Bratislava - What to Do and See
Bratislava Cards
We arrived to Bratislava by train from Budapest and then walked to our hotel from the train station. After checking in and settling a bit we headed out to find the Tourist Office in the Old Town of Bratislava so we could pick up our Bratislava Cards, which were given to us courtesy of the Bratislava Tourism Board.
The nice thing about Bratislava is that it is quite a walkable city. Walking from the train station to our hotel and the hotel to Old Town didn’t take very long at all and there were plenty of nice buildings and parks to admire along the way.
We found, during our 3-night stay in the Slovak Capital, the Bratislava Cards were a good deal because you’ll get free public transportation and free entry to multiple places that most people would find interesting. Examples include free entry to two different castles, a guided walking tour of the city centre (1-hour duration with different languages available), and free entry to the Museum of Arms, which was mainly interesting to us because it was also free entry to the tower of Michael’s Gate and the observation point at the top.
Primatial Palace
This pink-colored building has housed many famous people and events, but is today used as the seat of the Mayor of the city. It is quite eye-catching because of its design, color, and overall size. The inside is supposed to be pretty nice, too! There are almost always people wandering by here throughout the day so early morning might be a good time to take some shots.
Bratislava Castle
Funny enough, we visited a castle outside the actual city of Bratislava, but didn’t visit the one that was closer to us and also bears the city’s name. However, we did see the castle from different points around the city so it felt like we had visited it. Honestly, we probably missed out. It looks like a cool place and I’m sure it’s worth a visit.
St. Martin’s Cathedral
You’re bound to come upon this cathedral if you’re wandering around Old Town or if you go on one of the guided tours. It is actually located right next to a busy highway from the front, but on the side there is a peaceful little (very small) park that sets a tranquil mood for your viewing pleasure.
SNP Square
Going from our hotel to the Old Town had us crossing this small park many times. It’s one of many nice and green areas you can find around the city, although this one also has some statues and a church nearby.
Michael’s Gate
This is one of the most popular attractions in Bratislava because it is a big tower on a great looking street of Old Town. Also, you can climb up to the top to get some great views of the city. With the Bratislava Card, entry is free.
Blue Church
It’s a little surprising to see this church in person because it’s actually quite blue and not just edited to look more blue in photos. One review I saw of the place said it looked like a “gingerbread house,” which I thought was an apt way to describe it. If only you could just take a bite out of one of the walls. Note: this church is located a little outside of the other Old Town sights, but it’s still not too far away.
Slavín
This WWII memorial and cemetery is about 20 minutes walking distance away from the city center up in a nice neighborhood in the hills. The grounds are nice and the huge stone monument commemorating fallen Soviet soldiers strikes an imposing sight amidst all the greenery.
Devín Castle
Located a short bus ride away from the city you’ll find this castle on a hill that sits on the border between Slovakia and Austria. The entry here is free with the Bratislava Card, which is pretty great because it’s worth the time it takes to get out here (which isn’t much time anyway). We went on a very cold and windy day so it was hard to enjoy this as much as we wanted, but the views were still great.
Man at Work
This is more of an oddity than an actual attraction, but it’s still super popular. You’ll find it right in the middle of Old Town so it’ll be hard to miss this strange, little peeping guy popping out of a fake manhole.
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