We traveled to Bratislava, Slovakia, with kids as part of our trip to Vienna, Austria, in August 2019. You can read the full trip’s itinerary in our Vienna post.
For most places we visit, I have a general idea of what to expect (whether it ends up being right or wrong). But Bratislava had never been on our radar, and it didn’t conjure any images in my mind. So when we were looking for a day trip from Vienna, the realization that Bratislava was a quick 1-hour train ride away was intriguing.
It’s not a city that I would plan a whole trip around, only because a lot of it can be seen in one day. Which makes Bratislava with kids a fun and easy day trip if you’re in Vienna. Luckily, a friend of mine is from Slovakia, so she helped us put together a one-day itinerary of all the must-sees, plus a fantastic restaurant for dinner.
How we got there: Trains leave Vienna Central Train Station (Wien Hauptbahnhof) pretty regularly to Bratislava Hlavná Stanica. It is just over a 1-hour trip via ÖBB trains between the two stations. We used the self service machines in the Vienna station to purchase tickets, totaling less than 50 EUR roundtrip for the four of us.
We arrived in Bratislava by 10:30 in the morning and stayed until around 6:30 that night. Starting at the train station, we first went to our furthest away point (Bratislava Castle) and then basically did a circle back to the train station, hitting the other sights along the way. That allowed us to fit everything in most efficiently, with the least amount of walking for the kids. Here’s what we covered – in order – on our day in Bratislava with kids.
1. Bratislava Castle
It was about a half hour walk through residential neighborhoods from the train station to our first destination, Bratislava Castle. Situated on a hill overlooking the Danube River, the huge white rectangular building, with towers at each corner, is an imposing sight as you walk toward its gated front entrance. I love how distinctive it looks compared to most castles you see in Europe. First written references to the castle date back to 907. It was built and rebuilt over the years by various rulers and in various styles (Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque).
The castle houses the Slovak National Museum’s Museum of History, which includes some of the largest collections in Slovakia. Behind the castle is a beautiful Baroque Garden that is free to walk through. The top terrace contains flower beds and is connected via a large staircase to a lower terrace with shaped trees and shrubs.
On the eastern side of the castle, there is a lot of green space for kids to run around. Down the hill just a bit is a good-sized playground with plenty of trees for shade – and a water fountain – on a hot day. There are also a lot of paths on this side of the castle with more views of the city, including the spire of St. Martin’s Cathedral.
2. St. Martin’s Cathedral & Hviezdoslav Square
The walk from Bratislava Castle down to Hviezdoslav Square is lovely, following along cobblestone streets and winding roads. You pass St. Martin’s Cathedral on the way, with its distinctive green spire. It served as the coronation church for Hungarian kings from 1563 and 1830.
Hviezdoslav Square is a square in Bratislava’s old town. It starts at Most SNP bridge and goes down to the Slovak National Theater. It’s a wonderful tree-filled, pedestrian only area with water fountains and a small playground. There are a number of cafes and restaurants along the sides of the square with outdoor terraces. We stopped at Andersen Ice Cream; so many flavors and all very good.
3. Roland’s / Maximilian’s Fountain in the Main Square
Known by both names, the fountain was built in 1572 at the direction of Hungary’s King Maximilian II to provide a public water supply. It has been modified since then, but features a knight (Roland) on top and four urinating boys further down the pillar, with a large basin at the bottom.
The fountain is located in the Main Square (Hlavné Námestie) of old town. The 14th century Old Town Hall stands behind it. Each of these sights is nice on its own, but combined together make for a very picturesque setting. They also had a misting station in the square when we were there in August to cool off and for the kids to play in.
4. Michael’s Gate
From Roland’s Fountain, it’s only a 4-minute walk to my favorite sight in Bratislava: Michael’s Gate. Also built in the 14th century, it is the only remaining gate from the town’s medieval fortified walls. The top was modified in the 1700s to the baroque style you see today. Michael’s Gate also contains the Museum of Arms at the top, with rooftop views of the surrounding area.
The walk up to Michael’s Gate is really nice, along a small, pedestrian-only, brick road lined with colorful buildings housing cafes, restaurants and stores. It is such an iconic site and the whole setting – on both sides of the gate – is full of character.
As you leave the area, after crossing a small pedestrian bridge, make sure to look down. In the sidewalk is a memorial plaque dedicated to the first witch burnt to death in Bratislava, Agatha Toott Borlobaschin. The plaque was installed in 2019, and there are some stories online that tell of the Legend of the Black Lady.
5. Grassalkovich / Presidential Palace
Grassalkovich Palace, also called the Presidential Palace, is the official residence of the president of Slovakia. It is only a 10-minute walk north of Michael’s Gate (in the direction of the train station). The black and gold fence surrounding the white building is striking, but my favorite aspect is the large fountain in front. It features a globe at the center, known as the planet of peace.
There are gardens located behind the palace which are open to the public and include a mix of green space, paths and playground equipment.
Before heading back to the train station, we stopped for dinner at a restaurant recommended by my Slovak friend. Located a 10-minute walk from the Grassalkovich Palace, Slovak Pub is conveniently located though a bit away from downtown so the area isn’t too touristy. Its interior is meant to look very traditional and there is a very pub-like feel. But we felt perfectly welcome with kids and the service overall was very good. We had the bryndzove halusky (potato dumplings) with Slovak sheep cheese and bacon, and for dessert, the tvarohove pirozky (sweet-cottage cheese pierogis) covered with butter, cinnamon and cocoa. Both were amazingly good and so filling. The portions were also very good sized and decently priced.
The one thing on our to-do list in Bratislava that we had to skip was the Church of St. Elisabeth. Also known as the Blue Church, this Hungarian church is uniquely and entirely blue, and seems like a very interesting stop if you can fit it in.