Heading to Prishtina? Our resident expert, Dua Lipa, is on hand to provide a hometown tour of the place where she spent so much of her childhood. You might have already spotted her guide to 72 hours in the city – here are a few new recs to add to your list, all handily saved here as a Google map, ready for you to pin. Ideal if you’re in town for Sunny Hill Festival this weekend (more on this below).
Galeria Kombëtare e Kosovës – Qafa (National Gallery of Kosovo – Qafa)
The National Gallery is an important institution to us, featuring all kinds of Albanian and Kosovar art. It draws me back every single trip.
Old Green Market
The Old Green Market is where Prishtina's daily life happens. Fresh produce, local spices, vendors who have been there for decades. It’s the best way to understand the city if you’re visiting for the first time.
Sunny Hill Festival
My favourite place to party and let down my hair? You know it’s got to be Sunny Hill. My family’s festival starts again this weekend – I can’t wait.
Libraria Dukagjini
Dukagjini is the oldest bookshop in Prishtina. It means a lot to a lot of people because it’s a statement about culture and continuity. I always find something in Albanian I haven't read yet and take it home.
Servis Fantazia
Audio bar Servis Fantazia always had a really amazing, specific energy. It was described as the most diverse place in Prishtina and when you walked in, you felt that immediately. It closed its doors in April but this is, hopefully, not the end. According to their Instagram, there are “new forms, new projects, new frequencies ahead”. So I’m keeping it on this list in the hope the new era begins soon.
Churchill
Churchill is the kind of bar you need in the middle of a long Prishtina night out. It's been there for years and it knows just what it is. Reliable, always filled with people.
Monròe
Monròe has the best bar energy in the city. It builds slowly over the evening and then suddenly the whole night is right there. Good music, good crowd, good drinks. Go late.
Basilico
Basilico is my go-to when I want Italian in Prishtina, and I know that sounds like a strange thing to say but it's just really good. Consistent, warm, and the pasta is made properly. A real neighbourhood restaurant.
Tiffany
Tiffany in Prishtina is the most homey restaurant in the middle of the city. Being away so much I don’t really get to eat traditional Albanian food as much as I’d like. So I come here to get my fix.
Salt Tirana
Fusion restaurant Salt Tirana is a great choice when you want to eat really well without any fuss. The Albanian flavours are there, and everything feels a little elevated. I always leave happy.
Soma Slow Food
The food at Soma Slow Food is what I love. Everything feels like it came from somewhere close and was made with genuine care. Simple, honest cooking.
Soma Book Station
Gastropub Soma is one of my favourite places in the city. It's a bookshop but it's also a gathering point, a coffee spot, a community space.
Looking for more recs? Subscribe to our weekly Service95 newsletter here to be the first to know when the next list drops. Discover all of Dua’s Lists on Google Maps here.
