Pristina is Cooler than Expected

Europe’s Newest Capital is Having a Youthful Resurgence

I went to Pristina with minimal expectations. I knew that much of its history had been destroyed during Yugoslavian rule, that it had suffered some damage during the Kosovo War of Independence, and that one of its main claims to fame is that its library is considered one of the ugliest buildings in the world. So, I suppose minimal expectations isn’t entirely accurate; I was prepared to be underwhelmed.

And in some ways I was. As a destination for sightseeing, Pristina doesn’t offer much. As a weekend destination getaway, though, Pristina was much more vibrant than I expected. Fueled by youthful energy and repatriation money, the city is full of modern, chic cafes, bars, restaurants and shops. Everywhere you look, there’s a high-rise under construction - and there always seems to be people out and about enjoying these things. It’s got a scrappy sense of street chic - a city trying to rise above its recent struggle and reinvent itself. Or, I suppose, the modern aesthetic you’d expect from a gentrifying neighborhood - but perhaps without all the problems of racial displacement.

Plus, I happened to be in Pristina when it was hosting Manifesta - an annual European art festival that places contemporary art installations in abandoned places. I got to walk through six floors of Pristina’s old Grand Hotel and explore the art exhibits - a brilliant combination of ruin and creation. Of course, that’s not something that will be around forever.

Explore Pristina’s Businesses

Centered around Mother Theresa Boulevard, Pristina is full of busy districts with cool restaurants, bars and cafes. I recommend just starting on the pedestrian boulevard and then branching off whenever something catches your eye.

I think the best way to fall in love with Pristina is just to let yourself sit and have some food or drink whenever a place charms you.

Take a Quick Tour of the Major Tourist Attractions

Of course, whenever you’re in a new city, I think it’s important to take in its main sights. In Pristina, that would be the Imperial Mosque, the National University Library, the Newborn Statue, Mother Theresa Cathedral, Skanderberg Square, the Old Green Market, the Ethnographic Museum, and the Museum of Kosovo.

I would be prepared to be underwhelmed; most of it is nice but unremarkable. The exception, I think, is the library. It feels like a chaotic architect’s fever dream - a brutalist construction unlike anything else I’ve seen. In some ways it deserves its title as one of the world’s ugliest buildings - but in some otherworldly way, it’s stunning. The interior, though, is traditionally beautiful like other major libraries - with the strange white domes adding a ton of natural lighting.