If you are planning to backpack in Slovakia, there’s no doubt you’ll be making a stop in the capital city of Bratislava. Many travelers arrive in the city via Vienna, as it’s only an hour’s drive away. Despite the close proximity, you’ll notice a lot fewer tourists once you enter the Slovakian capital.
Bratislava is off the backpacker trail a bit and for a capital city, it has a small population of about 430,000 people. Bratislava has colorful streets and impressive architecture. It’s a quirky city with a super fun nightlife scene and is an affordable, great place for a backpacker on a daily budget. 3 days in Bratislava is plenty of time to walk around, check out the sites, try some Slovak food and beer and meet some new friends, both travelers and locals.
Slovakia is located in Central Europe, so it’s a bit less expensive than cities in most western European countries, but you have to watch out for this classic trap. We were delighted by the cheaper prices of food and beers after coming from Germany & Austria, leading us to a party every night, spending more than anticipated in the process.
It could definitely be done cheaper than we managed, but hey, sometimes you gotta let loose and hit the nightlife scene for 3 nights in a row. For the Bros, it was totally worth it. If you’re on a backpacker budget, 3 days in Bratislava is the perfect amount of time for a memorable experience.
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Where to Stay in Bratislava
You’ll want to scour the listings on Booking.com & Hostelworld and sort the results by ratings, price, and distance to the city center to help guide your decision. For the backpacker who really wants a local experience and is okay with stepping outside their comfort zone, Couchsurfing is an incredible community that will give you the gifts of new friends around the globe for life.
We’ve met some incredible people both hosting travelers back in the U.S., and by staying with hosts during our travels. For the backpacker on a budget, Couchsurfing is one of the best gifts you can ask for. There is no cost, however, you’ll want to make sure you treat your host to some drinks, cook a meal for them, do the dishes and offer to host them in your home city to repay the favor.
When we spent 3 days in Bratislava, we ended up staying at a hostel, where prices are currently about 13-15 euros ($14-$17 USD) for a bed in a mixed dorm. There are a choice of hostels close to the city center, and they can set you up with plenty of activities, ranging from cooking classes and walking tours, to AK47 shooting and organized pub crawls (not at the same time, that wouldn’t be a good idea). A few hostels even have a 24/7 bar on the premise, always a Bros favorite.
Currency in Bratislava
The currency used in Bratislava is the euro. We suggest taking out smaller amounts of cash from an ATM, and using a credit card with no foreign transaction fees when you can. You’ll earn miles or points on your credit card every time you swipe.
When you do take out cash, if you sign up for a checking account from a bank like Charles Schwab, they will reimburse all of your ATM fees at the end of each month. This way you can take out smaller amounts of cash, which is always smart, and not worry about the fees. A gift to anyone traveling to Bratislava on a backpacker budget. It’s more worth your while to spend those extra euros on a few beers and some potato dumplings with sheep cheese and roasted bacon, instead of bank fees.
Things to Do in Bratislava
One of Europe’s smallest capital cities, Bratislava is very walkable, outstanding news to any backpacker on a budget. In addition, many of the sites and things to do in Bratislava are either free or very affordable.
You can easily spend a budget-friendly day walking around the city, visiting sites like the unique Blue Church (Church of St. Elizabeth), the UFO Bridge on the Danube River (also known as the MOST SNP), admiring the many street art murals, and getting lost wandering around the cobblestone streets.
Bratislava is home to what is considered one of the world’s ugliest buildings, the Slovak Radio Building. There’s not much to do there, but it’s another interesting, free site to see. There are some excellent green spaces with benches, artwork, flowers, vendors, and statues right along the riverfront.
Pose with the Fun Statues of Bratislava
Speaking of statues, no trip to Bratislava is complete until you have found and taken some photos with the numerous statues scattered throughout the city. Some statues can be found in the Hlavne namestie, otherwise known as the Main Square of the Old Town. Part of the fun is trying to find the statues yourself as you walk around, so we won’t give away all their locations here.
Drink and Eat Your Way Through Bratislava
Part of exploring a new country and culture is through the food, and Bratislava is serving up some awesome stuff! To have some authentic Slovakian food, you’ll want to check out the Slovak Pub. Get yourself a beer, a platter of dumplings, sheep cheese, bacon & pierogies, and don’t forget to taste the traditional cabbage soup with sausage, sour cream, and bread.
After walking around and digesting that savory Slovak cuisine, you’ll want to check out Bratislava’s thriving nightlife. Most hostels will offer a pub crawl, which is an easy way to meet new people and see a few bars and clubs for a decent price. You can also just find out the places that the pub crawl goes to from other travelers who have already done it, and hit the spots on your own schedule.
Some of the spots we enjoyed and recommend are Re:Fresh Music Club, Nu Spirit Bar, and finishing off your night at Bukowski Late Night Drink Bar. Also, keep an eye on local events on the calendar. When we were in Bratislava, the Salon Piva Craft Beer Festival was being held. The Beer Festival is an annual event and these days they hold it multiple times per year in the Stará tržnica, the Old Market Hall.
The festival is a great display of over 80 craft beers from Slovakia with an assortment of street food truck vendors right outside the venue serving up all sorts of tasty treats. If you missed out on the street food, late-night grub is always a good idea anywhere, and Bratislava is no different. There are plenty of spots selling corn-pizza, you guessed it…pizza with corn on it, kebabs and Turecke pide, a Turkish style of flatbread pizza with meat and onions.
The Bratislava Castle & Michael’s Gate
The Bratislava Castle is the main attraction and another item on the list of things to do in Bratislava. While you can of course go visit it, we opted to simply enjoy the views from our hostel balcony and atop Michael’s Gate Tower & Museum of Arms.
Michael’s Gate is the only remaining gate of the city’s fortification system, and it actually dates back to the 14th century. You’ll pay a small entrance fee to enter the tower and museum, but you get to see all these badass old weapons and military artifacts while learning about Bratislava’s historical fortification system from medieval times. When you reach the top of the tower, you’ll have some sweet 360 degree views of the city, including the can’t beat views of the Bratislava Castle and the Old Town.
How to Get In and Out of Bratislava
Bratislava is easily accessible by bus, train, or plane.
Most European cities are well served by bus companies. We use Flixbus when we are traveling around Europe. Seats can be reserved easily online in a few minutes to the next European city of your backpacking adventure. You’ll be dropped off in and depart from the city center right near the Most SNP Bridge.
Bratislava has two main train stations where you’ll likely end up, Bratislava hlavná stanica & Bratislava-Petržalka, the former being the main train station, while the latter is located south of the Danube River. They are both connected to bus lines that can get you to the city center.
The two airports that mainly serve the city are Bratislava Airport and Vienna International Airport.
Costs Traveling in Bratislava
The Bros want to share our costs of traveling in Bratislava because we think this transparency can inspire people to travel to new destinations they otherwise thought were out of reach. By sharing our stories and by showing exactly how much some of these experiences actually cost, maybe someone out there gets inspired to take the steps to transform their travel dreams into reality.
It’s a big world out there, and it doesn’t have to cost a lot to see it if you really want to. Peep the charts to check out exactly how much it cost us during 3 days in Bratislava as backpackers on a budget.
Conclusion
For a backpacker on a budget, Bratislava really is an awesome city to kick back in for a few days. It’s got a small-town neighborhood vibe in a capital city. There are coffee shops, bars, pubs, clubs, restaurants, shopping, history, parks, and museums. Add in friendly locals who are excited and happy to talk to travelers, giving out tips and inviting them along to their favorite spots.
Mix in some tasty food and unique culture. Toss in the fact that prices are advantageous to a backpacker looking for a good time without breaking the bank, and you’ve got the perfect recipe for an underrated European gem of a city.
Traveling on a budget means you can’t pay every entrance fee and see everything or you’ll blow all your cash. There are plenty of fun things to do, see, learn, eat and drink in the beautiful city of Bratislava, and there are many options that are affordable or even free. If you pick and choose the ones that seem most appealing to you, and leave off the others, you’re sure to have an unforgettable time and realize that Bratislava is indeed a city worth visiting.
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