Junik

Junik in western Kosovo holds the largest concentration of kullas left in the territory, the fortified stone tower houses that Albanian families built with thick walls, small high windows and a men's reception room on the top floor, put up when blood feud and raiding made defensible housing necessary. Several dozen survive here in varying condition and a few have been restored and can be visited. Kullas were built across northern Albania and western Kosovo, and the form is essentially the same on both sides of the border.

What you actually see

• The kullas - fortified stone tower houses in the largest surviving group.
• The oda - the men's reception room on the top floor of each tower.
• The defensive design - thick walls and small high windows.
• The restored examples - the towers opened for visits.

When to go

May to October is the comfortable season. Visits inside the kullas need arranging with the owners. Winter is cold and many are closed up.

Honest expectations

Most kullas are private and in poor repair; only a few can be entered. Visits inside must be arranged in advance. The town itself has few facilities.

Nearby

Deçan is northeast, and Gjeravica is west.