Less than a day. That was all we had to explore Bratislava. We got in early by train and left later that day. It was beautiful and definitely deserves more time if you have it. But the hours were well spent and we have no regrets. So, how to do spend a day in Bratislava? First, you leave it!

Stop 1: Devin Castle

Well, it wasn’t actually stop 1. Stop one was coffee of course. After getting off the train, it is a straight shot to the “main” city area. We headed through the old town admiring the sites but mostly searching for coffee. Once found, it was time for the real exploring. Devin Castle is actually a little bit out of town. After some googling, I found a bus that would take us there and back. This was a little tricky. A bus hub was close by and we headed there. First, we had to buy a few things to get change (this happened often on our trip involving 12 different currencies). Once that was done, we were able to figure out the ticket machines with only slight frustration. From there it took us about 20 minutes to find the correct bus stop (10 yards away).

We were on our way! I tell you all this because while it was extremely frustrating to figure out, Devin Castle is a MUST see when you visit Bratislava. It is one of the only places we paid admission for ($5 per person). The location of Devin Castle has been settled since prehistoric times. The castle was built throughout history…and destroyed…and built again. While it is definitely not a functioning castle, it is in remarkable shape while still exuding with history. This may be my favorite Castle.

From there we hopped another bus (knowing what we were doing this time) and headed back to town.

Stop 2: Bratislava Castle

Upon returning we headed straight for the much bigger, newer, modern castle which is still used today, Bratislava Castle. It is quite impressive in very different ways than Devin Castle. It is also on a hill/cliff (as are all the good castles) so this was our second hike of the day. The whole area surrounding the castle is beautiful and park-like. Behind the Castle is a truly impressive garden.

Stop 3: Statues, food, and fun

From the castle, we headed back to old town to really explore. There are a set of statues around the main square that I was keen to find. I am not sure why these statues have become so popular, but it was fun searching and finding them. That is, finding all but ONE! That is right, the paparazzi alluded us. (It has since come to my attention that the statue was removed!).

We also stopped to grab lunch at one of the very touristy eateries along the walk. Not something I normally condone but there were some fantastic street performers right outside and the food was delicious.

Overall Impressions:

We knew our time was short and therefore didn’t do a whole lot of research on Bratislava, but I am sure there are many more interesting and exciting things to do/see there. The few hours we spent showed how interesting and varied this cities history is. Devin Castle was by far at the top of my list of all the sites we saw. The old town was charming but also touristy to the max. I would definitely suggest a visit, just make sure to get out of the center while you’re there.