Pristina - Far more a provincial town than a great city, Pristina makes for an unlikely national capital, and yet feels more cosmopolitan than the capitals of many larger Balkan nations due to the number of foreigners working here: the UN and EU both have large presences here and the city feels rich and more sophisticated as a result. Pristina is a fast-changing city and one that feels full of optimism and potential, even if its traffic-clogged streets and mismatched architectural styles don't make it an obviously attractive place.

Not far in distance, but worlds away from the chaotic capital, the smaller towns of Peja and Prizren both offer a different pace and a new perspective on Kosovar life.

Prizren - The most historical city in Kosovo, capital of the Serbian empire in the XIV century. It has plenty of beautiful examples of Serbian and Ottoman medieval architecture. The UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Serbian Orthodox Church of Our Lady of Ljeviš is located in the city. 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.

Peja - Known as the "City of Tourism", in western Kosovo, sits at the mouth of the Rugova Gorge and adjacent to the newly formed Accursed Mountains National Park. Peja is Kosovo's third-largest city and one flanked by sites vital to Orthodox Serbians. With a Turkish-style bazaar at its heart and the dramatic but increasingly accessible Rugova Mountains all around it, it's a diverse and progressive place that's fast becoming Kosovo's tourism hub.

Gračanica Monastery - Explore beyond Pristina by heading southeast to one of the most beautiful examples of Serbian medieval ecclesiastical architecture. This monastery was built by the Serbian king Milutin in the Serbo-Byzantine style. It is noted for its frescoes, and being the only medieval Serbian monastery found in an urban setting complete with an old school and archives.

UNESCO World Heritage Site - Visoki Dečani Monastery is one of the most important monasteries of the Serbian Orthodox Church. Just 15km south of Peja, you will find one of Kosovo's absolute highlights - famous for its elegant and peculiar architecture. As an orthodox monastery from the XIII century, it successfully mixes western and eastern church building elements to form a particular hybrid style only known on the territory of old Serbia.

DON'T MISS

• Velika Hoča, a beautiful village with 13 medieval churches and a centuries-old tradition of wine-making.

• Waterfall Of The Drini River - Located north of Peja behind the Berdynaj village.

• The Rugova Gorge. The Rugova gorge is also to the northwest of Peja and can be found by following the same road that leads to the Peć Patriarchy and driving further. The canyon has extremely steep walls reaching up to 300 meters.

• The Gjakova Old Bazaar. A very beautiful old "shopping center" from the 17th century. It was burned down during the war in 1999 and reconstructed recently. In the center of the bazaar is an old mosque that was built in the 15th century.

• The Mitrovica Bridge. An interesting symbol of the division of the population in Kosovo. This bridge is the dividing line between Serbs and Albanians in Mitrovice/Mitrovica. It will almost always be safe to approach the bridge and look at it, although the French soldiers who guard it may not let you cross if the political situation is worse than normal (with 'normal' not being so good either way).

• Novo Brdo - Mentioned in the historical documents as early as 1326, Novo Brdo was a metropolis at the time, with a huge medieval fortress built on top of an extinct volcano cone, of which the remains can be visited today. In the outer wall of the fortress, a large cross is visible, built into the stones.

• Ulpiana, one of the oldest cities in the Balkan peninsula, is just 20-30 minutes away from Pristina towards Gjilan. It was re-constructed by emperor Justinian I.