is generally warmer and has Mediterranean conditions. Forests, plains and mountains support species associated with both Europe and Eurasia.

The natural environment also faces pressure from air and water pollution, waste, biodiversity loss and climate change. Rising temperatures, droughts, floods, fires and rain increase the country’s vulnerability, making protected areas and conservation efforts an important part of Kosovo’s future.

Explore Kosovo with Neywo’s free audio guides

Neywo has free audio guides for 4 cities in Kosovo: Gjakova, Peja, Pristina and Prizren. Across them, you can discover 75 narrated places through 6 walking tours. The app tells the story of each place as you reach it, at your own pace, with no group and no schedule. Narration is available in 11 languages.

Download Neywo and explore Kosovo by walking through its cities, monuments and historic sites with the story playing at the moment you arrive.