Mitrovica

Understand

The southern section is mainly populated by Albanians, with few Serbs. The northern section is mainly populated by Serbs, with some solely Albanian and mixed neighborhoods along the banks of the Ibër/Ibar River. The city was divided into two municipalities in 2008 by the so-called Ahtisaari Package which led to Kosovo independence, although in practice the city has been divided along ethnic lines since 1999 which was further entrenched in 2003 when many of the remaining ethnic Albanians in the northern part of Mitrovica were ethnically cleansed. thumb|350px|View of the city While there were violent protests by ethnic Serbs in 2023, the city has become more quiet and life has returned to normal, with Albanians being able to move more freely in the northern section as the so-called Bridge Watcher (a violent group of enforcers of the division having been arrested or ran away), and more Kosovo-wide businesses opening.

There are several bridges that connect the two parts of town. Much has been made of the main Mitrovica Bridge (now pedestrian only) running from the Albanian to the Serbian side which has become a symbol of the divide. It is completely safe to cross by daylight but may be less safe at night, depending on the general political climate.

Following the Kosovo War in 1999 and the city’s ethnic division, Mitrovica suffered economic collapse, turning from the economic centre of Kosovo before 1999 to the poorest region in Kosovo after. Unemployment is high.

Get in

A taxi from Pristina should not cost more than around €35, or there is a bus for much cheaper. When arriving from the Albanian side of the bridge, your taxi driver will often urge you not to cross the bridge for fear for your personal safety. While noble, this is a largely inaccurate impression is largely created by the international media. Smile politely, tell him you know what you are doing and he will take you to Mitrovica bridge. By train: as of May 2026 no rail links exist from Mitrovica.

Get around

The usual combi system applies in the south, in the North you can walk anywhere you need to get to. If you want to travel on further to towns to the north of Mitrovica such as Zvecan or Zubin Potok, you will have no trouble finding a cheap taxi service.

If you are coming from Belgrade to North Mitrovica and planning on going on to Pristina you have two options: You can walk across the main bridge (about 400 m to the south of where the bus dropped you off) and then find a combi to Pristina for €1.50 Get off the bus in Zvecan (before arriving in Mitrovica) where you can transfer onto UNMIK Railways. The trains run about every three hours. The train will take you to Fushë Kosovë where you can then take a combi to Prishtina

Taxis are as cheap as they are anywhere in Kosovo, but once again don't count on taking a taxi across the bridge.

thumb|right|250px|Centre of the city

See

thumb|Miner's hill Church of Saint Sava Mosque Isa Beg For those with an interest in ruined communist industrial architecture, there is a wealth of it on display in and around Mitrovica, particularly around the Trepca complex.

At the center of the south (Albanian) side, there are a number of cafes, pizzerias, restaurants, and shops, as well as a mall. There is also outdoor, public market just south of the mall. Internet cafes abound in Mitrovica. If you take a walk around various parts of town, you can still see a part of town marked by destruction (toward the west on the Albanian side - the gypsy quarter), craftsmen and artists, rolling hills, etc. Bread, pizza, and doners are available all over town for a good, inexpensive meal.

Sights on the south side include a market square with mosque, historic building (spared during 1990s fighting). People watching and relaxing along southern bank of Ibar River, near Mitrovica Bridge. thumb|Isa Beg Mosque

Do

Walking around the town on foot is the best way to explore it. Evenings are full of young people going up and down the main thoroughfares. So expect to meet the same faces many times around. Via Ferrata Berim

Via Ferrata Berim is near Mitrovica. This Ferrata is in a completely different mountain range, and the region is also known for the huge water reservoir called Gazivoda. This major lake gathers water from the Ibar River and provides drinking water for the municipalities surrounding the lake and the Kosovo coal-run power plants.

This is a very long Via Ferrata with a diagonal stair connecting two ridges in the form of a bridge. The construction style is different, as the steps have only one turn versus four in the other Via Ferratas. The Ferrata will take you from a woodland plateau to the top of Berim Peak. The region is beautiful and known for a large number of bears roaming the mountain. By the way, there have been no incidents with bears.

Buy

In North Mitrovica near the main bridge you can purchase post cards with a picture of an F-117 Stealth fighter with a target on it and the text 'Sorry, we didn't know it was invisible.' A wealth of such memorabilia is available for purchase.

In South Mitrovica you will find American and Albanian flags for sale. Local crafts found in stalls and department stores. Also look out for local and national football (soccer) clothing.

Eat

In the city centre of Mitrovica, near Ish-Hotel Jadrani , you can find "Adriatiku" Bakery, that has Mitrovica's speciality , Pretzels or known locally as Perec.

Sleep

You have a number of motels and hotels in and around Mitrovica where to have accommodation where you can rest and sleep. Motel Seadi-Petrol

Go next

thumb|Novi Pazar, Serbia

Vushtrri - small town with Roman and Ottoman heritage Pristina - Kosovo's capital city. Istog - a rural town in northern Kosovo. Peja - a hub for outdoor sports in the spectacular surrounding mountains: the nearby Rugova Canyon is one of the outstanding areas of the country and a ski site in the winter. Novi Pazar daily bus connection. A multicultural area of Muslims and Orthodox Christians, many monuments of both communities like the Church of St. Apostles Peter and Paul and the Altun-Alem mosque are found in the region. Nis is the largest city of southern Serbia.