Is Bratislava Worth Visiting? 15 Reasons Why!

1. Wine (and beer) is cheaper than water

If ever there was a reason to visit a city, surely it’s this? Joe recently revealed that Bratislava is the cheapest city in Europe to have a beer; the average pint comes in at €1.48. That’s cheaper than a bottle of water!

I found wine for almost the same price when I ate at a restaurant away from the tourist centre. If you fancy a night out, or just a drink with dinner, you literally can’t beat Bratislava prices.

2. The grammable Blue Church

The Blue Church is one of the most iconic sights in Bratislava. In art nouveau style, it’s different to any church I’ve seen before. On the sunny day I visited, the Blue Church almost blended into the sky but I think it would look striking on a stormy day, too. Inside, the church is also true to its name and painted shades of pale blue.

3. It’s just 1 hour from Vienna

Bratislava is right between Austria and Hungary and couldn’t be easier to visit en route between the two. It’s 1 hour by train from Vienna and 2 hours from Budapest by train or FlixBus. Especially since you only really need a day to explore, a visit to Bratislava hardly takes any time from your itinerary.

If you have the energy and sense for adventure, you can even travel from Vienna to Bratislava by bike. That’s an adventure I’d love to have!

4. Carb-tastic local food

Not only that, the food in Bratislava is great if you’re travelling on a budget. One of the best restaurants to check out is Slovak Pub where you can try sheep’s cheese dumplings for just a couple of Euros. If that’s not a reason to visit Bratislava, I don’t know what is.

On the free walking tour of Bratislava, our guide told us that Austrians often cross the border into Slovakia for cheap opera tickets. In Vienna, front-row seats are €300 whereas in Bratislava, they’re €40!

I like that Bratislava doesn’t take itself too seriously. Locals and tourists love this quirky statue of Cumil, the Sewer Worker peeping up out of a drain. Apparently, it was decided that Bratislava was too drab and Communist so this statue was erected in 1997 to add new life to the city.

This reason to visit Bratislava is pretty self-explanatory. These attractive umbrella streets are popping up all over the world but that’s no reason not to tick another one off your list.

This enormous white castle is visible from everywhere in Bratislava and from the top you can see out over the whole city. It’s over 1,000 years old although it was virtually destroyed in a fire in the 1800s. Eleven king were crowned at Bratislava making it one of Slovakia’s most important sites.

Time your visit for just before sunset. You’ll get to see the castle in daylight and illuminated at night, plus you’ll catch a gorgeous sunset out over the city.

If you know me, I am obsessed with street art. I hadn’t been expecting to see any in Bratislava so I was pleasantly surprised when I found some large colourful murals. Head to Rajska parking lot, across the road from Hotel Danubia Gate, to find this piece above.

History lovers are bound to think Bratislava is worth visiting. One of the most interesting things I discovered during the free walking tour of Bratislava was that the streets are littered with tiny golden crowns, otherwise known as the Coronation Trail.

The story of this dates back to days of Mongol and Ottoman invasion in neighbouring countries. Slovakia was relatively untouched and the Hungarian royals moved their kings to Bratislava to keep them safe.

The Coronation Trail marks the route that the kings would have walked in the 16th century during the coronation process. It doubles up as a good sightseeing route, starting at the Danube river and continuing to the Franciscan church and main square.

Do you visualise grey concrete blocks when you think of ex-communist countries? Think again! Sure, there are a few of these around but the city centre is full of charming townhouses painted pink, blue and yellow.

Honestly, it’s a total mix of styles. The central square has art nouveau, gothic and Renaissance buildings, all from different time periods. Architects might hate it but I personally really liked it.

15. Hipster food markets

Hungry? If you’re craving world cuisine rather than heavy Eastern European food, you’re in the right place. Bratislava is full of pop-up coffee carts and food stands serving Slovakian dishes as well as different cuisines like Mexican and Italian.

When visiting Lab.cafe, I discovered a vibey, hipster food market beside St James’s Chapel. I tucked into poppyseed pasta which is a local dish but it was tough to tear myself away from the tacos and raclette. In the evening, live DJs came out and stands began serving wine and cocktails.

I believe this market may be seasonal but you can visit the Old Market Hall on Saturdays year-round (10am-3pm) for local foods and beverages.