A brown bear cools off in a pool at the bear sanctuary near the Badovc lake on August 19, 2015 in Badovc, during a heat wave in Kosovo. AFP PHOTO/ARMEND NIMANI        (Photo credit should read ARMEND NIMANI/AFP/Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

Bear Sanctuary

Top choice in Kosovo


In a remote, forested spot beyond the village of Mramor, this sanctuary houses European brown bears that were rescued from captivity by the charity Four Paws. All the bears here were once kept in tiny cages as restaurant mascots, so although they're hardly out free in the wilderness, the spacious, semiwooded enclosures of today are a million times better than the conditions they were once kept in. You can learn more about the bears at the impressive new visitor centre.

From Pristina, board any Gjilan-bound bus and ask to be let off by the Delfina gas station at the entrance to Mramor. From there, follow the road back past the lakeside, and then around to the right. It's a 3km walk, and the gorgeous countryside and lake make a great spot for a picnic afterwards. Otherwise there's a decent terrace restaurant within the sanctuary (mains around €5.50). A taxi from Pristina is around €15 and for a couple of euros extra, drivers will stop off at the Gračanica Monastery on the way.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Kosovo attractions

1. Gračanica Monastery

4.24 MILES

Southeast of Pristina in the Serbian town of Gračanica is the ancient Gračanica Monastery, completed in 1321 by Serbian king Milutin. The monastery, which…

2. National Gallery of Kosovo

5.02 MILES

This excellent space approaches Kosovan art from a contemporary perspective (don't expect to see paintings from the country's history here) and is worth a…

3. Clock Tower

5.09 MILES

This 26m-high tower dates from the 19th century and was central to the bazaar area, as it dictated when stalls should close for prayers. Following damage…

4. Sultan Mehmet Fatih Mosque

5.11 MILES

The 'imperial mosque', as locals call it, was built on the orders of Mehmed the Conqueror around 1461, and although it was converted to a Catholic church…

5. National Library

5.11 MILES

Easily one of Pristina's most notable buildings, the National Library, completed in 1982 by Croatian Andrija Mutnjakovic, has to be seen to be believed …

6. Emin Gjiku Ethnographic Museum

5.11 MILES

This wonderful annex of the Museum of Kosovo is located in two beautifully preserved Ottoman houses enclosed in a large walled garden. The English…

7. Jashar Pasha Mosque

5.12 MILES

This mosque, which was fully renovated in 2015 as a gift from the Turkish government, has vibrant interiors that exemplify Turkish baroque style.

8. Museum of Kosovo

5.12 MILES

Pristina's main museum has recently reopened after extensive renovations. Displays begin back in the misty times of the Bronze Age. There are some…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "kosovo/attractions/bear-sanctuary/a/poi-sig/1506286/360675",
      "destination": "Kosovo",
      "continent": "Europe",
      "country": "Kosovo",
      "position": "superzone"
    }