On the side of a busy road that leads to Prishtina’s biggest park, Gërmia, there is an area with small shops and fast food stations known by many names: “The Chinese Quarter”, “Raguza”, “Romantika Shopping Center”, or “The Craftsmen’s Center.”
How locals refer to the area kind of reveals their age, how long they have lived in Prishtina, and what is their emotional connection with the area. Built in the early 1980s, it was meant as a concentration of mini-shops for various crafts. In the '90s, it was one of the few places where Albanians socialized. Longtime Prishtina locals recall the famed “Raguza” sweet shop, of which no trace remains. Fast forward to 2022, the quarter has retained its old-style charm despite the transformations it has gone through.
If you tune out the noise from the busy street, and if you make an effort to block the visuals of the neighborhood as you go around this tiny area with tiny shops, it gives you a vibe of old towns somewhere by the sea. Keep an eye out for the tiny stone-laid stairs, pathways also laid in stones that have been polished by the feet of visitors in search of local fast food (think kebabs, burgers, meatballs, grilled hot peppers, cabbage and carrot and onion salad), local artwork, tailor services, or local handmade jewelry.
Nazim Gafurri
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Find your way with 77 Insider Tips from our Local Spotters
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This spot is an art gallery, a cafe, a bookstore, and a place for workshops. They're especially known for their painting and ceramics classes.
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"Remembering the Missing" in Prishtina is a plaque that commemorates the 1,600 people whose fate no-one knows still, 20 years after the war in Kosovo...
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Taverna Hije is the coziest spot ever! The food is delicious too; they come up with different daily menus and it is usually a meat & pasta lover’s heaven!
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Embeltore "Elida" was the epicenter of fashion, intellectual life and society of Prishtina in the '80s. Get an old-fashioned sweet & travel back in time!
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One of my favorite woman artists in Prishtina in Teuta Kelmendi. Her sketches, almost like cartoons, follow her in her coffee outings in various cafes...
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77 Insider Tips from our local Spotters
Authentic Stories by Real People
Escape the Crowd & Travel Slow 🐌
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