The city’s region was settled as early as 5000 BC and was the capital of the Kingdom of Hungary for over 200 years. It is the only capital city in the world that borders several neighboring countries. Moreover, the distance between it and Vienna is the second shortest between two European capitals. Only the Vatican City and Rome are closer. Hence the name “Twin City”.
It has only been the capital of Slovakia since 1993. Known in German as Pressburg for a long time, today the city is mainly known by its Slovakian name. With its rich history and charming old town, Bratislava is definitely worth a day trip.
Getting there
From Vienna, you can be in Bratislava in an hour by train. Trains run every hour in both directions. It’s best to use the Bratislava Ticket. You pay €18 for the return journey and can use local public transport.
Alternatively, you can also travel with Flixbus. Tickets for a one-way trip start at €6.98 if you book early enough in advance. Unlike with the Bratislava ticket, however, you are tied to the respective bus and pay extra for public transport.
Castles in Bratislava
The city’s landmark is Bratislava Castle, which towers above the city. From here you can see the Danube and the old town. You can also see the UFO above the main bridge. This is an observation tower with a restaurant. The castle itself now houses a museum.
Bratislava also has a second castle, Devín Castle. It is located on the border with Austria and is now just a ruin. It was blown up by Napoleon’s troops in 1809. Today it is an open-air museum.
Finally, there is Karlsburg Castle to the south of the town. An English landscape park is laid out around the castle.
The church of St. Elisabeth
The Church of St. Elisabeth is also known as the “blue church” due to its striking color. It was built at the beginning of the 20th century in Art Nouveau style and is dedicated to the Hungarian saint St. Elisabeth. The church is not only sky blue on the outside, the pews inside also shine in the bright characteristic color.
Further sights
St. Martin’s Cathedral is another famous church located at the foot of the castle hill. The cathedral is the largest church in the city and was built in the Gothic style.
The town hall in the center is another landmark of Bratislava, as is the National Theatre on the edge of the city center.
A popular photo motif is the Čumil, which means “gazer” or “gawker”. It is a bronze statue of a canal worker peering out of a manhole cover. If you touch his head, a wish is said to come true.
Eating and drinking in Bratislava
If you are in Bratislava, be sure to try the Pressburger Kipferl, a specialty of the city. These are sweet croissants with a nut or poppy seed filling. They are called Bratislavské rožky in Slovakian.
As a main course, we recommend the national dish of Slovakia, Bryndzové halušky or Brimsennocken. The halušky are potato dumplings and bryndza is a sheep’s cheese. The dumplings are usually served with bacon.
They are best served with wine, as Slovakia has a great wine-growing tradition. Currant wine is also very popular here and can be bought as a souvenir in the “Oldest Shop in Town”. If you prefer a non-alcoholic drink, we recommend Kofola, a cola drink from the former Czechoslovakia with a hint of herbs. Or you can go for Vinea, which is a kind of carbonated grape juice.