Bratislava Attractions and Tourist

Attractions in Bratislava

Most historic buildings are concentrated in the oldest part of Bratislava. The historic center is characterized by many palaces from the Baroque. In addition, the city has many parks and lakes. Nature is close to people in Slovakia, not unlike us in Norway.

The Old Town Hall and the City Museum

Bratislava’s old and beautiful town hall consists of three buildings and was built in the 14th and 15th centuries. It is in this complex that you will find the Bratislava City Museum. Bratislava City Hall is the oldest town hall in Slovakia.

St Michael’s Gate (St Michaels Gate)

The Gate of Archangel Michael is the only gate in Bratislava that has been preserved by the fortifications from the Middle Ages, and is one of the oldest buildings in the city. In the mid-18th century, a statue of St. Michael was placed on top of the 51-meter-high tower. The address of St Michael’s gate is Michalská ulica 22. Get maps and read the review of St Michael’s Gate here.

Grassalkovich Castle

The Grassalkovich Castle in Hodzovo namestie 1 was built around 1760, and today is the residence of the Slovak President. The beautiful castle was once the center of baroque music in Slovakia and a.k.a. Haydn has been here and presented his works.

By the way, the Slovak Parliament now has a seat in the former summer palace of the Archbishop, which is just off Grassalkovich Castle.

Bratislava Castle

The castle slope has been inhabited since the transition period between the Stone Age and the Bronze Age. There have been castles here since the 9th century, which have been changed and rebuilt a number of times. However, the castle in 1811 was destroyed by fire, and lay in ruins until the 1950s.

The castle in Bratislava is now completely rebuilt in a great theresian style.

Horský park

The largest city park is Horský park, which can be freely translated into the mountain park. You will find this park in the old town of Bratislava. Get the map, view photos and read the review of Horský park here.

Zoo

Bratislava Zoo is located in Mlynská Dolina, near the headquarters of Slovenská televízia. The zoo was created in 1960 and includes more than 150 animal species with some rare animals, including an albino tiger. A popular attraction for both children and adults. The address of the zoo in Bratislava is Mlynská dolina 1A. Get maps and read more about the Zoo in Bratislava here.

Botanical Garden

The botanical garden belongs to the University of Comenius Bratislava and you can see it from the Danube. If you are interested in flowers and plants, then this is the place for you. Either way, it is a place of peace and quiet.

The Blue Church

The beautiful blue church in Bratislava is actually called St. Elisbeth Church, and is built in a beautiful Art Nouveau style. The Blue Church was built between 1909 and 1913.

The Blue Church address is Alžbety, Bezručova 2 in the Old Town of Bratislava.

Railway Museum in Bratislava

A little north of the old town, at Pri Šajbách you will find a museum that pleases people of all ages who love old trains. There is a railway museum here that offers a number of full size trains. Outside high season, the museum is only open Saturdays and Wednesdays.

You will of course reach the railway museum by taking the train. The nearest station is Bratislava východ.

Tourist in Bratislava

Bratislava Attractions 2

Bratislava is an exciting city, also architectural. The capital of Slovakia has several medieval towers and beautiful 1900s buildings. But Bratislava also has neighborhoods with clear, but less beautiful traces of the communist era’s enormous housing blocks.

Bratislava has changed a lot in recent years and a rapid development has contributed to several modern business buildings, eg. in Ružinov.

Bratislava is a short distance from both Hungary and Austria, and a trip to eg. Vienna is just a short day trip away.

Most tourists will be interested in the following parts of Bratislava:

Old town of Bratislava

Naturally, most of the historic buildings are concentrated in the old town of Bratislava. Here you will find the City Hall, the City Museum and the University Library, a building dating from 1756. In the center of the old town you will find strong elements of the Baroque era, e.g. Grassalkovich Palace from about 1760. The old town is located in the center of Bratislava with the Danube on its south side. The mighty river divides Bratisvala in two.

If you have children, you can probably visit the zoo north in the old town. Bratislava Zoo is located in Mlynská dolina, not far from the headquarters of Slovak television. The zoo was started in 1960 and has several rare animals.

Bratislava Castle

One of the city’s biggest and most famous landmarks is clearly Bratislava Castle. This is found in the old town (Stare Mesto), on a plateau about 85 meters above the Danube. This very old castle was totally destroyed in 1811 and was not rebuilt until the mid-1900s.

New town in Bratislava

Nove Mesto or the new town is located north and northeast of the old town. Attractions here include the recreation area Bratislava Forest Park and not least the TV tower Kamzik.

Petržalka

Petržalka is the largest district in Bratislava and is south of the Danube. The district is connected to the rest of Bratislava through 5 bridges. More than 120,000 people live in Petržalka, which is where the city’s football pride Artmedia Bratislava is. The district is sometimes called the “Bronx of Bratislava”, and Petržalka has been known for much crime. However, this has improved considerably.

The district houses the old park Sad Janka Kráľa and Arena Theater from 1828, one of the city’s oldest theaters. Otherwise, there are many blocks from the communist era in the district.

Ružinov

Ružinov is a district located east of Bratislava. It is the city’s second most populous district and is characterized by its many banks, commercial buildings and not least shopping centers. Here, too, all shopping enthusiasts know that the city’s most famous outdoor market, Miletičova, is located.

The district is also the closest neighbor to Bratislava International Airport. On hot days, Lake Štrkovec is a popular excursion destination.

The green Bratislava

Bratislava has, as you probably understand, many beautiful and green parks, and forest vegetation is right up to the city. The largest park is called Horsky Park and is located in the Old Town.

The city also has a number of man-made lakes, designed for recreation. Examples are Štrkovec in Ružinov, Kuchajda in Nové Mesto, and Vajnory Lake northeast of Bratislava. If you like to throw your clothes and become a nudist, you travel south to Lake Rusovce.

Tourist information in Bratislava

Bratislava Attractions

The tourist information in Bratislava can be useful to visit. Here you get all the necessary information and they speak English! You will find the largest tourist office in the old town, more specifically on Klobučnícka 2 street. It is normally open between 0900 and 1800 on weekdays and until 1500 on weekends. Click here for maps and reviews of the tourist office in Klobučnícka.

Alternatively, visit the tourist office at the airport on arrival. It is located in terminal B.