The central square of Prizren is surrounded by cafes and restaurants, their patios full of locals drinking tea or coffee and chatting away. I took their example and spent a good deal of time sipping tea at a lovely cafe in the garden behind the Sinan Pasha Mosque.

Minarets dot the horizon. Throughout the day the call to prayer sounds out. There are always several mosques within earshot and they never quite seem to be in sync, so a multitude of voices create a beautiful cacophony.

The narrow streets barely have sidewalks, so one must keep their wits about them and always be prepared to step out of the way of a car. Kosovans have been very friendly and helpful, but once they are behind the wheel of a car it feels as if they will run you down with barely a second thought. Welcome to the Balkans.

Yet another fortress sits above the city. It’s accessible via the steep, winding streets, or you can walk out of town along the river, and through the forest to approach the castle from the back. From above Prizren is a sea of red tile rooftops, pierced by the aforementioned minarets, flowing up to the mountains in the distance.

Photos.