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Take a romantic stroll through charming streets and alleys and visit an iconic castle in this medieval city on the Danube River.
Bratislava lies at the foot of the
lesser Carpathian Mountains on a bend on the Danube and, like Vienna and
Budapest, bridges connect its two halves.
Having long lived in the
shadow of its former Czechoslovak sibling, Prague, the Slovak capital is only
now really starting to make a name for itself. It is only 60km (37 miles) from
Vienna and is a beautiful ‘old' European city with a delightfully restored historic quarter (Stare
Mesto).
Bratislava remains
relatively untouched by mass tourism. Its visitors marvel at the
architecturally and historically rich monuments including Bratislava Castle,
the gothic style St Martin’s Cathedral, the baroque Grassalkovich Palace and
several other famous landmarks. These historical sights are in close proximity
to each other north of the river in the old quarter.
It is in this old town area where you
can soak up the atmosphere of this incredible city. Visitors lose themselves
amongst the beautiful buildings, playful statues, exclusive shops and pulsing
entertainment venues.
Today the city's laid-back atmosphere
and quaint but rapidly modernizing character is catching the attention of
visitors from around the world.
The climate is generally
temperate, with four seasons. Summers are warm with temperatures in July
averaging 21°C, while the coldest month, January, averages -2°C. The winter
brings snow, which usually lasts from November to May in the Tatras. The
mountains are colder and wetter than the lowlands in general, with most rain
falling in June and July. Autumn and spring are the best times of the year to
visit as there is less crowding and milder weather.
The average monthly
temperatures are:
|
°C |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
|
Day |
1 |
4 |
9 |
15 |
20 |
23 |
26 |
25 |
21 |
15 |
7 |
3 |
|
Night |
-4 |
-2 |
1 |
5 |
10 |
13 |
15 |
14 |
11 |
6 |
2 |
-2 |
The past decade or so has
seen a dramatic change in Bratislava’s shopping facilities with the
introduction of western retail chains and large shopping malls.
The old area of the town
is home to numerous small, eclectic boutiques, speciality shops and fashion
chains. The pedestrianised area is where you’ll find the high-end boutiques,
commercial art galleries, souvenir stalls, and entertainment and fast food
outlets. The main shopping districts include Laurinská, Obchodná, Michalská,
Panská, Sedlárska and Ventúrska.
The new large shopping
centres (such as Polus City Centre, Aupark, Avion and Soravia Shopping Palace)
house major international and national fashion stores, pricey restaurants,
grocery supermarkets and cinema complexes.
The city is also home to
several markets, the largest of which is the open-air Trhovisko Central Market
where you can find fresh fruit and vegetables, inexpensive imported clothes and
general merchandise. Other smaller markets can be found on Žilinská, Šancová,
Poná and Mlynarovicova streets. Finally, also worth a visit is the Stara
Trznica (old market) housed in a historic glass-roofed building.
Popular souvenirs include
handmade folk handicrafts, embroideries, glass paintings, carved wooden
figures, cheese (korbaciky, ostiepok or zincica), tatranky (wafer cookies), medovniky
(heart-shaped cookies), Slovak wine, medovina (honey wine), borovička (juniper brandy), demänovka (herb-infused schnapps) and tuzemsky.
No matter what your taste,
there is sure to be something for everyone in Bratislava’s entertainment scene.
Music lovers from classical to urban and jazz will find something to enjoy at
the many venues in the city including:
For theatre there is the
Slovak National Theatre, Nová Scéna, Radošina Naïve Theatre and Divadlo Ivery.
If you enjoy a flutter there are a number of casinos in the city including the
Casino Café Reduta and Park Casino.
For those of you who enjoy
a night of drinking and dancing in the city’s many bars and clubs, here are a
few names you might like to try:
March
April
June
July
August
September
November
December
We have already seen that
there is a wealth of things to see and do in Bratislava, but
if time permits and you want to look further afield, below are a few suggested
excursions you might like to take:
The tap water is safe to
drink but is chlorinated and therefore can cause stomach upset if you’re not
used to it.
Bratislava offers
excellent private healthcare but it is expensive therefore you must ensure you
have full medical insurance in place before travelling.
Crime levels are generally
low but pick-pocketing can occur in crowded tourist areas. You are therefore
advised to exercise the usual precautions with your valuables.