Ideal for planning the best trip to Slovakia’s capital
Pitched along the Danube River and bordered closely by both Austria and Hungary, Slovakia’s capital Bratislava is something of a Central European cultural powerhouse.
Known as the Little Big City, it boasts baroque palaces, a glorious, looming Renaissance castle that overlooks the city, cathedrals and churches aplenty, and a medieval, pedestrianised Old Town. All of this refined, atmospheric architecture and a tight knit city centre make Bratislava ideal for an elegant, eminent European winter getaway.
Indeed, while Bratislava is delightful all year round, it’s Christmas when it really seems to shine – quite literally, as the city is illuminated by thousands of Christmas lights and the stark reflection of snow covered streets. Just lovely.
If you’re planning a festive Bratislava break, then here are 6 top tips to help you get the most out of your holiday.
GETTING THERE
Bratislava is a two hour direct flight from Stansted, with Ryanair offering return flights for just £16. Wow.
Should you wish to embark on a whistle stop tour of some of Europe’s other top Christmas markets, Bratislava is only about 40 minutes from Budapest, two hours from Vienna and approximately four hours from Prague, with direct trains connecting them all.
The number 61 connects the airport to the city’s main train station, Hlavna Stanica; it leaves every 20 minutes and takes around 25 minutes.
From Hlavna Stanica, you can catch the number 93 bus or tram 1 and you’ll arrive in the city’s Old Town within 10 minutes. This is likely where your accommodation will be, and should be; it’s just beautiful in this part of town.
Alternatively, a regular old taxi takes about 15 minutes to reach the city centre from the airport. If you’re travelling with a large group of people, consider booking a Bratislava airport taxi in advance. Choose a personal vehicle, minibus or bus, ranging from 4 passengers to a maximum of 49 seats in case of large trips. Job done, now let’s get festive…
THE CHRISTMAS MARKETS OF BRATISLAVA
You know the type; Christmas Markets with little wooden huts offering high quality handcrafted gifts and delicious festive food…we just love them.
The good news is that this type of market springs up all over the historic centre of Bratislava during the Christmas period. Markets can be found in the main square (Hlavné námestie), as well as Františkánske square, the courtyard of the Old Town Hall, Hviezdoslav Square, the Square of Milana R. Štefánika, and Primacial Square – all within walking distance of each other.
Wander from square to square with a glass of something warm in your hand – we recommend going for punch (punč) instead of mulled wine. The honey, lavender and rose flavoured punch is something of a Slovakian speciality, as is a cinnamon apple version! Or, a glass of local medovina – honey wine – will warm the cockles on a wintery Slovak evening.
If you’ve worked up an appetite, then the smell of delicious local specialities wafting through the market is hard to resist. Luckily, there are lots of high tables set up around the various markets to encourage you to enjoy the offerings from festive stalls while soaking up the atmosphere.
The lokše (baked potato pancakes) are a must try – both sweet and savoury options are served up in the markets, and we’d recommend trying both. Or, if you’re after something a little different, try the liver and plum jam mixed with poppy seeds.
The Bratislavské rožky is another Slovakian speciality speciality. As Taste Atlas explains, they’re something akin to a croissant; “crescent-shaped pastry [is[ filled with poppy seeds or the C-shaped variety…is filled with ground walnuts” Both are equally delicious.
Then of course there’s Slovak Trdelnik – chimney cake – to try. Rolled dough is wrapped around a stick then cooked on a rotating spit, gently caramelising before being topped with a sugar and walnut mix. Yep, the Slovaks love the sweet stuff over Christmas, and a visit here in the festive season is as delicious as it sounds.
Wash it all down with a shot of traditional hriatö – a hot toddy made from honey, goose fat and, of course, alcohol, and you’re good to go. Yep, we did say goose fat…it works!
TAKE IN THE VIEWS
The Old Town Hall of Bratislava is an excellent example of Gothic architecture and is a sight to behold. Another sight to behold is of Bratislava from the top of the town hall’s tower. Enjoy sweeping views over the surrounding rooftops and of the twinkling lights of the Christmas markets daily, except Mondays, from 10am until 5pm during the weekdays and from 11am until 6pm at the weekends.
For a different kind of vantage point, the city’s Sky Bar offers some of the best city vistas, with particularly amazing views of St. Martin’s Cathedral and Bratislava Castle. Slovakia is famous for plum spirit Slivovica, so why not order one of those whilst you’re up on high? Other Slovakian liquors you should try include Tatratea (made with tea), Demänovka herbal liquor, Karpatské brandy and Bentianna honey liquor…all as dangerously delicious as the next.
SAVOUR SOME SLOVAK CUISINE
When visiting Bratislava in the winter months, you’ll need some hearty fare to warm your cockles…average daily temperatures hover around freezing during December, January and February.
Fortunately, Slovak cuisine is just the ticket for freezing days and even colder nights – think veal, goose cutlets, and thick venison goulash, hearty stews, warming soups and much more besides. For traditional Slovak cuisine, visit the revered restaurant Modra Hviezda, which offers seasonal wild game cooked beautifully. The restaurant’s special ‘Duck Feast’ is a thing to behold; if it’s on the menu, order it.
If you can’t nab a table, Modra Hviezda’s sister restaurant, Hradna Hviezda, is located in the castle; it boasts a similar menu and is incredibly atmospheric.
Zylinder is another of the city’s best restaurants. Housed in the historic Hviezdoslav Square, it offers traditional dishes from the cuisine of the Austro-Hungarian empire, all given a refined, modern touch. Superb.
Alternatively, the Old Town is full of traditional bistros and homely restaurants selling Slovakia’s famous steamed dumplings…duck into one whenever the cold gets too much and warm yourself up!
TAKE IN A SEASONAL SHOW & ART EXHIBITION
Come Christmas, Bratislava has a rich and varied cultural program, with theatre, opera, classical music, and much more in the city. The Slovak National Theater, a Neo-Renaissance-style building opened in 1886, shows the Nutcracker every year, and this whimsical ballet should be on your holiday ‘must see’ list if you’re keen to get in the festive spirit.
Bratislava’s museums and art galleries are also at their best in winter. As Visit Bratislava tell us, the Danubiana, Kunsthalle and Nedbalka galleries, as well as the Bratislava City Gallery and Bratislava City Museum all have exhibitions this winter, with the latter two specialising in classical European art, in particular.
A WINTER WALK
Bratislava is famous for its green spaces, and come winter, they turn into an enchanting winter wonderland. Perhaps for the duration of the season, we should refer to them as ‘white spaces’, but anyway…
Horský Park, right next to the town centre, is a particularly wonderful place for a winter stroll. Or, if you’re feeling adventurous, take a trip to the Bratislava Lesný Park (Bratislava Forest Park) an hour’s walk or 15 minute bus ride northwest of the Old Town. Here, you can go tobogganing, ride a cable car 450 metres high to the top of Kamzík Hill, or even ride down a dry bobsleigh run! Regardless of what you do, we think it’s safe to say that you won’t get bored here.
Back at ground level, why not walk along the banks of the Danube River, crossing the futuristic ‘UFO’ bridge, one of the city’s more modern iconic landmarks.
A NOTE ON GOVERNMENT GUIDELINES AND RESTRICTIONS
Due to the pandemic, governments across the world have put in place measures to help curb the spread of the virus. The Slovak government is one of them. On the 25th of November, the government introduced a curfew to run until the 9th of December from 5:00 AM to 1:00 AM.
According to the Public Health Authority Decree, foreigners may enter the country through internal borders and air borders so long as they comply with the quarantine measures. Entry is only allowed to those who are fully vaccinated. Check out the latest UK government guidance on entering and leaving Slovakia here, but be aware that this is subject to last minute change.