Peja

Peja sits at the foot of the Accursed Mountains in western Kosovo where the Rugova gorge opens onto the plain, a city with a restored Ottoman bazaar, several old mosques, a hammam and the Patriarchate monastery just outside it. It is the base for the Rugova canyon, the Peaks of the Balkans trail and the western mountains generally, and the setting under the peaks is the best of any Kosovo city.

What you actually see

• The Ottoman bazaar - the restored market streets in the centre.
• The mountain setting - the Accursed Mountains rising directly behind.
• The old mosques and hammam - the Ottoman-period buildings in the town.
• The gorge mouth - the Rugova canyon opening just west of the city.

When to go

May to October is the season for the mountains behind. Winter brings skiing at Boge and snow on the passes. The bazaar is busiest on market days.

Honest expectations

The bazaar restoration is recent and parts feel new. The city itself is workaday outside the centre. Mountain access depends on the season and on weather.

Nearby

Rugova canyon is west, and the Patriarchate is at the gorge mouth.