Prizren

Prizren , in Kosovo, is a charming city of masjids and monasteries dating back to the 14th century. Happily spared (mostly) from both the "destroy the old, build the new" drive of the communists during the early years of their rule in Yugoslavia, as well as the ethnic and religious atrocities that plagued the Western Balkans in the last decade of the 20th century, Prizren has the best-preserved old town in the nation by far, and is often referred to as the cultural capital of Kosovo.

Prizren Halal Travel Guide

[[2013-10-06 Stone Bridge, Prizren, Kosovo 8649 - Old town of Prizren

Clinging to the slopes of the lush Sharr Mountains, and divided by the river Bistrica (Serbian for "clear waters", which is more of a wishful thinking than a precise description nowadays), Prizren, including its modern suburbs, is home to about 180,000 people, making it the second largest city in the nation, after Pristina and the capital. The majority of the population is ethnic Albanian. Kosovo's Turkish community is focused in Prizren as well. As such and the standard bi-lingual street signs in Albanian and Serbian are complemented here by (Turkish), which can be freely used particularly in the old town, and with other Albanians. The local Serbs vacated the city in the aftermath of the Kosovo War of 1998–99, when Kosovo was de facto detached from Serbia, with their charred houses standing vacant on the upper streets leading to the fortress.

Prizren is also where the Albanian national awakening began, as the League of Prizren, a political organization for defending the rights of the Albanians, was founded here in 1878.

• Prizren Tourism Board Office 42.21010, 20.74084 Off the Old Bridge head toward the Tekke ☎ +38649605954 | Opening Hours: Monday to Sat 09:00-21:00; Sunday 17:00-21:00; Thursday off; lunch break 13:00-15:00 - Buy printed guides and book guided tours here.

Travel to Prizren

By bus

The best way to get to Prizren is by bus from Pristina (€4, less than 2 hours). You can also take buses from Peja (€3) where the famous Serbian monasteries are located. You can also catch a bus from Skopje. Most bus companies that run from Istanbul to Pristina continue onward and terminate in Prizren. There are several direct buses from Belgrade (7 hours, 1 day bus & 2 night buses, run by Kosovo Albanian companies, cost roughly €10, and stops depending on the route in Nis or Kruševac, Pristina and other towns on the road, information dates from February 2005).

• Main Bus Station To get to the main bus station take the road along the river and turn right at the traffic circle. The bus station is on the left. There are a couple of travel agents in the area.| Buses are available to almost anywhere in Kosovo, usually via Pristina or Gjakova, Macedonia and Albania.

Rent a Car or Limousine in Prizren

From Albania and there are two good ways

• From Tirana on the newly-constructed highway via Kukes. This masterpiece of civil engineering takes you over and through the mountains with dramatic views - about 3 hours.
• The more adventurous route is from Shkodra via Lake Komani. Catch a furgon from Shkodra at 6:00 to Koman. Catch the passenger or vehicle ferry to Fierze and then furgon to Bajram Curri. At Bajram Curri get another furgon to Prizren via Gjakovë, arriving in Prizren mid-afternoon.

The main event in the city is Dokufest, an annual international documentary and short film festival held in August.

Daytripping from Skopje (to Prizren)

With direct buses from Skopje arriving in the evening, and making their return in the morning, a day-trip from Skopje may not seem feasible, but if you put some thought and effort into it, you will realize that it is entirely feasible. Read on:

Take the 6:00 am bus from Skopje to Pristina. If the bus is not very crowded (particularly the case on weekdays), you won't lose much time at the border crossing, and arrive in the bus station of Pristina just in time for the 8:20 am bus to Prizren. (You could have got off in Ferizaj on the way at 7:30 am, but you will need a lot of creativity to pass the time there until the departure of the next bus to Prizren at 9:15 am.) This bus will arrive in Prizren at about 10:15 am.

Upon returning and the last bus to Skopje leaves Pristina at 5:00 pm, making a stop at Ferizaj bus station at about 6:00 pm. This means that you will have to catch the 1:45 pm bus to Pristina from Prizren (which will let you stroll around Pristina for a little more than an hour—to spare more time for Pristina, take the 1:00 pm bus from Prizren), or the 5:00 pm bus to Ferizaj (and hope it arrives at its scheduled time of 6:00 pm, and doesn't miss the last bus to Skopje—the 2:30 pm bus, which arrives in Ferizaj at 4:10 pm, is probably a better option). Note that the evening bus to Skopje is often almost completely full by the time it arrives in Ferizaj, which means that, should you decide to take it there, you may have to travel standing for part of the route, and then take a taxi in a village near the border for the rest of the route to Skopje, perhaps because of a rule regulating border crossings.

Get Around

GPS 42.2098|20.7411 From the bus station everything is within walking distance.

What to see in Prizren

Berat Hoxha 10 - Shadervan Plaza in wintertime

• Prizren Hammam Adem Jashari, 42.2038, 20.741 located near the center of town, just up from the main post office. - Gazi Mehmed Paşa Hamamı - Prizren 01 It is a distinctive complex of low brick domes. No longer used as public baths and the building is occasionally used for art exhibits. - The Hammam of Prizren is an early Ottoman-era monument in which oriental and local traditions combine. It was built in the heart of the city in 1563/4 by Gazi Mehmet Pasha, at the time when he was also building the nearby mosque. The hammam has two large and nine small domes and is separated into men’s and women’s sections. As one of the most precious hammams in South-East Europe, it embodies special architectural, historical, cultural and social values. Integrated for centuries in the lives of the citizens, it has become a symbol for the spiritual and cultural legacy of Prizren and its region. - The building functioned as a hammam until 1944. It then served for Cheese production, as a warehouse, and later the entrance area was used for cultural events. In state protection since 1954 and the hammam was repaired and maintained until 1981 when it was left at the mercy of time. After the NATO intervention in Kosovo in 1999, some limited measures were undertaken for the monument’s protection.

• Serbian Quarter remains The mostly destroyed Serbian Quarter above the city - from the center of the city, start heading up hill. You will see the remains of the walls on the crest of the hill - head up paths in that direction. There are no signs along the way.

Bogorodica Ljeviška, Serbian UNESCO World Heritage Site, front view - Our Lady of Ljevis

• Orthodox Gothic Church - Our Lady of Ljevis - Sahatkulla 42.211389, 20.735833 Serbian Quarter - Our Lady of Ljeviš Bogorodica Ljeviska1 - The cathedral was badly damaged during the ethnic riots of March 2004, but has largely been repaired since. As of April 2010 however it was still not open to the public (there's a sign on the gate to contact the Prizren Police office for entry). There is usually a police officer guarding the cathedral. If you show him your passport and reassure him that you intend no harm, you will get access. Occasionally an Orthodox monk is present who will happily tell you the history of the Church. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site

• Small chapel across the street from the Gothic Church which was also destroyed in March 2004.
• There are other Serbian Orthodox Churches in Prizren

• Mosque of Sinan Pasha Mimar Sinani 42.208889, 20.741389 - Sinan Pasha Mosque (Prizren) Sinan Paşa Camii - Prizren 01 - The largest mosque in the city, dominating the town center is the Mosque of Sinan Pasha. This is one of the most important monuments from the occupation of the Islamic Ottoman Empire in this territory. According to the inscription inside the mosque, Sofi Sinan Pasha, built it for his co-citizens, on hijrij year 1024 (1615). The mosque was built with walls over 2 m thick, more than 50 windows, and the minaret is one of the highest in the city. The airy interior is adorned by floral paintings, slightly reminiscent of (but much plainer than) the Painted Mosque of Tetovo, on the Macedonian side of the Sharr Mountains. The mosque is very rich in ornaments of many colors and shapes. The interior of the mosque is decorated by arabesques and other decorations of flora and fauna in the restaurantoque style. There are two layers of paintings in it and the paintings of the time when the mosque was built (17th century) and a second layer of paintings (19th century). In the entrance the mosque has a fountain, built by the founder. The mosque also used to have a madras and a library with numerous books on various subjects.

• Bajrakli Mosque 42.2063, 20.7309 - Gazi Mehmet Pasha's Mosque Xhamia e Bajraklise - The 14th century Mosque of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror can be visited on the first left street in front of the hammam. The Bajrakli mosque dates from 1566 and is possibly the most beautiful mosque in Prizren with ornate wood work and detailed blue and white paintings.

• Church of St. George | Marin Barleti GPS 42.20818 ,20.74017
• Prizren League House |fax= An old complex where its namesake political organization was founded in June 10, 1878. The Albanian Prizren League officially started with a gathering of 300 representatives of all Albanian regions. In the meeting there were also Bosnians from Bosnia and Sanxhak. The aim of the meeting was to form an autonomous Albanian state that would cover the Islamic Ottoman regions (vilajets) of Prizren, Shkodra, Manastir and Janina. The League was the first serious effort to create an united Albanian region since the medieval perioid of Skanderbeg..
• Catholic Church - Catholic Gothic Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour | Papa Gjon Pali II 42.20775, 20.73831 - stands at the top of the stone street that leads from the “Shadërvan Plaza”. - Gothic Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, Prizren PrizrenCollection2 2010 100 2512

• City castle 42.196667, 20.742778 - Prizren Fortress Kaljaja1 - has a wonderful view over the town. The castle dates from Roman era.

• Shadervan and the main square There is much more going on in Prizren during the Summer than any other time of the year. The main square in town, a stone piazza known as Shadervan, is the gathering point on most evenings. The piazza is surrounded by cafes, restaurants and ice cream parlors. During the day this is an excellent place to sit and have a Coffee, or have lunch and watch the town go about its business. The fountain in the center of the piazza is safe to drink from and is a central gathering point during hot summer afternoons. From about 9:30pm to midnight on almost every night in the summer the streets around Shadervan are crowded with local residents walking the corso, meeting, chatting and drinking.

Around Prizren

• Brezovica and the ski resort - 42.221944, 21.004722 to the east and southwest - Brezovica, Kosovo Strpce-Brezovica - The area around Prizren, particularly to the east and southwest is also scenic. Heading east from town toward the old Yugoslav ski resort of Brezovica takes you through the Zupa Valley. There are numerous restaurants following the river along this route. The ski slopes at Brezovica are open for skiing during the winter. The runs were once considered some of the best in Yugoslavia, and the site was a back-up for the Sarajevo Winter Olympics in 1984.

• Dragash and the mountain town - 42.061423, 20.653148 To the southwest - Dragaš Dragas iz vazduha2 - To the southwest, toward the Albanian border the landscape is also dramatic. About an hour's drive from Prizren is the mountain town of Dragash. Although there is no skiing in the mountains surrounding Dragash and the area is beautiful. Friday is market day in Dragash.

Things to Do

[[2011 Prizren, Hammam Gaziego Mehmeta Paszy 01 - |Gazi Mehmet Pasha Hammam

• Riverside walk up to the fortress circular walk, distance about 4.5 km - follow the river east out of town "Maresh" neighborhood Through the attractive river valley, past the site of the Dokufest camp. At one point the path seems to come to a dead-end, retrace your steps and cross the bridge. Eventually the path leaves the river and turns right, uphill through woods where there is abundant wildlife (butterflies, woodpeckers, lizards, salamanders and tortoises have been sighted!). The path eventually leads to the fortress, from where you can make your way back down past the Orthodox Gothic Church.

Events

Dokufest_13679961_1218187244920246_7724540090970684266_o - Dokufest

• Dokufest - 42.20852, 20.74222 - Dokufest Dokufest_13679961_1218187244920246_7724540090970684266_o - It is the largest film festival in Kosovo. In addition to the main theater spaces, improvised screening venues are also installed, including atop the Prizen fortress. During the Festival and the town is full of people and various parties go late at night in the restaurants. Documentary photo exhibitions, debates, master classes and lively music events are also part of the 9-day festival.

Muslim Friendly Shopping in Prizren

There are few traditional crafts that are still trainingd in Prizren and the surrounding area. In Prishtina and there are some women's cooperatives selling carpets and embroideries, and there may be one or two in Prizren as well. Ask around and someone will be able to direct you. The most traditional craft for Prizren itself has always been filigree. Very ornate pieces are made for traditional local wedding feasts, but more simple pieces are available in any of the shops that line the road leading into town. Poke around and ask to see the older pieces.

• Market ☎ Opening Hours: Market day is Wednesday The town fills up with merchants from all of the surrounding villages. In addition to crafts such as wordworks and there are also affordable mass produced tchotckas and knick-knacks.

Halal Restaurants in Prizren

The center of the town is full of barbeque restaurants (qebaptore). Prizren is well known in Kosovo for its barbeques as they make everything right infront of your eyes. In the downtown or in Shadervan you can get plenty of these restaurants. - Restaurant Sharr - Brezoviza - GPS: 10 mile from Prizren, in National Park Sharr .One of the best lamb and traditional pastry (flia).

• Various downtown sweets shops Varies | ☎ You can find sweets such as baklava and tullumba which are traditionally made locally in Prizren. One of the best places for traditional sweets is Shendeti (near Shadervan), which also sells Boza (fermented cornflour drink).

• Restaurant Ambienti Vatra shqiptare, 42.20973, 20.74311 in the center| ☎ Offers a nice view of the town. Walk east from Shadervan, and the restaurant is up a slope overlooking the river. International fare at modest prices.
• Restaurant ODA right next to the Stone Bridge Offers menu food
• Restaurant Pauza offers you a really delicious food, starting from traditional food, fruit cocktail, raki, picas like you never ate somewhere else, spaghetti, salads, soups and really nice tasting cafe with new interior design. In Edit Durham, contact nr.044/49 243415 or 044/49 218188 and the opposite way of Kep Institution.

• Besimi-Beska Restaurant - 56 Sheshi i Shatërvanit 42.20887, 20.74076 ☎ +381 29 233668
• Qebaptore Afrimi 42.21178, 20.74393 - A small place hardly known to anyone, but the gourmets think it has the best y- Halal Kebab in Prizren.

There are plenty of coffee shops, bars, and pubs located in the downtown Shadervan. Also, various bakeries exist in the area with the most outstanding pastries and fresh daily specials. There is a nice coffebar "La Linea" just behind the Sinan Pasha Mosque.

eHalal Group Launches Halal Guide to Prizren

Prizren - eHalal Travel Group, a leading provider of innovative Halal travel solutions for Muslim travelers to Prizren, is thrilled to announce the official launch of its comprehensive Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide for Prizren. This groundbreaking initiative aims to cater to the diverse needs of Muslim travelers, offering them a seamless and enriching travel experience in Prizren and its surrounding regions.

With the steady growth of Muslim tourism worldwide, eHalal Travel Group recognizes the importance of providing Muslim travelers with accessible, accurate, and up-to-date information to support their travel aspirations to Prizren. The Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide is designed to be a one-stop resource, offering an array of invaluable information on various travel aspects, all carefully curated to align with Islamic principles and values.

The Travel Guide encompasses a wide range of features that will undoubtedly enhance the travel experience for Muslim visitors to Prizren. Key components include:

Halal-Friendly Accommodations inPrizren: A carefully selected list of hotels, lodges, and vacation rentals that cater to halal requirements, ensuring a comfortable and welcoming stay for Muslim travelers in Prizren.

Halal Food, Restaurants and Dining in Prizren: A comprehensive directory of restaurants, eateries, and food outlets offering halal-certified or halal-friendly options in Prizren, allowing Muslim travelers to savor local cuisines without compromising their dietary preferences in Prizren.

Prayer Facilities: Information on masjids, prayer rooms, and suitable locations for daily prayers in Prizren, ensuring ease and convenience for Muslim visitors in fulfilling their religious obligations.

Local Attractions: An engaging compilation of Muslim-friendly attractions, cultural sites such as Museums, and points of interest in Prizren, enabling travelers to explore the city's rich heritage while adhering to their values.

Transport and Logistics: Practical guidance on transportation options that accommodate Muslim travel needs, ensuring seamless movement within Prizren and beyond.

Speaking about the launch, Irwan Shah, Chief Technology Officer of eHalal Travel Group in Prizren, stated, "We are thrilled to introduce our Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide in Prizren, a Muslim friendly destination known for its cultural richness and historical significance. Our goal is to empower Muslim travelers with accurate information and resources, enabling them to experience the wonders of Prizren without any concerns about their faith-based requirements. This initiative reaffirms our commitment to creating inclusive and memorable travel experiences for all our clients."

The eHalal Travel Group's Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide for Prizren is now accessible on this page. The guide will be regularly updated to ensure that Muslim travelers have access to the latest information, thus reinforcing its status as a reliable companion for Muslim travelers exploring Prizren.

About eHalal Travel Group:

eHalal Travel Group Prizren is a prominent name in the global Muslim travel industry, dedicated to providing innovative and all-inclusive travel solutions tailored to the needs of Muslim travelers worldwide. With a commitment to excellence and inclusivity, eHalal Travel Group aims to foster a seamless travel experience for its clients while respecting their religious and cultural values.

For Halal business inquiries in Prizren, please contact:

eHalal Travel Group Prizren Media: info@ehalal.io

Muslim Friendly Hotels

There are a number of places to stay in Prizren. The Prizreni is on the road toward Albania, and getting there is another option due the new highway of Albania. It had been used as a collective center for internally displaced after the 1999 conflict and does not seem to have recovered.

Note that room availability may be rather limited in August for the Dokufest film festival.

• Hotel Theranda - Str. Adem Jashari 01, Prizren, Kosovo ☎ + 381 29 242 442 The original Hotel Theranda opened in 1964 and renovated in 1981. After the conflict and the hotel was renovated most recently in 2012. |fax=
• Hotel Prizreni - Rr. Shen Flori Nr.2 (Shadervan) 20000 ☎ +381 29 225 200 A recently built hotel conveniently located near the downtown and river. It is rising in popularity with foreign travelers |fax=
• Pension Oltas oltas@ around the junction from the Catholic Church in the center. Someone should be able to direct you from the church.☎ +377 44 113252, +381 29 231628| price=Sgl/dbl €25/35 - This is also a small hotel / pensione. All rooms have their private bath. The price includes breakfast and laundry. The rooms are very clean and quite nice. They all have cable television, air condition, refrigerator and wireless. Also,computers with internet access are available in rooms and reception. Keep in mind that check-in is closed between midnight and 8am. - Hotel Pik-Nik GPS , Checkin: |checkout=. This is very reasonable, and the owners and staff are more than willing to cater to your every whim. Hotel Pik-Nik also has a beautiful restaurant and upstairs rotunda and seating for privacy. The restaurant menu is filled with traditional Balkan cuisine, and serves the best calzone in Prizren.

• Hotel Tirana GPS , In the downtown☎ +37 74 4216155 - €35 Checkin: |checkout= - Hotel Alvida GPS , 10 minutes of walk from bus station☎ +37 74 4217167 - Sgl/dbl €20/25/40 Breakfast costs 2 euro extra. The staff is very hospitable and the hotel is very clean.

• Hotel Residence 8 minutes of walk?☎ +37 74 4256774
• Hotel City 10 minutes of walk☎ +37 74 4952392
• Bujtina Downtown ☎ +37 74 4113252
• Hotel OK 5 minutes of drive☎ +37 74 4131761
• Prizren City Hostel - Ilaz Kuka nr 66 ☎ +386 49466313 - 3 minutes walking distance from the downtown. - Hostel can accommodate a total of 33 guests and has 4 floors. It offers rooms for 1,2,3 or 4 people, private and mix dorms. Showers and toilets on each floor, 4 of the rooms have private bathroom. Central heating, a multi-purpose room with a WiFi internet access, laptop and a fully fitted guest kitchen. All rooms have WiFi access, TV and air conditioning.

• Driza's House - Hostel - Remzi Ademaj 42.2107, 20.7348 Search google maps or maps.me for Driza's House. ☎ +38649618181 Check-in: 09:00 / Check-out: 11:30 9€-20€ - 200 year old family house, renovated in typical oriental Prizren style, opened as a hostel in the summer of 2015, 100 m from the main city square. Take the main one way street in the downtown and go left at the parking lot sign between the Blue Bridge of Love (known as Ura e Kalter) and Stone Bridge (Ura e Gurit). That's the alley between Vector Tours agency and a small Library (DITURIA).

• Hotel Albatros - @lbatros.net Rr. Besim Shala 42.2206, 20.7072 Nashec ☎ +377 44 400 313 Check-in: 14h / Check-out: 12h 20-55€ - All units are soundproof rooms, equipped with safety boxes, minibars, air conditioning, flat-screen TV and free Wi-Fi. The private bathrooms feature bath, hairdryer and bathrobe. Free parking is provided at the hotel. Offers refreshing drinks and Snacks at the hotel's and bistro. There's a terrace on the 5th floor with views of the nearby mountains. It's near the local bus and train stations and the Islamic Ottoman period spa remains and the Nashec park promenade with its lake.

Travel Next

• Pristina mini-buses to 4 euro paid on the bus, leaving from the primary street out of town.

• Gjakova | buses to 2.5 euro paid on the bus, leaving from the bus station 36 kilometers, 45 mins away closest city in Kosovo with the largest Ottoman-era bazzar in the Balkans

• Ulcinj, Montenegro - Closer to summer you can also get buses to here
• Skopje Buses at 5:30 and 9:00. Cost 9 euro

• Tirana - The buses stops at the kiosk outside the bus station at about 5:30 and 16:30. It is a through bus from Pristina, buy your ticket on the bus (not in the bus station). Albania is considered safer than it once was, although it is not recommended to take a Taxi to Albania unless you are traveling with a known and trusted local.

• Istanbul - Buses costs €50.
• Sharr National Park - Get a bus to Sharr pretty nature.

• Tetovo, Macedonia | GPS Well, that's feasible, but not so easily due to the almost impenetrable ridges of the Sharr Mountains in between. There's a remote road crawling through the mountains into Macedonia, but that's not much of a shortcut, really, and those that want to take a bus are better off detouring through Skopje, anyway.

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