How to Spend a Summer's Week in Kosova

A panoramic view of the mountain pastures of Rugova in western Kosova.

As the summer comes to an end, many of us will reflect upon how we spent our time basking in the freshness of the fertile season. The rays of the sun begin to dim, whilst the crisp, autumn air arrives to envelop us in the rebirth of winter.

Many in the Albanian diaspora seek the summer’s comfort and serenity that Kosova has to offer. However, Kosova has recently been seeing an influx of non-Albanian tourists coming to enjoy the unique wonders of the Republic. While 2024 did not see a significant growth of these tourists in comparison to previous years, mainly due to the lasting effects of the COVID pandemic, Kosova hosted almost 500,000 of these visitors, a whopping number when it is compared to the region’s population of almost 1.6 million.

While plenty of tourists – and Albanians themselves – seek the nightlife of Prishtina or the bustling, yet relaxing environment of Prizren’s old town, there are hidden gems within Kosova that are often overlooked. These sites are vital to both understanding the complex history and development of the region as well as fully enjoying and respecting the visit. The following locations are not meant to simply serve as alternatives to their more popular counterparts, but rather to be highlighted as must-sees on the same level of importance, reverence and beauty as your typical visit to the League of Prizren site or the ski-resort in Brezovicë.

Vineyards on the outskirts of Rahovec, with Mt. Zatriq overlooking the town.

Rahovec

Rahovec remains an unexplored gem of Kosova – unfortunately overlooked to the point of anonymity. With its rolling, lush green hills and location on the eastern edge of the Dukagjin plateau, the ancient town enjoys a distinctly Mediterranean climate in comparison to the rest of Kosova. One might think they’re strolling through California's Napa Valley or the Tuscan region of Italy faced with its breathtaking views and weather.

Rahovec is a town with a rich and complicated history. Buildings old and new populate her streets, with a unique juxtaposition that is sure to interest all. In one neighborhood, you will find cobblestone roads and an Ottoman-era clocktower, and in another you will see new and modern apartment buildings with busy cafés dotting the landscape under their shade. On one road you’ll find centuries-old Sufi lodges and mosques, and on another lounges that house the youthful population of Rahovec and her contemporary social culture. It is a synchronization of old and new, a physical representation of the difficult, yet beautiful Albanian past and the exceptionally promising future.

Agrotourism has slowly been developing in Rahovec, and it is becoming the main draw for tourists. These locations, such as Anës Vneshtit, a café nestled in the vineyards just southeast of the town, are designed to relax and connect you to the blessed nature of the region of Anadrin. Rahovec represents the best of all worlds. For those interested in the historical value of the visit, it is richly steeped in its Roman, Ottoman and Albanian past, with the marks each group left remaining clear. For those looking for a more comfortable environment to sit, wind down and enjoy a conversation for hours with those close to them, Rahovec’s many natural attractions, urban gastronomical venues and vineyards offer the perfect environment, situated in the midst of this unique branch of the Albanian cultural landscape.

Kulla (tower-house) of the kaçak and national hero Azem Bejtë Galica.

The Kullas of Drenica

The kulla (roughly, tower house) is a staple of traditional Albanian architecture, and was built mainly in the regions inhabited by Gheg Albanians across northern Albania, southern Montenegro, Kosova, North Macedonia, and southern Serbia. It is designed both as a fortification, as well as a place of habitation and family-building. The surrounding yards of these structures were encapsulated by high walls, and served as a place for the family and extended tribe to conduct their lives and maintain their respective homes.

The kullas in the Drenica Valley, however, are special. Every Albanian knows the importance of this region, being the birthplace and key inspiration behind the Albanian struggle in Kosova for liberation and cultural preservation.

This makes it a valuable site for any visitor wishing to get a closer understanding of the  Albanian past and national psyche. Indeed, one cannot fully comprehend the central role of the region without experiencing it firsthand. Many tourists and diasporic Albanians come to the region to visit the birthplace of the Kosova Liberation Army (KLA or UÇK), tangibly represented by the Jashari Memorial Complex in the village of Prekaz. While Prekaz is deserving of her respect and honor as the home and burial place of the hero Adem Jashari and his family, Drenica offers you even more chances to truly become aware of the Albanian spirit and experience.

Heading just northeast of the Jashari complex, you will find the kulla of Tahir Meha, an Albanian political activist descended from a family with a long history of contribution to the Albanian cause. Meha led a fatal 22-hour stand-off in 1981 against Yugoslav police after refusing to surrender his weapon, which escalated to an armed conflict.

The odë (guest room) and fireplace of Tahir Meha’s kulla.

Continuing northeast, you will reach the famous village of Galicë, the home of Azem Bejta, an Albanian resistance fighter famous for leading the kaçak movement against the Yugoslav Kingdom in the beginning of the 20th century. Leading up to the door of his tower-house, you will find the hero buried in his yard next to his wife Qerime Radisheva, better known as Shotë Galica, a national heroine who continued her husband’s struggle after his death in 1924.

To visit these kullas and contemplate on their purpose and role is to understand what the Albanian nation fought for in Kosova. Many men, women and children gave their lives both in and outside of these tower-homes defending the honor and survival of their culture and the safety and the integrity of the region’s future. Accordingly, these locations hold a special meaning for ethnic Albanians, which will become apparent to any visitor. It is vital that these sites are kept alive in memory so that the constant sacrifice of Drenica, as well as Albanians as a whole, isn’t lost to time. There are many more kullas dotting the valleys of the region, and these are but two that are particularly vital to visit; ideally course, after making the customary pilgrimage to Prekaz.

The lake of Leqinat, nestled in the mountains of the Rugova region.

Lake Leqinat

Kosova’s staple natural attraction is the lush, yet mountainous ethnographical region of Rugova. Located in the very western portion of Kosova, Rugova is famous as the entryway through the Albanian Alps from the Dukagjin plateau. It also holds Kosova’s largest national park, aptly named “Bjeshkët e Nemuna,” meaning the“accursed mountains,” the name given by Serb soldiers who struggled greatly to march through the terrain while retreating southward through Albania during the first World War, facing heavy casualties from the elements, disease, local retaliation and harsh topography.

One outstanding location in the Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Park is Lake Leqinat, situated 1,970 meters, or 6,463 feet, above sea level, and surrounded by groves of both deciduous and coniferous trees. It is a stunning sight, enveloped by fog and the misty rain of Kosova’s mountains most of the year, imbuing the area with a sense of mystery and wonder. On the off chance that it is sunny on the hour-and-a-half hike up to the lake from the nearby village of Kuqishtë, the water appears crystal clear and a beautiful blue-green.

The hike up also allows for some awe-inspiring views of the mountain pastures of the region where members of the Kelmendi tribe have kept their flocks of sheep and conducted business and trade for centuries. On the way down, you will find many cabin resorts owned by local families, who offer their hospitality to visitors looking to rest in their beautiful and well-kept log-houses, preparing you for another long hike back to the emerald-colored lake or another corner of Kosova’s enchanting landscape the following day.

The waterfall at Radavc, the source of the White Drin river.

Kosova will most certainly give an enthusiastic visitor much to look forward to, and hopefully this guide will implore anyone, Albanian or not, to search in between the lines for the gifts of the region. While many focus on the nightlife scene, it is also important that visitors come with an open mind and respect for its history, culture, and people, which the aforementioned sites provide unique insight into. Their authenticity  and the sheer beauty of Kosova is bound to make your travel experience one to remember.

Valton Vuçitërna is a second-year student studying Finance at Michigan State University's Eli Broad College of Business. Valton was born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan to parents from Kosova and is the founder of The Anadrini Project, a database designed to record the histories and genetics of families in the region of Anadrini, as well as the history of the town of Rahovec. He is interested in European history and the cultural heritage of the Albanian people.