Initially, we had planned to spend three nights in Peja. The city where Kosovo’s most popular beer has been brewed since 1971. However, we ended up extending our stay to four nights, not for a brewery tour as we’d half‑joked, but to unwind and soak up the surrounding nature with long walks and slow mornings.
Pristina to Peja with Taxi
We paid €50 for a door-to-door transfer from Pristina to Peja. The private ride took about one and a half hours and saved us the hassle of multiple taxis and buses. It was a comfortable choice for the two of us. Travel in style, they said. 😂
Accommodation
The apartment we stayed in was about 850 metres from the city centre, just around the corner from Taverna 2 Violinat. We stayed four nights in an apartment booked through Booking.com for €110, paid in cash.
The owner’s daughter showed us to our floor on the second level, and we met the father later that day; the family occupied the ground and first floors. On our first day, he brought us a plate of watermelon, which we took up to the terrace on the third floor to enjoy the view of the surrounding hills and mountains.
The unit included a bedroom, a living room and a separate, fully equipped kitchen. There was a washing machine in the bathroom ready for use. If you like in‑room entertainment, note that the unit has no TV. If you were travelling with children, be careful with the balcony door in the bedroom because it lacked a railing, and the air conditioning was only in the living room.
On the first night, we used the air conditioning and kept the bedroom door open. For the rest of our stay, we left the balcony door open since there were no mosquitoes. We also noticed many local shops nearby, which made it easy to buy groceries for cooking. So, if you stay for a few nights, you could make use of the fully equipped kitchen.
One house rule: No shoes were allowed inside.
Places of interest and activities
The Walk to Rugova Bridge
We walked to Rugova Bridge at 9.00 am to avoid the heat. The route was about five kilometres. Along the way, we encountered two dead snakes. The first, a recently killed horn viper, lay by the roadside near the Rugova Valley Tourist Information Centre. The other had been dead for some time, and I could not recall exactly where we had seen it.
We also noticed an abandoned campsite by the river and saw officials surveying the area, possibly because the camp was illegal. At the end of our walk, near a stall selling souvenirs, we filled our water bottles from water flowing through the rusty pipes and found it tasted fine.
Nearby, there was a board, dated sixteen years ago, describing the February 1919 uprising. It stated that in this gorge, 1,000 men from Rugova, Peja and other Albanian regions bravely fought against the occupation by Serbia and Montenegro.
On the way back, we tried the pizzeria, but it was closed, and the zipline office was empty. Luckily, Umi Bardhe was open, so we stopped for a riverside break. Many swans gathered in the clear water and occasionally squabbled over territory, which made the place a little noisy.
The footpath actually began there, so since we had walked along the main road earlier, it made sense to take the trail back into town. It was pleasant to walk under the canopy of trees and avoid the hot afternoon sun.
The path brought us out close to the tourist information centre, and I suspect that if you follow it further, it will lead toward the city centre. Our apartment was in a different direction, so we left the path.
Note: The Patriarchate of Peć is enclosed behind walls and cannot be seen from the road or the walking path we took.
Peja City Centre, Square, Lumbardhi i Pejës & Fallen Heroes Memorial
Food and drinks
Meg Donald
Located in the city centre, the name drew me to this fast‑food burger place. It resembled the big brand McDonald’s, and they even used a similar name for their burger. I had the Big Mac with a fried egg, and it cost €4.
Prince Caffe House
Near the city centre, it was a great spot for people‑watching. Draft beer was €3 for 500ml and €2 with popcorn for 330ml. The only downside was the number of beggars in the area.
Dio Coffee Shop
William Walker Street was lively, lined with drinking places, and Dio was pleasant, with ceiling fans. One and a half pints cost €4.50. They did not sell food, though, so we bought qebapa next door at Burger Time Grill House for €2.50 and ate it there.
Grill House Family Gega
It was the first place where we had our first meal in Peja. Opposite the Tahtali Xhami mosque, it was a reliable local restaurant we visited several times. They offered a variety of grilled meats, other dishes and pizza, and the prices were reasonable.
Umi Bardhe
Riverside dining with swan watching. Soft drinks cost the same as Peja beer, €1.50 each. We had soft drinks and shared a plate of qebapa for €2.50.
Final note
Whether you came for outdoor pursuits such as hiking, kayaking or zip‑lining, or, like us, simply to relax, this town in western Kosovo was beautifully set amid nature with crystal‑clear water. Next stop: Prizren.}