This was my second time in Bratislava, following a successful trip in 2017. And my second trip to Slovakia in 2023 following an impromptu visit to Košice in March.
Last time in Bratislava, I had taken a day trip to Vienna, and then ventured onwards north to Prague. This time, we were to venture southwards to Budapest.
I had purchased tickets to see the Hungarian GP, and flight prices were extravagant afterwards, so flying into a nearby city was the most logical option to actually get to the Formula 1, and I have a lot of affinity for Bratislava, and had a great time visiting Košice earlier in 2023. So why not make a pit stop in Slovakia en route to Budapest (yes, the F1 pun was intended). So this trip was essentially a short and sweet stopover with as much food and drink squeezed in as possible.
We arrived quite late into Bratislava, so our plan of attack was to find somewhere to grab a bite to eat and a drink or two before getting an early night to make the most of our one day in Slovakia’s capital.
We dropped our bags off at our apartment and set off looking for a bar/eatery. Hostinec Na Sanci was located approximately 5 minutes from our apartment and it was perfect, we settled in ordered drinks, and we would be passing a pizzeria on our return to the apartment for food. The staff were friendly, very attentive and the bill was very affordable.
The next morning we walked to Multium, which is a house of illusions located on the hill towards Bratislava Castle. It offers rooms filled with optical illusions. It’s a nice way to kill 20 minutes, especially if you’re walking all the way up the hill to Bratislava Castle. Catch your breath.
After Multium, our plan was to venture around Bratislava’s old town, and hunt out some Slovakian beer we hadn’t tried before. The Old Town is most definitely inspired by the Austro-Hungarian Empire’s grip on Slovakia, with Baroque style architecture, and spacious squares. It is a very picturesque city-centre.
We visited an array of bars, with the most unique being Bukowski, which has a circular beer garden in the centre with an open roof.
Uisce Beatha, an Irish pub we visited during our first trip to Bratislava, and KGB Pub, a communist themed bar with Lenin and Stalin memorabilia scattered throughout.
Next on our journey was Budapest. After many failed attempts, we finally got to Hungary.