Exploring Kosovo through CouchSurfing

Sunday, 06

If you’re a seasoned backpacker, chances are you already know what CouchSurfing is. While most hotels and travel agencies offer all sorts of tours around landmarks and popular sightseeing sites, CouchSurfing takes traveling to a new level. Getting to know a place through the eyes of local people.

Founded in 2003, CouchSurfing is a hospitality exchange network operating in 245 countries and territories around the globe, including Kosovo. Its concept is simple. You join the website, create a profile and open your house to enthusiastic travelers. The profiles are designed to offer information, aimed at helping members find other like-minded CouchSurfers. Divided into several sections, the profiles enable people to write about why they’ve joined the project, their interests and activities, favorite books and movies and information on their couch offering availability. There’s also an effective verification system which among other safety measures, identifies the location of a member, offers the possibility of leaving/receiving references to one another and monitors the exchange of messages through the website.

Moreover, being a CouchSurfer isn’t only about finding free accommodation. The website gives you the option of showing a fellow traveler around your city or meeting up for a drink. It’s also a good tool to get information on off-the-beaten path locations and local venues, something not usually found in guidebooks. The core idea of the project is to raise inter-cultural communication and help in designing a global community.

As of late, CouchSurfing has also made a splash in Kosovo. While it hasn’t yet become as popular as in Western Europe and Northern America, its spirit has definitely captivated the small nation. With the inclusion of Kosovo on the list of must-see countries in 2011 by the New York Times, the influx of tourists/travelers is expected to increase, thus making CouchSurfing an exciting prospect for young travelers.

For those who’re planning to visit Kosovo and prefer alternative means of traveling, CouchSurfing may just be your best bet. To familiarize yourself with the project, you can find more information at www.couchsurfing.org

Following that, stuff your backpack, charge your camera and have an eventful, adventurous trip!