Top Three Things to Do in Bratislava

Bratislava is a quaint little city situated in Slovakia. It’s not mainstream in the sense that it isn’t a touristic hotspot for travelers. But I thought it was great. Albeit not as flashy as some major European cities, the people were very friendly, and the historic center of town was beautiful.

I would suggest spending a maximum of two days here. We stayed at the Chopin airport hotel, and it was great.

So here are my top three attractions in Bratislava. There are more sites, but if you are short of time, and you cover these, you will pretty much get the essence of the city.

1) Bratislava Castle

Also known as Bratislava Hrad (hrad is the word for castle) this beautiful four-corner tower castle is situated in the middle of the city on top of a hill above the Danube River. The architecture is traditionally Slovakian, making this structure one-of-a-kind. At night, it’s completely lit up. You get great views of Bratislava up-top. Once you go to the castle don’t forget to visit the cellar — the entrance is through the courtyard. This cellar hosts a well that is at least 50 meters deep.

2) Church of St. Elisabeth

One of the most unique churches I have seen in Europe, this monument resembles a cake. We weren’t able to go inside as it was shut, but from the outside, it was quirky and cute. It’s a little further away from the city center but worth the walk.

3) Devin Castle

Devin castle is more on the outskirts of the city, with a 30-minute bus ride from the center. It’s an 800-year-old castle. What stands today are remnants of the past. This castle is also perched on a hill, and it’s a fifteen-minute walk to the summit. The view is, again, gorgeous from above and different from the one you get in Bratislava castle. In fact, there is a river which converges with the Danube, and right on the opposite side is Austrian land. You could swim to Austria right then and there! The pictures below will tell you the rest.

So there you have it! Some special mentions:

-The Slovaks have a lot of babies judging from the number of babies on the airplane and the streets. They are certainly not suffering from the ageing population syndrome that is plaguing Europe.

-The bathroom line in the plane was never-ending, and it’s the first time I have seen something of this sort. They also clapped when the plane landed (lol). This is a culture thing in some parts of Europe.

-You NEED to try this amazing drink called kofola  a version of coke made from grapes. It is only available in Slovakia. They also have this non-alcoholic sparkling vine called vinya which is yummy!