How to spend a day in Bratislava, Slovakia

Bratislava is not a well known destination in Europe, but this city is highly underrated. Bratislava which used to be known as Pressburg is the capital of Slovakia is located on the Danube River. It is close to both Vienna and Budapest and can easily be added on a trip to these destinations. Although it has a population of about 475,000 people, it still feels like a small town with the cute old town.

A little bit about the history of Bratislava

Bratislava became the capital of Slovakia after it gained independence in 1993. This small country has been a crossroads for Europe and has been ruled by many different nations throughout its time. The Romans were here and then came the Slavs who stayed. In the 10th century, it became part of Hungary and in 1536 was actually made the capital of Hungary due to the Ottoman attacks. During this time, it was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire ruled by the Habsburg dynasty and their Kings and Queens were coronated in the St. Martin’s Cathedral for Hungary. It thrived under the rule of Maria Theresa however after she died and Joseph II started his rule it began its decline and more of the Hungary offices moved to Budapest. After World War I, the Austro-Hungarian Empire was dissolved and Slovakia became part of Czechoslovakia. The country came under communist role in the 1940s and the old town was abandoned and part of it destroyed. They actually sold off the original medieval cobblestones that made up the roads of the old town to German towns that were rebuilding themselves following the war. It wasn’t until 1993 that Slovakia gained independence again and the locals started to move back in and invest in the old town.

When is the best time to visit Bratislava?

You can visit Bratislava year round. For the best weather, visit in April-May or September-October. During the summer, it can be hot with more tourists. Bratislava has a Christmas market that runs end of November to Christmas which also makes it good for winter travel. We went during the Christmas season.

How long to stay in Bratislava?

It is only an hour drive from Vienna and 2 hour drive from Budapest. The old town and sites can easily be explored on a day trip, but I recommend staying at least one night to take your time. Most tourists will visit this town on a day trip or part of a Danube River cruise so the town is busy from midday to early evening and then starts to die down other than the party scene. We got up early and were able to explore the old town without all the hustle and bustle.

Looking for a great place to stay in Bratislava. We stayed at Radisson Blu Carlton Hotel. It was located only a few minute walk from old town and was a great location and price.

Getting around

The old town of Bratislava is very walkable that you don’t necessarily need a car. We went without a car and did fine. Uber is available and taxis/uber are reasonably priced. You can also use buses and trams to get around. We did a Bratislava sightseeing tour that was an hour long with audio guide that took us to the sights outside of old town, including a 20 min stop at Bratislava Castle which was great. To book the tour, click here.

Things to see and do

Hlavné Námestie

The main thing to do in Bratislava is explore the old town. Although it is small, you should plan to spend several hours here exploring the different side streets. Hlavné Námestie is the main square in the old town. There is a fountain in the middle of the square that was built to commemorate the 1563 coronation of Maximillian II, the first Habsburg emperor who was crowned King of Hungary. During Christmas time, this is were one of the Christmas markets is held. The Old Town Hall is located in the main square. Today, it houses a museum dedicated to the history of the city. There is also a clocktower that you can climb to get good views over Bratislava.

Michael’s Gate

Michael’s Gate (Michalská Brána) dates back to 1300 and is one of the oldest buildings in the Old Town and is the only gate preserved from the medieval fortifications. Today, it houses a small museum of arms. You can pay 4,50 Euro and climb to the top to get great views of old town.

The Primatial Palace

The Primatial Palace was built in 1781 and used to be the president’s residence. Today, it serves as the town hall and has some exhibits. The Hall of Mirrors is the main things to visit as this is where the Peace of Pressburg treaty from 1805 was signed after Napoleon beat the Austrians and Russians and marked the peak of Napoleon’s power. There is a fountain in the courtyard that displays St. George slaying a dragon. Rumor has it that the statue comes alive on St. George’s day every year. It is free to enter the courtyard and costs 3 Euro to tour the Palace.

Hours: Closed on Mondays. Open Tuesday-Sunday 10am-5pm.

Cûmil

While exploring the old town of Bratislava, you might notice several different statues. Most of the statues were created in the late 1990s as a push by the city leaders to entice locals back in to the old town. The most famous of these is Cûmil. This one features a worker coming up from the underground. You can rub his head for luck. He has survived being drive over by a truck twice. Unless you go early in the morning, you will likely need to wait in a line to get a photo.

Tip: go first thing in the morning and you can get your photo without anyone else.

St. Martin Cathedral

Bratislava was the capital of the Austro-Hungarian empire for some time. Over that time, 19 royal coronations took place in the St. Martin’s Cathedral. The coronation trail marks the route that the kings and queens took for the coronation and is marked by little gold crowns on the ground. The tour goes from the castle, through old town, and ends at the Danube. St. Martin’s Cathedral or Dóm Sv. Martina was built in the 15th century. This is the oldest and largest church in Bratislava. There are also some catacombs underneath the cathedral that you can go into. Right next to St. Martin’s you can walk along the path of Bratislava’s old city walls. When the church was built, it was actually built into the city walls. Today, it is right on the side of a busy road. It is free to go inside the church, but hours are limited.

Church of St. Elizabeth

The Blue Church or the Church of St. Elizabeth is a must see when in Bratislava. This iconic church was built in 1913 and is famous for its blue exterior. The interior also has blue walls, but viewing hours are limited to MWF 2:30-5pm. If going outside that time, do not worry as you’re not missing a lot and can see inside the church via the windows. It is walking distance from old town, but is a bit of a walk. We walked there but then decided to take an Uber back and it was only a few dollars for the Uber.

Bratislava Castle

Bratislava Castle dates back to the 13th century but has been rebuilt and fully renovated. Today it houses the Slovak National Museum. We only had about 20 min at the castle so didn’t have enough time to go inside but was still good to see from the outside. It offers beautiful views of the Danube and Old Town. It is free to walk around the grounds.