Kosovo

Kosovo is a territory sandwiched between Serbia to the north and Albania to the south. The population is mostly Albanian, and Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in February 2008. This was the culmination of the changes wrought from the conflict that took place in and around Kosovo during the 1990s.

Today's Kosovo is gradually being modernised and rebuilt. The currency in Kosovo is the Euro and media and internet access are gradually improving - although rural areas of the country are still relatively undeveloped.

The capital of Kosovo is Prishtina, which is also home to the country's main airport (Prishtina International Airport). Pristina Airport has flights to many major European cities, including London. Visitors to Kosovo from EU countries do not require a visa.

Outside Prishtina, Kosovo is still largely rural and many areas are either agricultural or heavily forested and mountainous. Kosovo's mountains are, however, rapidly developing a reputation amongst skiing and mountaineering enthusiasts who are looking for new areas to explore. Locations such as Brezovic, Rugova and Beleg Decan already offer good facilities for outdoor sports lovers and the popularity of Kosovo with sports tourists is growing steadily.

For anyone looking for less energetic pursuits, Kosovo has many beautiful lakes and waterfalls that are worth visiting and its mountainous scenery is the equal of many better-known regions in Western Europe.