City: Bratislava
Country: Slovakia
Flight Time From UK: 2hrs
Best Time to Visit: To be honest, you could visit Bratislava at any time of the year, however I would recommend skipping the really hot summer months. I went in July and even for me, the weather was close to unbearable! I would suggest April or May or later in the year around September time.
Bratislava is actually one of the youngest capitals in Europe! There is a huge amount of history here, and you can really feel it in the streets and architecture. Slovakia only became an independent state in 1993, shortly after the country broke free from communism in the very recent 1989!
Bratislava is a true hidden gem for me. I decided to go as I was travelling from Budapest over to Vienna and thought Bratislava would be a good place to stop in between – I am so glad we did!
Everything about the old part of this city is picturesque. It is drenched in history and offers incredible architecture and quaint beauty.
We had a private walking tour and it was really worth doing as we learnt so much about the turbulent history of Bratislava, and were taught so many things we would never have found or noticed along the tiny cobbled streets and walkways.
You could definitely discover everything you need to see in Bratislava over a weekend, or a slightly long weekend. but as you’re right on the Danube, you can take a boat down to Budapest, or the train routes are great all over Europe so for a longer trip you could look at doing multiple cities like I did.
My top 3 things to do in Bratislava
Bratislava Castle
Most SNP Bridge
The Old Town
Bratislava Castle
Bratislava castle is so beautiful. You take a walk up to the castle above the city, and you have stunning views all around. There is a restaurant at the top where you can sit and enjoy the surroundings and indulge in really amazing food. I was so impressed with the food here and they were great at catering for allergies to me too! Taking a walk up to the castle is an absolute must.
The SNP bridge
The SNP Bridge, or the UFO bridge, is probably one of the most amazing bridges I have seen. The architecture and design is really futuristic and I’m not gonna lie, I got sucked in to staring at the traffic travelling across the bridge for far longer than anticipated. It’s the world’s longest bridge to have one pylon and one cable-stayed plan, and links the two sides of the city together.
The Old Town
The middle of the city is a preserved medieval centre, with beautiful and interesting landmarks to discover. It consists of the west and east sides, with the west-side being made up of parks, hill and the castle, whereas the east side offers the notable landmarks, old town and the iconic SNP square.
