
I realised, on arrival, that two nights in Bratislava is not nearly enough time to explore this area properly. Nonetheless, it gives you a good taste of a vibrant Slovakian city. Due to the recent and rather turbulent history of the country (which only gained independence in 1993), Bratislava maintains its old charm, but at the same time, makes space for change and growth. It is rich in culture, surrounded by beautiful countryside, full of interesting architecture and has plenty of options for sampling local Slovakian cuisine and homemade beer. In a day, you can easily cover the following highlights:
Take a Free Walking Tour of the Old Town
Learn about the interesting history of this old capital city and the many Slovakian traditions, which link strongly to the Czech Republic. For example, did you know that both countries enjoy carp for Christmas dinner? To get rid of the muddy taste, they buy the fish while it is still alive and let it swim in the bath tub on the days leading up to Christmas! Needless to say, the children are not very happy when their new pet becomes Christmas dinner. Free walking tours of the old town start at 10am from the Fountain of Hviezdoslav. In two hours, you will cover the main highlights, such as the castle, town hall, various cathedrals and the Blue Church. Pay what you feel the tour is worth at the end.
Try Traditional Slovakian Cuisine
Slovakian food reminds me very much of Polish and Czech cuisine, with its own special twist. Feast on Bryndzove halushky, potato dumplings with sheep cheese and roasted bacon, or bread spread with Bryndza. To keep away the vampires, you won’t go wrong with the traditional garlic and cheese soup – it is super powerful and served in a bread bowl. Wash it all down with a Slovakian beer or two. Later, sample ice creams from one of the many shops lining the promenades.
Climb the Devin Castle Ruins
Take Bus 28 or 29 from the main bus station for half an hour and get off at Devin to explore these old castle ruins and get magnificent views over the Danube and Morava rivers and well into Austria. The castle ruins are situated up on a rocky cliff and it is worth walking up for the scenery alone (and for a nice breath of country air). The earliest settlement here dates back to the 5th Century BC! You can even climb inside the old tower and look at remnants of weapons, tools and jewellery from centuries ago. Entrance costs five euros. Allow a good two hours to explore this magical area.
With more time, there are plenty of museums and galleries to explore, hills to climb and pathways to cycle.
Quick interesting fact: Many years ago, Bratislava was the capital of Hungary!
Note to self: Never spend less than three nights in a European capital city!
What did you do in Bratislava? Any tips for future visits?
I love those buildings and the fortresses look amazing!The icecream didn’t look bad either!!! Perfect for the searing temperatures you are experiencing at the moment!!! Your Broome days prepared you well!!! Safe travels and enjoy the rest of your holiday! xxx
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Thank you! Yes, I am feeling some similarities to Broome this trip! Ice cream is definitely the way to go for cooling down 🙂
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Love both the architecture and natural scenery! Lovely.
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Thank you! It is a beautiful area, that is for sure 🙂
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I can’t wait to visit. This looks amazing. We just spent time in Georgia, Armenia, Ukraine, and Romania. I am writing on those are my blog right now.
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Ooh that sounds like an amazing trip! I look forward to reading your posts and getting some inspiration for future travels!!
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It was amazing. I highly recommend it.
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Stunning images. Makes me want to take my behind to Bratislava right now! And the food/ice cream photos seal in the thought 😉 xx
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Haha! Glad you are inspired! You should do it 🙂 xxx
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To be able to climb inside the tower looked amazing! And the food looked delicious! Seemed like a great trip! 🙂
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It was a lovely few days! I love how every European country is so different 🙂 Thanks for reading!
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I just got back from Czech and I am seeing a lot of similarities between your pics and mine 🙂 Slovakia is definitely on the list for next time.
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Ooh that’s exciting! Where did you go?
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Prague & Pilzen with a few small villages along the way! Was great!
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Sounds amazing! I would love to explore more villages in that area too! Glad you had a good trip 🙂
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Loved this post!I have just posted about Bratislava too, didn’t get to go to the Devin castle…such a shame!
Have a look if you fancy 😀
https://moreplanesthantrains.wordpress.com/2018/01/13/lets-discover-new-capitals-bratislava-giveaway/
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Ooh thank you! I’ll look forward to having a read 🙂 x
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Looks gorgeous! I hope we get a chance to try all that delicious food when we visit next month! We are only spending a night there-I wish we had longer!
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Thank you! I’m sure you will get a good taste at least 🙂 Have an amazing time!
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