DAY ONE CULTURE & CUISINE IN PRIZREN

Morning

Prizren is home to an intriguing clutch of museums overlooking its namesake river’s undulating northern bank. Begin at the Archaeology Museum, home to hundreds of artefacts unearthed in and around the city. The collection is housed in a 15th-century former Ottoman bathhouse, set beneath a clocktower dating from 1912. Climb its 100-odd stairs for sweeping views over the Old

Town before moving on to the Ethnographical Museum on Bujar Godeni Street. Set in one of the city’s few remaining Ottoman era homes, its eclectic displays of clothing, furniture and curios offer a window into 19th-century Prizren, then ablaze with radical ideas. For further insight, pay a visit to the Complex of the Albanian League of Prizren, the site of a 1878 assembly that saw local leaders first propose a united Albanian state that would have included what is now Kosovo.

Afternoon

Cross the 16th-century stone bridge spanning the river and tuck into a traditional lunch at Ambient, a restaurant with tables spread along the waterfront. Work off your tava

(a casserole-style dish cooked in a clay pot) with a short but steep hike up past the Old Town’s lofty hillside church to Prizren Fortress. Originally built by the Byzantines and expanded by a succession of Serbian kings and Ottoman rulers, the fortress site has been in use since the Bronze Age. Damaged during the Yugoslav Wars, the fortification has since undergone a major restoration, offering a glimpse of its former glory. Don’t miss the main building’s displays of Neolithic pottery and Ottoman-era relics, and be sure to time your visit for sunset, when the city below takes on a golden hue. The fortress occasionally hosts concerts in the summer months. facebook.com/ ambientrestaurantprizren

Evening

Prizren’s Old Town cafes swell as evening falls. Most of the locals stick to coffee and cigarettes (macchiatos are a popular choice), although traditional food and booze is also served. Try the wine; the vineyards of Rahovec, Kosovo’s main wine-producing region, are just 19 miles away. For a break from the meat-heavy dishes that dominate most local menus, seek out Noja Kuzhine. A homely vegetarian restaurant run by a welcoming grandma and her small team, its daily menu could include anything from a delicately spiced falafel wrap to a generous plate of pasta made with local cheese and dill. Turn in at the timber-framed Hotel Prizreni, a chalet-style property in the heart of the Old Town. For views onto cobblestone streets and the gushing river, upgrade to a balcony room. instagram.com/noja.kuzhine hotelprizreni.com

From left: The view across the medieval bridge to Prizren Old Town; shops and cafes line Farkëtarët, Prizren