Tiny Kosovo is Europe’s newest (official) country: a handful of landlocked mountains, poppy-dotted meadows and oak forests smack bang in the middle of the Balkans. The shadow of conflict in the late 90s has kept Kosovo off traveller's radars, but go there today and you can feel that shadow lifting. NATO troops may still guard Serbian monasteries, and proper independence is an on-going struggle, but the headlines now are increasingly good ones: an emerging tourist trade, film festivals in Peja, Prishtina’s trendy cafe scene, and world-class walking in the Rugova Mountains. Yep, Europe’s youngest member is definitely making up for lost time. Today you'll cross the border into Kosovo by private vehicle (approximately 2 hours). The first stop in this newly independent country will be the Dečani Monastery, built in 1327, and known as the final resting place of Serbian King Stefan Uroš III Dečanski. Time stands still here, a place of stunning art heritage, but whose symbolic significance as a Serbian Orthodox cultural monument unfortunately makes it vulnerable to destruction. Continue on to Peja (Pec in Serbian), the gateway to the Rugova Mountains and a major agricultural centre (approximately 30 minutes). Visit the beautifully restored Peja Bazaar, dating back to Ottoman times, and Bajrakli Mosque. Having been destroyed twice in the last 80 years, the bazaar has been fully rebuilt after the Kosovo War, according to historical Ottoman architecture, and is one of the many protected monuments in Kosovo.
Meals: B