In every major city, there are towering skyscrapers, modern department stores and lots of traffic. Fortunately in Bratislava, Slovakia there is also a historic area cut off from 21st century hustle and bustle; an area with streets lined with history, charm and beauty.
On a recent AmaWaterways river cruise — Melodies of the Danube — I was able to discover this charming history of Slovakia’s capital city first on a guided tour and then on my own.
Our guide pointed out Bratislava Castle, dating to the 9th century, high on a hill overlooking the historic area as we walked toward the Main Square. We passed St. Martin’s Cathedral, Michael’s Gate and Tower, and the whimsical sculpture the Watcher who peeps out from an imaginary manhole as we strolled along cobblestone streets.
With its long and storied history, its friendly and accommodating merchants and restaurateurs and the easily navigable streets, Bratislava is the perfect way to spend a morning of exploration.
Super photos Marilyn !
I’ve always thought that E European cities benefitted from limited development for three generations and people valued theatres, galleries and libraries more than the west – thoughts ?
Of course, housing and industry produced their own carbuncles at the same time !
i definitely saw the benefit in the countryside of thriving small scale agriculture, leaving thousands of species of plants and so forth untouched by widespread mechanisation and industrialisation
This post by Marilyn Jones originally appeared with the wrong byline. Our apologies!
Gorgeous colors and nice camera work. I was in Bratislava shortly after the wall coming down. It was an ugly and dirty city back then. It now looks as if the beauty and pride in the city has been restored.
Such a beautiful city! It’s interesting to know how much it has improved in recent years!