Is Bratislava, Slovakia Worth Visiting?

Is Bratislava, Slovakia worth visiting? I had no idea what to expect but within five minutes of arriving I knew this was going to be good. This European capital city really charmed me and it's well worth visiting. It’s a one hour drive from Vienna, Austria, which makes a perfect day trip. If you can spend a bit more time, even better.

How much is it to stay in Bratislava? Tour my Airbnb:

Visit the Bratislava Christmas Market with me:

The first thing I saw was the SNP Bridge or, as locals call it, the UFO Bridge which crosses the Danube River. SNP stands for Slovak National Uprising but the nickname comes from the flying saucer shaped restaurant that sits at the top of the bridge pylon. Unfortunately, the construction of the bridge meant that a large portion of the beautiful Old Town was destroyed, including almost the entire Jewish quarter.

St. Martin’s Cathedral, one of the city’s most historically important buildings, narrowly missed the bridge construction. The access ramp for the bridge is extremely close to it and the church is actually sustaining damage due to all the vibrations from the busy traffic. The cathedral was where Hungarian kings (and one queen!) were crowned for hundreds of years. Leaders of the Habsburg Empire, including the one and only Maria Theresa, had their coronations there between 1563 and 1830. There’s a crown at the top of the steeple sitting on a golden pillow which gives a hint of how significant this place is. On the sidewalk below there are little crown symbols that show the coronation procession route taken by royals on their way to St. Martin’s. You can follow them through the town, if you’d like to walk in their footsteps.

The best view of the cathedral is from Bratislava Castle which sits above the city. The hill has been populated since the Stone Age and the first known inhabitants were the Celts. There are a bunch of stairs to reach the castle but it’s well worth it. I love the crisp white colour of the castle with its four towers. I think it’s the best spot to see the sunset because the warm light at dusk is beautiful.

Michael’s Gate is the only surviving gate to the old city. There used to be four city gates and they were the only way in and out during medieval times. Michael’s Gate was built in the 13th century and in the 17th century a moat was added complete with a draw bridge that went up and down.

Nearby Michael’s Gate is Executioner Alley. It’s where the town executioner used to live and, because the city only had one, his house had to be clearly marked for anyone, um, needing him. The residence is now a massage centre which I found pretty funny.

If you’re in need of good luck there are some statues in Bratislava you can touch. One is of a man standing in a gutter at an intersection called ‘The Watcher.’ It’s considered good luck to touch his head. If you still need more luck, head over to the statue of Hans Christian Andersen and rub his finger. He visited Bratislava and it even inspired some of his writing.

One of my favourite spots in Bratislava is the Church of St. Elizabeth of Hungary or, as it’s better known, the Blue Church. Everything from the façade to the mosaic tiles to the roof is blue. Inside the art nouveau building even the pews are blue. This church is a really popular spot to get married and it takes years to get a booking.

A building that has been given the honour of being one of the ugliest in the world is also found in Bratislava: the Slovak Radio Building. This inverted pyramid is an excellent example of Brutalist architecture from the Communist era in Slovakia. Whether you love it or hate it, I doubt you’ll forget it.

Does Bratislava look like a place that you’d like to visit? I’m curious what, if anything, surprised you in the video - leave a comment below.

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[EileenAldis]

Which of the places in the video would you most want to check out in Bratislava?

[Witeout]

I love this. My family is from Bratislava and I visit almost yearly, yet never get bored. I'm really happy someone put some effort into it and showed the city some justice. The entire country has so much to offer.

Well thank you. Finally, a video that is not just about visiting the restaurant, but you have seen at least a few sights and learned something about them. Too bad you didn't stay longer. There is still something to discover.

[mingrambarrie]

I visited Bratislava in February of 2020 and absolutely fell in love with the city. I was there for a week for work and it was an amaing experience. I can not wait to go back.

[seanmccann]

Bratislava is a beautiful place to visit, were there in 2017 for a week and absolutely adored every minute of our stay. The people of Slovakia are so friendly and helpful you can't help but enjoy a visit to their beautiful country. The only possible place better than Bratislava is the magical city of Kosice.

[lalitalune]

The winter light is extraordinary and gorgeous here! What a beautifully shot video! I've been to Austria twice, but have never crossed into Slovakia. Now, it's on the list! Wonderful video, you two!

[willferra]

Smaller than Prague but less crowded cheaper and easier to get around with wonderful trolleys trains buses and cabs!People are kinder and more civilized as well as helpful weather you speak Slovak English or any other languages.I really loved the historic district, wonderful restaurants and handsome gorgeous young people!! To visit is a MUST!!

[harleyish]

I only visited Bratislava once and I fell in love with this place. I could never understand why I was fascinated with it. I just thought it was because it was different, but about a month ago, I understood. My ancestors came from Slovakia, Hungary, Poland and Romania. In my heart....I feel at home . Will see you again. Much love....

[erikziak]

I am glad you liked my hometown. A few corrections: I visited the UFO restaurant in the 1980s, so locals were allowed to go there. The observation deck, however, was not accessable. A better view of Austria is actually from many other places and even from flats in Petržalka or Dlhé diely. The gloomy wreck of a building opposite the Blue church is not a communist era one. The building was built as a hospital in the 1930s during the first Czechoslovak republic and was abandoned in the last decade or so. I remember it being a hospital and was actually born there as well. They are rebuilding it as a luxury residential house now. It is protected as a Cultural Heritage Monument, so it could not be demolished nor could it be heavily modified, that is the reason why you saw these ruins. If you want to see how it will look like, just visit the internet address you captured at 7:00 in your video. Last: The Slovak Radio building is certainly not an example of brutalist architecture, as it is made from steel and could be described as socialist realism. Brutalist architecture comes from the French béton brut meaniung raw concrete. I dislike anything brutalistic, as it reminds me of unfinished buildings and I especially hate the look of raw concrete when it is old, with lots of stains or even cracks.

[christinewitton]

This has been one of the most enjoyable travel videos I have seen. Thank you so much. It is to the point with just sufficient humour and personal touches to make it very interesting, enjoyable and informative. I think the Slovak Radio building is very remarkable and the citizens should be proud of it.

[marianjeannemec]

My good friend was in Bratislava last week Ánd she did say It was such a Lot of tourist there that she didnt believe.Bratislava get very popular Ánd thats great

[angelafoss]

Glad to see you back with a new video, Eileen and Marc. I'll put Bratislava on my list of places to visit sometime.

[PollyIsADog]

So much history! What a beautiful place!

[biomanization]

Nice commentary, Eileen. You are one of the best travel bloggers on YouTube. Thank you for providing so much information without becoming too professorial or condescending. I especially enjoy your enthusiasm and your analogies. Good work!

[ClaireHawkins]

These shots are beautiful! You captured the city so so well! I just posted a video from my trip to Bratislava. It's such a special city and I'm surprised it's so underrated!!

[beltfed]

This is really interesting. I did not know there would be so much to see. I thought the locks were fun to hear about. Seems the people there have a good sense of humour. The executioner's alley has a good story. Often wonder what people of long ago would think if they knew how much things have changed since their time. This, of course,
is what makes history so interesting and hearing you tell their stories is why I like your vlogs so much.

[tolisv]

I was in Bratislava for 5 days and def. want to visit it again! I could easily move there forever :)

[papradka]

Hi! this video was recommended to me and as someone originally from Bratislava its nice to see you appreciated this city - although living here for my whole life made me not appreciate it so much but its very nice and refreshing to see another perspective on it <3 and for the next time as a local I very much recommed to visit Slavin, memorial monument and military cemetery here in Bratislava -its my favourite place here, very peaceful and quiet with the best panorama view on the city :)

[lindalouwagie-neyens]

Wow! That pretty blue and white church is unlike anything I've ever seen! Bratislava looks so completely charming. It's a shame that a portion of the town was torn down to construct the pylon suspension bridge.

[cherrylina]

I really enjoyed your video and appreciate all the effort you have put in to make those charming shots. We are going to visit Bratislava in May, so thanks for all your recommendations :D