Bratislava day trip

Another capital, an hour down the Danube

No two European capitals are closer: Bratislava is an hour by road, across a border that was the Iron Curtain for forty years. It is smaller and more relaxed than Vienna, with a castle on a hill, a compact old town where Hungarian kings were crowned, and a riverfront that mixes Baroque with the 1970s.

The car reaches the city by way of Devín Castle, just before it on the river. Seven hours door to door leave about five in Devín and Bratislava, with time for an unhurried lunch in the old town.

1. 1
   

   Your chosen meeting point

   Confirmed before the ride

   Your driver meets you at your hotel or any address in Vienna. The drive to Bratislava takes about an hour.

   Fixed
2. 2
   

   Devín Castle

   A ruined castle above the meeting of the Morava and the Danube, blown up by Napoleon's troops in 1809. The Iron Curtain ran along the river below for forty years. A short uphill walk from the car park; entry is ticketed and seasonal.

   Chosen with you
3. 3
   

   Bratislava Old Town

   A compact old town of pastel houses and café terraces: Michael's Gate, the Main Square and St Martin's Cathedral, where Hungarian kings were crowned for almost three centuries. Car-free, so the driver drops you at the edge. The natural place for lunch.

   Chosen with you
4. 4
   

   St Elizabeth’s, the Blue Church

   A small Art Nouveau church by Ödön Lechner, finished in 1913 and blue throughout: walls, mosaics and roof tiles. A few minutes east of the old town. The interior usually opens only around services.

   Chosen with you
5. 5
   

   UFO Observation Deck

   The saucer on top of the bridge pylon, opened in 1972 and still the city's oddest landmark. A lift goes up to an open deck 95 metres above the river, with the castle and old town on one side. The lift is ticketed.

   Chosen with you
6. 6
   

   Bratislava Castle

   The white, four-towered castle on the hill, burnt out in 1811 and rebuilt in the twentieth century. Its terraces and Baroque garden are free and give the best view in the city, across the Danube into Austria.

   Chosen with you
7. 7
   

   Your agreed final address

   Confirmed before the ride

   Back at your hotel or any address in Vienna, such as a restaurant for dinner. The driver stops at the closest point local access rules allow.

   Fixed

What's included

Choose your vehicle

Price per vehicle for the whole ride, not per person.

Useful tips

• 01The ride crosses into Slovakia. There are normally no border checks, but every traveller must carry a valid passport or national ID card. Slovakia uses the euro.

Questions