Spending two weeks in Vienna felt like a dream. I got to go to the Vienna Opera, check out the amazing Christmas Markets, and take some fabulous day trips to Salzburg and Bratislava.
In this Article:
Essential Travel Resources for 2022
These are my favorite companies that I use on my travels.
Find cheap flights with CheapOair.
Find the best deals on hotels & vacation rentals on Booking.com or Hotels Combined.
For road trips and ground transportation, rent a car through Discover Cars or RentalCars.com.
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Find the best city tours, day tours, bus tours, & skip-the-line tickets on GetYourGuide, Viator, and Big Bus Tours.
Find local food tours, cooking classes, and exclusive dining experiences on Eatwith.
Find information and cruise reviews on Cruise Critic.
For packing and travel essentials order via Amazon.
For travel guidebooks to have with you during your trip, I always pick one or two (or five) from Rick Steves, Lonely Planet, Moon Travel Guides, or Fodor’s Travel Guides.
Get reliable travel insurance through World Nomads.
Store your luggage safely with Radical Storage.
Book an affordable family or romantic photography session on your trip through Flytographer (Use the code HISTORYFANGIRL for 10% off your first photoshoot).
My Day in Bratislava in Pictures
A (teeny-tiny) bit of context: Bratislava and Vienna are only about 80 km (50 mi) apart. They have a shared history as part of the Austro-Hungarian empire, and thus they have very similar architecture. After World War II, Slovakia ended up behind the Iron Curtain, while Austria narrowly escaped.
Tips & Transportation
- I took the train from Central Station in Vienna to Bratislava. It took about an hour, cost about 16 euros round trip ($17.28), and was crazy easy.
- When I got to the train in Bratislava, I took the tram for .9 euros (about $1), to Old Town.
- While there, I walked around on foot. I had been warned not to take a taxi, but I don’t know if they’re as bad as people said.
- I joined a free walking tour in the afternoon. I happened to be in the square at the right time.
- Neither the online train times nor the online tour times matched the reality during my actual visit. Don’t know if I was reading things wrong or if the websites were inaccurate. Both ended up being wrong in my favor though, so maybe it was magic?
- I went to two restaurants. The one right outside the Old Town was about half the cost of the one on the main square. Natch.
- One day was definitely not enough! I’m looking forward to getting back to Slovakia and exploring the countryside.
Further Reading
- Bratislava City Guides
- Podcast Episode: Choosing Slovakia
- The World In Between’s dispatches from Slovakia
My Snapchat Story from My Visit
One Day in Bratislava from Stephanie Craig on Vimeo.
If we’re not connected on Snapchat, hit me up. I’m @gothreetwenty4.
Final Thoughts
Whirlwind travel, while not ideal, can still be inspiring and rewarding. I’m so glad I got to see Slovakia, even if I didn’t get to see everything I’d like. I’d go back in a heartbeat.
Actually, Bratislava reminds me of Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, in many ways! The old buildings resemble each other a lot. The top picture could very well be from the Old Town in Stockholm!
So, mayne you have to visit the cold north as well 🙂
I’ll have to go to Stockholm sometime soon! I’ve only been to Malmo/Lund, and that was for work. I know what you mean though, especially the green rooves on some of the buildings. Budapest looks very similar.
How beautiful! I didn’t realize it was so easy to get to Bratislava from Vienna. I have wanted to go to Slovakia and Slovenia as a separate trip but I could get a small introduction methinks 🙂 Great post
What a cool place! Also bacon gnocci?! I need to hear more about that!