Just a short journey from Vienna, Bratislava, the charming capital of Slovakia, offers a perfect blend of rich history, vibrant culture, and delicious cuisine. Whether you’re flying into Vienna International Airport or arriving by other means, it’s easy to make your way to this enchanting city. From the towering Bratislava Castle overlooking the Danube to the picturesque Old Town filled with cozy cafés and local eateries, there’s something for every traveler. Whether you’re a history buff, a foodie, or simply seeking a peaceful escape, Bratislava is great day trip just a stone’s throw away from Vienna.
I arrived into Vienna International Airport (VIE). From there, the easiest way to travel to Bratislava is by bus. You can take a train, but you have to take multiple trains and backtrack into Vienna first. It therefore takes much longer. So I recommend taking the bus like I did. The signage at VIE is very good and directed me straight to the buses where there was a Slovak Lines bus waiting. I was able to pay the driver by card right there and did not require a prior reservation or to pay online. I paid €15, but it is a bit cheaper if you prepay. The bus took about 50 minutes and makes two stops. The second is the main bus station, Bratisalav – Autobusová stanica Nivy. From here, it is easy to navigate the city. I opted to buy a 24 hour transit pass for €4.80 which is includes all buses and trams throughout the main city.
I stayed at the Lindner Hotel Bratislava – JdV by Hyatt. While not in the heart of the Old Town it is easily reached by tram in just a few stops. I also booked this hotel using Hyatt points. It is a category 1 Hyatt property and at the time is was off peak pricing and cost only 3,500 Hyatt points per night.
Vienna airport to main bus station on Slovak Lines for €15 and about 50 min. Multiple buses including regiojet. Cheaper to book online ahead though, but I bought ticket by card at the bus. Easier and quicker than train as you would have to backtrack into Vienna then back out
The best way to get around the city is by getting a transit pass. It costs €4.80 for a 24 transit pass for zones 100 and 101 which is all of downtown. And to the main bus and train station. Buy from yellow machines at most stations or on tram. Includes trams and buses. A single ride costs approximately €1. It is clean, efficient and frequent.
If you’re looking for a unique cocktail experience, visit the Mirror Bar in the Radisson Blu Carlton Hotel. They have large menu of riffs on classic cocktails. There is also the Design Menu which are all very unique and as much a show as a drink. Below are pictures including the Planet of LTT9779B cocktail that they describe as Fruity + Aromatic + Exotic.
Bratislava also has really good speakeasy cocktail bar. Enter the Urban Bistro and walk up the stairs and head left through the wooden wardrobe. There you will find a cozy bar full of some classics and modern drinks named after songs at the Michalska Cocktail Room. The cocktail below is the I Wan’na be Like You with Jagermeister Manifest, black orange cordial, lime juice, maple syrup, and Jagermeister bitters.
I would also absolutely recommend checking out Bratislava Food Tours. They have several different tours on offer and limit them to no more than 8 people each. A food tour is one of my favorite things to do while in a new city, especially for a short amount of time. It allows you to experience the culture through food and learn about things you wouldn’t know exploring on your own. My tour guide, Jakub, was very friendly and knowledgable about Bratislava and Slovakia. We ate several traditional dishes why walking around the old town.
Bryndzové Halušky (potato dumplings with sheep cheese and bacon) is the national dish of Slovakia and can be found at many restaurants. Bryndza is a sheep cheese that is from Slovakia that is melted over the dumplings. We had a spread of this, potato pancakes, and roast duck at Zylinder Cafe & Restaurant along with Slovak wine.
Make sure you try Kofola why you are there. This is the Slovakian version of Coca-Cola. When Slovakia was part of the Soviet Union, they did not have access to Coke and instead created Kofola. It is very similar to Coca-Cola, but more herbal and menthol almost. It is available most all over the city. We had this in addition to Kapustnica (Slovak sauerkraut soup traditionally eaten at Christmas) at the Bratislava Flagship Restaurant.
To finish the tour we had Bratislava rolls at Suvenir. They are a bit dry and stuffed with either poppy seed or walnut filling.
I would also spend time just to wander around the old town which has many other shops, bars, restaurants, and cafes. But i mostly enjoyed some of the architecture you will see. You can see the most popular statue – Čumil also known as Man at Work. You can walk up to the castle and wander the gardens a bit. This is free to enter the grounds, but there isn’t a whole lot to see up here other than the view. There is an observation deck with a bar and restaurant at the UFO bridge whihc can be easily seen from the castle.
After my 24 hours in Bratislava, I caught the train back to Vienna. Just hop on the 93 bus to the Station Petržalka which is south of the river. The train runs once per hour and cost me €19 to the main Vienna train station.
