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Here’s my itinerary for spending one day in Bratislava, Slovakia’s charming capital. I spent just over a week in Bratislava recently, so hopefully I can give you some good recommendations in this little itinerary. To be honest, I’d recommend more than just a day there if you really want to enjoy the city without rushing. But I know a lot of people will visit briefly as part of a longer trip in Central Europe or perhaps as a day trip from nearby Vienna, so I wanted to put this guide together to help anyone make the most of their time. And as Bratislava is so walkable, there’s plenty you can cram into a day.
Set on the banks of the River Danube and overlooked by a hilltop castle, Bratislava is a clean, compact and compelling city. It borders Austria and Hungary and has been influenced by lots of different cultures over time, making it an interesting and diverse place to visit. It has a good mixture of Communist squares and monuments juxtaposed against pretty cobbled streets and colourful churches. This is my kind of place. Oh and it has plenty of lovely cafés, bars and restaurants to choose from, too.
So, pour a drink and let’s get into how I recommend spending one day in Bratislava…
1 day in Bratislava itinerary: morning
If you’ve stayed over the night before, start with breakfast at Panenská Kaviareň
If you’re visiting as a day trip, you’ll probably already have had brekkie so can ignore this! But if you’ve stayed over the night before and you have a full day stretching out ahead of you, start it well by heading to the lovely café Panenská Kaviareň for some avocado/salmon/egg on toast.
It opens at 8am, so you can very easily fit it in before the free walking tour, which is the first thing I’m suggesting you do…
Get an introduction to Bratislava and see the castle on a free walking tour
A free walking tour is always the best way to get to know a city, especially if you’re on a tight timeframe. And the Bratislava one is an especially interesting, concise introduction to the city.
The Free Tour Bratislava starts at 10am/11am (depending on the time of year; check their website). It lasts for two hours. You don’t need to book, just show up at the correct time at the meeting point (Google Maps link).
You get to hear about the city’s history from a local while seeing most of the main attractions like the cathedral, the old parliament and the famous street statues (more on those in a moment). The tour also takes you into the grounds of Bratislava Castle. You get a good view across the rooftops, leading out to the river, from there. I must warn you, though. The castle is no Versailles. It’s quite plain from the outside, just a basic whitewashed building. There’s a nice formal garden at the back, which is best in spring, but visiting the castle is mainly about the views from its hilltop location.
If, for whatever reason, you can’t make the walking tour, you can just walk around the main sites yourself, without the commentary from a local. Head to St Michael’s Gate and explore the old town, looking out for the landmarks mentioned above (map them on your phone if you’re tight for time). Do look out for the Primate’s Palace, a gorgeous and ornate pink building where Napoleon signed the Peace of Pressburg treaty in 1805, ending the Holy Roman Empire. It has a hall of mirrors inside, which is briefly worth seeing if you have time. Then head up to the castle and enjoy the views.
Get a photo with the famous Čumil, or ‘the man at work’
Bratislava has lots of street statues but none are as well known and loved as this lad…
Have you even been to Bratislava if you’ve not had a photo with good old Čumil the sewer worker? He’s always up for a selfie. You’ll spot him during the free walking tour, but if it’s a busy tour and you couldn’t get in for a photo, you can pop back and find him later (Google Maps link).
It’s up for debate what this cheeky chap is doing peeping out of the bronze manhole. Is he having a break from work? Is he about to go down the manhole, dedicated to his job? Or is he even a bit of a creep, slyly popping up to stare at passing ladies? No one can agree and locals all have their own take on it. But he’s been there since 1997 and is very much a symbol of the city.
If you want a nice tacky souvenir from your one day in Bratislava, you can buy a little toy of Čumil or a fridge magnet/keyring/tote bag (take your pick) with him on from all the gift shops in town.
1 day in Bratislava itinerary: afternoon
Do a spot of people-watching over lunch
After your walking tour, it’ll be time for lunch.
As you only have one day in Bratislava, you might want to head somewhere to try proper Slovak food. However, I’m going to recommend that you hold off on that until your evening meal. I’ve recommended a really lovely traditional old restaurant for you later in this itinerary, but Slovak food is SO filling and heavy that I don’t think it’s best for lunchtime. Well, not unless you’re prepared to forego your afternoon in Bratislava for a food-coma nap…
Instead, I really recommend Urban Bistro for a delicious (and lighter!) lunch. This is one of my favourite restaurants in Bratislava. They have excellent vegetarian options, the interior is stylish and you’ll find that the place is popular with locals as well as tourists.
On a sunny day, you can sit outside and do a spot of people-watching while you eat. Urban Bistro is located on Michalská, the pedestrianised street leading to Michael’s Gate, the entrance to the city. So there’s always a lot of people going past, tourists and locals alike. Perfect viewing.
Marvel at the Insta-famous blue church
Once you’re revived by lunch, it’s time to take in my favourite Bratislava landmark. You won’t have seen this on the walking tour but it’s definitely worth going to even if you only have one day in Bratislava.
The Blue Church (Google Maps link) is one of the most unusual buildings I’ve seen. First off, it’s blue. But not the kind of wishy-washy blue that blue buildings in European cities tend to be. It’s a really vibrant sky blue. Even the interior is blue. And it sort of looks like a cake… or at least a building made of fondant.
It’s absolutely gorgeous and reminds me a bit of Gaudi’s work in Barcelona. But it was actually designed by the architect Edmund Lechner in the Hungarian Art Nouveau style. It was built between 1909 and 1913, originally as the chapel for the secondary school next door. You’ll probably clock the school as you approach the church: it’s the same cake-like style but in peach rather than blue.
The Blue Church’s real name is the Church of St Elizabeth, but of course it’s rarely known as that. If you want to go inside, check the opening times on the church website because they’re quite unusual and vary day by day.
See one of the ‘ugliest buildings in the world’
After you’ve enjoyed the undeniably beautiful Blue Church, it’s time for something completely different.
Frequently voted into the top spot in international lists of the ‘ugliest buildings in the world’, the Slovak Radio building is quite a sight (Google Maps link). Just look at it!
An upside-down pyramid wouldn’t be my first choice of building shape, but I actually think it’s quite fun and retro-style quirky. It’s nowhere near as ugly as some hideous skyscrapers I’ve seen in big cities around the world (especially in the Middle East). I suppose it’s so unusual that it’s a bit of a Marmite love/hate thing. I’m on the love side.
It took 16 years to build, completed in 1983, and has always been home to the Slovak Radio company, as the name would suggest. You can go inside, but there’s not really anything to see unless you’re attending the music venue it has. This is home to the Slovak Radio Symphonic Orchestra, which puts on regular concerts.
Have a cuppa and cake at Pasteleria
You’ll be glad that you didn’t have a big heavy lunch given my next recommendation in your Bratislava itinerary. It’s cake o’clock.
Pasteleria is a cute and cosy café with two branches in town. I like their new one on Laurinská best (Google Maps link) because it has its own little gift shop inside selling nice cards, ceramics, makeup bags etc. You know the kind of stuff. Perfect to take home as presents for friends (or better still, for yourself). But if you’re nearer to their original location, that one is also lovely (Google Maps link).
The staff are really friendly here and speak perfect English. They do a selection of teas and coffees, but the main attraction is all the superb homemade cake. I ate a LOT of cake during my recent week in Bratislava and nothing came close to these. If the poppyseed cheesecake is on when you visit, please have a slice for me.
Visit the small but perfectly formed Nedbalka Gallery
One of the most interesting cultural things in Bratislava is the Nedbalka Gallery, a small art museum on Nedbalova (Google Maps link).
The museum is set out in a cylindrical shape, with each of its four floors encircling an opening in the middle where you can see onto the other floors. It’s very light and a pleasure to browse.
I always enjoy discovering local contemporary/modern art wherever I’m visiting on my travels, and this is an excellent museum for that. It focuses on Slovak artists from the nineteenth century to the present day, with an ever-changing exhibition as well as a permanent collection of local art. Like when I first visited Zagreb and was blown away by all the art there from artists we simply don’t hear about in the UK sadly, it’s full of interesting and unusual pieces that make you want to go away and look up the artists to learn more.
There’s also a little café and a decent shop on the ground floor. The price of your ticket (6€) includes a tea or coffee in the café.
Like most museums in Europe, Monday tends to be when it’s closed. Make sure you check opening times on the official website before your visit.
1 day in Bratislava itinerary: evening
Enjoy evening drinks and views from a UFO
A trip to Bratislava would be incomplete without some alien abduction drinks up the iconic Most SNP building (Google Maps link).
It’s not hard to see why this bizarre flying-saucer-shaped structure on top of the city’s main bridge over the Danube is affectionately known as the ‘UFO Tower‘. You go up a lift (thank goodness) in the building to get to its restaurant, bar and observation deck, all of which have brilliant panoramic views across the city and down the river. The restaurant is a bit of a posh and pricey one and the drinks in the bar reflect this, but you’re paying for the view so it is worth it to have a cocktail there.
I’d say that the UFO is a better spot for views compared with the castle; the view is prettier with the castle itself in it, with the river in the foreground. The cover photo for this guide is taken from the observation deck, so you get the idea (and think how much nicer it’d be with good weather!).
The best time to visit the UFO Tower is just before sunset, whatever time that is when you visit. As you can tell from all my gloomy photos in this guide, it was foggy for most of my week in Bratislava so I missed out on getting lovely golden sunset photos here. But I’ve been up so many towers around Europe now that I’m a bit of a stickler for going at the best time in order to get ‘golden hour’ photos… fog permitting.
It costs (9,90€) to go up the tower. You buy tickets at the reception at the bottom of it; check opening times on the official site before you go.
Have a traditional Slovak meal in the evening
Now, as I mentioned in the lunchtime bit of this Bratislava itinerary, Slovak food tends to be VERY hearty, heavy and filling. But you have to try it while you’re there, of course. Just be ready to be bursting at the seams.
My favourite restaurant for traditional Slovak food in Bratislava is Bratislava Flagship (Google Maps location). I don’t eat meat, so I loved the sheep’s cheese pierogi (soft potato pastry) and the halusky (potato dumplings) at Bratislava Flagship. I just asked for them without any of the bacon lardons they usually put on top and that was fine. The sheep’s cheese is from their own farm and is excellent. You can also get a side of vegetables to balance out all the creaminess and carby-ness. Everything is homemade and delicious, especially on a chilly evening when this kind of warming, cosy food is best. If you do eat meat, there are loads of other Slovak dishes on the menu you can gorge upon.
Although the food is obviously the main draw for visiting Bratislava Flagship, the building itself is interesting too. It’s a former monastery that also served as a hospital and as a cinema in more recent years. And it’s HUGE: one of the biggest restaurants in Europe. Despite being massive, the interior is very cosy and atmospheric. Think wooden panelling, red gingham tablecloths and benches for seating. It reminds me of the inn where Gaston has his singing scene in Beauty and The Beast with all the flagons of beer being chucked around. And they actually brew their own pilsner-style beer in a small brewery on the ground floor. You’ll be needing a pint of that to wash down all the food.
You can reserve Bratislava Flagship on their website if you’re visiting when it might be busy. I definitely recommend it if you want to experience proper Slovak food and vibes.
Soak up the evening café culture at some craft beer bars
Once you’re finished at Flagship Bratislava, if you can fit anything else in, there are some nice places for drinks to toast the end of your day in Bratislava.
You’ll have had a pilsner-type beer at the restaurant but I know most of my readers prefer more modern, hoppy beers. So for the best craft beer in Bratislava, try these:
- Pivovar Shenk – this bar is home to their own Shenk Brewery and they do ‘tank’ beer, which is served directly from large brewing apparatus rather than it first being distributed into kegs. This is something you may find quite a bit around Slovakia and neighbouring countries. The bar is bright and nicely styled, and on a sunny day you can sit outside. It’s dead popular with locals and has a good atmosphere. Just to confuse matters, it’s mapped twice on its Google Maps location as Pivovar Shenk and as Výčap U Ernőho, which I think must be the original name of the bar before it also became a brewery.
- 100 Pív Craft Beer Bar – another good craft beer bar in Bratislava’s old town (Google Maps location), this one is small and friendly with six (at the time of writing) well-chosen local options on draft. It also has loads of cans and bottles. I love this one because they always have a few really nice sour beers, which is my beer of choice. You can tell that they really know their beer and only serve good quality.
Bratislava also hosts a regular craft beer festival, Salon Piva, in the old market hall next to Pivovar Shenk. It’s definitely worth checking whether you can plan a visit around that if you’re into craft beer. There are a few excellent local breweries that have stalls there, as well as a few from different places (and some generic ones that you can just bypass!). The atmosphere is buzzing; that’s where my photo below is taken.
If craft beer isn’t your thing, try Spin Cocktail Bar or Cork Wine Bar. These are handily close enough to each other for a very small bar crawl.
If you want to stay longer than just 1 day in Bratislava…
Well, that’s the end of the itinerary. As you’ve probably gathered, one day in Bratislava isn’t enough to properly get into it and get underneath the surface of the city. Hopefully it’ll give you a good introduction though.
If you want to book a return visit or you’re able to extend your trip a bit, you could easily do 2 or 3 days in Bratislava and get to know it better. I’d also recommend some fantastic stuff outside of the centre.
… these would be excellent days out
Option 1: Danubiana Art Museum – I’m putting this first because I LOVED it (also including a photo below). It’s a fantastic contemporary and modern art museum located on the banks of the Danube (a seriously dramatic setting), with loads of amazing Slovak art and a brilliant sculpture garden. AND an excellent cafe. This was probably my favourite thing I did during my week in Bratislava, so if you can extend your trip to take it in then I fully recommend you do. There’s even some Andy Warhol art because did you know his parents were Slovak? But that’s not the best stuff; the most interesting art was all from Slovak artists I’d not heard of but immediately loved. You can get to the museum directly by bus number 90 from the University of Economics (Google Maps location), which takes about 30 minutes.
Option 2: Devin Castle – Another good day out but a more historical one. Basically, someone found the ideal place to build a fortress. If they were looking for it on Location, Location, Location, it’d be an instant sale. Devin is set high on a cliff, bang on the confluence of the Danube and Morava rivers (the Slovak/Austrian border), overlooking the countryside in all directions. The fortress is mostly in ruins now. It’s an atmospheric spot and an easy afternoon out. Get the bus from the Most SNP stop or in summer, you can get a boat.
Option 3: Trnava – Finally, if you want to see another town in Slovakia, Trnava is a good option. Known as ‘Little Rome’ or ‘the Church Capital’, Trnava is a picturesque little town that’ll give you an insight into the charming, quieter side of Slovakia. It’s very doable as a day trip: around 30 minutes by train.
… and of course, you could also just have another day in Bratislava centre enjoying all the bits and bobs you couldn’t fit into one day.
1 day in Bratislava itinerary – useful information for your trip
How to get to Bratislava
I visited Bratislava as part of a 3-month train journey around Europe so I arrived at its main railway station. But Bratislava actually has two stations: the Main Station and Petržalka. You’ll probably come into the city via the main one, which is really well connected to the rest of the city by trams and buses, or it’s under 15 minutes to get to the heart of the city on foot. The latter is a little further out but still has plenty of buses to get you to where you’re staying.
If you’re flying, the airport isn’t far from the city centre. You can get bus 61 to the main train station then walk or connect to the centre.
Where to stay in Bratislava
Even if you only have 1 day in Bratislava including a night, you’ll want somewhere good to stay. There are plenty of options but it can be quite pricey. Here are a few I’d check for your dates. All prices are correct at the time of writing.
- City Castle Apartments – I love staying in apartments when I travel as I like having my own space, feeling like I’m living there and being able to buy something for breakfast to eat while I’m doing my hair in the morning. Prices vary in this well-rated complex of holiday apartments, but the one I’d pick is about 100€ a night.
- LOFT Hotel Bratislava – If you prefer hotels, this lovely one is about 130€ a night for a very stylish double room. There’s also an on-site craft beer bar – bonus.
- Aparthotel Virgo – Aparthotels are a nice middle ground: your own apartment but you can opt to have breakfast in the restaurant and they have a reception. This is brand new and only about 80€ a night.
How to get around Bratislava
Everything is walkable in the centre. But if you need to get around by public transport, there are buses, trolleybuses and trams. Get your tickets from a machine at the stop if there is one, or from a news kiosk. You just validate them once you’re on board and they’re very cheap.
When to go to Bratislava
I visited in October and the weather was good for exploring – warm enough to walk around without only a denim jacket or lightweight trench coat on. Unfortunately, it was quite overcast and foggy, hence the photos! But very pleasant for getting about. And it wasn’t too crowded either. Spring would likely be similar in how busy it would be.
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