There’s no better way to understand the layout of a city than to climb to the highest point and take in a bird’s eye view of your surroundings. Bratislava’s Old Town is fairly compact, but if you venture out a little further, you can make a nice half circle loop around the city that will put you right at the gates of Bratislava Castle in the evening.
I began my walking tour at the Grassalkovich Palace, where the President of Slovakia resides. The palace underwent extensive renovations in the 1990s after the Velvet Revolution that saw the fall of communism in 1989. Although the palace itself is not open to the public, the French gardens in the rear of the building are.
Many people were spread out on blankets in the lawn, picnicking and enjoying the warm July weather. It felt wrong not to join in the fun, so I decided to indulge in trdelník, a traditional Slovak cake that is made by wrapping dough around a rod and then grilling the dough over an open flame before sprinkling it with sugar, coconut or nuts. The stand I bought my trdelník from also put a little Nutella and fresh cut strawberry inside before filling the pastry up with vanilla ice cream. Maybe not a treat to partake in everyday, but well worth sampling if you make it to Slovakia.
After the trdelník I was in need of some serious exercise; luckily the next stop would turn this walking tour into a hike. The Slavín War Memorial sits atop a massive hill in Bratislava’s Slavín district, which felt like the Beverly Hills of the city. Many embassies and fancy homes line the twisty streets up the hill. I asked a hostel worker if there was any specific route to take and she told me to simply keeping walking up the hill and I’d get there eventually. The monument is always in sight; I can’t imagine getting lost in the area.
The memorial commemorates the lives lost by the Soviet army when they liberated Bratislava from German occupation in 1945. The hill is a site of a mass grave where 6,845 Soviet soldiers are buried. The grounds surrounding the monument are very peaceful and offer the best views of the city.
After some well-deserved relaxation after the hike up, I started to make my way down again, but this time in the direction of Bratislava Castle. The route is well-marked with brown signs put up by the city; heading down Palisády Street I passed a TESCO Expres, where I grabbed a sandwich and replenished my water supply before scaling the heights of the Castle’s hill.
Bratislava Castle today houses the Slovak National History Museum, and paying entry is the only way to visit the interior of the castle. There is definitely an emphasis on pre-20th Century history, so if you’re more interested in post-World War 2 events as I am, then there might not be as much reason to go in, although there was is a fascinating special exhibition currently still on display entitled Reklama 1918-1948 which details advertising in Czechoslovakia during that time.
The museum is only open until 6pm, but the grounds are open well into the evening.
Besides the brilliant illumination of the castle at night, by visiting after museum hours I was able to take in the gardens without the crowds I attempted the morning before when I toured the castle. (If you do decide to check out the museum, go early.)
I ended my walk at the Hlvané námestie, which is the main square in Old Town. Bratislava certainly understands the value of good lighting!
