Accommodation for the weekend was Hotel Apollo, a nice 4 star venue which was only around 2 km from the old town and within easy reach of the business district. The room was very comfortable and there was a wide variety of choice at breakfast.
Walking towards the city, it is clear that there has been a lot of money spent on modernising. The huge skyscrapers of Panorama City epitomised the development, the most expensive penthouses can cost up to €1.8 million.
As we walked around the corner from Panorama City, it was clear that there had been a lot of money spent on transforming the riverfront area which is known as Eurovea. The centrepiece was a massive shopping mall in which stands an impressive statue dedicated to Milan Rastislav Štefánik, a national hero who was a famous politician, diplomat, scientist and aviator in his lifetime which spanned the years from 1880 to 1919. Had he lived 100 years later, he'd have blown everyone else's Linkedin CV out of the water, though Bratislava's airport is named in his honour.
Further along the river, one of the most important landmarks of the city is Most SNP, which translates to UFO Bridge and part of the city's range of attractions since 1972. The reason behind the name is the flying saucer shaped viewing platform at the top of the bridge. Most SNP is an unusual design being one of the largest single span, cable stayed bridges in the world. Interestingly, the landmark is also part of the World Federation of Great Towers which includes The Shard, Eiffel Tower and Empire State Building. This bridge carries an important roadway connecting the large borough of Petržalka with the city centre.
The viewing platform is 85m high on this smallest giant among the great towers and offers a panoramic view over the whole city. On the left side of the river, there is a stunning view of Bratislava Castle and St Martin's Cathedral, with the TV Tower sitting high on the hill above the city.
The right side of the river looked down on the Petržalka area of the city which was considered a downmarket part of the city with many high-rise tower blocks from the Communist era and a higher crime level. The area has seen many of the towers having been renovated and there is more colour in the area. Near the river, the fashionable Aupark shopping centre has been built with some nice parkland on the grounds and the Incheba Expo Arena conference centre sits close by. Beyond the residential area is the border with Austria.
Looking to the west, it is clear that Bratislava is surrounded by lots of lovely green space. This picture shows the strategic importance of the River Danube as a barge is seen heading towards the Austrian border.
Looking to the eastern edge of the city, the horizon was dominated by chimneys of the Slovnaft oil refinery.
The old town is the beating heart of the city with a lively cafe scene on many of the streets that lead to the main square. We stopped off for a beer, which even in this tourist hotspot was no more than €2.50. A patron from Austria, who was slightly drunk, decided to have a chat with us and then vented his spleen about conspiracies over the USA occupying Germany and the Jews being behind the troubles in the Middle East and the financial collapse of 2008. At this point, we decided to make our excuses and leave, though couldn't help but reflect on another Austrian from history who also did not like Jews. Proceeding to the main square, the old town hall with its nice clock tower is an impressive sight.
The next stopping point was Bratislava Castle which is a distinctive design with four towers. This version of the castle was re-opened in 1953 following a devastating fire that ruined the previous building. There were plans to demolish the previous site and build a new Government building but thankfully common sense prevailed. These days, part of the Slovakian National Museum is hosted in the castle.
This building dominates the old town and offers great views across the city, including Most SNP and Petržalka.
A castle has been on this site for at least 1,000 years and many kings and queens of Royal Hungary were crowned here. There are also some stunning gardens that are a must see feature.
It is possible to eat out at a nice restaurant for a fairly reasonable price in Bratislava. One of the good finds was Towers restaurant in the Nove Mesto borough. Dinner was washed down by what appeared to be a vase of Slovakian red wine. Admittedly, we didn't know Slovakian wine was even a thing prior to arriving in the country, but were glad it existed. A good quality chicken or pork based meal with wine could be had for just over €20, which was decent value for money. It is no surprise that the restaurant enjoys a 4.5 out of 5 average rating on Trip Advisor.
From the restaurant, we headed 400 metres round the corner to the Pasienky Stadium to see SK Slovan Bratislava take on SKF Sered in a Fortuna Liga match. The stadium layout is typical of many Eastern European grounds in that there is one covered stand and the rest of the stadium is open to the elements. There was also an athletics track around the perimeter of the pitch. The capacity of the ground is over 11,500 but on the Saturday evening, there was a crowd of only just over 1,000 people scattered around the stadium.
SK Slovan is the nation's most successful team in terms of domestic league titles and cups, they also won the Cup Winners Cup back in 1969, with many of their player starring for the great Czechoslovakian team of the 1960/70's. Tickets for the match cost €4 for the areas behind the goal and €10 Euro for a seat in the main stand. The first 30 minutes of the game were very open and played at a frantic pace. The home team opened the scoring when Kornel Saláta slotted the ball home from close range following a free kick near the corner flag. This was followed up by a second goal following a break down the left wing which ended with a telling cross to Aleksandar Čavrić, who shot into the bottom corner of the goal from around 10 yards out. Sered hit back with a strike from the edge of the box but rarely threatened otherwise. The small group of Ultras tried to lift the somewhat muted atmosphere around the stadium throughout the match.
The home team were worth their win in the end and extended their lead at the top of the league. Slovan will soon be moving to a new larger capacity ground nearby that will also serve as the national stadium, though here's hoping that they have a much better scoreboard at the new stadium considering the substitute boards were far more clear.
Sunday offered a good opportunity to head back to the old town and explore the remaining parts of the city walls that date from the Middle Ages.
The narrow streets of the old town featured many nice houses that had been restored and also attractive Baroque style buildings.
One of the most significant buildings in the old town, is the Slovak National Theatre, a building that is still used for its original purpose, many ballets and concerts are performed here each year.
Bratislava is one of Eastern Europe's hidden gems, a great jewel on the long and winding Danube, combining a mix of amazing historical sites and a vibrant new town which reflects the western leaning culture of the modern Slovak Republic. When heading to this part of the world, tourists will understandably head to the great cities of Prague, Vienna or Budapest in nearby countries, but anyone who decides to visit Slovakia's lovely capital city as an additional part of a tour itinerary or as a standalone weekend break, will be well rewarded for their endeavours.
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