Bratislava

A compact capital on the Danube with a white four-towered castle, the Blue Church and quirky bronze statues; easy to combine with Vienna and Budapest.

Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, lies on the Danube, bordering Austria to the west and Hungary to the south—the only capital in the world that borders two countries—and is just 55 km or so from Vienna. From 1536 to 1783 it was the capital of the Kingdom of Hungary, and St. Martin's Cathedral saw the coronation of a number of kings.

Key areas: first, the compact Old Town, where the castle, St. Martin's Cathedral, Michael's Gate, the Main Square, the Old Town Hall, the Primate's Palace and quirky bronze statues such as Čumil are all within a 15-minute walk; second, the Danube riverfront, with the UFO bridge observation deck, the Slovak National Theatre, the Slovak National Gallery and Sad Janka Kráľa park across the river; third, the hills north of the city, with the Slavín memorial, Kamzík TV Tower and the Forest Park; fourth, the outskirts, with Devín Castle, the Danubiana Meulensteen Art Museum, the Roman ruins of Gerulata and Carnuntum in Austria, the Small Carpathian wine town of Modra and Červený Kameň Castle.

The climate is temperate continental. May–September is the best time to visit, with occasional summer heat; in December the Christmas markets are full of festive atmosphere. Getting there: Bratislava is about 1 hour from Vienna Airport, with frequent trains and buses to and from Vienna; in the city, walking and trams are all you need. Allow 1–2 days, easily combined with Vienna and Budapest. Note: buy public transport tickets before boarding and validate them on board; some Old Town restaurants add a service charge.

Top sights

Where to eat

Itineraries