BRATISLAVSKÝ I
“Did they shoot Shrek here?”
“No, that’s an animation. But this IS like being immersed into a game of Carcassonne.”
***
The train ride to Bratislava from Vienna took only an hour and some shrapnel, but delivered us to Bratislava-Petržalka station, which is on the right (or south) bank of the Danube, and not the main (northside) Bratislava Hlavná. However, the Man in Seat 61 had warned us that this could be the case, and as such we were prepared for the subsequent trudge into town, albeit after some experimentation with a public bus.
But we were not at all prepared for the view across the Danube to Bratislavský Hrad, which is a restored castle dating back to 907 A.D, that welcomed us from the elevation of the Starý most, Bratislava’s “old” bridge. It’s mighty.
And then our day got better. Our accommodation, at VIP Apartments, is situated smack bang in the heart of Bratislava’s Old Town, literally next door to Michalská brána (Michael’s Gate), which formed part of the original medieval fortification of the town. Our room (which was upgraded at no cost) is tip-top and is in the style of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Our host here is wonderfully helpful with top tips on where to eat and where to go. Thoroughly recommended.
We ate at the most excellent Koliba Kamzík Michalská, which provides some Slovak fare. I had Kamzík tanier, which is a tasting plate comprising homemade bryndza stuffed pierogis, gnocchi with bryndza, gnocchi with steamed sauerkraut, sausage, roasted bacon and sour cream. Carb loading for Sunday.
Then today, after our habitual tourist run around the town, we trekked up to the Hrad and spent hours there, exploring all manner of nooks and crannies, eventually managing to find our way via a narrow spiral staircase and some steep ladderesque staircases to the top of one of the four towers. And then at the other extreme, we found our way (there is no wayfinding or human attendance) into a basement/dungeon, and an open well that drops 85 metres to the level of the Danube.
A cracking good day.
Resources
https://www.seat61.com/trains-and-routes/vienna-to-bratislava-by-train.htm
http://www.vipapartments.eu/en/home
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael%27s_Gate
https://www.visitbratislava.com/places/bratislava-castle/
https://smokovec.kamzik.sk/sk/#menu-restauracia