I Just Spent A Whole Day In One Of Europe’s Poorest Countries And I Was Shocked By What I Saw

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Last Updated 8 hours in the past

I simply spent an entire day exploring one in all Europe’s poorest international locations, the place there aren’t any shimmery Eiffel Towers, Mediterranean sunsets, or extensive leafy boulevards lined with designer retailers – and I nearly couldn’t imagine I was nonetheless in the identical continent.

Comprising Southeastern Europe, the Balkan Peninsula is formally house to 12 nations, which all share a standard tradition and an intertwined History. It can be my go-to vacation spot, house to beautiful seashores and UNESCO-listed websites, the tastiest meals, and exquisite, incredibly affordable cities but to be found, distant from the Instagram hordes.

Having been to Croatia, Albania, and Western Turkey, I determined it was time to go deeper into the guts of the area and discover what is probably its least-visited state:

Welcome To Kosovo, Europe’s Youngest Nation

Out of 12 international locations which are both absolutely, or partially Balkan, the small, newly-independent Kosovo was the one nation I saved avoiding as I country-hopped throughout the peninsula. While I had the chance to go to twice since first arriving within the territory all the way in which again in 2019, each misinformation and misleading travel advisories at all times discouraged me.

Although it’s definitely not combating a full-fledged war, at the least not anymore, Kosovo is but to ascertain amicable relations with Serbia, from which it declared independence unilaterally in 2007. The latter has repeatedly refused to simply accept Kosovar sovereignty, and to at the present time, some maps embody Kosovo as a Serbian autonomous province.

But why does Kosovo’s independence declare proceed to be challenged by Serbia greater than a decade later?

Why Is Kosovo Still Claimed By Serbia?

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For a lot of the twentieth century, these two international locations fashioned the now-defunct federal entity of Yugoslavia alongside Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and North Macedonia. Beginning within the 90s, Yugoslavia started to crumble, and one after the opposite, the federal republics inside it seceded, rejecting Serbian rule, although not with out wrestle.

Carrying the scars of the 90s conflict, answerable for re-shaping Balkan borders and establishing at the least six new international locations, and expressing a powerful will to re-assert its Albanian identification, Kosovo was the final former Yugoslav territory to carry an independence vote solely 15 years in the past: Europe’s youngest (partially acknowledged) nation.

Regrettably, the Kosovar referendum was deemed unlawful by Serbian lawmakers on the premise that Kosovo was by no means a constituent republic inside Yugoslavia, in contrast to Croatia, Slovenia, or the others. Fast ahead a decade, and the authorized imbroglio continues to have repercussions, with Kosovo’s worldwide recognition being restricted and disputes extending well into 2023.

There are 4 foremost explanation why the folks of Kosovo don’t really feel connected to Serbia and will wish to untangle themselves from the persisting ghosts of the Yugoslav period:

• Kosovo is inhabited by Albanians, who type the overwhelming majority of the populace (92%)
• Naturally, probably the most widely-spoken language in Kosovo is Albanian, an Indo-European language markedly completely different from Serbian
• The most adopted faith in Serbia is Eastern Orthodoxy (69.9%); Kosovo is 95.6% Muslim
• For a lot of the twentieth century, the Kosovar demand for extra autonomy inside Yugoslavia was largely missed and violently repressed by Serbian-controlled Yugoslav forces, giving rise to a powerful anti-Serbian sentiment inside the territory

Now that why Kosovo’s standing is disputed, it’s time we understood how really underdeveloped it’s as a nation standing by itself and why that got here to be:

Kosovo Is The Third Poorest Country In Europe

Due to its advanced latest previous, assuming that it’s impartial from Serbia, Kosovo has been named the third-poorest country in Europe, with nearly 30% of the inhabitants, or 550,000 Kosovars, falling under the poverty line. In 2016, it had an unemployment fee of 34.8%, and a majority of households earned lower than €6,000 per yr.

In addition to a low Human Development Index, Kosovars wrestle from:

• Not being members of the European Union and having their motion in Europe severely restricted
• Not being part of NATO, which places them at an elevated danger of assaults by neighboring belligerent international locations

• Having the weakest passport in Europe; as of 2022, Kosovo passport holders want visas to enter most European international locations, and they’re solely granted visa-free entry to 41 international locations worldwide
• Refused admission in international locations that don’t acknowledge Kosovar independence and thus Kosovar-issued journey paperwork (Georgia, Moldova, Cuba, and others)

Kosovo, and the broader Balkan Peninsula, are indisputably European, being an integral a part of the continent’s multicultural, multi-ethnic, and multi-faith character. However, they’re a distinct taste of Europe, mendacity outdoors the Brussels sphere of management and sometimes resembling Western Asia by way of city planning, tradition, and infrastructure.

For probably the most half, there aren’t any extensive, tree-lined Belle epoque boulevards to be discovered right here. Instead, you need to count on streets full of overhead energy cables and overflowing rubbish within the model of Latin America’s run-down hoods. Additionally, Kosovo isn’t the perfect vacation spot for vacationers in search of the quintessential European sightseeing expertise:

Several historic buildings in Pristina have both been destroyed or closely broken by bombing, and what’s left are a handful of medieval mosques and Serbian Orthodox Churches, modernist condominium blocks evocative of the communist years, and conflict memorials paying homage to the Kosovar Albanians who misplaced their lives combating for autonomy.

So why, then, is Kosovo value visiting?

Six Reasons Why Kosovo Should Be On Your Radar For 2023

Incredibly Welcoming Locals

The hospitality of Albanians precedes them, and upon arriving in Pristina, my first vacation spot on at the present time tour, I was reminded why they’ve a repute for being some of the pleasant folks in Europe. Whether you’re searching for souvenirs or just asking for instructions, you’ll really feel their heat and be greeted by real smiles.

From the few interactions with Kosovars I had throughout my tour, I felt as in the event that they had been as elated as they had been puzzled I was touring there within the first place. Locals will exit of their strategy to ensure you really feel welcome, be it eagerly sharing their customs and traditions, or pausing no matter it’s they’re doing to assist a vacationer in want of help, with out anticipating something in return.

We should remind ourselves it is a new child nation internet hosting lower than 200,000 international vacationers on common per year, and making certain vacationers have an excellent impression is of their greatest curiosity.

It Is Home To Beautiful Historical Sites

Kosovo could have been ravaged by conflict, and it’s true a number of of its historic monuments are both present process reconstruction or had been razed to the bottom, giving strategy to modernist buildings that wouldn’t be completely misplaced within the bygone Soviet Union, however this doesn’t imply there’s no architectural magnificence to be discovered right here, or an inestimable cultural worth at that.

The Balkans are maybe probably the most History-charged area in all of Europe, and Kosovo is not any exception. One of the details of curiosity within the nation is the lovely 14th-century Serbian Orthodox Gracanicka Monastery. Embellished by vibrant frescoes and atmospheric candles, it’s one in all a handful of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Kosovo.

Yet one other instance of Orthodox structure that’s been enlisted by UNESCO is the Patriarchal Monastery of Pec, positioned close to town of Peja, well-known for its hanging crimson exterior. Elsewhere in Kosovo, guests also can admire the remnants of well-preserved 18th and Nineteenth-century Ottoman homes.

Wandering the cobblestone streets of Prizren to the bewitching chants emanating from the close by minarets, you may be transported again to the Anatolian heartland of Turkiye. Distinctly oriental in character, Prizren options an previous Ottoman bridge arching over a transparent river and imposing mosques glistening white in opposition to the encompassing inexperienced hills.

Some name it the prettiest metropolis in Kosovo, and one of many prettiest in Southeastern Europe.

@vinigoesglobal Prizren is totally gorgey 😍 #kosovo #balkans #europe #prizren ♬ original sound – Vini | Travel Blogger

Kosovo Has A Burgeoning Art Scene

It should be one thing within the water… In latest years, Kosovo has been spawning a formidable streak of pop stars which are crossing over to the mainstream and making it huge in America. Two of probably the most simply acknowledged artists whose households hail initially from listed below are the multi-platinum British artists Dua Lipa and Rita Ora.

Dua is, the truth is, some of the profitable feminine artists of the streaming period with a number of high ten hits below her belt – with Don’t Start Now, Levitating, New Rules, and Physical to call just a few – and different profitable collaborations with world-renowned DJs and trade veterans like Elton John. Other than advancing the Kosovar trigger, she’s been credited for ‘putting Kosovo’s identify on the map‘ and reviving the country’s dying cultural scene.

Now, guests to Pristina can attend an annual worldwide music pageant held in summer season organized by Sunny Hill Foundation, headed by Dua Lipa herself and her father, Kosovo-born businessman Dukagjin Lipa. While she’s on tour, the singer is often included within the line-up, which options different worldwide acts and native Albanian artists.

It Is Incredibly Cheap By European Standards

@vinigoesglobal That’s it I’m shifting right here bye ✌🏼 #kosovo #offthebeatenpath #balkans #food ♬ Aesthetic – Tollan Kim

Out of all 37 European international locations I have set foot in, Kosovo needs to be the one the place my vacationer {dollars} stretched the furthest. Even if you happen to’re ready to splurge after being locked down at house for practically three years, and also you’re ordering each doable appetizer on the menu, getting a invoice of greater than 20 euros per individual at a mid-range restaurant might be just about inconceivable.

Additionally, entry to cultural sights is, on common, €2 to €5 (such because the Gracanicka Monastery), making it extremely inexpensive to discover over just a few days or perhaps a longer time period. On common, the cost of living in Kosovo is 61.68% decrease than within the United States, with month-to-month bills with out lease estimated at €359, or roughly $382.

An essential piece of information: Kosovo has no official foreign money of its personal, and so they have adopted the euro unilaterally. It is by far probably the most extensively accepted foreign money within the nation, although it might be doable to search out companies that settle for or alternate U.S. {dollars}, British kilos, or different fashionable currencies.

It’s Every Foodie’s Idea Of Paradise

Albanian meals ranks amongst my favourite in Europe, primarily as a result of it resembles different ethnic dishes concocted by the Turkish or the Greek, with elements which are at all times contemporary, melt-in-your-mouth meat rolls, soup wealthy in spices and distinctive Balkan condiments, and a large assortment of locally-sourced fruit and salted, smooth cheeses.

Whether you’re in Kosovo, Albania, or some other Albanian-majority area of North Macedonia or Greece, relaxation assured you may be nicely taken care of by your Albanian hosts. Some of my favourite picks are:

• Fergese, a flavorful paste made primarily of tomato sauce, cottage cheese, inexperienced peppers, and garlic, served historically with bread
• Byrek (the Albanian equal to the pan-Balkan burek), a flaky dough pastry stuffed with potatoes, spinach, meat, or cheese

• Tarator, a chilly soup containing bitter yogurt, shredded cucumber, just a few squeezes of lemon, and several other teaspoons of salt
• Speca te mbushura, rice-stuffed inexperienced peppers. In some Albanian areas, chopped lamb and/or tomatoes might be added
• Qofte, meatballs that may be grilled, fried, or baked
• Tave kosi, lamb baked in a melting pot of do-it-yourself yogurt, rice and eggs

Kosovo Is A Unique Country To Explore

Having traveled Albania extensively, I had the impression it borrows closely from Italian and Greek cultures, resting cozily in its Southern European, Adriatic nook. To all results, the Republic of Albania effortlessly matches all of the Mediterranean standards: pristine seashores, freshly caught seafood, Greco-Roman monuments, and laid-back vibes all through.

Kosovo, then again, is landlocked, and never solely its delicacies however the locals’ lifestyle as an entire is solely outlined by its geographical options. You is not going to discover an abundance of seafood right here, although the normal meat-heavy shqiptarë weight-reduction plan stays a defining trait, as does Albanian folklore and ethnic apparel.

@vinigoesglobal Did that regardless of being British born Dua Lipa’s household is from Kosovo? #kosovo #dualipa #travel #funfacts #trending #europe #popmusic #popculture ♬ original sound – Vini | Travel Blogger

At the identical time, it has included different Turkish and Slavic influences, having spent centuries below Ottoman rule, and later in a state union with the South Slavic communities. The fixed redrawing of the borders and inflow of immigration from neighboring international locations has given rise to a singular Kosovar identification that’s carefully associated to Albania’s, however not completely Albanian.

This small, missed territory is, in essence, the Balkan Peninsula and all of its contrasting identities in a nutshell.

How To Get To Kosovo In 2023

Notably, there are no direct flights from the United States or Canada. Reaching Pristina from the Americas, U.S. vacationers should change flights at the least as soon as. When it involves one-stop connections, choices are limitless: most of Europe’s main transit hubs, reminiscent of London Heathrow, Vienna, and Frankfurt, have established year-round air hyperlinks to Kosovo.

Geographically, the closest nation Americans can fly into is, satirically, Serbia. Belgrade is served by direct Air Serbia flights leaving from New York (JFK), with one-way fares beginning at $618 this winter. Landing in Serbia, Kosovo-bound vacationers are required to journey through land to the disputed territory (which Serbia continues to assert as its personal).

Alternatively, worldwide buses to Pristina depart from Skopje, in North Macedonia, and Tirana, Albania, in addition to different choose cities within the Balkans. Timetables could change relying on the date of the week, and tickets are usually bought from the ticket workplace at bus stations. Fares vary between $25 and $30 for return journeys, although they are often costlier relying on the transportation supplier.

If you’re planning on taking the bus from Belgrade, the journey is often hassle-free for these coming into Kosovo after crossing into Serbia first. Americans who first cross into Kosovo, both through Pristina Airport or some other border crossing factors with North Macedonia or Albania, and proceed touring onward to Serbia, might be barred.

The Problem With Entering Serbia After Crossing Into Kosovo First

As Belgrade considers Kosovo an integral a part of its territory, border authorities have dominated that every one non-Serbian nationals coming into from the latter and not using a legitimate Serbian stamp on their passports can have crossed into Serbia illegally. Americans trying to do ought to count on to be turned away on the border unceremoniously.

In sum:

• Traveling from Serbia into Kosovo with Serbia because the preliminary entry level: completely authorized in Serbia’s view (the identical applies to re-entering Serbia after visiting Kosovo)
• Traveling from Kosovo into Serbia with out an preliminary Serbian entry stamp in your passport: unlawful on Serbia’s half

Unless you might be planning on visiting Serbia after Kosovo, you shouldn’t fear about these border disputes and complicated technicalities. However, if you happen to’re backpacking throughout the Balkans, and also you would like to not get on the fallacious aspect of a Serbian immigration officer, you have to guarantee you might be stamped by them first.

To the most effective of my information, earlier visits to Kosovo that didn’t contain an accompanying go to to the northern neighbor mustn’t pose an obstacle for entry into Serbia sooner or later, except you’re unfortunate sufficient to run into hostile border employees, who could take their time questioning you over a fading stamp.

Want To Avoid All These Confusing Border Rules? Consider Booking A Private Tour Of Kosovo Instead

As I booked a non-public day tour of Kosovo leaving from Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia, positioned a brief one hour and a half away, I entered through a land crossing level. The expertise was reasonably easy, and my unbelievable information, Smile, from Skopje Daily Tours, dealt with all border formalities so I may fear about appreciating the surroundings as a substitute.

I am not an fanatic of guided excursions myself, significantly these involving a gaggle. Personally, I want exploring new locations at my very own tempo, and often with sufficient time to have a few days at leisure. Unfortunately, this time spherical, I could be flying out of the Balkans on the very subsequent day, and being so brief on time, reserving this non-public go to was the appropriate name:

• It is significantly costlier than an tour, however you’ve got extra freedom to personalize your itinerary and get to know your driver/information somewhat higher
• Guides working for Skopje Daily Tours are Historians, or Geopolitics consultants with in depth information of Kosovo – and also you’re free to ask them any questions you’ll have in regards to the Balkan battle
• Traveling by automotive with a certified information, there may be much less ready at land borders – buses are usually checked completely to make sure there aren’t any smugglers and that they meet sure requirements till they’re allowed to cross
• No stops on the normal vacationer traps or overpriced memento retailers: your information will guarantee time is optimized and that you’ve the absolute best expertise, consuming in cheap eating places and seeing really related websites

Prices for a non-public day tour of Pristina and Prizren, two of Kosovo’s foremost cities, begin at €55.

Safety

Reading journey advisories on Kosovo, I’d be stunned if anybody determined to go to in any respect. In common, Western international locations make notes on the unsolved Serbo-Albanian quarrel, warning their residents of upper crime ranges, ‘high tensions’ alongside the border with Serbia, and the specter of terrorism and violent demonstrations.

Kosovo is certainly a rustic with deep-rooted points that’s but to completely obtain peace and normalize relations with its Slavic neighbor, however visiting the principle vacationer zones, particularly the cities of Pristina and Prizren, cellphone in hand and talking English unashamedly, I felt as secure right here as anyplace else (within the Balkans).

Walking in Pristina, my restricted information of Albanian was my solely concern being approached by pleasant, smiling natives at native cafes or retailers, who appeared as delighted to be working right into a international visitor as I was for visiting. One should keep in mind Kosovo is certainly not one in all these European hotspots affected by overtourism – quite the opposite.

With that being stated, I kept away from touring North Mitrovica, Leposavic, Zubin Potok, and Zvecan, the place confrontations between Albanians and Kosovo’s ethnically Serbian residents have been identified to erupt with little warning and restricted my actions to Pristina’s metropolis heart and the Old Town in Prizren, fashionable sightseeing areas.

On high of that, I was accompanied by an skilled information who ensured I wouldn’t deviate from the touristic path and put myself in hurt’s approach. Unless you might be straight concerned with paramilitary teams or extremist organizations, and also you’re not actively in search of bother (e.g. wandering closely patrolled borders), bother is not going to come to search out you.

Rules For Entering Kosovo In 2023

Kosovo has eliminated all of its Covid entry necessities since May 2022.

• Vaccination is now not a prerequisite for entry
• There is not any testing regime in place previous to, upon, or after arriving
• Travelers are usually not anticipated to remain in isolation for a time period after arriving
• There aren’t any on-line kinds or pre-flight registrations to be made flying to Kosovo

Bottomline

This tiny, newly-independent state, stricken by ethnic conflicts and that’s but to completely get well from a bloody conflict, is lastly discovering its footing as an off-path tourism hub. Although it’s fairly a way-off from different extra developed neighbors, it has lots of unexplored potential to attraction vacationers who often flock to Western Europe.

Yes, it has considerably of a repute for being somewhat tough across the edges, however Kosovo is a wonderful place to discover… If the place to look.

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This article initially appeared on TravelOffPath.com