Bratislava Old Town
Bratislava Old Town
4.5
About
Historic neighborhood filled with charming narrow lanes, burgher's houses and nobles' palaces in addition to many of the city's important buildings such as the former Palace of the Hungarian Estates, the late-Gothic building of the Academia Istropolitana and the Leopold de Pauli Palace where Franz Liszt performed as a child.
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Neighborhood: Staré Mesto
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1,040 within 3 miles
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295 within 6 miles
See what travelers are saying
- WanderingOttersonsDenver, Colorado1,468 contributionsCool but very small old townYet another important and historic old town in Europe. As the legislative center and capital of the Kingdom of Hungary for more than 200 years and another important city of the Habsburg empire, there is much that has occurred here over the centuries. Less auspicious than many larger European cities, this is still a very striking old town. Because it is so much less touristed than the larger cities as well, there is a great laid back and quieter vibe in the city. We mostly visited old town by day when the tourists are out but absolutely come back here at night as well. The old town area changes drastically as the locals come out to play and hang out. There is a din at night that is energetic and fantastic.Visited August 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten September 25, 2023
- Adventure593592709863 contributionsA pleasant surpriseBratislava was one of our cruise ports on the Emerald Sun Danube cruise. The walking tour we took part in was excellent. The history is very interesting given the amount of times the country's borders have changed over the years.Visited September 2023Traveled with friendsWritten September 27, 2023
- John NVancouver, Canada13 contributionsI love old BratislavaA really nice old town. Very swept up and welcoming. Lots of sculptures and fountains and grand old buildings. Pretty touristy but that's to be expected. Prices are a bit inflated but not outrageous.Visited October 2023Traveled soloWritten October 11, 2023
- EODUKGillingham, United Kingdom642 contributionsWorth a Visit, day or nightGreat location, plenty of historical buildings, charming squares, good bars and restraints very clean and welcoming. A relax place to spend some time, excellent vibe to the place. Glad the UK stag/hen parties haven’t discovered this city yet.Visited October 2023Traveled on businessWritten October 14, 2023
- BarbaraM465Fairfax, Virginia59 contributionsLovely Old TownOld Town was a nice mix of shops, restaurants and museums. The museum of the History of Bratislava is a must see. Several afternoons, I stopped at one of the cafes and had an Aperol Spritzer. There’s a terrific candy shop there that has delightful sweets!Visited June 2023Traveled with familyWritten October 27, 2023
- MMMSplit, Croatia114 contributionsWorth visitingWe all liked old town so much. We have spent a day in Bratislava and really enjoyed. We are definitely going back. Old town has lots of restaurants, souvenirs shops and lots of interesting things to see and explore.Visited October 2023Traveled with familyWritten November 16, 2023
- Mark S17 contributionsVery attractive compact town centre.Two night stay in the heart of the Old Town. Christmas markets in full swing. Attractive squares, streets and buildings. So many restaurants and bars in a compact area. Castle (reconstructed) was fascinating. Cathedral impressive. Riverside interesting. Tram to station was convenient. Great character in a compact area.Visited December 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten January 6, 2024
- AlanDunoon, United Kingdom79 contributionsFather and daughter city break 😃Superb city break with my daughter. Things to know... A Bratislava card for two days was 26 euro each and allowed free bus and tram travel all over the city, you just carry it, no need to insert or show the driver, also allows a good % off of things like castle, museums, UFO tower etc etc, highly recommend it if you are seeking attractions. The food was fantastic everywhere we ate, examples were the El Goucho Argentine restaurant🤷, Parlament Restaurant was good but be ultra specific of what you want as it's easy to have the wrong dish delivered🤷, Underground Burger cafe, hands down the most delicious burger I have ever had 👌 We visited the ww2 memorial at twighlight beautiful and emotional and an incredible view, take an uber it's a mental up hill walk. Castle building/museum was great we spent ages in there. Keep in mind a lot of attractions are up hill, I never walked so many steps 😄. On the hill up to the castle there are at least three small local bars which we checked out, Andy's bar for example was cozy and inviting. We also tried 17s, bar'rock and the blind pig (speakeasy from war time), this bar goes down way down about two levels quite an experience. We tried Bratislava rolls, like sweet half bagels with almond and something like cake mix, my daughter liked them, me not so much.. our BnB was just down from the castle and was more than efficient. We took a bus around the south side of the river to see where the mass of the city live very eastern block style flats and mostly in great condition, it appears to be a thriving city. The UFO tower was fab, great view, could've stayed up there for ages. My daughter was able to work out the public transport really well and is a fantastic system, rather envious of it with their tram system and buses, Uber was also very good and not overly expensive. Food not particularly cheap but not too expensive either, (I'll photo some receipts) fillet steak in the Parlament restaurant 36 euro , beer around 2.50 to 3 euro for a half litre, local brewery beer is popular. Vodka ranged from 2.50 to around 5 euro depending where. There's an Irish bar if that's your thing but we avoided that at my daughter's behest 😄. Uber from airport was around 12 euro and so worth it, about 20 minutes. All in all we had a fantastic time and enjoyed the attractions. Advice would be to 'be specific' about what you want food and drink wise, English is obviously not their first language and things can easily get lost in translation however it will be appreciated if you give a decent attempt at their language, I was crap at it but my daughter gave it a good go. . 3rd of Jan for 3 days and the weather was dry and around 8 degrees, very mild. A beautiful city on the banks of the Danube steeped in history . Most definitely a must visit Loved it 😍Visited January 2024Traveled soloWritten January 7, 2024
- Cozy B1 contributionBRATISLAVA nothing spectacular at allWe visit Bratislava for a new year holidays.We were not positive surprised with this city, we expected more kindness from local professional people ( hotel receptionist, taxi drivers , waitress etc, all they care is to charge high and do as nothing as possible. New year expectations on main square in old city were without program and music what we didn't experience in other Citys for new year expectations. We were little disappointed but overall 6 of 10 is our score, absolutely not recommend for new year. Prices are pretty high for what you get. If they could they would charge for air... ;)Visited December 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten January 14, 2024
- Bouloumpasis AndreasPiraeus, Greece113 contributionsBratislava visitExcellent view, really old traditional town. Small souvenir shops inside, modern Cafe-bars, beautiful buildings. Empty memory cards recommended for hundred photo shots. Dunabe beside the city is absolutely a dream. Try UFO bridge.Visited February 2024Traveled with familyWritten February 6, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Popular mentions
4.5
9,211 reviews
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4,928
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746
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40
SGIL21
Cornwall, UK51 contributions
Jan 2020 • Friends
Bratislava is compact and in January one day was enough to see all of the sights and buildings of note. The Blue Church is worth finding and in summer parks, gardens and river trips would make it worth spending more time. It’s a popular stag destination but there are plenty of quieter bars and restaurants frequented by locals as well as tourists so easy to avoid the stag bars if it’s not your thing. Eating and drinking prices are reasonable and it’s a good base to spend a longer weekend if you fancy a trip to Vienna as the trains are frequent, take just over an hour and only 14 euros return. .
Written January 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Celiapol
Santorini, Greece36 contributions
Jan 2020
There is something magical with that place. First of all I suggest to you to visit the old castle in order to enjoy the great view from above . Then, strolling around the old town you can feel the breeze of the historic buildings. I also suggest you to visit the cafe Konditorei where you can treat yourself a traditional dessert , served from its gentle personnel.
Written January 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
xamz10x
Grimsby, UK142 contributions
Sep 2020 • Couples
Beautiful two days here so to see as much as the old town as possible. Me and my boyfriend decided to get the tour train we could then see as much as the old town as possible. It was very cheap and it stopped at the big castle for 20 minutes to get loads of photos and walk around. The food was fantastic down the train station
Written September 16, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Evalenakilman
Stockholm, Sweden113 contributions
Jan 2020 • Friends
Wonderful houses and churches. We went to a very beautiful café that sold delicious cakes and coffee and we had lunch at trendy restaurant which had excellent food. We recommend a visit but don't buy things here. It's far to expensive. More expensive than Scsndinavia.
Written January 4, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MarkW55
Castle Douglas, UK460 contributions
Jan 2023
Not as curated as some central european old town areas, Bratislava has a pleasant selection of shops, coffee houses, patisseries, restaurants and bars. We visited in January and it was quite quiet but I imagine that it is seething with activity in the summer. There is a boulevard lined with bistros and cafes on the southern edge and some pleasant squares. Access via the trams and buses is good and cheap and there are some amusing bronzes and sculptures. Some of the larger municipal buildings remain but without their original functions - the theatre is still there but the Opera House has moved outside the old town to the modern shopping centre.
Written February 1, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mzzyap
Philippines3,395 contributions
May 2024 • Couples
My husband and I bought same day train tickets to Bratislava at the OBB ticket office at Wien HBF (Central Station) for 36 Euros same day return for the both of us. The Regio Jet bus alternative cost 37.80 Euros same day return, but they are timed tickets (which means you can't come back earlier, or if you miss your bus time, you'll have to buy another ticket; see attached photo). The OBB train is flexible, you may catch any train returning to Vienna on the same day; plus, the Bratislava public transportation was free with our train ticket. I attached pictures of the train, Bratislava train station and some of the Old Town. Bratislava Old Town is small, easily walkable and could be done in a couple of hours, unless you spend time at a local restaurant. About the train station, (don't go towards the front doors) you have to walk down to the long wide tunnel (underneath the train tracks), go up and cross the street to the bus stop to catch the bus for the Old Town. You return to the train station doing the same in reverse. We were always quick to ask for directions and people were helpful.
Written May 11, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
knkr01
Germany23 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
So many sites to visit, we simply enjoyed our walks, filled with beautiful churches, historical buildings. Depending on your interests there are museums to visit or you just stroll around. You will find nice cafes and pubs everywhere.St.Martin and the castle are definitely a highlight.
Written March 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Deighton R
Worcester, UK20 contributions
Mar 2024 • Couples
Bratislava is good base to see the old town as well as build in trips to Budapest and Vienna. We took trips by coach (Vienna day return €16, Budapest 48hr return €33).
Bratislava itself has nice restaurants and bars and some churches and the castle worth seeing ( make sure you visit the Blue Church). The open top bus/ mini train rides are not up to much so better off just buying the tickets for bus/tram at €4.80 per 24hrs. You can buy these at the yellow boxes next to main stops - credit card or cash.
If you are looking for traditional Slovak food there are plenty of choices.
One recommendation is Grand Cru - a tutored wine tasting experience in the old town and No 1 event listed in Bratislava. Go there intending to relax and enjoy nice wine! We probably drank 2 bottles of mixed wines and it was €36.
Bratislava itself has nice restaurants and bars and some churches and the castle worth seeing ( make sure you visit the Blue Church). The open top bus/ mini train rides are not up to much so better off just buying the tickets for bus/tram at €4.80 per 24hrs. You can buy these at the yellow boxes next to main stops - credit card or cash.
If you are looking for traditional Slovak food there are plenty of choices.
One recommendation is Grand Cru - a tutored wine tasting experience in the old town and No 1 event listed in Bratislava. Go there intending to relax and enjoy nice wine! We probably drank 2 bottles of mixed wines and it was €36.
Written March 31, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Adeof Notts
London, UK4 contributions
Aug 2022 • Solo
Beautiful pedestrianised area of Bratislava. I visited here in 2021. I was staying at the Ibis Hotel near the castle on the tram route ,( forgotten the tram lines numbers) I was exploring and decided to visit the old town and Bratislava in my opinion is a business city and so the old town is a place to visit for authentic architecture, and outside eateries and hub of activity especially in the summer months !
I had a meal at an outside restaurant but was kind of disappointed in it so went to look at the town. Lots and lots of people at nightime and many head to a beautiful park near the centre, (sorry forgotten the name of the park but you cannot miss it)
I go to the town by walking down the steps from near to the hotel I was staying in. I think walk down the steps and come back on the tram is the best option if a little more convoluted....
I would recommend anyone to go here and it seems a safe area to walk around with many places to eat and shops to visit, but in some ways it is similar to Old Town in Prague, if you are not careful you can be ripped off, choose where to eat carefully unless you are a millionaire! Lol
I had a meal at an outside restaurant but was kind of disappointed in it so went to look at the town. Lots and lots of people at nightime and many head to a beautiful park near the centre, (sorry forgotten the name of the park but you cannot miss it)
I go to the town by walking down the steps from near to the hotel I was staying in. I think walk down the steps and come back on the tram is the best option if a little more convoluted....
I would recommend anyone to go here and it seems a safe area to walk around with many places to eat and shops to visit, but in some ways it is similar to Old Town in Prague, if you are not careful you can be ripped off, choose where to eat carefully unless you are a millionaire! Lol
Written July 16, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LaBod44
Budapest, Hungary125 contributions
Dec 2019
Centre of the Old Town is OK with well kept historical buildings. There are plenty of restaurants, bars and shops offering local products, but some of them are overpriced.
Other parts of the Old Town are in bed shape crying for renovation.
Other parts of the Old Town are in bed shape crying for renovation.
Written January 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Where would I catch the bus from Bratislava to Vienna.
Thanks.
Written September 22, 2019
Bratislava train station has trains and buses to Vienna. We took a train from Vienna to Bratislava - it was the OBB (Austrian train company) but there are also ReggioJet trains available - just be sure which one you book with! It is about an hour trip. The Bratislava train station is about a 20 minute walk from the old town area.
Written October 6, 2019
Ciao visiterò Bratislava questa estate, ho letto che sei arrivata in treno da Vienna. Anch'io da Vienna dovrei prendere il treno per approfittare a visitare Bratislava. Vorrei chiederti se c'è bisogno di prenotare il treno da casa o al mio arrivo a Vienna oppure il mattino che decido di visitarla? Che tu sappia sono frequenti gli orari?
Written May 4, 2019
Ciao, io non ho fatto prenotazioni. Diverse sono le corse che collegano le due città
Written July 4, 2019
How long of a walk is it from where the river cruise ships dock to the old town area? Is Old Town easy to find from the dock area? Also how long would I need to hike to the castle from the river cruise dock?
Written March 29, 2019
Hi, Do you kinow if one could walk to the old town area from where the river cruise ships dock?
Written March 29, 2019
Sorry only just seen this as not on Trip Advisor too often, but if you haven’t already been the answer is yes!
Written October 12, 2019
Is there a Company or anyone offering a day trip from Bratislava to Vienna returning to Bratislava?
We are a group of four and understand that the two cities are approximately 90 minutes apart by road.
We intend to stay in Bratislava for four nights in September 2019.
Written February 7, 2019
Hi, you can go by train oebb, Flixbus or speedboat twincityliner.
Written June 30, 2019
Is there a Company or anyone offering a day trip from Bratislava to Vienna returning to Bratislava?
We are a group of four and understand that the two cities are approximately 90 minutes apart by road.
We intend to stay in Bratislava for four nights in September 2019.
Written February 7, 2019
Think there are boats now sure of any company names but they only operate from March to October
Written February 28, 2019
How far from old Town to ondrej Nepala arena? Is it walking distance?
Written January 7, 2019
Hi Laura, it is a bit far to walk there from Old town. You can take bus 61 from train station and get out just outside the stadium or you can take tram from Old Town and get out at Trnavske myto - the stadium is just a 5 minute walk from there.
Written January 8, 2019
Hi Which train station is close to the christmas markets?
Written October 14, 2018
Hlvana Stanica..which has wifi available for free on arrival. Helpful for getting your bearings.
Written November 13, 2018
¿Alguien ha estado en la ciudad en pleno invierno? Vale la pena en esa época? Muchas gracias!
Written October 7, 2018
Ja, wenn es Schnee gibt ist der Weihnachtsmarktsehr stimmungsvoll.Ansonsten ist Winter dortwie jede andere Jahreszeit, nur halt kühl bis kühl.
Written October 8, 2018
juan19041985
Malaga, Spain
Buenas ! Algun consejo para free tour en bratislava centro o algun tour divertido para gente joven (tour de la cerveza por ejemplo )un saludo gracias
Written August 25, 2018
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