From Vienna, our next destination, country #3, was one I was less familiar with but eager to learn more about. After a quick one-hour train ride, we arrived in Bratislava, the capital and largest city in Slovakia. Our hotel, Aplend City Hotel Perugia, was in the center of Old Town Bratislava and walking distance to almost everything. It was quaint, quiet, and located in a pedestrian-only zone, where we could walk freely, without worrying about vehicle traffic. A breakfast buffet was included with the room cost, which was a perfect way to preserve time while also having a tasty meal that would keep us full while on the move. We only had 24 hours here and a lot to explore.

We set off to the Bratislava Castle, located on a hill overlooking the Danube River. Originally built in the 9th century, this structure has been rebuilt several times. It was destroyed by an accidental fire in 1811 and remained in ruins until it was rebuilt in 1953 and since 1968 has been used to house exhibits from the Slovak National Museum. It was also briefly home to the President of Slovakia in the 1990’s.

From here, we made our way back down the hill and stopped at a museum recommended to us by a local friend. Multium was unlike the other museums we’d visited so far on this trip. It was a gallery consisting of 6 rooms, all filled with different optical illusions. We entered one at a time and each room made you feel like you were in another world. Pictures don’t do it justice but I highly recommend paying it a visit.

​After finishing up at the museum we set off to meet our Slovakian friend, Zuzana (Zu for short), who would be showing us around for the evening. We met outside The Grassalkovich Palace, the President of Slovakia’s residence, which was glistening from a recent rain storm.

Stop #2 of the night was a pub called Zlateho Bazanta, meaning Golden Pheasant, for a couple of pre-dinner drinks. A “couple” quickly turned into Zu conversing in Slovak with our waiter and us receiving a large beer tank accompanied by shots of Tatratea, a tea-based herbal liqueur (find it here), and a gigantic basket of wings to share. Everything was delicious, the service was friendly, and the live music made for the perfect atmosphere.

After many, many mugs of beer and belly laughs later, it was time for dinner. We walked to the Slovak Pub, a place I had read excellent things about during my research prior to the trip. The fact that Zu, a local, approved of this restaurant only solidified our choice. The Slovak Pub is the largest bar in Bratislava and exuded a casual and friendly environment. The pub was comprised of 11 rooms, all of which represented a different era of Slovak history. 

With local white wine and more Tatratea, we toasted “na zdravie” to our first dinner in Slovakia and left the ordering to Zu. Once again, she did not disappoint. As if we didn’t get enough in Prague, we shared two creamy garlic soups, which came in home-made bread bowls and were topped with fresh farm cheese. This was divine. Of course, we couldn’t let the bread go to waste so, once we were done with the soup, we took big bites out of the bowls until every last bit was gone. Talk about a clean plate club.

Determined to try a form of dumpling from each country we visited, for our next course we shared the Slovak Platter. This platter contained sheep cheese gnocchi, meat pierogi with sheep cheese, and dumplings with cabbage and bacon. Each bite was more taste-filled than the last and we savored every fork-full. For entrees, we all shared the pork with smashed potatoes and the roasted pork ribs. 

Very full of traditional Slovak cuisine and spirits, it was time for stop #4. We approached what looked to be a café closing up for the night. Some words were exchanged in Slovak and we entered. Walking past the baristas and up a flight of stairs, we came to what looked like a closet. The wooden doors opened to a large, heavier door, which lead us into a secret speakeasy, Michalska Cocktail Room. It was extremely cozy, dimly lit by candles and fringed lamps, and covered with drapes and rugs.

The next day, we took a short cab ride to the Devin Castle. This castle is one of the oldest in Slovakia and is said to have been built 864. Now in ruins, after being destroyed by Napoleon I of France in 1809, the castle was originally used as a fort to watch over a trade route that ran along the Danube River.

Several photo ops later, we rode back into the city to visit the Church of St. Elizabeth, also known as “The Blue Church”. It was no secret how it got its name. The blue color of the church blended with the sky and the blue mosaic tiling was stunning. Even the interior was covered in shades of blue and gold. It was designed in the 20th century by a Hungarian architect and is truly unique in Bratislava.