Whilst researching “Off the beaten track things to do in Bratislava” all my searches came back with were “Bratislava IS off the beaten track!”. We had little expectation of exactly what we would find in Bratislava and that was part of the appeal, it sounded harsh

but as our love affair with Eastern Europe continued we headed off to find a compact city which fulfilled our cobbled old town romantic imagination, as well as appealing to our Iron Curtain relic loving side. It offers a great range of history, beauty and fascination… here’s what to do in this charming and brutal often overlooked capital city…

I guess with Bratislava we had no real preconceptions which is always a good thing, sure we had done some research on what to do and what to see, but unlike when you are heading to London, New York or Tokyo, we really wasn’t sure what we would find.

We arrived under the cover of darkness as always and as such it’s hard to get to grips with your bearings. The area around where we stayed had been described as “old town” but at first felt quite harsh and ex soviet state.

As the morning sun came and we explored further we found that the historical centre of the city was hidden behind the huge 1960’s shopping complex across the way from us, only a short walk from our front door!

This would be the overall narrative for our time in Bratislava… a fascinating mix of the romantic cobbled streets and beautiful old architecture that characterises so many of the Eastern European cities we have fallen for, with the looming presence communist history casting a long and compelling shadow over this quaint but harsh city.

Bratislava in one glance can look like Soviet Moscow at the height of the CCCP, massive obelisks pointing towards the air in celebration of the red army’s victory against the Nazi’s on the very soil we stand.

The next we turn to see rows of modern condos and apartments clinging to the sun-drenched hillside as joggers pass by in a scene reminiscent of Beverly hills. A step in the other direction and we are back in gothic Europe, winding streets and baroque detailed buildings of all colours and fanciful shapes. It’s only the odd piece of graffiti that takes us back to the modern day and this mixing pot of culture, identity and layers of history.

Bratislava, a city of many sides: It is both loud and under stated at the same time. People stepping off the bus in the centre for the first time could not fail to notice the gigantic UFO floating above the Danube in a typical soviet show of power. It’s in your face, it’s harsh, but turn around and perched on top of the hill is the white face of the ancient castle of Bratislava. Sitting by, witness to so much, waiting for your wandering eye to catch a glimpse of it’s majesty.

The city is also surrounded by countryside and sits on an undulating landscape which gives it a somewhat rural atmosphere too. Standing on top of the famous UFO bridge you really get a sense of this, as you turn each direction affords a completely different view. Across to the narrow 18th century pastel streets of medieval old town to one side, the sprawling soviet housing projects across the river: Petržalka, one of the largest housing estates in Europe, then gazing down the river you see the amazing natural beauty which Slovakia is famed for.

Not many people visit Bratislava, it sits on the Danube, dominated by the call of such classic beauties such a Budapest and Vienna, by the ringing of the bell of Krakow or Prague. Bratislava is a gem of the region hidden in plain sight, it’s lack of the surge of tourists the other cities receive is it’s charm, it’s authenticity and it’s character.

We rooted for the underdog this time and it came out a champion! Self described at a “little big city” it is easily walkable and discoverable on foot. It is also so much quieter and calmer than many other capitals cities which makes it that much more peaceful to wander. The charm here is that around every corner you discover that understated magnificence which will leave you in no doubt that this is a wonderful city to visit.

Remnants and evidence of passing empires have left their mark on this city, created it’s character and given it the diversity which makes it such a wonder to visit.

Bratislava itself only got it’s present name 90 years ago having been known as “Pressburg” to the Germans and Pozsony to the Hungarians, but it’s true history dates back to the Celts , Roman settlers and of course the Slavs, the area has in fact been inhabited since around 500BC which makes it much older than the likes of Prague and Budapest!

The city has since been shaped by it’s previously large Jewish population as well as the Austro-Hungarian nobilities who built some of the palaces and grand home which are a feature of the city. The castle itself tells the tales of the violent history of Bratislava, the fortification having been destroyed and rebuilt on numerous occasions including the infamous bombardment by Napoleon and his troops.

Bratislava is also the only capital city in the world which borders two independent countries, it city limits stretch all the way to the borders with Austria to the west and Hungary to the south. We ventured out to the small town of Devin which lies right on the border with Austria to see the impressive ruins of the historic castle on the edge of the old iron curtain.

Similarly to when we visited Budapest we decided to stay in an apartment in Bratislava. We love hostels (and the one we stayed in Krakow was amazing) but nothing quite beats the freedom of having a whole place to yourself. It does really make you feel much more connected to a city and having a kitchen comes it handy to for saving money too.

For it’s size Bratislava has a massive network of public transport which include trams, buses and trolley buses. Many of which serve the outer reaches of the large metropolitan area of the city. In truth the city is very walkable and that’s part of what makes it so special, it has a human scale which allows you to interact with it on a personal level instead of constantly whizzing by half of it on metros and trams.

The currency of Slovakia is the Euro, which I guess seemed a little strange give the fact it felt much more “Eastern European” than Czech Republic and they have their own currency. Personally I hate the Euro, it takes away part of the experience of using a new currency and it all becomes a bit homogenised. Not only that but countries in the Euro zone also tend to me more expensive than they would have been. Having said that Slovakia is still very cheap for Europe but no where near as cheap as many other Eastern European countries.

Most people tend to speak quite good English, especially the younger people. The people are also very warm and welcoming which really helps when trying to find your way. Given it’s quietness we never felt pushed or pressured whilst wandering around the main squares as sometimes can be the case and always felt comfortable and at ease.

It’s a simple enough concept but truely one of the most wonderful things to do in Bratislava is to just walk around the narrow streets of Old Town. In fact, before you do anything else just walk… you will soon find your bearings with the city being so compact and in doing so will come across some of that historic and rough charm the city is famed for.

 

St Elizabeth’s / Blue Church

Hviezdoslavovo Namestie (Main square)

 Old Town Hall (Stara radnica)/ Bratislava City Museum

 St. Michael’s Gate (Michalska brana)

 St. Martin’s Cathedral (Dom svateho Martina)

 Primatial Palace

Grassalkovich Palace

 Slavin memorial

 Bratislava Castle

 UFO bridge/ Nowy Most/ SNP

Ok, so this is a bit of a joke but as most of the comments I got on my facebook page seemed to mention this film upon my arrival in Bratislava I thought it was worth highlighting how the region is often portrayed in the media.

I must admit before heading to Eastern Europe for the first time I was a little apprehensive, but I’m talking back when I was a naive teenager who had watched way to many horror movies. But I know many of my family members still ask if we are scared before heading out to these counties, which is ludicrous! Especially given that just last week a man was killed in the centre of the town we are from.

Eastern Europe is an area in which we have felt more than welcome, it’s people warm and accommodating. It does annoy me when I hear comments about the area from people who I know would love it if they gave it a chance. In all honesty the city in which I felt the most threatened was Paris. Certain areas had that sinister edge I think people imagine Eastern Europe to have and yet don’t think twice about visiting (although I still loved Paris!)

From Bratislava we headed out to the little town of Devin to visit the majestic ruined castle which is perched on the rocky border with Austria:

Visiting Devin Castle

Bratislava is also great if you want to visit the magnificent Vienna over in Austria and was one of the big attractions for us. It meant we could head over to Vienna without having to kill our budget by staying there:
How to get from Bratislava to Vienna
Guide to Vienna

After publishing this post we were invited to do an interview with “The Journey Journal” about the misconceptions of Eastern Europe and Slovakia in particular.

Check it out here: Interview With The Roaming Renegades