Gjakova Attraction Tours and Guides

A Guided Walk of the Town

The best starting point is the Tourist Information Centre, housed in the Kulla of Abdullah Pashë Dreni at the entrance to the Old Bazaar. This three-storey stone tower dates from 1790 and is linked to the killing of the Ottoman marshal Mehmed Ali Pasha in 1878. The office is open Monday to Friday from about 08:00 to 16:00, and a guided city tour is arranged there at a price agreed on the spot. GuideKS, the association of licensed guides in Kosovo, can also put visitors in touch with a guide.

Sufi Heritage Visits

Gjakova has several tekkes, the lodges of Sufi orders. The Sheh Emin Tekke of the Sa’di order stands at the northern end of the bazaar and dates from the 18th century, with timber work, carved details and tombs. The Bektashi Tekke was built in 1790, burned in 1999 and rebuilt in 2004 to 2006, and the baba often shows visitors around. The Grand Tekke, or Teqja e Madhe, lies about 10 minutes from the centre. These are living religious places, so visits are made by arrangement, with modest dress and a respectful manner.

The Kulla Trail

A kulla is a fortified stone family tower. After the Dreni tower in town, the usual next stop is Junik, about 20 km away, where several kullas stand, among them those of Isuf Mazrekaj, Haxhi Ramë Mazrekaj and Shaban Binakaj. In Isniq, the Osdautaj Kulla is a 300-year-old house that a family still lives in, so it is a home and not a museum. Opening times vary, so arrange each visit ahead and do not turn up unannounced.

Bridges and Canyon Half Day

A half day by car or taxi links four stops:

  • Tabak Bridge over the Erenik, from 1771 and about 127 m long, now for pedestrians only.
  • Terzi Bridge near Bishtazhin, about 10 km east, with 11 arches and a length of about 190 m.
  • Fshajt Bridge, 11 km east on the Prizren road, 22 m above the White Drin.
  • The White Drin Canyon beside it, about 900 m long and about 45 m deep, a protected natural monument since 1986.

Ask a taxi driver to agree the route and waiting time before you set off.

Wine and Distillery

Risons Wine & Distillery in Qerim and the Stone Castle winery in Rahovec both receive visitors. A reservation is advised at both.

Multi-Stop Tours

Organised tours that pass through Gjakova on the way to Prizren, Peja or Valbona are sold on resale platforms. Check which operator runs the tour and what is included before you pay.

Read more: day trips from Gjakova covers Deçan, Prizren and Peja by bus.

Local contacts and opening notes are listed on Wikivoyage , and the Stone Castle winery publishes its own visiting details. Multi-stop tours can be compared on Viator .