10 Interesting Things to Do in Bratislava (Besides Drinking!)

Guide to the best things to do in Bratislava

Do you know what attracted me to Bratislava the most?

Its name. I love saying it to myself – BRAT-IS-LAVA, BRAT-IS-LAVA, BRAT-IS-LAVA. Isn’t it satisfying?

If you say it over and over again it begins to sound like a football chant. Before you know it, you’ll be clapping your hands to every syllable. Or is that just the hooligan in me?

You’re probably thinking its name alone isn’t a reason to visit, and you’d be right. I like the name Buster, but a guy would need more than a cool name for me to agree on a date. However, I’m also a believer that a little bit of blind faith can be a good thing, and that was my attitude before visiting Bratislava, a city I knew little about.

I didn’t have much of a reason to go to be honest, but I didn’t have a reason not to go either. I knew Bratislava was a popular place for stag and hen dos, but surely the city had more to offer than cheap booze? With this in mind, I created myself a little challenge: to see what the city could offer me over the course of two nights, which is probably the average length of time a tourist stays in the city.

Unlike neighbouring cities, Budapest and Vienna, which are firm favourites on the European tourist route, Bratislava doesn’t really muster up the same excitement. However, I soon discovered that even thought it may be smaller, and it might not have the volume of attractions mentioned in the aforementioned, it certainly has charm and some really interesting things to see and do.

So I’ve put together a list of my favourite things to do in Bratislava, and I’d like to share with you.

Admire the quirky Blue Church

The Blue Church - Things to see and do in Bratislava

I’ve seen some unusual churches in my time and this is one of them.  Also known as the Church of St Elizabeth, it looks more like a wedding cake than a place of worship.

Built in the early twentieth century, the church reflects an Art Nouveau style of architecture, playfully combined with oriental, Romanesque and classical features.

It’s consecrated to Elisabeth of Hungary who was a medieval princess and saint, a native of Bratislava, who risked her position by giving charity to the poor.

Inside the Blue Church in Bratislava

The blue pews and paintwork certainly maintains the whimsical and thematic colour inside the church.

Explore the pretty Old Town

Things to do in Bratislava - visit the Old Town

With its cobbled streets, colourful pastel buildings, narrow alleyways and clock tower, Bratislava’s preserved medieval centre is every bit the postcard.

Whittle away the hours by wandering down the the quaint old streets and browsing the independent shops and stalls. There are lots of lovely cafes and restaurants to choose from, or why not grab a bench for a spot of people watching in the Main Square?

Day trip to Devin Castle

The ruins of Devin Castle near Bratislava - getting the train from Budapest - Bratislava - vienna.

I met an artist called Jozef who took me to see the beautiful ruins of Devin Castle and it was one of the highlights of my trip to Bratislava.

The well-preserved ruin is noted for its maiden tower which looks to be precariously balancing on a rock. It’s a striking vision, made all the better due to its stunning geographical position, offering panoramic views of the Danube and Morava rivers.

Devin Castle

Ensure to explore the surrounding area, where you’ll also find installations in memory of the iron curtain. If you’re looking for a longer walk, I recommend the 4km countryside walk to Sandberg.

To get there you need to catch the no.28 bus and you’ll be in the small town of Devin in no less than 15 minutes. Once you arrive you just need to follow signs for the castle.

Walk over the UFO bridge

UFO Bridge, Bratislava

Sure, it may not be as beautiful as the ones you’ll find in Venice but it’s imposing, and certainly unique.

The bridge, also known as SNP Bridge, was built in late 1960s and early ’70s at the height of Communist excess, in honor of the 1944 resistance movement against the Nazi forces. The very retro-futuristic appearance was inspired by the optimistic futurism of the 1960s.

The UFO structure actually houses a restaurant, I’m not personally sure what the food is like, but I’ve read it’s supposed to be one of the best in Bratislava. I bet it also guarantees stunning views over city and beyond.

Visit the Slovak National Gallery

Slovak-National-Gallery-Bratislava

One of Slovakia’s largest art galleries, located by the Danube with a view of the UFO Bridge, you’ll have the chance to see all kinds of artistic mediums from sculpture to photography by a wide range of artists.

Find vegetarian food in Bratislava at the Slovak National Gallery

 I also recommend having lunch at the gallery. During my visit to Budapest and Bratislava I was beginning to feel quite starved of healthy vegetarian food, so was happy to find a few really nice vegetarian dishes on their menu.

Look our for Cumil & other Statues

Cumil, the man peeking out from a sewage in Bratislava

Bratislava’s most well-loved statues all have rather cheeky personas. The most famous is Cumil, a man whose upper body peaks out from the sewer. Due to his ankle-length height it wouldn’t surprise me if Cumil has unwittingly tripped a few people over, and more than once he has been damaged by cars.

Nobody is quite sure what the man is up to – popular opinions include cleaning the sewer, and rather naughtily looking up women’s skirts. I’ve got to say, I do find the idea of him being a peeping Tom rather amusing.

Statue of Schone Naci in Bratislava In the Old Town you’re also likely to bump into Schone Naci – The stuff of Bratislava legends, Naci was a well-known local man in the early 20th century. A Poor yet excessively eccentric man, he paraded the streets of Bratislava in old, but elegant attire, greeting passers-by with his top-hat and bowing courteously to ladies passing by. I think every city has a few of these characters!

Capture the views from Bratislava Castle

Bratislava castle - Things to do in Bratislava

Residing on the top of an incline, the huge white building with four corner towers across the whole city, beckoning for attention. I didn’t have time to go inside so instead admired the views of the city, and nearby Austria, supposedly on a clear day you can see as far as Hungary.

Slovak Radio Station

Slovak Radio Station | Brutalist architecture | Things to do in Bratislava

If you’re into architecture with a penchant for Brutalism, don’t miss this gravity defying building located near the train station. 

Relax in the Sculpture Park behind Grassalkovich Presidential Palace

Sculpture park and Grassalkovich presidential palace in Bratislava

I always need to seek out green spaces when I’m in a city and the sculpture park which resides rather modestly behind Grassalkovich Presidential Palace (dubbed the White House) is a little haven away from the crowds.

Sculpture Park in Bratislava behind Grassalkovich Presidential Palace

You’ll find a striking contrast between traditional and contemporary sculptures from a variety of local and international artists.

Plan a day-trip to Vienna

Combine a trip to Bratislava with Vienna - more information on The Culture Map blog

Vienna is an hour by train from Bratislava and I couldn’t recommend enough visiting these cities together. Trains run frequently and you can book your ticket online via Trainline

Each city is completely different, and yet they compliment one another extremely well. Vienna is large and very international, whereas Bratislava is comparatively small and quaint. Where Vienna is the epitome of elegance, Bratislava is quirkier and more unassuming.

And if you do want a beer...

Although I’ve recommended things to do beyond drinking, I recommend trying the beer. It’s pretty darn good! The best place for it is 100 pív which specialised in locally brewed craft beer.

Where to stay in Bratislava

Accommodation: Hotels in Bratislava are comparatively cheaper than Budapest and Vienna. Your money goes further so you might want to treat yourself to somewhere a little fancier than usual. If that’s the case Marrol’s Boutique Hotel offers a 5-star experience.

Alternatively, if you’re looking for somewhere more budget-friendly, City Center Best Place Apartments provides great value for location and comfort.

Further inspiration: Why not combine your trip to Bratislava with Budapest and Vienna? That’s exactly what I did and had the most fantastic time. It’s the perfect little train journey. Read more → Getting the train between Budapest, Bratislava & Vienna.

Top 10 things to do in Bratislava, Slovakia.

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13 Responses

  1. …but, if you want to drink, the slovak radio building has an outdoor bar in the summers 😛

    i love that you took the time to write about bratislava- not enough people do and they just say their trip sucked because it was overshadowed by the other cities in the region. i think bratislava is a great place and one i look forward to going back to for a fourth visit sometime!

    1. Haha… if someone asks me for drinking recommendations in Bratislava or anywhere really, I’m going to point them in your direction – I consider you an authority on the topic 😉

      I thought Bratislava was great, the only thing that impinged my visit was the hot weather (which most people would obviously have rejoiced in!) as it’s not conducive for sightseeing, at least for me it isn’t. But I’d love to go back to see all the things I missed and to see more of Slovakia.

  2. I love the look of that maiden tower in the castle! Makes me wanna go now! Also would love to try that UFO restaurant – so awesome 🙂

  3. You’re right about the view from the UFO being out of this world. I’ve only been there for a drink – the food is very expensive for Bratislava, but you get your entrance fee (€6.50) back if you do choose to eat there. One of my favourite bars in the world!

    1. You came to my mind when I spotted the bridge Richard, as I first learnt about it from your blog! If I go to Bratislava I will definitely make my way up there!

  4. I love castles! I really wish they had more of them in South East Asia. I love how they can be so unique as well. Looks like you had a wonderful trip 🙂

  5. Interesting topic, thanks
    i have just visited Bratislava in 4 August, i missed some places but it is a quiet nice town

  6. Funnily enough, I’ve been quite intrigued about visiting Bratislava of late, not sure if it was the name or what exactly that first got me tempted – I think it was the curiosity of not knowing much about it as compared to places like Vienna as you say, which get a lot more tourist attention. That blue church looks gorgeous – and it really does look like a wedding cake!

    1. Hi Shikha, the curiosity of not knowing very much about the city definitely inspired me to go as well. It’s perfectly situated in central Europe, so it’s very easy for you to attend to your temptation 😉

  7. We’ll be travelling to Eastern Europe in Sept. Prague to Vienna to Bratislava to Budapest. Visually captivated by other’s photos and videos, we are desperately counting the days to be there. Haha…hope to share some stories one we got back.

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