Sat deep in the territories of the Former Yugoslavia, Pristina has struggled since the fall of The Wall to stake its place on the global stage. However, just one trip into the buzzing, cosmopolitan heart of this town is enough to show that it's on the upward ho, as Italian trattorias mix with all-American fast food joints along the boulevards. In fact, as the political organization at Pristina and its near Serbian neighbors edge closer to reconciliation after the destructive wars in the Balkans, this capital continues to thrive. There's not much in the way of totemic monuments to see, but there are countless districts of earthy Islamic architecture, where sun-cracked streets hide beneath minarets, arabesque bazaars throb with life and shisha smoke twists in the Turkic coffeehouses. Nearby, there are UNESCO-attested Serbian Orthodox monasteries to see, along with the rugged Goljak Mountains, where Pristina tour guides can showcase the wilder wonders of the Balkan Peninsula.