Pristina, also spelled Prishtina or Priština is the capital and largest city of Kosovo. It is the administrative center of the homonymous municipality and district.

The city has a majority Albanian population, alongside other smaller communities. With a population of about 500,000, Pristina is the second-largest Albanian-speaking city in the world.  Geographically, it is located in the north-eastern part of Kosovo close to the Goljak mountains. The city is situated some 250 kilometres north-east of Tirana, 90 kilometres north of Skopje, 520 kilometres south of Belgrade and 300 kilometres east of Podgorica.

During the Paleolithic Age, what is now the area of Pristina was envolved by the Vinča culture. Pristina was home to several Illyrian and Roman people at the classical times. The king of the Dardanian Kingdom, Bardyllis brought various tribes together in the area of Pristina in the 4th century BC, establishing the Dardanian Kingdom. The heritage of the classical era is still evident in the city, represented by ancient city of Ulpiana, that was considered one of the most important Roman cities in the Balkan peninsula. In the middle ages, Pristina was an important town in Medieval Serbia and also the royal estate of Stefan Milutin, Stefan Uros III, Stefan Dusan, Stefan Uros V and Vuk Brankovic.

When the Ottomans conquered the Balkan peninsula, Pristina was classified as an important mining and trading center on the market, due to its strategic position near the rich mining town of Novo Brdo. The city was known for its trade fairs and items, such as goatskin and goat hair, as well as gunpowder produced by artisans from Pristina in 1485. The first mosque in Pristina was built in the late 14th century, while under the Serbian rule. Pristina has always been considered as a city where tolerance and coexistence in terms of religion and culture has been part of the society in the last centuries.

Being the capital city, Pristina is considered as the heart of Kosovo because of its central location and its importance in finance, commerce, media, entertainment, arts, international trade, education, service, research and healthcare. Almost all domestic and foreign companies, media and scientific institutions have their headquarters in the city.

The name of the city is derived from a Slavic form *Prišьčь, a possessive adjective from the personal name *Prišьkъ, (preserved in the Kajkavian surname Prišek, in the Old Polish personal name Parzyszek, and in the Polish surname Pryszczyk) and the derivational suffix -ina 'belonging to X and his kin'.[citation needed] The name is most likely a patronymic of the personal name *Prišь, preserved as a surname in Sorbian Priš, and Polish Przybysz, a hypocoristic of the Slavic personal name Pribyslavъ.

A false etymology[citation needed] connects the name Priština with the Serbian word prišt (пришт), meaning 'ulcer' or 'tumour', referring to its 'boiling'. However, this explanation cannot be correct, as Slavic place names ending in -ina corresponding either or both to an adjective or the name of an inhabitant lacking this suffix are built from personal names or denote a person and never derive, in these conditions, from common nouns (SNOJ 2007: loc. cit.). The inhabitants of this city call themselves Prishtinali in local Gheg Albanian or Prištevci (Приштевци) in the local Serbian dialect.

Pristina is the primary tourist destination in Kosovo as well as the main air gateway to the country.[58] It is known as a university center of students from neighbouring countries as Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. In 2012, Tourism in Pristina attracted 36,186 foreign visitors.[59] which represents 74.2%[60] Most foreign tourists come from Albania, Turkey, Germany, United States, Slovenia, Montenegro, Macedonia, with the number of visitors from elsewhere growing every year.[61]

The city has a large number of luxury hotels, modern restaurants, bars, pubs and very large nightclubs. Coffee bars are a representative icon of Pristina and they can be found almost everywhere. The largest hotels of the city are the Swiss Diamond and the Grand Hotel Prishtina situated in the heart of the city. Other major hotels present in Pristina include the Emerald Hotel, Sirius Hotel and Hotel Garden.

Some of the most visited sights near the city include the Batlava Lake and Marble Cave, which are also among the most visited places in country.[62] Pristina has played a very important role during the World War II, being a shelter for Jews, whose cemeteries now can be visited.

As the capital city of the Republic of Kosovo, it is the center of cultural and artistic development of all Albanians that lives in Kosovo. The Department of cultural affairs is just one of the segments that arranges the cultural events, which make Pristina one of the cities with the most emphasized cultural and artistic traditions. Pristina is home to the largest cultural institutions of the country, such as the National Theatre of Kosovo, National Archaeology, Ethnography and Natural science Museum, National Art Gallery and the Ethnological Museum. Among the local institutions are the National Library of Kosovo which has more than 1.8 million books, periodicals, maps, atlases, microfilms and other library materials.

There are many foreign cultural institutions in Pristina, including the Albanian Albanological Institute, the German Goethe-Institut and Friedrich Ebert Foundation.[ Other cultural centers in Pristina are, the French Alliance Française and the British Council. The Information Office of the Council of Europe was also established in Pristina.

Munich is the state capital of the Free State of Bavaria. With about 1.5 million inhabitants, it is the most populous city in Bavaria and (after Berlin and Hamburg) the third largest municipality in Germany. The gastronomy in Munich offers numerous specialties of the Bavarian cuisine. The white sausage was invented in 1857 in Munich and is probably the most famous culinary specialty of the city. Furthermore, the Brezn, the Auszogne (a round dumpling), the Prinzregententorte and the Münchner beer are also a must-try.

While in Munich, you should visit the following attractions:

The Marienplatz - The heart of Munich is the famous Marienplatz, which is located in the middle of the Old Town. Since 1158 it has served as an urban center and a traffic hub for the Bavarian capital. The square has additional sights to offer, such as the New and Old Town Hall. The Mary’s Column (Mariensäule) and the Fish Fountain (Fischbrunnen) are popular meeting places. The Bell tower of the New Town Hall attracts over 5 million tourists every year. In winter, the Marienplatz is the site of the well-known Christkindlmarkt, one of the largest Christmas markets in Germany, with 140 stalls.

If you’re looking for sports and relaxation. then the English garden in Munich is the right place for you. On the green area of around 375 hectares there are lawns, jogging tracks, cycling paths, beer gardens and streams. For Munichers, the garden is a green oasis in the middle of the city, where tourists can discover the large park area including the Chinese Tower, a Japanese tea house and the Monopteros built in 1831.

There is a number of churches dedicated to women in Germany. The Frauenkirche with its distinctive towers is one of the most famous landmarks of the city and is also called by its inhabitants also Cathedral to Our Dear Lady in Munich. The church owes its name to her patron, the Mother of God Maria.

When visiting the Autocity in Munich, a trip to the BMW Welt can not be missed. The combination of exhibitions, museum and event venue was opened to the public in October 2007 and welcomes fans of the brand from all over the world to an unforgetable tour. The exhibition was conceived not only for buyers, who can buy their own BMW here, but also for all interested parties which want to enjoy in this futuristic ambient. With the extraordinary design and the integration of ecological innovations, this car heaven is attractive for all people regardless of their age and interests.

The Olympiapark was the venue of the Olympic Games in 1972. Even today, the 850,000 m² site is the venue for sporting events such as the European and World Championships. In addition to the stadium of the same name, the Olympiapark also includes the Olympic Stadium, the Park and the Olympic Press Center. The former Olympiadorf is now a popular residential area for students and young Munichers. From the Olympia Tower  you can gaze upon the whole area and the city.

The Nymphenburg Palace is located in the western part of Munich, in the Neuhausen-Nymphenburg district. In order to celebrate the birth of the successor to the throne, the Bavarian Elector Ferdinand Maria gave the castle to his wife Henriette Adelaide, which was completed in 1679. Up to 300,000 guests from all over the world visit the main castle and the associated castle grounds annually. Since 2004 the Nymphenburger Castle Concert is held here, which has established itself as a permanent part of Munich's music and culture scene.

The Oktoberfest is a festival of superlatives - as the largest folk festival in the world it can only take place in the beer metropolis Munich. Millions of guests from all over the world enjoy the unique atmosphere every year. For this occasion, Hofbräu Munich brews a beer of particularly good taste and smell, which goes very well with the traditional Bavarian cuisine. With an alcohol content of more than 6% vol. and a refined taste, the Hofbräu Oktoberfest beer is as unique as the Oktoberfest.

Munich has more to offer than just the Oktoberfest. Hardly any other city is as diverse as the Bavarian capital. Green oases and numerous sights can make your stay in Munich a memorable and special experience. After Berlin and Hamburg, Munich is the most popular destination among German city dwellers and foreigners.