I went to Bratislava while en-route from Austria to Hungary. I was really surprised at how civilised it was, I thought it would be an old ghost town but it was totally the opposite - it had massive motorways going into the city which had hardly any cars on at all, so there was no traffic to get held up in and in the centre there were quite a few tower block flats but there were also some nice historical sites to visit. On top of all the history, there were tonnes of high street shops, including a McDonalds and Tesco's!!! It was really comforting to see homely things like that when you're in a strange city.
** Downside **
Bratislava is a lovely city and I would definitely go back and spend more than a day there, however there were a lot of beggars and they weren't just sitting on the streets waiting for money, they were yelling a screaming at your feet which was quite daunting but if you have the same attitude as the locals and ignore them they don't ruin your time there.
** Getting there **
When i went, i had to drive because there were no flights from the UK but now, companies like easyjet often fly to eastern european countries for a really good price! Also, there's a hotel Ibis in Bratislava which has really good prices, so if you want to go to the city but are not too sure staying in a Slovakian hotel, this friendly European hotel is great.
Location: Central Europe, south of Poland Area: total = 48,845 sq km land = 48,800 sq km water = 45 sq km Border countries: Austria (91 km) Czech Republic (215 km) Hungary (515 km) Poland (444 km) Ukraine (90 km) It's a land-locked country, so has no coast. If it's a beach you're looking for, it's not the place for you! Population: 5,407,956
** Facts on Bratislava **
The biggest city in Slovakia. Population: 430,000 It's situated on the river Danube. The city is the most densely populated in central Europe so it can get quite busy but that just adds to the bustling atmosphere!
** The people **
The Slovaks wherever you go are very friendly and go out of their way when they realise your a tourist. The police look quite 'stern' but that's common with most Eastern European countries - i think this makes you feel more safe.
** Language **
There is obviously a language barrier if you can't speak Slovakian or Hungarian (the two most spoken languages in Slovakia) but this isn't a major problem in Bratislava beacuse everything important is labeled in Slovakian and English. We only noticed the language barrier when driving over the borders where the police carry out strict checks on paperwork and passports etc.
** Weather **
Warm in the summer (i was suprised, i thought it would be dank and cold!) and apparently humid winters but i haven't experienced it first hand.
I only visited Bratislava as a stop off, so this review really doesn't do the city justice but I highly recommend visiting it and a lot of the other eastern European cities like Budapest, Krakow and Warsaw!
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I have to agree with "kappaslappa", i too have been to Bratislava and you've not mentioned anything there is to see or do - I can't believbe you didn;t even mention the "most SNP"
darkangelwing 03.09.2005 22:54
Ahh who could forget Bratislava in the bond film 'the living daylights' it's infamous for it's Communist rulings between the chques and slovaks,looked great in the film and sounds better from your review hehe,great stuff,well done
jade_in_nexus 25.08.2005 22:21
Have to admit never heard of Bratislava before but know alot more now. Thanks. Kim:)
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Advantages: Relatively quiet compared to it's near neighbours Prague, Vienna and Budapest Disadvantages: Ironically it sufferes in some respects from not being as well-visited as the above
fizzytom 06.01.2004 (27.04.2004)
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Review of Bratislava (Slovakia)
Advantages: Relatively quiet compared to it's near neighbours Prague, Vienna and Budapest Disadvantages: Ironically it sufferes in some respects from not being as well-visited as the above
fizzytom 06.01.2004 (27.04.2004)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Bratislava (Slovakia)
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