Please leave a comment if you have time - I just can't see who has been kind enough to read and ra...
Please leave a comment if you have time - I just can't see who has been kind enough to read and rate my reviews
Member since:21.07.2003
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On Saturday May 1st Slovakia will finally join the European Union, one of 10 states to do so. The names of the lesser known of these states are becoming more familiar so I though it would be a good idea to update my review and maybe inspire a few people to visit a city I fell in love with.
For years Bratislava had to play second fiddle to Prague as Czecholslovakia's main city. As a result, fewer people have visited this city and this has affected the city in both positive and negative ways. Now that Bratislava is the capital of an independent Slovakia, has it's time come?
The city is often visited as part of a Danubecruise or coach tour of the region also taking in the cities of Vienna and Budapest but is slowly becoming popular as a destination in it's own right.
Bratislava is situated about an hour from Vienna by road and lies to the east of Austria; it is about two hours north of Budapest (though reckon on four hours by rail) and about the same distance from Prague.
It is an old and scenic city but it lets it's charms speak for themselves, in contrast to Prague, say. It's beauty is understated but, ultimately, I prefer Bratislava.
On arrival, Bratislava bears the scars of a city which has lived under Communist rule. The outskirts of the city consist of factories with immense chimneys, high-rise housing projects and lots of grafitti. However, we were interested to note in the historic
old town that there was alot of work going on and much restoration of quaint houses and churches.
We arrived by train as we were on a Eurail holiday but cheap flights to Bratislava are starting to appear. It is now possible to fly reasonably cheaply from London to Bratislava with Lufthansa or Austrian Airlines. Alternatively you could fly cheaply to Prague and travel by train or do the same from Vienna (though there are not so many cheap flights to the latter).
The hub of the city's tram and bus system is in front of the main station and is quite easy to get to grips with. It is unlikely that you will be going far out of the city so you can buy a ten minute ticket for 12 Slovakian crowns and this will be enough to get you from one side of the centre to the other or from the near outskirts of town to the city centre.
You can buy tickets from kiosks, newsagents and from yellow ticket machines on the street.
Once in the centre you will probably find it most convenient to walk. Much of the centre is pedestrianised anyway and too compact to need to do anything other than walk. Do be careful though becuase you will be tempted to wlk on the road and the trams can creep up quietly, the driver not ringing the bell to warn you he's there until the very last minute!
The city is comprises two main areas, the old town - the stare mesto and the new town - the nove mesto. It is pretty easy to navigate because the old town is north of the river and most of the new town is on the south side of the Danube. The imposing "hrad" (castle) lies on a rocky hill out to the west of the city.
The "hrad" is often described as being like an "inverted bestead" and it is rather oppressive looking. Whilst it is impressive and striking this is no fairy tale castle of the kind seen in Bavaria or Bohemia.
If you have the energy to climb the winding path to the hrad (remember it was built here because of it's position as a natural fortress) it's worth it for the tremendous views alone.
The hrad contains several museum collections and starts with some rather dull farming implements but stick with it to see some beautiful twentieth century Art Deco and Art Nouveau pieces further on.
Outside go to the viewing point and take in the amazing view. There is a fantastic view overlooking the river and the "most SNP" - the Bridge of the Slovakian National Uprising. It is a single open suspension bridge and it is the most fascinating piece of architecture I think I have ever seen. There is one supporting column which leans at a bizarre angle and has sitting upon it a flying saucer-like construction which contains a cafe. You can go up to the cafe to see the view from there but we didn't have time. You have to pay to use the lift, then you are expected to buy a drink but it is, apparently, quite expensive. The guidebooks advised that you get just as good a view from the loo (!!) and that's free. Also it advised against going up at night because the lights just bounce against the window spoiling the view.
At this point the Danube runs very quickly - if you have been to Vienna or Budapest you will see that the river is very different at this point to in the other cities. (What's more, here it is an amazing green colour and not the "Blue Danube" of the Strauss waltz.) As a result, pleasure cruises operate only from May until late September.
Just beyond the bridge, on the south side are the seemingly never-ending high rise blocks of Petrzalka - it's not surprising to hear that this area has the highest suicide rate in the country.
Back in town you should see the stuccoed, white facade splendour of the Slovakian National Theatre and the delightful intricate fountain which stands in front of the theatre. We didn't go to a perfomance but we were able to go right up to the doors and look in while the elegant ladies and gentleman on Bratislava anjoyed a pre-opera glass of champagne.
Most walking tours of he old town suggest that you start on Hurbanovo Namesti (namesti means "square") and from there go through the two towers of the city's last remaining double gateway. You can also climb the second tower (Michalska veza) and get a nice view of the rooftops of the old town.
Just down the road is the well-known "Mozartov dom" - not a house in which Mozart ever lived but one in which he performed once as a child.
In this part of town are lots of Baroque Palaces from the days when Bratislava was an important city of the Hapsburg and Austro-Hungarian Empires. They are gradually being restored and some contain museums, others belong to the University, yet others are government buildings and embassies for other countries.
The city has several museums but we did not have time to really do any justice to any of them; the Palffyho Palace is very pretty and houses a permanent art collection though I found it rather dull. It does, though, exhibit temporary exhibitions and you might be better off checking what's on out before making a special effort to see this gallery.
The city has several other galleries and museums on pharmaceutical history, African arts and culture, and the wine industry (Slovaks are particularly proud of their wine growing tradition).
In summer evenings the city's two main squares (Franziskanse namestie and Hlavne namestie), which are next to one another, are rather pleasant places to sit outside a bar or cafe with friends or just for a leisurely stroll. There was a "son et lumiere" show going on when we were there, with dancing lasers projected onto the facades of the Baroque palaces - a real blend of old and new!
Eating out in Bratislava is not particularly spectacular but there is enough choice if you are only in the city a couple of days. We really enjoyed "Slovenka pivnica" which is a traditional Slovakian beerhall which serves good, filling Slovak food - you must try the dumplings served in a cheese sauce and topped with a sprinkling of crispy pork fat.
There are a few Slovakian places and otherwise you will always be able to find a pizza joint or somewhere doing steak if you're not tempted by the local fare.
A word of warning about nightlife - bars close down and new ones open up fairly quickly in Bratislava - much quicker than the city guides can keep up with so you need to be open minded and seek out places you like the look of, rather than rely on the guides. We tried several places and were never disappointed - our favourite was a tiny place situated in a basement on a lane leading up to the hrad. Through a tiny window it looked mysterious and we decided to check it out on the way back down. Inside the decor was a mix of North Africa meets India which richly coloured and embroidered cushions and wall hangings. The toilets were something else - I'd love to tell you but it would spoil the surprise!!
Accommodation in Bratislava is costly compared with the rest of Slovakia. It is also undoubtedly affected by it's proximity to the very expensive Vienna and people often stay here and travel in to Austria to save money. The old town is particularly expensive for hotels but you can find cheaper places to the east and north east of the centre. We stayed in cheap but pleasant accommodation which is rented out by the university (open to anyone, not just students, and open through the year) about five minutes by tram away from the very centre of town.
I would recommend Bratislava for a city break or in conjunction with visiting other nearby cities - perhaps those also on the Danube. I would not say that there is much to offer families, it is a city of high culture rather than one of fabricated attractions.
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What a top review. The best review I have read in some time. I love to go to Bratislava and your review has only increased my desire. I just wish they'd do a Belfast route. Thanks for the info on the coach tours though! xx
eve6kicksass 01.06.2004 04:46
a mammoth review here...but a well-written one at that...I would love to check out Bratislava...Chris xxx
Morgenhund 25.05.2004 19:42
Hi there - saw your comment on my op on Bratislava. I do hope to finally update it - I visit Bratislava fairly frequently nowadays. I am not sure whether you can still go up the SNP bridge - it was shut last summer when I last tried with a friend. Mike
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