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Gjakova
Kosovo’s oldest bazaar and a city of Ottoman bridges
Kosovo’s oldest bazaar and a city of Ottoman bridges
Kosovo’s oldest bazaar stretches for about a kilometre, with some 500 small shops and workshops once organised by trade. Today it mixes craftsmen, cafés and restaurants, and is at its most atmospheric in the evening when the terraces fill.
Look up at the carved wooden shutters and overhanging upper floors.
Photo: Shkëlzen Rexha (Valed Promotion), CC BY-SA 3.0
Built in the 1590s at the edge of the bazaar, the Hadum Mosque is Gjakova’s finest Ottoman building, with a painted interior and a small complex that once included a library and school. It was damaged in 1999 and has been restored.
Visitors are welcome outside prayer times; dress modestly.
Photo: Gresasyla, CC BY-SA 3.0
A small, steeply arched Ottoman stone bridge over the Krena river on the edge of the old town, named after the tanners who once worked here. It is one of the city’s most photographed spots.
Combine with the nearby Ethnological Museum.
Photo: Albinfo, CC BY 4.0
A few kilometres north of the city at Bishtazhin, this long, many-arched Ottoman bridge over the Erenik river is one of the most beautiful in Kosovo. According to tradition it was paid for by the tailors’ guild.
A taxi from the centre takes about 10 minutes.
Photo: Milot Krasniqi, CC BY-SA 4.0
North of the city, Radoniq is one of Kosovo’s largest reservoirs, backed by the Albanian Alps. It is a popular spot for walks, cycling and lakeside lunches.
Go in late afternoon for the best light on the mountains.
Photo: Shkumbin Saneja, CC BY 2.0
The bazaar is the place to eat: grill houses serve qebapa and meat platters, and traditional restaurants offer flia, tavë kosi, stuffed peppers and local cheeses. Gjakova is also known for its coffee houses and sweet pastries such as baklava.
Evenings in the bazaar are lively all summer, with terraces full until late.
Buses connect Gjakova with Pristina (about 2 hours), Prizren (about 1 hour) and Peja (about 45 minutes), and there are connections towards Albania, including Tirana. Pristina International Airport is about 1 hour 30 minutes by car.
The bazaar and old town are compact and walkable. Taxis are cheap for the bridges and Radoniq Lake; a rental car makes it easy to combine Gjakova with Peja, the Rugova Canyon and Prizren.
Kosovo uses the euro and Gjakova is inexpensive, even in the bazaar.
Coffee in the bazaar costs about €1.
Old-town hotels in restored houses are good value.
Combine with Peja and Prizren for a western Kosovo loop.
Gjakova fits into a day, ideally on a loop between Peja and Prizren.
Morning in the Grand Bazaar and the Hadum Mosque, then the Tanners’ Bridge and the Ethnological Museum. After lunch in the bazaar, take a taxi to the Tailors’ Bridge and on to Radoniq Lake for sunset, returning for dinner on a bazaar terrace.
Stay overnight to enjoy the bazaar in the evening.
The bazaar is pedestrian; wear comfortable shoes for the cobbles.
Gjakova sits between Peja and Prizren; both are an hour or less by bus.
Cards are accepted in hotels and bigger restaurants.
Maps may show the Serbian name, Đakovica.
Quick answers for planning time in Gjakova.
Yes – its Grand Bazaar is the oldest and largest in Kosovo, and the Ottoman bridges and Hadum Mosque make it one of the most attractive towns in the country.
About 80km, roughly 2 hours by bus or 1 hour 30 minutes by car.
The Çarshia e Madhe (Grand Bazaar), the Hadum Mosque, the Tanners’ and Tailors’ bridges and its lively café culture.
Regular buses run to Prizren (about 1 hour) and Peja (about 45 minutes).
The euro, as everywhere in Kosovo.
Download Kosovo offline; street names often differ between Albanian and Serbian versions.
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Albanian menus and signs; younger people usually speak English.
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Planning a wider trip? Our Kosovo travel guide covers getting there, costs, when to go and more.