Bratislava snapshot

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Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and sits on both banks of the River Danube. With the Austrian border cutting through its suburbs and Hungary almost as near, it's Europe's only national capital so near to two other countries. Vienna, Austria's capital city, is only 37 miles away.

The city was known as Pressburg until 1919 and before that by its Hungarian name Pozsony. It was even the capital of the Kingdom of Hungary under the Habsburg's from 1536 to 1783, until Budapest took its place.

Bratislava's history goes back to around 200BC and it later became a Roman border fortress. Today, Bratislava Castle sits on a high plateau above the city. The castle was destroyed accidentally in 1811 and was a ruin until the 1950s. It has since been rebuilt in the style of Maria Theresa who lived there in the 1740s.

Baroque palaces

Most historical sights are in the Old Town. The Town Hall dates back the 14th century and is home to the City Museum. Michael's Gate was part of the Medieval walls. Nearby is what is claimed to be Europe's narrowest house.

There are many Baroque palaces including the Grassalkovich Palace, now the official residence of the Slovak president. The national government meets in the former Archiepiscopal Palace.

Bratislava's gothic St. Martin's Cathedral dates back 800 years and is where the coronations of the Kingdom of Hungary took place.

Other notable religious buildings are the 13th Century Franciscan Church and the Church of St. Elisabeth, known as the Blue Church. This building is decorated in 'blue' tiles (surprisingly) and interestingly is one of the few Slovak buildings recreated in miniature at the Mini Europe park in Brussels.

Strategic location

Nearby is the recently renovated Devín Castle, strategically located on a rock where the Morava River, which separates Austria and Slovakia, enters the Danube. It has a museum and despite being destroyed by Napoleon's troops in 1809, it remains a symbol of Slovak history.

Motor enthusiast will be interested to note that Bratislava is home to a Volkswagen factory. The company's SUVs are built there while some Porsche and Audi models are also partially assembled at the factory.

Tourist numbers are being boosted by Danube cruises that take in the city with Vienna and Budapest. Budget flights to Bratislava Airport has let to a growth in stag parties, primarily British, which are causing local concerns and some vandalism.

Make sure you include Booked.net if searching for Bratislava hotels. They list a good number of quality hotels, available at competitive prices. Also, you don't have to pay any extra fees for booking, administration or cancellation.

Every month our travel writers comb the web for city break deals to Bratislava. Visit our Bratislava holiday shop to browse through the latest offers.

• Bratislava Tourism- Official tourist site for City of Bratislava