Bratislava

Visit Bratislava – Old Town

The Capuchin Church & Monastery is a great place to start a walking tour of the Old Town when you visit Bratislava. You can reach this starting point by cab,  on local transit or with an organized tour. From the Capuchin Church and Monastery, enter the Old Town by walking down St Michael’s Street through St Michael’s Gate. St Michael’s Gate is the last of four original city gates through the Old City walls. Stroll the shops and restaurants of St Michael’s Street. Nearby are the Franciscan Church & Monastery dedicated in 1297 and Mirbach Palace, which is a 1770s Rococo-style palace. From there, continue your Bratislava Old Town Walking Tour to the Main Square.

Visit Bratislava – Old Town Main Square

The Main Square is a central focal point for locals and tourists who visit Bratislava. In the Main Square you will find the Roland Fountain, the Bratislava City Museum and the Old Town Hall. The Old Town Hall still sports the imprint of a canon ball that was fired by Napoleon’s troops.

Less than a block away from the Main Square is the Primate’s Palace facing Primate’s Square. The Primates Palace is a highlight of Bratislava with its marble statues and a white facade capped by a cast iron cardinal’s hat turret. The Hall of Mirrors inside the Primate’s Palace is a smaller version of Palace of Versailles’ Hall of Mirrors. Napoleon signed the Pressburg Treaty here in 1805 after his defeat at the Battle of Austerlitz.

Visit Bratislava – St Martin’s Cathedral

St Martin’s Cathedral is a must see in Old Town Bratislava. The cathedral is only a 10 minute walk from the Main Square, but it’s a stop that many organized tours don’t visit. St Martin’s Cathedral is where 19 Austro-Hungarian emperors were coronated, including the famous and well-loved Maria Theresa of Austria.

The interior of St Martin’s Cathedral is simply beautiful in its design and stained glass. The fee to enter the church is nominal. You can also see displays of coronation crowns, climb the stairs to the chambers near the church organ and descend a narrow stairway to the crypts under the church. Don’t miss a visit to St Martin’s Cathedral on your Old Town walking tour.

Slovak National Theater

From St Martin’s Cathedral, continue your Bratislava Old Town Walking Tour by strolling through the greenery of Hviezdoslav Square to the striking architecture of the Slovak National Theater. From there you can finish your walking tour by passing the Slovak Philharmonic to the Slovak National Gallery and the Slovak National Museum on the Danube River. The major river cruise lines dock on the Danube here.

Blue Church of St Elizabeth

Another less frequently visited attraction in Bratislava is the Blue Church of St Elizabeth. This church is only a 10 minute walk east of the Old Town Main Square. The blue exterior of this little church is very distinctive. The Blue Church of St Elizabeth has iron gates that allow visitors to peer into the interior when the church isn’t open. The Little Blue Church is well worth a side trip from Old Town Bratislava, but use your GPS to find your way.

Savor the Tastes of Bratislava

• Bryndzové halušky – soft potato dumplings with bryndza (soft sheep cheese) and bacon.
• Richman – bread roll filled with cabbage and cheese.
• Treska – cold codfish salad.

Visit Bratislava – Hotels

• Radisson Blu Carlton Hotel, Bratislava
• Falkensteiner Hotel Bratislava
• APLEND CITY Main Square Apartment

Visit Bratislava – Background

Bratislava is located on the Danube and Morava Rivers at the foot of the Little Carpathian Mountains. The city was previously known as Prešporok and the Germans called it Pressburg. About a half million people live there. Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and has a long history of Austrian, German and Hungarian influences. When Slovakia was part of Czechoslovakia, it came under the control of communist Russia. The influence of Russian communism is still seen today in the bland architecture of tenement apartments and public buildings.