Bratislava - Slovakia's underrated capital

With some tourists still not sure that Slovakia separated from the Czech Republic (the former Czechoslovakia dissolved peacefully in 1992), it’s hardly surprising that the Slovak capital, Bratislava, isn’t yet high on the visiting list. But it should be, and I don’t just say that because I once lived there and fell in love with it. It’s easy to get to – just an hour from Vienna – and has plenty to offer. Best of all, it’s not (yet) as busy as its sister capital, Prague.

You can’t miss the imposing Bratislava Castle, a box of a building that sits high on the hill above the Danube River. Museums and exhibits inside it change regularly but can be interesting, but always reliable is the view from its courtyard over the Danube, the crazy Soviet-built bridge Novy Most (New Bridge), and to Bratislava’s Old Town.

The Old Town itself is full of restored buildings in a variety of architectural styles from Baroque to Gothic and Renaissance. There are also a number of great restaurants and cool basement-level wine bars that serve great Slovak food – a relatively heavy cuisine, but perfect for a cool night or to fill the stomach before you get started on the traditional Slovak spirits or more than a few beers. On top of that, St Martin’s Cathedral at the edge of the Old Town (it was in the middle until the Soviets knocked down the Jewish section to make way for the onramps of the new bridge) is gorgeous too. There are also a few great museums, including the Municipal Museum which nearly every Slovak remembers visiting as a child – thanks to the dungeon full of torture instruments on display!

In the suburbs of Bratislava, you can take a trip up the hill to the radio tower and you’ll find walking trails (or sledding trails in winter), plus a great revolving restaurant in the tower with views across all of Bratislava. (Admittedly the windows needed a good clean the last time I was there, but you could still see as far as the Danube).

About a twenty-minute bus ride from central Bratislava along the Danube (in the direction of Austria), you’ll find the ruins of Devin Castle. The dramatic setting up on a cliff looking over the Danube is great, and you can wander around the ruins imagining what it must have been like in past centuries. A new hotel is located next door and there are several possibilities for buying food.