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If you are staying in Slovakia or planning a trip here, it’s a good idea to stay at least a few hours in the capital city Bratislava. This blog brings you some inspiration for your walks around the city. 

Walk Across the Bridges Over Danube River

Bratislava has six bridges, the most iconic one is probably the SNP bridge (bridge of Slovak National Uprising) as its top part resembles a UFO. This UFO is actually a restaurant and also an observation deck where you can buy tickets and enjoy the view of Bratislava from the height of 95 metres. One of the most beautiful walks you can take in Bratislava is to walk across Old bridge to Petržalka district and back to old town across SNP Bridge (or other way round), especially during sunset time. On the Old bridge, you can sit on a bench and enjoy the last rays of sunlight and stunning views of Danube and Bratislava without being disturbed by traffic (Old bridge is open only for trams, pedestrians and cyclists)

Explore the Beautiful Architecture of the Streets Around Bratislava Castle and Slavín Memorial

Bratislava castle and Slavín memorial are located on a hill but instead of taking a trolleybus to get there, have a walk through the streets below them. In this part of the city, you can find beautiful villas built in different architectural styles, lovely gardens or surprising stairs. The best is to get lost in the streets without following the navigation and admire the fascinating urban architecture. Once you reach the top of the hill, walk to the Slavín memorial, its eastern terrace offers a beautiful view of the city. And from there you can continue your walk to Bratislava castle and parliament hill from where you can enjoy views on Danube and Petržalka district with its typical blocks of flats.

Visit Renovated Slovak National Gallery

Slovak National Gallery is located on the Danube waterfront in the heart of the city and after 21 years of renovation, all of its spaces are open again for visitors.The result of the long wait is breathtaking and to get the most of the visit, book a guided tour that will help you appreciate all the details and understand the complicated context of the reconstruction. The most controversial part of the exhibition area was the Bridge, designed by the famous Slovak architect Vladimir in 1970s. Luckily, the Bridge was preserved and today it is one of the jewels of the neomodernist architecture.

Relax in the Park

Bratislava has several parks located in the centre where you can enjoy many types of activities from napping on the grass to participating in yoga class or playing frisbee with your friends.Especially in the summer, these places are like green oases where you can hide in the shade and escape the hot city. One of them is the Medical garden (Slovak: Medická záhrada) which is very quiet although it’s located in a busy area. It’s a popular meeting as it’s easily accessible by tram or bike or foot. Another popular park is Janko Kral City Park (Slovak: Sad Janka Kráľa) on the right bank of Danube. It’s the oldest park in Central Europe and favourite place of many runners, families and young people. It has vast green areas and its spectacular plane trees provide a lot of shade. Another park where you can find a calm place to be in the middle of the city is the Presidential Garden (Slovak: Prezidentská záhrada)

You can also have a look at our little course Ahoj, Bratislava with some basic vocabulary that you can use during your travels around Slovakia.

Have you ever been to Bratislava? What were the places you liked the most? You can share it with the community in the Living Abroad Forum.