Mitrovica

Mitrovica or Mitrovicë is a city in northern Kosovo, ethnically divided between a southern ethnic-Albanian part and a northern ethnic-Serbian part along the Ibër (Ibar) river. It is known for the Mitrovica Bridge which has become a symbol of the divide between Albanians and Serbs.

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.

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

• By train. You can get to the north part of Mitrovica from Kraljevo (Serbia) by train twice per day. The ticket is 442 Serbian dinars. The trains are modern, often air conditioned. The railway "station" in Mitrovica is nondescript but does the job, and is a short walk from the city center. Onward travel by train (to Pristina) is not possible as of March 2019. Walk across the bridge and take a bus/van there.
• North Mitrovica bus station. Taking a bus from Belgrade (or Southern Serbia) you will arrive at the North Mitrovica improvised bus station. Daily one direct bus to Niš, two via Novi Pazar 
• 1 South bus station (Stacioni i autobusëve), Ramadan Peci St (Opp. Motel Genti, a kilometer and a half south of the city center along Mbretresha Teutë St.). Coming from Pristina (~1 hour, €1.50, 3 times per hour) catch the bus go to the bus stop near the city's main mosque, with dueling minarets. To Peja (~2 hours, €3.50) 
• 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.

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:

1. 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
2. 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.

Centre of the city

See

• 1 The Mitrovica Bridge. An interesting symbol of the division of the population in Kosovo. This bridge is the dividing line between Serbs and Albanians in Mitrovica. It will almost always be safe to approach the bridge and look at it. (updated Jun 2017)
• Miner's hill. The Miner's hill is situated on the northern part of the city. On the top of hill is a panoramic view. Additionally there is an Orthodox church and iconic monument of the miners. 
• 2 Catholic Church (Kisha Katolike), Marin Barleti St.. 
• Church of Saint Sava
• 3 Orthodox Church (Kisha Ortodokse), Shemsi Ahmeti St.. 
• 4 Haji Veseli Mosque (Xhamia e Haxhi Veselit). 
• Mosque Isa Beg

A view from the hill in northern part of Mitrovica

Mitrovica is an old industrial mining town (some creative theorists say NATO bombed Kosovo to capture the 'rich' mines of Mitrovica).

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.

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.

• Visit Trepça, ☏ +383 38 748 861, info@visittrepca.com. a highly recommended cultural and industry legacy group tour of Mitrovica. The tour provides a comprehensive look at the history and current state of mining in Mitrovica, as well as an opportunity to experience the local culture and way of life. Visit starts with the Trepça Industrial Park, now largely passive. That follows with a visit to the National Museum of Crystals and Minerals, where you can see a wide variety of minerals from Trepça and other international mines. Tour continues to Stantërg, a small neighborhood located near the Trepça mine, showing local life when the mine was thriving. This one-day tour offers an exceptional chance to gain insights into the historical aspects of Kosovo, while also observing firsthand how the legacy of mining has affected the local communities across various facets such as the economy, society, and culture. 10 EUR. (updated Sep 2024)

• Hiking (Kosovo Tourist Guides Association), guidesinkosovo@gmail.com, ☏ +38349372639, guidesinkosovo@gmail.com. umbrella organization of tourist guides in Kosovo. They will put you in touch with a local guide suitable for your activity. (updated May 2022)

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.

Currencies

In most of Kosovo the Euro is used, so ATMs will dispense euros. However in North Mitrovica the Serbian dinar is expected by most cafes and shops. Some taxis will accept both dinars and euros.

Eat

• Ibri (in South Mitrovica on the road to Zubin Potok). This outdoor (and indoor) restaurant serves fresh fish from a fish pond located in the restaurant complex itself and their specialty is open grilled or fried trout fish. Very pleasant in summer evenings. If you are with your family, it has lot of open space for kids to play around. (updated Jun 2017)
• 1 Ura Restaurant. (updated Jun 2017)
• Srpska Soba restaurant (North). The restaurant running in the same building with NorthCity Hotel. If you want something to eat, but not fast food, this is a good option. Here you can find soups, meat courses etc. 

Drink

Dolce Vita (north side of bridge): once a smoke-filled cafeteria that played music of the Serbian nationalist variety, it is now a fairly upmarket cocktail bar.

Sleep

It will be extremely difficult to find accommodation in Mitrovica. You have a huge number of motels and hotels in and around Mitrovica where to have accommodation where you can rest and sleep.

• Hotel Palace. Popular with international organizations for holding their conferences. 
• 1 Hotel Mitrovica, Rruga e Spitalit (centre). 
• 2 Hotel Adriatik, Shemsi Ahmeti St.. 
• Motel Seadi-Petrol
• NorthCity Hotel, Čika Jovina St. 3, info@northcity.rs. Price includes the breakfast. Twin room: €37/night. 

Connect

• 2 Post Office (Posta), Bul. Shemsi Ahmeti. 

Go next

Novi Pazar, Serbia

• Vushtrri - small town with Roman and Ottoman heritage
• Pristina - Kosovo's capital city.
• Istog - a rural town in northern Kosovo.
• Peja - town with much Ottoman as well as Orthodox (Serb) heritage. 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.

Routes through Mitrovica

Rožaje ← Dračenovac ← ← Vitkoviće ←

W  E

→ Pristina → Podujeva