Memories and hints of a travelling IT professional.
Travelling by night train in a sleeper cabin is somehow out of fashion. Deutsche Bahn already started to abolish some routes formerly served. But in eastern Europe there are still some routes that are served on a regular basis, even if it is not cheaper to travel this way than going by plane.
It was the Feast of Corpus Christi, I had a day off and I was looking for a nice destination to travel to. The only location I’ve not seen before, somewhere around Germany, easily reachable by train – was Slovakia. I reminded myself that it is close to Vienna and I didn’t suspect something really interesting there.
Continue reading “Short trip to Bratislava”
In need of some caffeine and sugar? The Café Mayer is a traditional coffee bar at the main square of Bratislava, Slovakia (Hlavné námestie). It was founded by Julius Mayer in 1873 and was supplier of the Court in Vienna. It is no secret that you can get the best scones and cakes of Bratislava here.
Continue reading “Café Mayer”
Bratislava has a good bus and tram system that is quite easy to use if you once understood how to read the complex system maps. I didn’t use the tramway, mainly because at the time of my visit the trams didn’t run to the main railway station because of reconstruction works. But the busses and trams seem to be of good quality.
Continue reading “Getting around in Bratislava”
The main sight of Bratislava (also there is not too much to see up there) is the castle of Bratislava (Bratislavský hrad), visible from every part of the city. There have been settlements on the 85 meter high hill from the stoneage on, the castle has been used for centuries and as been rebuilt several times. The last big modification dates back to the time of Maria Theresa.
Continue reading “Bratislavský hrad”
It looks like a flying saucer exploring Bratislava: the UFO (unidentified flying object). In fact it is part of the main bridge (Most SNP, bridge of the Slovakian national uprising) crossing river Danube close to the castle of Bratislava.
Continue reading “The UFO”
Slavín is a cemetery and memorial to the soldiers of the Red Army which freed the city in 1945. It is high upon a mountain close to the main railway station and can be seen from nearly everywhere in the town. Walking up there on hot summer days gives you the feeling of having smashed Nazi Germany on your own.
Continue reading “The Red Flag”
The Danubiana is a museum of Modern Art located at a river bank of the Danube in the south of Bratislava, at a quarter called Čunovo. In my opinion it is one of the best modern art museums, one that didn’t disappoint me (and I’m often arguing about the works exhibited in those museums).
Continue reading “Danubiana Meulensteen Art Museum”
You can reach the main sights in Bratislava on foot, you can go to the Danubia Meulensteen Art Museum by boat and to the castle of Devín by bus. But if you want to see the Červený Kameň castle, explore the little Carpathian mountains or simply don’t have enough time to wait for ships and busses, it is time for car rental.
Continue reading “Renting a car in Bratislava”
If you’re not going by plane to Bratislava or Vienna airport, the ride to Bratislava is pretty long. I went on a 7,5 hour train passage from Göttingen via Würzburg, Regensburg and Passau in Germany; Linz and St. Pölten to Vienna in Austria. In Vienna main station I had to switch to a regional train going to Bratislava.