Proximity to nature gives Slovakia's capital its strongest flavouring. The Danube wends through town, and cycle paths through its verdant flood plain begin just outside the centre. Meanwhile, erupting a 30-minute walk from the train station are the densely forested Small Carpathians; the trailer to a mountainous extent that runs countrywide, virtually unimpeded by civilisation. Then there's ski runs and vineyards to amble among.
The charming – if tiny – old town (starý mesto) is the place to start appreciating Bratislava. Stroll narrow pedestrian streets of pastel 18th-century buildings or sample the myriad sidewalk cafes under the watchful gaze of the city castle, harking back to medieval times. Done with the old? In with the new(er): the city boasts intriguing socialist-era architecture worth checking out and one of Eastern Europe's most spectacular modern art spaces. Contrasts like this are all part of Bratislava's allure.
History
Founded in AD 907, by the 12th century Bratislava (then called Poszony in Hungarian or Pressburg in German) was a large city in greater Hungary. King Matthias Corvinus founded a university here, Academia Istropolitana. Many of the imposing baroque palaces you see date to the reign of Austro-Hungarian empress Maria Theresa (1740–80), when the city flourished. From the 16th-century Turkish occupation of Budapest to the mid-1800s, Hungarian parliament met locally and monarchs were crowned in St Martin's Cathedral.
'Bratislava' was officially born as the second city of a Czechoslovakian state after WWI and became capital of the new nation of Slovakia in 1993.
In addition to those we recommend, there are several small museums and increasingly well-regarded galleries scattered about the old town: ask at the Bratislava Culture & Information Centre for the Art Plan leaflet.
Bratislava CastleCASTLE
Dominating the southwest of the old town on a hill above the Danube, the castle today is largely a 1950s reconstruction; an 1811 fire left the fortress ruined for more than a century and renovations continue. Most buildings contain administrative offices, but there is a museum of Slovakia through the ages, and lawns and ramparts provide great vantage points for city viewing.
Museum of Jewish CultureMUSEUM
The most moving of the three floors of exhibits here focuses on the large Jewish community and buildings lost during and after WWII. Black-and-white photos show the neighbourhood and synagogue before it was ploughed under.
St Martin's CathedralCHURCH
A relatively modest interior belies the elaborate history of St Martin's Cathedral: 11 Austro-Hungarian monarchs (10 kings and one queen, Maria Theresa) were crowned in this large 14th-century church. The busy motorway almost touching St Martin's follows the moat of the former city walls.
Hviezdoslavovo NámestieSQUARE
Embassies, restaurants and bars are the mainstay of the long, tree-lined plaza that anchors the pedestrian zone's southern extremity. At Hviezdoslavovo's east end, the ornate 1886 Slovak National Theatre, one of the city's opera houses, steals the show. The theatre is not open for tours, but ticket prices are not prohibitive. The nearby neo-baroque 1914 Reduta Palace houses the Slovak Philharmonic: refurbishment included adding the impressive €1.5 million organ.
Hlavné NámestieSQUARE
Cafe tables outline pretty Hlavné nám (Main Sq), the site of numerous festival performances. Roland's Fountain , at the square's heart, is thought to have been built in 1572 as a fire hydrant of sorts. Flanking the northeast side of the square is the 1421 Old Town Hall ( www.muzeum.bratislava.sk ), home to the city museum. You'll often find a musician in traditional costume playing a fujara on the steps of theJesuit Church , on the edge of adjoining Františkánske nám.
Slovak National GalleryMUSEUM
A socialist modernist building and an 18th-century palace make interesting co-hosts for the Slovak National Gallery. The nation's eclectic art collection contained here ranges from Gothic to graphic design. In 2014 the gallery experimented with free admission; they are hopeful this will be possible in subsequent years.
TO/FROM THE AIRPORT
City bus 61 links Bratislava airport with the main train station (20 minutes).
Standing taxis (over)charge about €20 to town; ask the price before you get in.
A regular bus (€7.70) connects Vienna, Vienna airport, Bratislava bus station and Bratislava airport.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Bratislava has an extensive tram, bus and trolleybus network; though the old town is small, so you won't often need it. Dopravný Podnik Bratislava is the public transport company; you'll find a route map online. The office is in the underground passage beneath Hodžovo nám. Check www.imhd.zoznam.sk for city-wide schedules.
Tickets cost €0.70/0.90 for 15/60 minutes. Buy at newsstands and validate on board (or risk a legally enforceable €50 fine). Passes cost €4.50/8.30/10 for one/two/three days; buy at the DPB office, validate on board.
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