Bratislava travel guide

The new Europe on the fast track

Since the fall of the Soviet bloc, Slovakia's capital has witnessed a modernization push: fancy new office buildings and shopping malls on the major streets are the visual indicators that Bratislava is positioning itself as an economic hub and gateway to Eastern Europe. For a long time during the Habsburg monarchy, this city along the Danube - which is only a short distance from the former iron curtain and just an hour from Vienna - was the capital of the royal Hungarian empire, which is why the city's new modernity is balanced out by the many historical buildings. The concrete buildings of the Communist era add to the telling architectural mix. In the winding alleyways of the city center, next to the St. Martin's Cathedral and the old city hall, stands an oddity: Europe's narrowest house, at 15 Michalska Street. The Bratislava Castle, which towers on top of a hill to the west of the city, offers a beautiful view of the Danube and the futuristic New Bridge with its UFO-like watchtower. Bratislava is manageable and calm, and at night it does not transform into a wild beast - those who want to see different facets of Middle Europe united in one city should not miss Bratislava.