Should Tourists Visit Pristina, Kosovo?
For tourists interested in recent, contemporary history, a visit to Pristina, the capital city of the UN-administered province of Kosovo, still nominally part of Serbia, can be a very meaningful trip. One should not necessarily expect old-world European charm when visiting the former war-torn city, but rather the symbols of a troubled, recent past. Nevertheless, this is by and large a safe city, with little petty crime, but some lingering ethnic tension, which is actually stronger in some other parts of Kosovo. Perhaps most fascinating of all for tourists interested in late twentieth century history, is the massive UNMIK headquarters–the organization charged with monitoring and keeping the peace in the region, since the NATO bombing campaign of 1999. Although it is not normally possible to enter the compound, the activity of international troops is very much an indication that history is still in the making. Some buildings, such as the main Post Office, still show the marks of the rec
