BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA
You are sitting in a pub on trivia night and are posed the question, “There is only one capital city in the entire world bordering two foreign countries. Which is it?” With Austria lying to its west and Hungary to its south, Bratislava is the answer! Slovakia’s largest city is home to right around a half million people and has been dubbed “Prague’s younger sibling”. While here, be sure to order the country’s national drink, Borovička - an alcoholic beverage similar to gin flavored with juniper berries! Na zdravie (Cheers)!
Attractions:
Free Walking Tour: Looking to get a feel for Bratislava? Be Free Tours offers three separate options - all of which are free! The first is their Original Tour which is 2.5 hours long and showcases the city’s main highlights. It picks up daily at 11:00am and 3:00pm. The second is their Old Town & Castle Tour which takes you back thousands of years to dive into the city’s history, culture, and architecture! This tour is 2 hours and picks up daily at 10:00am. The third is the Communism Tour which looks at Czechoslovakian life during the socialist regime. This tour is also 2 hours and picks up daily at 4:00pm. All three meet at Hviezdoslav Square near the Statue of Pavol Országh Hviezdoslav, the famous Slovak poet. Guides will be holding an orange “Free Tour” sign!
UFO Observation Deck: Standing at 95m tall, this tower gives you a fantastic view of Bratislava and the surrounding area! It is open daily from 10:00am-11:00pm and costs €8.90 to enter.
Explore Bratislava’s Old Town: Don’t want to do the walking tour and prefer to walk the streets on your own? No problem! The four main spots to hit are below! Bratislava Castle sits commandingly atop a hill overlooking both the Old Town and Danube River. It is open daily from 10:00am-6:00pm and houses exhibits of the Slovak National Museum. To see the Treasury and all of the exhibitions, admission costs €10. St. Martin’s Cathedral is the city’s most famous Gothic church and has an 85m spire dominating the skyline! The interior is open for visits Monday-Saturday between 9:00am-11:30am and 1:00pm-6:00pm; tours cost €2.50. Michael’s Gate is the last standing entrance of its kind leading into Bratislava’s Old Town. Its copper-plated Gothic roof is hard to miss! It is open Tuesday-Friday from 10:00am-5:00pm and weekends from 11:00am-6:00pm; entrance costs €5. Lastly, Blue Church (or Church of St. Elizabeth of Hungary) is worth a visit solely for its majestic pale blue color. Entrance is free and tourists can visit Monday-Saturday from 6:30am-7:30am and 5:30pm-7:00pm. Hours on Sunday are 7:30am-12:00pm and 5:30pm-7:00pm.
Main Square: In addition to what is listed above, Hlavné námestie (Slovak for “main square”) is the center of Bratislava and located in the middle of the city’s Old Town. You will find Roland Fountain and Old Town Hall here which are both worth a visit!
Man at Work: Also referred to as “The Watcher”, this man peeking his head out of a sewer is one of many famous statues situated across the city! Keep your eye out for others such as Schöne Náci, Napoleon Soldier, Hans Christian Andersen, and Paparazzi!
Other things to check out include: Sad Janka Kráľa City Park, Primatial Palace, White Night, and Slavín.
Accommodation:
Hostel Blues: This is a fantastic hostel with a social vibe and wonderful location. On foot it is 10 minutes from Hlavné námestie (Main Square), 15 minutes from Autobusová stanica Mlynské nivy (Bratislava Central Bus Station) and 20 minutes from Bratislava Hlavná Stanica (Bratislava Main Railway Station). Enjoy your stay!
Transportation:
Bratislava’s main train station is Bratislava Hlavná Stanica (Bratislava Main Railway Station); all trains below leave from here. The main bus station is Autobusová stanica Mlynské nivy (Bratislava Central Bus Station); all buses below leave from here.
Vienna, Austria is 1 hour by train from Bratislava and costs €9. The bus ride is 1.5 hours and costs €9.90.
Budapest, Hungary is 2.5 hours by train from Bratislava and costs €9. The bus ride is 2.5 hours and costs €12.
Prague, Czechia is 4 hours by train from Bratislava and costs €18. The bus ride is 4.5 hours and costs €14.
Krakow, Poland is 6.5 hours by train from Bratislava and costs €19. The bus ride is 6.5 hours and costs €17.
Bratislava Airport (BTS) is 10km (6 miles) east of the city center and accessible via bus and taxi.
Bus #61: The 20-minute bus ride to Bratislava Main Railway Station costs €1.
Taxi: The 20-minute taxi ride to the city center costs €15-€20 depending on the time of day.
