Bratislava is the sweetest little city and a must see on your European bucket list. As the capital of Slovakia, Bratislava has a population of about 420,000 and it sits alongside the Dubane River bordering Austria and Hungary.
Surrounded by vineyards and mountains, this 18th-century old town is pedestrian-only and is best known for its quaint cafes and lively bars; picture cobblestone streets, friends chatting over afternoon espresso and charming little shops filled with local goods.
If you’re traveling between Hungary and Austria and have a day or two to spare, make the stop in this beautiful city. You won’t be disappointed!
HOW WE GOT THERE:
My cousin and I were traveling between Budapest, Hungary and Vienna, Austria and found that the train between the two went straight by Bratislava. From Budapest, the ride is only about 2 hours and 45 minutes {and it it was only another hour to Vienna}, so we were easily able to fit it into our schedule.
We decided to spend just one night in the city, but that ended up being the perfect amount of time to relax and get a good dose of Slovakian culture! If you want to stay longer, I would suggest 3 nights tops, you can see a lot there in a short amount of time.
If you take the train from Budapest, you can grab train tickets through Rail Europe and you can do it online or at the station. Tickets are typically around $50 per person.
STAY:
Our train arrived in Bratislava mid afternoon and we went right to Botel Marina to check-in. I had never heard of a Botel before this trip but quickly learned that a Botel is simply a hotel…on a boat! I was so excited to try it out for the night and I’m pretty sure I sang, “we stayin’ at the hotel, botel, holiday inn” the entire walk there. Cool, I know.
Botel Marina was located a few blocks from city center and in a such a quiet and peaceful location in the Staré Město District. It was equipped with an on-site restaurant that served up a hot breakfast each morning, 32 guest rooms that ranged from a standard room to a small apartment, a pool and lounge area and a view of the morning sunrise that could not be beat. It was so much more than I expected and such a fun and unique experience.
SEE:
Since our time was limited, we quickly freshened up and headed out. We learned right away that Bratislava is an ideal city for wandering! There are so many little nooks and crannies in Old Town {your main hub} and even the newer part of the city that you can explore.
You’ll turn a corner and find yourself face to face with stunning street art, the National Theater {oldest Slovak professional theater}, St. Martin’s Cathedral {cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bratislava} and so much more.
Outside of the spots that you’ll stumble across, there are a few tourist attractions that you’ll want to make sure to carve out time to see:
- The Blue Church: This is also known as the Church of St. Elisabet and it is hands down one of the coolest Churches I’ve ever seen. Staying true to its name, the church is painted a pristine shade of blue and on our trip we learned that the design was a prime example of art nouveau–a popular style of art between 1890 and 1910.
- The Bratislava Castle: This site has so much history as it was built back in the 9th century and is a great landmark to spend a few hours visiting. The castle is perched up above the city and sports gorgeous grounds and a breathtaking panoramic view of the Dubane, Old Town and beyond. You can easily walk or drive to the castle and public transportation is available as well. If you go, try to head up closer to sunset so that you can catch the view at dusk.
- Presidential Palace: Located right outside of Old Town, the Presidential Palace is home to the President of Slovakia. The palace itself isn’t open to guests, but you can freely roam the grounds and enjoy the French inspired setup along with some peace and quiet outside of the hustle and bustle of the city.
Note: Just like other major European cities, Bratislava has its own discount card called the Bratislava card. As I’ve mentioned, the city is small and very walkable, but this card gives you great discounts on tours, restaurants and bars and then free access to 12 different museums/galleries and free rides on public transportation. The cost ranges from $17-$23 depending on how many days you purchase it for.
EAT:
We had made dinner reservations for the evening, so we decided to do a light lunch in Old Town. We stumbled across Urban Space and I’m so glad we did! Now there are a ton of charming restaurants in Old Town {you really can’t go wrong}, but this was one of my favorites. I was instantly mesmerized by the contemporary decor and the adjacent book store that housed shelves upon shelves of books, free wi-fi and a funky little seating area. If you make it to this gem, make sure to order the avocado toast, it’s ridiculously good, and don’t forget a chai tea latte!
After seeing some more sites, we went back to the Botel to get ready for dinner and headed on out to the UFO Restaurant. The UFO bridge is a big tourist attraction and the UFO Restaurant is located high above on the pillars. You can easily walk to this spot from Old Town and you can access the restaurant from the elevator in one of the tower “legs.”
If you’re just going up there to enjoy the view, it’s about $10 per person, but if you go to the restaurant it’s free. The meals up there are pricey, so I would suggest heading up around sunset, grabbing a cocktail and an app {we sprung for the cheese platter, yum!} and just enjoy the view for a few hours.
DRINK:
We couldn’t leave the city without a little nightcap! Most of bars in Bratislava are within walking distance from one another, so you have a great opportunity to try out a lot of spots in a short amount of time. Slovakia is known for their local beer, orange wine and various liquors {Slivovitz Plum Schnapps, Borovička, Demänovka to name a few}, so if you have the opportunity to try something local I would definitely do it!
Typically bars stay open until 1am during the week, 2am on the weekends and then the more touristy bars and nightclubs won’t close until 5am. We did learn that a lot of bars don’t accept credit cards, so make sure you have cash on hand.
We weren’t able to visit too many spots due to our time crunch, but I did want to share a few suggestions for local bars that were recommended to us.
Lemon Tree Sky Bar is located next to the American Embassy in Old Town. It has three floors; the bottom floor is a swanky cocktail bar, the basement has a Rum Bar and then if you grab the lift to the eighth floor you’ll find a gorgeous rooftop Vodka bar.
Drink in Gallery Andy is another fun spot if you’re looking for something a little more casual. The space is shaped like an old old tram, there’s tons of cool artwork on the walls and an array of board games you can choose from. It’s the perfect stop to hang with friends, have a few drinks and some casual conversation!
Last but not least, we were recommended to try Vinimka for wine (they have over 250 different types) and Beer Palace in Old Town for-you guessed it-beer! If you go, order the Czech Pilsner Urquell, you’ll love it!
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Bratislava is the perfect stop for 24-hours. You’ll have a blast walking the streets, seeing the sites and learning about the history. Plus, they have some great restaurants and bars that will leave you full and happy!
