Only got one day in Bratislava? It’s a blessing and a curse – although the compact size of the city makes it easy to tick off the city’s must-dos in one day, its charm will make you wish you could stay longer. You probably don’t hear a whole lot about Bratislava in the media, so once you arrive its charm takes you by total surprise. Here’s the ultimate guide to spending one day in Bratislava.
One day in Bratislava: Top Things To Do
Head to the Old Town and start wandering
Bratislava’s Old Town has a delightful labyrinth of pastel-colored buildings. There are no cars in this part of town, so you can wander and get lost around the quaint winding streets with total peace. In the summertime, the plazas fill up with street performers, artists, and a mix of tourists and locals. It’s lively here, but it never gets too crowded here because the city is still under the radar.
Most of the must-do’s in Bratislava are located within the Old Town – so it’s a good starting point for the rest of your day.
Pass Through Michael’s Gate
If Bratislava had a city symbol, Michael’s Gate would be it. Built around the year 1300, it’s one of the oldest buildings still standing from medieval times. You can’t miss it as it’s one of the main entrances to the Old Town.
You can take a short climb to the top for a nice panoramic view of the city. There’s also a nice museum there with an exhibition of medieval weapons. Entrance tickets cost €4.50.
Visit St. Martin’s Cathedral
I’m a firm believer that you should visit a religious site in every city you visit, no matter if you’re religious or not. If you pick one church to visit in this primarily Catholic country, it should be St. Martin’s Cathedral. It’s the largest and oldest church in the whole city (constructed in the 13th century).
Explore the Catacombs underneath St. Martin’s Cathedral
For the more adventurous travelers, there are catacombs located underneath St. Martin’s Cathedral where religious leaders and dignitaries of the past are buried. It’s both creepy and fascinating!
The entrance to the catacombs is nearby to the main altar inside of the cathedral.
Learn about Bratislava’s history at Old Town Hall
The Old Town Hall is home to many impressive superlatives: it’s the oldest city hall in the entire country, and it’s home to the oldest museum in Slovakia inside.
The Bratislava City Museum teaches you about the history of the city through show and tell. First, you can learn information about the city’s history all the way back to the Neolithic era from informative exhibitions. Things get a bit more interesting with the museum’s section on medieval torture devices on full display. Must say, I’m glad I was born in the modern era where torture devices like this one pictured below aren’t commonplace.
The museum introduces you to Bratislava’s historic past for a very reasonable price of 6 euros.
Marvel at the Hall of Mirrors at the Primate’s Palace
Head around the corner to another historic stop on your Bratislava one day itinerary: The Hall of Mirrors. This grandeur room is the location where the peace treaty was signed, ending the War of the Third Coalition. Perhaps the name of this war doesn’t ring a bell, but it was an important one. It effectively ended the Holy Roman Empire.
The Hall of Mirrors inside the Primate’s Palace is the perfect stop for history buffs. The entrance fee only costs 3 euros, too.
Eat traditional Slovak food at Bratislava’s Best Restaurants
You haven’t really visited a city unless you’ve sampled some of their traditional cuisines, right? And you’re in for a treat with Slovak food. The cuisine isn’t yet acclaimed worldwide, but it sure should be. It’s tasty!
If you only try one Slovak dish, make sure it’s the bryndzové halušky, aka dumplings stuffed with special Slovak sheep cheese. It’s creamy, melt-in-your-mouth goodness, plus it’s the national dish so you just have to try it.
Two more “must-try”s are the kapustnica (cabbage soup) and vepro knedlo zelo (roast pork with dumplings).
Best Traditional Slovak Restaurants in Bratislava:
Flag Ship (address: Námestie SNP 8)
Slovak Pub (address: 62 613, Obchodná)
Modra Hviezda (address: Beblavého 292/14)
All of these traditional Slovak restaurants are conveniently located in the pedestrian Old Town. Which was great for me – I had to take a couple looong laps around the town after stuffing myself with those bryndzové haluškys.
Sheep cheese aka Bryndza!
Take a train ride to Bratislava Castle
The 10th-century Baroque-style castle perched on a hilltop is the perfect way to end your one day in Bratislava. Conveniently, there’s a tourist train from the Old Town that brings you right up to to the castle grounds. You can also walk there – it only takes around 20 minutes.
In my opinion, it’s not worth the time or money to venture inside the castle – I found it rather lackluster compared to other palaces in Europe like Spain’s breathtaking Alhambra or the awe-inspiring Buckingham Palace in London. The real treat is the exterior of the castle – the courtyard, gardens, and especially the view. With its elevated perspective, you can see the entire city of Bratislava up here in its orange-roofed glory. On a clear day, you can even see Austria and Hungary on the horizon!
Beautiful courtyards of Bratislava Castle
Posing with the prettiest view of the city from Bratislava, Slovakia
More viewpoints from the top of UFO Observation Deck
In case the castle wasn’t a high enough viewpoint for you, you’re in luck. The UFO, a flying saucer-shaped structure built onto a bridge over the Danube, provides a nearly 300 ft panoramic view of the city.
For 7.40 euros you can take an elevator to the top of the observation deck. From here, you can see the Danube, Bratislava Castle, and the whole of Old Town. There’s a fancy restaurant at the top as well. Well worth a visit!
How to get to Bratislava:
By air:
To reach Slovakia’s capital by plane, you can fly into M.R. Stefanik Bratislava International Airport. It’s only 15-20 minutes from the city center. To get from the airport to the city center, you can either take a taxi or public bus. Always agree upon a price in advance before taking the taxi. If you’d rather take public transportation, you can take bus number 61 from the airport and get off at the train station (which is right next to the city center).
There is also the option of Vienna International Airport which is only 50 kilometers (30 or so miles) away from Bratislava city.
Overland by train or bus:
Bratislava has a tiny train station that is serviced by many of the larger Eastern European cities. Most people arrive to Bratislava via Vienna, which is only 1 hour away by train. It cost me around €11 ($12) for a one-way ticket. There are also direct connections from large Eastern European hubs like Krakow, Prague, and Budapest.
Flixbus operates bus cheap trips from a wide range of cities in Central/Eastern Europe. You can get from Vienna to Bratislava for only €4 ($4.50) for example.
Where to stay in Bratislava:
Bratislava will really appeal to budget travelers because accommodation is extremely cheap. The best area to base yourself is in or around the Old Town. It’s undeniably cute and has tons of bars, restaurants, and shops that are lively during both day and night.
Best hostels in Bratislava:
Hostel Folks a clean, centrally-located hostel with a very friendly atmosphere. It’s especially great for solo travelers – I found the staff to be very warm and welcoming and there was always an event or game night happening to help you meet people. It costs around €15 per night ($18).
Wild Elephants Hostel is a good option if you’re more of a party backpacker. The very first sentence in their hostel description on HostelWorld says “Please not that we do party EVERYDAY!” haha. The staff there word hard to create a very engaging social atmosphere. A dorm bed here will run you around €14 per night ($16).
Best mid-range and best luxury hotels in Bratislava
Loft Hotel Bratislava is a perfect mid-range option for travelers who want a sophisticated hotel without the price tag. The hotel is conveniently located between the train station and the Old Town. It costs around €72 per night ($85).
For luxury travelers, a high-end hotel doesn’t have to break the bank. The two nicest hotels in the city, Roset Boutique Hotel and Grand Hotel River Park, cost less than $200 per night. Roset Boutique Hotel is the pick for those who love modern, chic decor. Differently, Grand Hotel River Park has a more traditional feel.
