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City Guide > Europe > Slovak Republic > Bratislava | |
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Mini Guide of Bratislava City Overview Only 60 km (37 miles) from Vienna, Bratislava is in every way an ‘old’ European city, with a beautifully restored historic quarter (Stare Mesto) and Habsburg Baroque architecture which help to offset its communist legacy. Its location on the Austrian border, with close proximity to Hungary and the Czech Republic, have resulted in a difficult political past, but like all cities of cultural confluence, the result is a justified fame for diverse architecture, wine and cuisine. With a population just over 600,000, Bratislava lies on a bend of the Danube (Dunaj, in Slovak), like Vienna and Budapest, with bridges connecting its two halves. However, sites of interest to visitors are almost all north of the river, in the cobbled streets of the Old Town. Also lying at the foot of the Lesser Carpathian Mountains, Bratislava (oldest name Brezalauspurc) held a high status from the second century BC as an important defence and trading post, and was particularly prized for its vineyards. From 1536 (after the Ottoman invasion of Hungary) to 1783, Bratislava was the capital of Hungary, known as Pozsony, and the coronation town of Hungarian kings. Until 1918 the city was a ‘resort’ area of Austria-Hungary, called Pressburg by Germans from as early as the 13th century, and also held a large Jewish population at one time. Since Slovakia joined the EU in May 2004, Bratislava has rocketed up in price in terms of cost of living, but it is also rising in fame for cultural tourism as well as being a thriving business centre. Getting There By Air M R Stefanik (BTS) Tel: (02) 4857 3353. Website: www.letiskobratislava.sk Bratislava’s principal airport is located 9 km (5.5 miles) north-east of the city centre. Slovak Airlines (tel: (02) 4870 4111 or 4870 4870 for reservations; website: www.slovakairlines.sk) is the national carrier. CSA (Czech Airlines), Sky Europe Airlines, LOT (Polish airlines), Air Slovakia, Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines and Aeroflot are among the big airlines using the airport. Ryanair will start flying to Bratislava from Oct 30th 2005. Facilities include a post office, several 24-hour bureaux de change and an ATM, located in the customs building some distance from the main entrance, as well as left-luggage facilities, children’s play area, medical services, bars, fast-food outlets and car hire from Avis and Hertz. A Business Club with computers, Internet and fax, is available, as well as a VIP lounge. Public transport bus 61 runs regularly between MR Stefanik and the main railway station ZSR. There is also a door to door shuttle service (tel: (02) 4364 3033; website: www.airportshuttle.sk) between the airport and the city centre. Getting There By Water The Danube runs from west to east through the city centre, and there are luxury cruise liners running up the Danube from Budapest and down from Vienna, as well as a 75 minute hydrofoil with regular service to and from Vienna from the port at Fajnorovo nabrezie 2 (next to the Slovakian National Museum), with others that can be arranged from Budapest and other desinations. The main Slovak operator for hydrofoils is Lod (tel: (02) 529 32 226 or 529 63 518; website: www.lod.sk/old/_en/index.php). Getting There By Road Bratislava is linked to international transport routes and motorways through the motorway E65 to the Czech Republic, D-2 to Hungary and international transport routes E75 and E58 to Austria. International transport route E 58 connects Bratislava to the Schwechat Airport in Vienna, while route E75 crosses Slovakia to Poland and Ukraine. The National Automobile Club of Slovakia (NAMK) (tel: 18 123 or 18 154; website: www.namk.sk, Slovak only) has a reciprocal agreement with the AA and can provide drivers with additional information about driving in Slovakia. Emergency breakdown service: SBA146 State police (for emergencies): 158, free from any call box Eurolines (tel: (02) 5542 2734 or (02) 5542 2919/59; website: www.eurolines.sk), which run from the Central Bus Station, Mlynske nivy 31, provides service to 21 European cities, and it is advisable to book well in advance. Tickets are available at the central ticket office or from the Eurolines office, also in the station. Tickets for national lines are bought from the driver when you board the bus. Getting There By Rail The services of the Railways of the Slovak Republic (}SR) (tel: (02) 5058 1111; website: www.zsr.sk) are for the most part modern and fast, with good connections to Berlin, Prague, Budapest, Warsaw and Vienna and larger Slovak cities from the newly built Petrzalka Station, Kopcianska Ul south of the Old Town and across the Danube (website: www.petrzalka.sk). Hlavna stanica ZSR (Central Station) is located close to the city centre at Predstanicne namestie 1. For information for both stations, call 18188. Getting Around Public Transport The Bratislava Transport Company (tel: (02) 5950 5950; website: www.dpb.sk, with more complete information in English at www.imhd.sk) runs a thorough network through the city, with a choice of more than 90 trolley-bus, trams and bus lines. Most operate from 0500 to midnight, with a few infrequent night lines. Tickets are available from machines at every stop, and must be validated in the machine on the vehicle. Ticket price includes all connecting services in one journey direction based on time (10, 30 and 60 minutes) and tariff zones 1 and 2. Special daily or weekly tourist tickets are available. There are penalties for travelling without a ticket, and a special ticket is needed for luggage greater than 30 x 40 x 60 cm. Taxis Taxis in Bratislava are rather less likely to cheat you than in some other parts of world, and prices are reasonable. ABC Taxi (tel: 16100), Fun Taxi (tel: 16777) and MB Taxi (tel: 16916 - only Mercedes vehicles, slightly more expensive) are all reputable companies. Car Hire Providers include Avis (tel: (02) 5341 6111; website: www.avis.sk), Hertz, from MR Stefanik airport (tel: (02) 4329 14820; website: www.hertz.sk), Europcar (tel: (02) 4926 2637; website: www.europcar.sk) and Rent Point (tel: (02) 6825 0222, website: www.rentpoint.sk). Bicycle & Scooter Hire There are currently no bike rental shops in Bratislava. Some hostels rent them, but only as part of organized bike trips. Slovakia generally is superb for biking, but everyone has their own bike, hence the lack of rental shops. Business Sightseeing Sightseeing Overview Bratislava is redolent with Hapsburg Baroque architecture, preserved in many historic row houses and the pedestrianised Old Town, which has been extensively renovated. But as an ancient trading post, its history is much older, with German settlers since the middle ages, Hungarians, Italians, and a large Jewish community with some places of worship still remaining. Hlavne Square sits at its heart, containing the Old City Hall, and parallel, running north to south, the old Michalska and Venturska streets lead past a number of historical sites, including childhood performance venues of Mozart Franz Liszt. Zelená Ulica (Green Street) runs off Michalska and is one of the narrowest streets in the city and home to Academia Istropolitana, the first university in the Hungarian Kingdom. At the other end of Old Town is St Martin’s Cathedral, which hosted the coronation of exiled Hungarian kings during the period when most of Hungary was under Ottoman rule. The city also boasts a number of copper-domed churches, palaces, and the dominant landmark of Bratislava Castle. Bratislava also offers some Art Nouveau architecture, notably St Elizabeth Church (also known as the Blue Church because of its blue ceramic tile exterior). Tourist Information Bratislava Tourist Information Office Venturska 9 (Zichy Palace) Tel: (02) 54 64 17 94. Website: www.bratislava-info.sk The tourist office provides tourist services, maps, information, souvenirs and lists of cultural events. Key Attractions Bratislava Castle & Historical Museum (Slovenske Narodne Muzeum & Historicke Museum) Situated 82m (270 feet) above the Danube, this 17th-century Habsburg castle is often called ‘the upturned table’ due its four octagonal corner towers, and contains an excellent Historical Museum with musical instruments, silver coronation gear, period furniture, clocks, folk art, and reconstructed workshops of different trades and crafts of the Middle Ages. Beblaveho Street from the Old Town or from Mudronova Street Tel: (02) 5441 1444 or 5934 1601. Website: www.snm-hm.sk St Michael’s Tower (Michalska Veza) The best views in Bratislava are from the viewing platform of St Michael’s Tower, which dates from the 14th century. To the south, you can see the Baroque town houses of Michalska Street, and to the west the red tiled houses at the foot of the castle. This is also a small museum of old weapons and firearms. Michalska Ulica 22 Tel: (02) 5443 4742. Old Town Hall & City Museum (Mestke Muzeum) With sections dating back to the 14th century, the Old Town hall offers a mix of architectural styles, including a renaissance courtyard from 1581. It also includes the Bratislava City Museum, which offers treats such as dungeons and torture devices as well as a winemaking museum. On summer evenings there is a laser light show on the front wall. Primacialne namesti 3 Tel: (02) 5920 5111. Website: www.muzeumbratislava.sk St Martin's Cathedral (Dom svateho Marina) From the 16th to the 19th centuries, this 13th-century Franciscan cathedral was the coronation place of Hungarian monarchs, including Empress Maria Theresa, and includes a gothic masterpiece, the Chapel of St John. This is not a museum, but the cathedral accepts visitors by prior arrangement or between mass times. Rudnayovo namestie The Slovak National Museum (Slovaenska Narodna Galeria) Originally built in the 18th century, the imposing Slovak National Gallery overlooks the Danube and contains works of art from the 13th century to the present. Currently, the curators are finally getting to grips with the country’s past in a series of exhibitions devoted to Slovakia’s intercultural history. Riečna 1 Tel: (02) 5443 2081/2. Website: www.sng.sk Further Distractions Primate's Palace (Primalcy Palac) Originally a frontier post of the Roman Empire, this Baroque palace has excellent views of the Danube, and its Hall of Mirrors hosted the signing of the Pressburg peace treaty after Napoleon’s armies defeated Austria at Austerlitz in 1805. Built in the late 18th century, the palace is today home to a branch of the Municipal Museum, containing a Museum of Folk Music and a fine collection of 17th century English tapestries, found hidden behind wallpaper. Primaciilne namestie 1 Tel: (02) 5443 3466. Website: www.gmb.sk/en/primacialny_palac.html Academia Istropolitana One of the first universities of Central Europe, and also the first university of Hungary, Academia Istropolitana was built in 1465 by the Hungarian King Matthew Corvin by permission from Pope Paul. Zelene Ulica/Venturska Tours of the City Many private travel agencies organise walking and bus tours with English-speaking guides, as well as excursions out of town. Half and full day walking tours meet at the Radisson SAS Carlton Hotel (website: www.bratislava.info/guide/bratislava-city-tour) and covers the main sights such as Bratislava Castle, Devin Castle, the Town Hall and St Martin’s Cathedral. City tours, both on foot, by bus and on bicycle are also available from the Bratislava Tourist Service at Venturska 9 (tel: (02) 54 64 17 94; website: www.bratislava-info.sk), and they also arrange day trips to the Small Carpathians, including Castle Červený Kameň, and wine tasting at vinicultural museum in Pezinok. Slovakia Green Tours (tel: (020 5249 1641; website: www.slovakiagreentours.com) organizes ecotourism, birdwatching, spa, medieval architecture and winter sports tours to the High Tatras. Day trips on the Danube include excursion to the locks at Gabcikovo and Devin castle are available from the landing stage of Fajnorovo nabrezie 2 (next to the Slovak National Museum) or from Lod (tel: (02) 529 32 226 or 529 63 518; website: www.lod.sk/old/_en/index.php). Excursions Trencin is one of the most attractive towns in Slovakia, dignified by a fine fortified castle which overlooks the city and can be reached by express train from Bratislava in two hours. It is an excellent base for hiking and horseback riding, offering both forests and mountains, and there are numerous spas around the White Carpathians. The local tourist office can provide further information (tel: (032) 511 022; website: www.trencin.sk) Near Trencin is the remains of the famous castle of ‘Blood’ Countess Elisabeth Bathory, (website: www.slovakheritage.org/Castles/cachtice.htm) reputed to have murdered hundreds of young women in the 17th century. And 70 km northeast of Trencin, Bojnice Castle (tel: (0862) 543 0624; website: www.bojnicecastle.sk) offers an international festival of ghosts and spirits in the spring, and the town boasts spas, falconry shows and a superb zoo. Sport Shopping Though Bratislava has many large department stores with the latest fashion lines (the biggest is Polus City Center, Vajnorská Street), the best shopping for Slovakian crafts is in the Old Town, particularly Obchodna Street, where the huge Uluv craft market of the Ministry of Culture is located. There is also a 19th-century market hall at Námestie SNP 25 (Square of the Slovak National Uprising), 0800-2000 weekdays only. Central Europe has a justified fame for crystal, and shops to try are Katka, Panska 24, and Rona, Laurinska 6. For better bargains and antiques, however, try the zalozna (pawn shops) such as Zalozna Index, Marianska 9, and the underground passage of Hodzovo namestie. For local wines, tokaj and brandies, try Trunk, Hurbanovo namestie 8 (weekdays 0900-1800). Although traditional Slovak shopping hours involve closing at 1300 on Saturday and reopening Monday, during high season most shops of interest to visitors stay open all weekend, with the exception of pawnshops. Culture Given that Mozart, Liszt, Beethoven and Rubinstein all have links to Bratislava, classical music, opera, and ballet abound in the Baroque centre, and at prices still attractive to visitors. The Slovak National Theatre (tel: (02) 5443 3083; website: www.snd.sk) features top quality opera, ballet and drama. Opera and ballet perform in the 19th-century theatre on Hviezdoslavovo namestie, while drama mostly takes place at the Pavol Orszagh Hviezdoslav Theatre, with a season running from Sept-June. The Slovak National Philharmonic (tel: (02) 5443 3351; website: www.filharm.sk) is internationally acclaimed, with most concerts taking place at Redoute, a former Baroque granary claimed for the arts in 1913-1919. Bratislava’s Dance Festival generally takes place in May at the Arena Theatre, information is available from www.whatsonslovakia.com. Films in Bratsislava’s cinemas are shown in their original language, with multiplexes generally located in shopping centres. These include Palace Cinemas (tel: (02) 6820 2222; website: www.palacecinemas.sk), Multikino Metropolis (tel: (02) 4910 2222; website: www.multikinometropolis.sk) and Orange IMAX (tel: (02) 4342 3033; website: www.kinoimax.sk). There are also a number of art cinemas and film clubs, such as FK Nostalgia (tel: (02) 5296 1713; website: www.nostalgia.sk) Nightlife Bratislava’s best nightlife takes place in the Old Town, where traditional Slovak beer halls mix with upscale cocktail lounges and cafes. Old Town pubs close by midnight due to noise ordinances, thus clubs and live music venues are confined to business districts or the Danube riverbanks and stay open until 0400-0600. People’s, Gorkeho 1, and Medusa, Michalska 21, are cocktail lounges for the smart set, and The Dubliner, Sedlarska 6, is a magnet for English speaking residents and visitors. Café De Zwaan, Panska 7, is a genuine Belgian beer café with a spectacular selection, strategically located next to the EU’s representative office in Bratislava. Havana Club, Michalska 26, offers Cuban rum, Cohiba cigars and Latin dance, U-Club, a former fall-out shelter at Nabrezie arm.gen. L Svobodu is a techno-house, and the most packed club is Cirkus Barok, on a three level barge on the Danube at Razusovo nabrezie. Live venues include Babylon, Karpatska 2, and Nu Spirit, Medena 16 for jazz. City Statistics Location: Central Europe, Southwest Slovakia. Country dialling code: 421. Time zone: GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October). Electricity: 220V, 50Hz, round two-pin or three-pin plugs are in use. Average January temp: -2şC (28şF). Average July temp: 20şC (68şF). Annual rainfall: 530-650mm. Special Events Epiphany and Orthodox Christians’ Christmas, Jan 6 Bratislava for Everybody Festival, third week in April, featuring free entry to galleries, music and theatre events, throughout the city Children’s Day, Jun 1st, entertainment, theatres, concerts, stalls, sports events organised specifically for children Early Music Festival, Jun Classical Music Festival, late Sep-early Oct, various venues Coronation Festivities, Sep, actors in period costumes pronounce solemn vow of king, keeping pace with pompous procession through little streets of the old city. Celebration culminates by dubbing knights and folk merriment Jazz Days, Oct, one of the greatest events of its kind in Europe, with several big names taking part, various venues International Film Festival, Dec, various cinemas International Choir Festival, (Galanta Music Centre) Christmas Market, end of Nov-end of Dec, gifts, handicrafts, Christmas food and drinks New Year’s Eve, massive street celebrations with open air discos and live music, fireworks at midnight For more information on special events in Bratislava see www.whatsonslovakia.com Cost of Living 10 Slovakia Koruny (10 SKK) = Ł0.18; US$0.31; C$0.36; A$0.40; ¬0.26 Currency conversion rates as of October 2005 |