Kosovo : Prizren

Picturesque Prizren is Kosovo's second city and it shines with post-independence enthusiasm that's infectious. If you're passing through between Albania and Pristina, the charming mosque- and church-filled old town is well worth setting aside a few hours to wander about in. It's also worth making a special journey here if you're a documentary fan: Prizren's annual Dokufest is Kosovo's leading arts event and attracts documentary makers and fans from all over the world every August.

Prizren's old town runs along both sides of the Bistrica river, and is awash with mosques and churches. It's been well restored and is a charming place to wander. The town's 15th-century Ottoman bridge has been superbly restored. Nearby is Sinan Pasha Mosque (1561), which following a full renovation is now a central landmark in Prizren. On the other side of the river to the mosque, have a peek at the architecturally refined but nonfunctioning Gazi Mehmed Pasha Baths.

The town's most important site is the Orthodox Church of the Virgin of Ljeviš (Bogorodica Ljeviška; Rr Xhemil Fluku; admission €3), a 14th-century Serbian church that was used as a mosque by the local population until 1911. After a full renovation in the 1950s, it was again largely destroyed in 1999 by the Albanian population, only to be placed back in the hands of the local Serbian community after the war. Given its location, the church is not exactly welcoming; it's surrounded by barbed wire and closed except for when visitors come to see it. You'll need to present yourself first at St George's Church, on the other side of the river, to get approval to visit from one of the few remaining Serbs in the town. This is well worth doing, however, as even though the frescoes in the church are badly damaged (the building was largely destroyed by Albanians during the war), there are some stunning, ancient wall paintings here and the entire experience is a sad and troubling example of how ethnic hatred can fracture previously peaceful societies.

There is not much of interest at the 11th-century Kalaja on top of the hill overlooking the old town, but the 180-degree views over Prizren from this fort are worth the walk. On the way, more barbed wire surrounds the heavily guarded St Savior Church, hinting at the fragility of Prizren's once-robust multiculturalism.

Prizren is well connected to Pristina (€4, 90 minutes, every 10 to 25 minutes), Peja (€4, 90 minutes, six daily) and Albania's Tirana (€12, four hours). The bus station is on the right bank of the river, a short walk from the old town.