The Slovakian capital of Bratislava isn’t top of the list when many are planning their Europe holidays. In fact, a recent poll on our social medial showed 25% of our followers hadn’t even heard of this city before. Over the past few years we have relished in exploring the less popular and ‘hidden gems’ in Europe, and Bratislava has always been on our radar. This detailed guide covers off all of the things we think you should do in Bratislava, the best coffee, great authentic Slovakian restaurants and much more. We hope this guide helps you with your travel planning, and if you hadn’t considered visiting the Slovakian capital beforehand, you might after seeing how beautiful Bratislava is!
Bratislava has numerous historical influences which are evident in the cuisine, architecture and culture. We don’t profess to be history buffs, but speaking to some locals and tour guides show there’s numerous influences, including Roman, Slavic, Bavarian, Ottoman and strong Hungarian influences. Slovakia was part of Austro-Hungarian empire, then Czechoslovakia, then independent in 1939. There was a strong Nazi influence during WWII, communist rule in 1948-1989, then independent again in 1993. Sadly the communist period of 1948-1989 lead to demolishing of 1/4 of the old town and replaced with communist era buildings. And while this is evident when you walk on the fringes of the old town, don’t worry.. Bratislava has a very cute historical town.
First impressions of Bratislava show a colourful, lively, ‘local feel’ old town. Visiting in summer, everyone was in a good mood, there was live music, and lots of spaces for enjoying the sun or having drinks outdoors. Bratislava is very walkable, had lots of green spaces around the city, and felt safe with a generally reported low crime rate. Locals were friendly, and there was definitely less western tourists than many cities in Europe. Bratislava receives around only one million tourists every year, mostly from the Czech Republic, Germany, and Austria. You could tell this, as the old town was much quieter the other big Euro cities and less English being spoken. Another plus was the free WiFi in the city centre. Overall, on the surface Bratislava gets a big tick. After spending a few days exploring the tourist attractions, and some local recommendations, we have put together a detailed Bratislava guide.
What are the top things to do in Bratislava (key attractions):
Wander the Bratislava Old Town
The best way to enjoy the vibe and beauty of Bratislava is wander the picturesque little old town. Much smaller than many in Europe, you can easily wander the streets and see everything quite quickly, however, there’s some ‘hidden’ little gems like cafes in courtyards, vibrant food markets, local bars, great views and a ‘beach’ with a view. Make sure you allocate some time to explore Bratislava old town!
Visit Bratislava Castle and its gardens
Bratislava Castle is impossible to miss. Looking over the old town from up on the hill, it’s iconic to the town. A short 10-15 minute walk up from the old town, it’s a must visit when you are in Bratislava. Positively, the best part about the castle are the gardens and views from the edge of the fortified walls.. and these are free (we love free)! Make sure you check the opening hours, but the view from the Bratislava Castle gardens is one of the best and a must do during your visit. The cost to enter the castle itself is 14 euros, granting you access to the castle and the exhibitions.
Get the best view in Bratislava at St. Michael’s Gate
The best view of Bratislava’s old town is from the historic St. Michael’s Gate. Located at the start of the old town, you will get an excellent view of the main streets, old town and the castle. You can get to the first floor without a ticket, however to reach the top of the tower you will need to pay 6 euros. We think it’s the best view of the city and a must do when visiting Bratislava.
Visit Mercato Vecchio
One Saturdays there is a gorgeous market call Mercate Vecchio filled with great food stalls and shopping boutiques. This is right up the ‘2 Cups of Travel’ alley so you know we visited!
It’s 100% worth checking out if you visit over the weekend, and even if you’re not there on the weekend, the surrounding area is cute, and there’s a few great restaurants and bars which are adjacent to the market.
St. Martin’s Cathedral
An iconic fixture of the Bratislava Old Town is St. Martin’s Cathedral. It’s definitely worth visiting, entry is free, and the stained glass inside is truly beautiful. Add it to your Bratislava itinerary.
Enjoy the Danube riverfront
Bratislava sits along the Danube river. There’s paths winding along both sides of the river, and multiple bridges to walk across. It’s the prefect spot to walk, run or ride along. Additionally, one of our favourite places in Bratislava is the Tyrsak Beach & Promenade. Located 15 minutes walk from the Bratislava old town on the opposite side of the Danube river, this is where to locals go in summer or on the weekend. There’s a plethora of food trucks, a multitude of deck chair to enjoy the sun, and the view of the old town is one of the best in Bratislava.
Walk the Bratislava old city walls
Another great free attraction in Bratislava is to walk the old historic city walls. Located near St. Martin’s Cathedral, they are open 7am-9pm. They don’t take long to walk, and there’s some history about Bratislava along the walking route.
Enjoy the excellent café culture and coffee scene in Bratislava
This was something that definitely surprised us about Bratislava. This Slovakian capital is home to an amazing café culture, boasting some of the better coffee in Europe. There’s a multitude of cute café’s inside the old town and around the fringes. Check out our list below, include a do-not-miss café with a gorgeous courtyard.
Check out the best views in Bratislava
We have already detailed above some of our favourite views of this charming city. The list below is a few of the best views of Bratislava, in order of our favourites:
- St Michaels Gate: 6 euros
- Bratislava Castle Gardens: free
- Tyrsak Beach: free
- UFO Tower: 10-15 euros – price varies pending time of day – it’s popular for sunset.
Other attractions include..
There’s a lot to do in Bratislava despite it’s small size. We have listed a few other excellent things to check out during your visit:
- The parks/gardens on edge of town: The old town is very colourful, and there’s a plethora of parks lining the fringe. There are lovely to walk or run through, and excellent for a spot to relax on an nice day.
- The Churches.. As with many European cities, there’s a lot of historic churches, including Church of the Annunciation and The Blue Church.
- Enjoy the hospitality and local food: Bratislava is a bit of a ‘foodie’ city, with excellent cuisine, great coffee, and lots of places to enjoy a beverage. See a few recommendations below.
The best coffee and food recommendations for Bratislava:
The best coffee in Bratislava
There’s so many good café’s in Bratislava. We have listed some excellent options below, but recommend that you do not miss Emil. Located off an alley in the old town, this café has excellent coffee and an incredibly cute courtyard. A Bratislava must!
- Triplefive coffee roasters
- black.
- Emil
- Lab.cafe
- Sweet Beans Coffee x Roastery
- Blue Mondays Coffee Roasters
- Good Times coffee roasters
- Matsu premium matcha & coffee
- Pasteleria – coffee and cakes
The best food and restaurants in Bratislava
Bratislava has an excellent hospitality scene.. and it was very budget friendly, with many restaurants you’re able to get food below 10 euros and drinks for 2-3 euros. Head just outside of the small old town for slightly better prices and less touristy restaurants. It is also important to know that even in summer many restaurants kitchen close at 9pm, especially in more authentic restaurants.
A few good restaurants in Bratislava
- U Sedliaka – Our top pick for authentic, no frills, budget friendly meals (most below 10e, drinks 1-3e for beer/wine). Longish wait time but food was excellent and authentic.
- Café Verve – Another authentic and budget friendly restaurant in the old town that is definitely worth visiting.
- Foodstock Bratislava – vegetarian, budget friendly, good dumplings.
- Slovak pub – just outside old town and cheaper prices for traditional food than in old town.
- A few other options include – Prašná Bašta, Urban House, Koliba Kamzík Zelená.
Few cute places for a drink
- Pick any of the bars on the old town streets for good vibes and views.
- Langos bar – cute square, cheap prices, wine and beer 2.50e, spritz 6e. This is our top pick for relax, local vibes.
- Kláštorný pivovar once dark has cute little terrace
- Milenium Café – if a warm night is a great spot
How many days should you spend in Bratislava?
While this depends on the rest of our trip, Bratislava is quite small and can be explored relatively quickly. It is possible to visit Bratislava for a day trip, however this would mean you only get a small sample of the great cuisine and excellent café culture. We would recommend a 1-3 night stay, depending on how much you want to slow down and explore versus just seeing the ‘key highlights’.
What area should you stay in Bratislava?
Due to the size of the city, we would recommend staying in the old town, or at least on the old town side of the Danube river. Accommodation is cheap in Bratislava, and we have provided a few good recommendations below to help you plan your stay:
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