• Norway!

    Norway: Sunnylvsfjord. Go Now!

    Norway
    Known for its natural beauty, Norway is home to isolated villages, fjords, and mountains that create a culture and landscape without compare. Begin Your Journey!

  • Vatican City!

    Vatican City: Vatican Museums. Go Now!

    Vatican City
    The smallest country in the world offers the heart of Catholicism and among the world's finest art collections, including the Sistine Chapel and the Raphael Rooms (ceiling pictured). Go to Vatican City!

  • Macedonia!

    Macedonia: Traditional architecture. Go Now!

    Macedonia
    Macedonia is a country still finding its unique identity, but its architecture is already one of a kind. Explore Macedonia!

  • Austria!

    Austria: Belvedere Palace. Go Now!

    Austria
    Belvedere Palace (pictured) is just one of many palaces found in Vienna. The capital is a good start to Austria, which also features the Alps, the Lakes District, and incredible history & food. Go Now!

  • Spain!

    Spain: Guell Park and Gaudi architecture. Go Now!

    Spain
    Fusion foods, lively music, historic ruins, and cultural events like the Running of the Bulls and La Tomatina make Spain and Barcelona (pictured) a favorite tourist destination. Explore Spain!

  • Ukraine!

    Ukraine: Traditional Village. Go Now!

    Ukraine
    Ukrainian culture is based on village life, particularly that found in the Carpathian Mountains (pictured). Begin Your Journey!

Social Life in Kosovo

Behavior

Most of the behavioral rules and restrictions in Kosovo are based on Islam, but more recent cultural history has altered many of these cultural aspects so today how the people of Kosovo behave is a combination of European and Islamic in origin.

As a visitor to Kosovo just try to follow the lead of the locals by dressing in alike manner (see below for details), dining in the local etiquette (see our Kosovo Dining & Food Page), and avoid sensitive conversation topics, such as politics, finances, and business unless initiated by your local counterpart. Also try to avoid being loud, rude, or showing off wealth.

Dress

The traditional dress of Kosovo was fairly distinct from its neighbors (other than Albania) as it was likely rooted in their Illyrian past. For women, this traditional clothing included long-sleeved shirts, jackets called guna, hats with gold embroidery, a skirt or dress of some sort, and sometimes vests. Girls tended to wear a similar outfit, but the decoration was very floral to symbolize youthfulness. For the men shirts called telinat, blazers called mitani, vests called xhamadani, a scarf, and a long red belt was the dress of choice. Men also traditionally wore a fair amount of rings and other decorations, including armor such as a pistol or sword.

Today this traditional dress is less frequently seen, although in some mountainous areas they can be found and they are also worn by some people on holidays or for special events, like a wedding or funeral. Today most people wear modern western-styled clothing, but most of the people are Muslim so do tend to cover up their arms and legs; only some women cover their hair.

As a visitor to Kosovo try to cover your shoulders and knees at a minimum. Also try to dress for the occasion as entering mosques or conducting business in the country requires more formal and conservative dress, while wandering around the country has few rules since the people are quite liberal Muslims. If in doubt, dress on the more conservative side.

This page was last updated: November, 2013