Choosing a Trip Three bus routes fan out from Gjakova, and each reaches a town with a UNESCO monument, a river gorge or an old town. Buses to all three run through the day, and fares are low. Deçan: 21 km, about 30 minutes, about 2 EUR. Prizren: 36 km, about 55 minutes, 2.50 to 3 EUR, with buses from about 06:30 to 18:30. Peja: 36 km, about 55 minutes, about 3 EUR, with buses from about 06:15 to 18:00 or 18:30.

A Short List Gjakova has only a handful of attractions aimed at younger visitors. A family trip works best as a slow two days: a morning in the bazaar, an afternoon in the woods and one outing by bus or car. Prices are in euros. Pine Woods at Shkugëza Shkugëza Park is a pine forest 3 km out of town. The trip takes about 10 minutes by car, 20 by bike or 45 on foot.

Around the Bazaar Gjakova’s main landmarks cluster in and near the Old Bazaar. Fire swept through the bazaar in 1999 and the buildings were rebuilt on the old layout, so much of what stands there now dates from the 2000s. Hadum Mosque (Xhamia e Hadumit). Sylejman Hadum Aga had it built in 1594 to 1595, making it the town’s first mosque, and it remains in daily use. Painted decoration covers the interior and the dome.

Three Days in the Dukagjini Plain Use Gjakova as the base for a loop through western Kosovo. Public buses cover every leg. First day. Spend it in town: the bazaar, the tekkes and an evening meal at Hani i Haraçisë. Second day. Head east to Terzi Bridge, about 10 km from town, then Fshajt Bridge, 11 km along the Prizren road. Continue to Prizren, 36 km from Gjakova, and sleep there.

What This Town Offers Couples Gjakova is not a resort, and its romantic side is modest and quiet. Think of a night or two in the rebuilt bazaar: a long dinner, a late stroll, a morning in the old lanes and an afternoon among vines. Everything is priced in euros. Dinner in an Old Inn Hani i Haraçisë began as a caravanserai in the 16th century, gained a newer wing in 1901 and has served meals since 1984.

How Guided Visits Work Here Guided visits in Gjakova are made by arrangement, with the price agreed on the spot, so ask for the cost and what it covers before you start. The options below are grouped by theme. City Tour from the Tourist Office The Tourist Information Centre sits in the Kulla of Abdullah Pashë Dreni, a stone tower of 1790 at the entrance to the bazaar. Wikivoyage lists it as open Monday to Friday, about 08:00 to 16:00.

Start in the Bazaar Gjakova rewards slow wandering. Its Old Bazaar stretches for about 1 km and counts around 500 shops, one of the longest and oldest in Kosovo. After fire destroyed about 430 buildings in 1999, the whole quarter was rebuilt from the 2000s onward. The old trades survive in its lanes: felt caps called qeleshe, silver filigree, cradles, tailoring, leatherwork and gunsmithing. Pause at an open workshop door, watch for a few minutes and ask permission before taking pictures.