How to Make the Most of 24 Hours in Bratislava
Sitting on the Danube River, Slovakia’s capital city is one not to miss. We added Bratislava to our itinerary because it seemed like a convenient, unique and quick 24-hour stop we could make between Vienna and Budapest. And it was, but it ended up exceeding our expectations.
Read for our 24-hour itinerary of Bratislava.
1. Devin Castle
We arrived around 10AM and wasted no time getting into our activities for the day. After we stored our luggage at the main train station, Hlvana Stanica, we made our way over to the bus stop for the Devin Castle. This castle is located slightly outside of the city centre, but is easy to get to using public transportation which takes about 20-25 minutes.
The Devin Castle sits on the borders of Slovakia and Austria on a cliff overlooking the Morava and Danube Rivers. Here, you can not only explore the castle area and take in the amazing views it has to offer, but they also have museum exhibits which showcase different artifacts that were found on the castle land.
2. Drink at the Oldest Brewery in Slovakia, Mestiansky Pivovar
By the time we returned to the city centre, we were starving. We decided to stop in the oldest brewery in Slovakia which is also known to have some of the most authentic Slovakian food. We ordered more food and beer than we knew what to do with but some of my favorites were the Brynzove priohy (pierogis stuffed with sheep’s cheese) and Zemiakove plucky (potato pancakes).
3. Discover Old Town
The historic city centre of Bratislava is a great place to get lost for the night. Enter Old Town through the only remaining city gate, St. Michaels Gate. You can visit the inside of the gate as well for great views of the city from the top and a museum.
From there, wander through the colourful streets of Bratislava until you reach Cumil, Man at Work. Cumil is a sewer worker peeping out of a manhole cover along Panská street which was installed in 1997 as an effort to liven up the streets of Bratislava.
While you’re in the area of Cumil, stop by Arthurs Ice Cream for some of the most delicious ice cream we’ve ever had!
Then, continue down the streets until you reach St. Martins Cathedral. This is one of the oldest churches in Bratislava and is also where Maria Theresa was crowned.
4. Explore Bratislava Castle
Located approximately a 10-minute uphill walk from Old Town is the Bratislava Castle. The Bratislava Castle towers over the city directly beside the Danube River and offers some amazing 360-degree views of the city. Dating back to 10th century, the castle has seen some of Bratislava’s most historic moments. Unfortunately, while we were there we weren’t able to take a tour on the inside, but that’s an option for anyone interested and there is also a museum.
5. See the Blue Church of St. Elizabeth
Before we called it a night, we had to stop at this beautiful church. The church is pastel blue and looks like it belongs in a fairy tale. It’s definitely worth the quick stop, and if you’re passing by at the right time, you’ll be able to get inside (for free!) which is equally as magical and blue as the outside.