Discover Bratislava

We got up early, and after we packed all our stuff, we hit the road and began this exciting journey.

As we were driving towards to our first destination, we decided to take a break. It was refreshing to walk around and stretch out. Suddenly, we came across this little café, and we decided to have a delicious breakfast and a cup of coffee.
Opening Hours Monday — Thursday 8:00 am — 10:00 pm Friday Saturday 8:00 am — 12:00 am Sunday 8:00 am — 2:00 pm

And here we are at our first destination, which is a beautiful Baroque castle in Lower Austria. It was originally built as a city fortress by King Ottokar II after the battle of Kressenbrunn where he defeated the Hungarian king called Béla IV.
During its history, the castle was owned by the royal house of Habsburg for over 300 years and was renovated several times.
Today, it is not only a tourist attraction, but is home to a nature re-serve and the largest colony of white storks in Central Europe.
Check out the Opening Times and Book your Guided Tour here.

Welcome to Bratislava. All of us felt hungry after the tour and the drive. We found this folklore restaurant just behind our next destination. As we walked in, we found ourselves in a friendly warm establishment.
The staff were very helpful and guided us through their menu. I decided to eat a traditional lunch, which made from wild boar. I have to say it was delicious and if you are up to try something unique, I definitely recommend it.
Opening Hours and Table Reservation here.

After the delicious lunch, we headed to a high cliff at the confluence of the Danube and Morava. This place has been a settlement since prehistoric times, then it was a part of Limes Romanus between the 1st and 4th centuries. In the 9th century, the castle was owned by Prince Rastislav, then in 1809 it was destroyed by Napoleon’s army. In 1961 this majestic castle became a National Historic Landmark.
As we were walking around, we immersed ourselves in its history, art, and untouched natural scenery which evokes a wonderful atmosphere. After learning about the romantic legends of the Maiden Tower, we continued to the upper castle where we found an exhibition with artefacts from the 13th century up to the 20th century.
On the way down, we found a small path which was behind the Middle Castle. This led us to the ruins of a church from the 9th century. Beside the castle, we enjoyed the spectacular scenery and the view of Austria and the Alps.
Opening Hours here.

We parked the car and continued our journey with a short walk.
Open 24 hours

After a short walk, we arrived at the only preserved city gate and the symbol of Bratislava. Originally, it was built in a Gothic style in the mid-14th century but was modified into a Baroque style between 1753 and 1758.
As we were standing in front of this 51 meter tower, we admired its elegant copper roof and the statue of archangel Michael as he is slaying a dragon. Inside the building, there is the Museum of Arms where we explored more about Bratislava’s history. From the museum, we climbed up the tower and enjoyed the panoramic view of the Old Town. Before continuing our way to the Old Town, we checked out the street that passes through the gate. Here, we discovered the “zero kilometers” plate which lists the distances of 29 world capitals from Bratislava.
If you are planning your trip between June and September, you can become a part of a historical exposition at the Coronation Photo Video Point. It is a commemoration of the times when kings went to Pressburg through Michael’s Gate to take their oath. You find the rooms on the ground floor decorated with period furnishings and a 3D model from the historical city. Take an image in a period costume, then print or share it with your friends. Opening Hours Monday Closed Tuesday – Friday 10:00 a.m. — 5:00 p.m. Saturday – Sunday 11:00 a.m. — 6:00 p.m.

Before dinner, we decided to visit this magnificent church. Originally, it was named as Church of St Elizabeth of Hungary, but everyone knows it as the Blue Church. The reason is obvious. The whole building from the exterior to the interior is painted in different shade of blue.
We began our exploration by walking around this beautiful building which has a round tower. The church was built in the 1910s in a Hungarian Secession style, which repeated in a nearby grammar school situated on the Grösslingová Street. The designer of both buildings was a Hungarian architect, Edmund Lechner. In 1913, the St Elizabeth’s Church was consecrated. We stopped and admired the white and blue stucco mouldings and the glazed blue tiles roof.
Then we went inside, where we were welcomed with an oval-shaped ground floor and a charming central decoration. The painted blue walls with gold patterns decoration and the oil painting is from St Elizabeth above the altar and is just breathtaking.
Opening Hours here.

Next, we headed to one of the most charming central old European towns. As we were walking along the cobblestoned streets, historical buildings, and squares, I felt I am back in the Medieval times.
Here, we came across with this nice restaurant called Urban House. As we were eating our dinner, we were surrounded with a great ambience. The food was excellent and there is uplifting music played in the background.
Opening Hours here

After dinner, we enjoyed the nice walk back to the car park. Then we drove to our hotel called Arcadia Boutique Hotel.

We arrived at this elegant hotel which is situated in a 13th century building. After checking in, we enjoyed a few drinks at the bar and relaxed in the historic atmosphere.
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