Bratislava- city break (Bratislava)

Member Name: mintyiscrazy

Product:	Bratislava
Date:	30/08/09 (28 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Friendly people, lovely sights and beautiful buildings.

Disadvantages: Poor public transport from the outskirts of the city, erratic taxi driving.

I visited Bratislava in July of this year, and really enjoyed it. I flew into Bratislava airport with Ryanair, and all went smoothly. There was an elderly relative travelling with us so invested in a taxi to our hotel (Andromeda Wellness, Marianka- just outside Bratislava). The taxi driver spoke very little English, but tried to point out places of interest. His driving was rather eratic, but we were to discover that this was the norm for all taxi drivers in Bratislava!

The hotel was difficult to find but once there the owner did everything possible to make us feel welcome. It was clean, comfortable and spacious. The only downside was the lack of public transport from Marianka to the centre of the city. Hence we used a large number of taxis, which was expensive (always pre-book taxis in Bratislava, rather than hailing one on the street, the rates are about 50% cheaper).

The old town, which is where most of the tourist attractions are located, is pedestrianised making it pleasant to roam about and take in some amazing architecture. Some of the most interesting tourist attractions have to be the statues, including Cumil (the watcher) and Paparazzi. There are many beautiful churches, and definitey worth a visit is the Blue Church. More of Bratislava's treats include a mini-train, a perfect way to see the tourist sights, and Bratislava castle. The city is clean, with very little litter, and feels safe.

There are many restaurants in the centre of Bratislava, but our favourite was the Rio, a Brazillian style Steakhouse. There is limited choice for vegetarians across most of Bratislava (as expected) although some restaurants are notably better than others.

From Bratislava it is also easy to visit both Vienna and Budapest. We chose to use the boat along the Danube for a day-trip to Vienna, a lovely trip, but make sure to shop around for the best price, as there are several companies which offer the same service.

The people in Bratislava were very friendly and eveyone worked hard to ensure that we all enjoyed our stay. One of the best things about Bratislava was the fact that, even though it was in July, the city had not been entirely invaded by tourists.

Summary: A fantastic, friendly city in the heart of Eastern Europe.