By rail
Bratislava hlavná stanica, an hour by train from Vienna
Europe · Slovakia
Bratislava, Slovakia
A compact capital on the Danube
Getting there
By air
Bratislava (BTS), ~10 km from the centre
Best time to visit
May to September for the terraces; December for the Christmas market
Don't miss
Bratislava Castle
Old Town
St Martin's Cathedral
Blue Church
UFO Observation Deck
Devín Castle
Michael's Gate
Things to do
Walking the Old Town
Climbing to the castle
A cruise on the Danube
The view from the UFO tower
A day trip to Devín
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Jakub Hałun · CC BY-SA 4.0
What to pack
Comfortable shoes for the castle climb, a light jacket for river evenings
A quieter corner
The blue Church of St Elizabeth, an Art Nouveau jewel a few streets from the old town
Questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Bratislava?
May to September for the terraces; December for the Christmas market. What to pack: Comfortable shoes for the castle climb, a light jacket for river evenings.
How do I get to Bratislava?
Fly into Bratislava (BTS), ~10 km from the centre.
What is there to do in Bratislava?
Walking the Old Town, climbing to the castle, a cruise on the Danube, the view from the UFO tower, a day trip to Devín. A quieter find: The blue Church of St Elizabeth, an Art Nouveau jewel a few streets from the old town.
What should I eat in Bratislava?
Bryndzové halušky, kapustnica cabbage soup, roast duck with lokše, Slovak wines from the Small Carpathians.
About Bratislava
- Riverside
- Hills
Where it is
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia, on the Danube in the far southwest of the country, where the borders of Austria and Hungary meet within sight of the city.
History
Known as Pressburg and Pozsony for most of its history, the city was the coronation town of Hungarian kings for nearly three centuries while the Ottomans held Buda. It became the capital of Slovakia within Czechoslovakia in the twentieth century and of the independent republic in 1993, and its castle, old town and riverside have been restored since.
People
Bratislavans are easygoing and multilingual, with Slovak, Hungarian and German threads in the city's past; many commute to Vienna and the old town fills with students and office workers at lunch.
Known for
- The castle above the Danube
- The Old Town's cafés
- The UFO bridge tower
- Devín Castle ruins
Did you know?
Bratislava is the only national capital that borders two other countries.
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