Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, is set along the River Danube by the border with Austria and Hungary. It was the place on our journey that I knew the least about so was also the most intriguing, but on arrival at the train station did not look very promising. However, after a 45minute walk along some not-so-pretty roads, past lowcost, high rise residential and industrial buildings and over a flyover, the scenery gradually improved until we found ourselves walking along the banks of the Danube towards the 'UFO bridge' (named for its stereotypical spaceship shaped tower) which took us across the River Danube and into the Old Town.
What a difference! Dominated by the hilltop 'Bratislava Castle', the pedestrian-only 18th century Old Town was a bustling and lively 'rabbit warren' of narrow streets, quirky buildings, buskers, bars and cafes. A quick look at the tourist map told us that this was a very walkable city, with most of its attractions in or around the old town, and after dropping our bags and having a bite to eat we lost ourself in the winding streets which were by this time all lit up, adding to the charm.
As we thought, the old town was great for exploring and we spent the next day getting lost a lot whilst searching out most of the sights on foot, encountering St Martin's Cathedral, Michael's Gate, the Summer Palace and gardens, The Blue Church, Opera House and the Slovak Radio building that is shaped like an upturned pyramid.
There were cafes and restaurants to suit all pockets and tastes, and just behind the main square, a small craft market. We even found a wine cellar showcasing the current 100 best Slovakian wines where we paid a very reasonable €20 for a personal tasting session where we tasted 8 of the wines and were told all about them by the very knowledgeable and enthusiastic cellar owner - I would highly recommend it.
The next day we decided to leave the city behind and visit Devin Castle, 12km away, where it perches atop a craggy hill overlooking the small village of Devin and the confluence of the rivers Danube and Morava.
We set off on foot, presuming that we would be able to walk along the banks of the Danube. The path set off, at first beside the road but soon entering a wooded area which did indeed follow the river, where people could be seen swimming and boating. After about 5km though, the path rejoined the road and after a short while disappeared altogether. Rather than walk along a busy road, we caught a bus which took us the rest of the way into Devin, then alighted to make our way through the streets up to the castle.
The location of Devin Castle really is amazing, there being evidence of settlers there since prehistoric times.
According to history, a fort was first built there in the 9th century and evolved through the middle ages into a border fort until, in 1809, it was completely destroyed by Napoleon. It was never rebuilt, instead remaining a romantic ruin, and in 1961 was declared a National Historic Landmark.
It is, however, a lovely place to walk around, and interesting to imagine what life may have been like there through the ages. The effort used in climbing up to the central and upper parts of the castle are rewarded by panoramic views across the river and into Austria, although for forty years, the border was marked with spirals of barbed wire along the middle of the river and anyone who tried to cross was shot. Indeed, the present cycle-path is the former military patrol route from which soldiers guarded the Iron Curtain.
After our visit we decided to walk part of the way back, this time following a waymarked route to Dubravka over Devinska Kobyla, the peak of which is one of the highest hills in Bratislava, and a recommended viewpoint. We didn't go all the way to the top, but after a steep climb out of Devin, followed the yellow markers through the woods about 7km, and then descended steeply into Dubravka where we caught the bus back into the centre of Bratislava.
With only a morning to spare, we took one of the steep roads out of the centre up towards Bratislava Castle, pausing on our way at the British Embassy to pay our respects to HRH Queen Elizabeth II.
Continuing up to the castle, standing on an isolated rocky hill overlooking the city on one side and the River Danube on the other, you are struck by how 'new' it looks. This is because it was completely rebuilt in the mid 20th century after being abandoned following a fire in 1811. In the 1930s plans were put forward to either demolish it or rebuild it, and thankfully the decision was made to save it. The castle is built in typical fortress style, with a Palace around a courtyard. There are four towers, one at each corner, the tallest being the south west Crown Tower which is 47metres high, and for 200 years in the middle ages housed the Crown Jewels of Hungary.
The original castle, like the city, has been occupied for thousands of years, but the current building, although beautifully restored, is now just a museum, and if you are interested in its history, it is very well documented with large collections of artefacts, maps and artwork from roman times through to the impact of the cold war, and modern times. We wandered its galleries and climbed the Crown Tower to see the views before heading back to the hotel to pick up our luggage and catch the bus across the border to Hungary.
I don't usually talk about our accommodation, but I do feel that LOFT Hotel, where we stayed on this leg of our journey, is worth a mention. Just a short walk from the old town, it has a quirky, industrial styled interior with the decor being embellished with sporting photographs and memorabilia. If that doesn't excite you, then it has its own microbrewery, which should.
Comments