Time for a Weekend in Bratislava?

You have really seen the most important things in Munich now, have been around often enough to say that you are done with sightseeing in this city?

Well, then it’s time to take advantage of the convenient transport connections that Munich offers and travel to other cities in Germany and abroad. Under the title “Time for…” we will inform you about different travel destinations – all of them, of course, tested by us, students, and experienced with a tight budget.

The first city we would like to recommend to you is Bratislava. The capital of Slovakia is still quite tranquil with about 425,000 inhabitants, but it is surely worth a visit. Less than 60km away from Vienna, it is situated on the beautiful Danube in the middle of a hilly area, directly next to the border with Austria and very close to Hungary. Therefore, it is also known as the “three-countries city”.

What there is to see:

In the city itself, there is the Bratislava Castle, which stands a little elevated with an impressive view of the city. There are also several castles and palaces in the immediate vicinity. A bike trip (bikebratislava.sk – call here to borrow a bike) to at least one of them is highly recommended. I suggest you visit the castle Devín. The entrance fee is only about 3€, it is beautifully situated and offers an unforgettable view of the Danube floodplains. The Hainburg on the Danube, which also offers you a good view of the landscape, is another place worth to see. It is really well preserved; you can comfortably walk a little over the “castle yard”. In addition, there is no entrance fee. The “Schloßhof” is also around, which is relatively expensive though, but nice to look at from outside. It can be combined very well in a bicycle tour to Devín, because from there it is only a little detour to this place.

What the old town has to offer:

In the city center there are several historical buildings, including the Cathedral of St. Martin, the impressive Primatial Palace and the Michael Gate, which was once a gate in the city walls and is now located in the middle of the city center.

Besides the old parts of the city, there are several bridges that cross the Danube here. On both sides of the Danube it is wonderful to sit by the water and watch the passing ships. The most interesting bridge is probably the SNP Bridge – with its UFO, it is a striking landmark of the city.

Budget

If you book well in advance, you can find a room from 7€ per night. I stayed at the Patio Hostel. This has all the facilities you need in a hostel. There are refrigerators, enough storage space and small cooking facilities.

Otherwise Bratislava is quite affordable, entrance fees in Slovakia are usually low.

Also interesting:

In less than an hour and for only 5€ you can get from Bratislava to Vienna, so you can also visit this impressive city without having to pay the higher accommodation costs. You can also book the tickets spontaneously, so you don’t have to plan ahead.

What you should definitely try out:

While you’re there, you should stop by the Billa and pick up a Spekulatius donut – it’s worth a try. A great tasting experience are also the “cheese plaits” and the rolled cheese. Another tasty dessert that you should look out for are the honey cakes from Marlenka. Apart from that: while strolling through the supermarkets you are sure to find something else that I haven’t found.

So, I hope at this point I have successfully convinced you of this brilliant city. If you want more information about the city itself, just have a look at http://www.visitbratislava.com/!