Bratislava events Archives - Bratislava Guide

Visit the Devin Castle in Bratislava

Posted on September 13, 2018October 14, 2023 by Bratislava Guide

Devin Castle is one of the most popular places to visit among tourists coming to Bratislava. But, how can you get to Devin Castle? What will you see once you get there?

The fabulous Devin Castle is located on a hill next to the Danube, about 13 kilometers from the city center of Bratislava. It is easy to get to the castle using public transportation, by car, by taxi, and by boat. But, if you decide to pay Devin Castle a visit, what can you expect?

History of Devin Castle

There has been buildings and fortifications at the present spot since the Iron and the Bronze age. The hill on which the castle is located is more than 200 meters above the sea level, and it has a strategic location with splendid view. It is on the border between Austria and Slovakia, and on cloudless days you can enjoy a magnificent view from this place. This is something that people have known for centuries, and has increased the importance of the castle even more.

The castle has been occupied by all sorts of people and nationalities, especially between 13th and the 17th century.

After the Siege of Pressburg in 1809, the retreating forces of Napoleon destroyed the Devin Castle. It might be that they considered it still a threat, and that was the reason for destroying it.

Today we can see the remains of the castle, and also see the result of quite a lot of renovation work. Some archaeological diggings testify of remains of a Roman tower dating from the 1st century, testifying of the importance of this location throughout history.

Visiting Devin Castle today

As you visit Devin Castle today, there are two areas to visit. You have the area down by the Danube, and you have the castle itself on the top of the hill. You should visit both! To visit Devin Castle, you need to buy a ticket. The other part is free to visit and it offers a stunning view as well.

For a very thorough guide on what to see as you visit Devin Castle, visit this site.

The most popular part belonging to Devin Castle is the so-called Maiden’ Tower. This is not located together with the rest of the castle, but down by the Danube. This is a castle that has given name to legends throughout the centuries. This is were imprisoned daughters were willing to jump to spend their lives with whomever they might truly love.

How to get to Devin Castle?

It is very easy to get to Devin Castle from Bratislava. If you have a car, simply type the information in your GPS, and you will get to Devin Castle quickly.

If you want to use public transportation, get to the New Bridge (the bridge with the UFO on). On the side of the bridge which is in the Old Town, you will find the stop of bus 28. Get on this bus and travel to the bus stop Devin. The bus travel time is about 20 minutes. Make sure to have your tickets in order before you get on the bus!

A third option is traveling to Devin Castle by boat. This is a scenic experience, and the boat ride takes about 1 1/2 hours. You will then have somewhere near 2 hours by the castle before the boat will take you back to Bratislava again. You can see the full boat schedule here.

The price for a return ticket with the boat is 13 Euro per adult (as of September 2018).

Christmas Markets in Bratislava in 2017

Posted on September 13, 2017 by Bratislava Guide

Would you like to enjoy the beautiful Christmas markets in Bratislava in November and December this year? Come to the city between November 24th and December 22nd!

The Christmas markets in Bratislava are really fantastic, and they are very authentic. Here you can taste a whole lot of local food, local drinks, local snacks, and of course buy hand-made products from Slovakian artists. The primary markets are located only a few hundred meters away from one another, meaning that you can walk between the two Christmas markets throughout the day and combine it with some Bratislava sightseeing.

Christmas market Bratislava 2017 — Christmas market in Bratislava at the main square – By Stefano_Valeri

Bratislava is a cute little city by the Danube, and you should consider whether you want to spend several days in Bratislava, or simply do a day-trip to Bratislava instead. Lots of people travel to Bratislava and stay at a nice hotel there, but during their stay, they do day-trips to Budapest, Prague, and Vienna. The three mentioned cities have even larger Christmas markets, and especially Vienna has beautiful markets. The Austrian capital is less than an hour from Bratislava, making it ideal for a day trip. You can, of course, decide to reside in one of the other mentioned cities and do a day-trip to Bratislava instead. Accommodation is much cheaper in both Prague and Budapest, while Bratislava is a more expensive city, and Vienna is the most expensive of them all.

Christmas markets in Bratislava

November 24th-December 22nd
(some sources claim that the market will only open on November 26th, but the official invitation later says November 24th)

Do you have any questions or comments related to Bratislava or the Christmas markets in the city center? Use the comment field beneath!

Christmas markets in Bratislava in 2016

Posted on September 19, 2016 by Bratislava Guide

Christmas is drawing near, and maybe you are planning a trip to Bratislava. Want to know the dates for the Bratislava Christmas markets in 2016? Here you go!

The Christmas markets in Bratislava look really nice and as you visit them you can taste lots of local cuisine and snacks. Unfortunately the markets in Bratislava open later than in neighboring cities such as Vienna and Budapest, and they close a bit earlier as well. That is why you need to make sure to visit Bratislava in the following time span if you want to visit the most famous Christmas markets in Bratislava located at two main squares in the center of Bratislava.

Christmas market at Hviezdoslavovo námestie

Bratislava Christmas market dates in 2016

Opening: November 18th
Last day: December 22nd

These are the dates, so just book your plane tickets right away. If you need to book a nice hotel, then you should read this article in which we recommend hotels in Bratislava. And as you visit the Christmas markets in Bratislava, make sure to taste the delicious stuff available there. First of all you should taste some strawberries coated with chocolate, and lots of other stuff of course.

For more information about the Christmas markets in Bratislava click the link.

Bratislava Christmas market 2015

Posted on November 25, 2015January 17, 2017 by Bratislava Guide

The Bratislava Christmas market in 2015 has already opened (on November 20th) and it will remain at its current spot all the way until December 22nd. In other words now is the time to come to Bratislava to check out the Christmas market in town, and if you arrive to Bratislava after December 22nd, then you could consider visiting the Christmas markets in Budapest or in Vienna instead.

Together with the Christmas markets in Bratislava comes loads of programs, and every day there will be different concerts, dance performances and cultural programs taking place at the stages on the markets. You can read more about the locations of the Christmas markets in our article on the Christmas markets in Bratislava.

If you visit Bratislava, maybe only for a day trip, then you should make sure not to miss out on how beautiful the markets are in the evening. It gets dark in Bratislava around 16.00, and that is when the beautiful Christmas lights are turned on and both squares with the big markets turn into fairy tale land with mulled wine, sausages, lots of stalls from where you can buy gifts and presents and of course nice Christmas music in the background.

What you will find at the Christmas markets are mostly handmade stuff, so it has a real value and is not a result of mass production. If you would want to buy a nice Christmas present in Bratislava then the typical souvenirs are handcrafted cups and mugs, maybe a t-shirt with one of the cool statues on, or if you want to, then you can also buy some great organic coffee and tea and have it delivered to your hotel in Slovakia instead.

But, when you come to Bratislava we would skip the organic coffee and tea that we mentioned above and we would rather drink tons of mulled wine and eat the traditional Christmas market products outdoors instead.

What kind of temperatures can you expect during the Christmas market?

During daytime the temperatures can be quite nice, somewhere between 0 Celsius and 7-8 Celsius, but once the sun has gone down it can get quite cold and you can experience temperatures around -5 Celsius. And notice that it can get windy, so do not forget your warm clothes as you pack up your suitcase preparing for your travel to Bratislava.

Enjoy and Merry Christmas!

Can Slovakia do it again?

Posted on September 2, 2015 by Bratislava Guide

On September 5th Slovakia will travel to Spain to play against Spain in the Euro 2016 qualification. A while back Slovakia managed to beat Spain the first match (to everyones surprise). The question is now whether Slovakia will be able to do it again?

The first match between the teams was played on October 9th in 2014 at the Štadión MŠK Žilina in Zilina. Now the Slovakian heroes will travel to Oviedo for the return match and all of Slovakia will cheer for their heroes. If you want to cheer for them as well, but want to watch the match online, then you can do so. There are different ways in which you can watch the match, but the most enjoyable is for sure to watch it with English commentators on Sky Sports. This is the method recommended by the IP Address Guide as well, and if you want to know more about how you can watch Spain vs Slovakia online on Sky Sports, visit nowtv.fromabroad.org which tells you how you can watch Sky Sports online on the official Sky TV media site online.

In the first match Juraj Kucka scored the first goal for Slovakia in the 17th minute, but when Paco Alcácer scored for Spain in the 82nd minute everyone thought the victory was lost. But, when substitute Miroslav Stoch scored in the 87th minute Slovakia was in the lead with 2-1 and the victory was won. Hurray! Can they do it again?

Slovak Food Festival 2015

Posted on January 13, 2015 by Bratislava Guide

The Slovak Food Festival is an annual and also the biggest foodie festival in Slovakia. In the middle of May this special gastronomic festival will be held again in the capital of Slovakia in Bratislava.

In this year the festival will bring together the best quality traditional dishes with a great atmosphere. The Slovak Food Festival is a four days long gastronomic event which takes place at the Bratislava Castle. The castle is situated on a hill above the city which gives a perfect panoramic view over the Danube and the whole city.

The festival mostly focuses on the various traditional Slovakian dishes but visitors will also have the chance to try the different nations’ specialties such as the Hungarian and Austrian national dishes as well. This will be the 6th time the Slovak Food Festival will be held in Bratislava and through the years it became one of the most popular events not only in Bratislava but in the whole country as well. Apart from the most delicious, special dishes and the fun atmosphere at the festival, it is also a perfect opportunity to discover the important cultural centre of the city alongside with the most breathtaking historical monuments in Bratislava.

This year the Slovak Food Festival will be held from Thursday 21st May to 24th May in 2015 at the Bratislava Castle.

Bratislava Castle
811 06 Bratislava, Slovakia

Top events in Bratislava in 2015

Posted on January 8, 2015January 8, 2015 by Bratislava Guide

In this short article we will go through the top events in Bratislava in 2015. Bratislava is the capital and also the largest city of Slovakia and in a short period of time it became a popular tourist destination in Europe.

Through the whole year there are plenty of programs and different activities such as festivals, concerts and exhibitions which are waiting for the visitors. So in this article we will present some of the highlights of the city in 2015.

Around spring the first outdoor festival the ‘May Festival’ will be held in Bratislava. The ‘May Festival’ is one of the most popular cultural event in the life of the city and during the festival countless concerts, theatre productions, firework and various sport events are the main attractions. This year will be the fifth year the ‘May Festival’ takes place in Bratislava. There are no exact dates confirmed of the festival yet but it is held some time in May.

Another popular festival in Bratislava is the ‘Slovak Food Festival’. It is the biggest foodie event in the life of the city and it is a perfect opportunity to try the best traditional Slovakian dishes. The festival takes place at the Bratislava Castle in May 2015.

If you travel with family and children the best program for you is the ‘Children’s Day’. Each year on 1st June the nation celebrates children and in this occasion the city and the country turn into a big playground with different programs and children activities.

Another awaited event in Bratislava is the ‘Viva Musica! Festival’ which takes place some time in June but the exact dates are not confirmed yet. The ‘Viva Musica! Festival’ is one of the most popular music festivals in the city and during the event multiple jazz and classical concerts are performed.

Apart from the festivals Bratislava also gives home to the Christmas markets during the winter. Each year when Christmas is just around the corner the markets appear in the city. At the market you can do your pre-Christmas shopping and try the best mulled wines and traditional dishes as well.

Along side all the festivals, various markets and events countless concerts are held in the city through the whole year. This year visitors can enjoy the most famous artists concerts such as Katy Perry, Robbie Williams and so on.

If you want to know more on the programs and activities in Bratislava look around in our Bratislava Guide and get ready for some wonderful hours and days in the city of Bratislava.

International Film Festival Bratislava 2014

Posted on October 2, 2014November 25, 2022 by Bratislava Guide

The International Film Festival in Bratislava is an international film festival held in the capital of Slovakia, Bratislava. It is also known as IFF Bratislava.

The first international film festival was held in 1999 and it has been held every year since that. This is the 16th time the festival will open its gates in Bratislava again. The film festival is concentrating on discovering new talents and the future starts of the movies and world of cinema. The traditional part of the film festival is the Panorama section which presents new films by renowned auteurs, motion pictures that were awarded at different well known festivals. The Cutting Edge section is focused in the independent and experimental movies which are beyond the mainstream cinema. The International Film Festival Bratislava is also featuring dramaturgical innovations. This section of the festival let the visitors respond to the latest trends and issues that happened in the world. The International Film Festival will take place in Bratislava the capital city of Slovakia. The festival will be held from 8th November 2014 until 14th November 2014.

If you want to know more details on the festival and the programs check the official site. If you want to read about other concerts and events, or maybe attractions and activities in Bratislava, stay in our Bratislava Guide and look around using the menu!

Bratislava Jazz Days 2014

Posted on October 1, 2014 by Bratislava Guide

The annual festival of jazz will be held in Bratislava again this year. It is one of the most popular international jazz festival in Europe. Every year it attracts thousands of people from all around the world and from the neighbour countries.

The first festival was in 1975 when Slovakia was part of the Soviet eastern block and was isolated from the western influence. It has been the 40th occasion since the first Bratislava Jazz Days was held the first time. Visitors can enjoy the best jazz concerts and best performances during the festival. The Bratislava Jazz Days is offering a wide range of concerts from the best Slovakian and from the best international bands such as the Slovakian Starts of Jazz, the Les McCann & Javon Jackson Band from the USA, Robert Cray Band which is an American band, Robert Cary who is a blues guitarist and singer who won 5 Grammy Awards during his career and Hugh Masekela who is from South Africa and several other musicians.

The Bratislava Jazz Days will take place in the capital of Slovakia, in the heart of Bratislava. The festival will be held from Thursday 23rd October until Sunday 26th October 2014. Tickets for the festival are already available, daily tickets are for 25 and 35 euros, a daily V.I.P. ticket is for 65 euros, a three days festival ticket is for 60 euros and for V.I.P. it costs 90 euros. V.I.P. festival pass is for 180 euros, but there are daily tickets for 14 euros and at the door for 18 euros. All the V.I.P. includes cold and warm meals buffet, alcoholic and alcohol free drinks in the V.I.P. zone.

For more information on the festival check the official site. Find out more about other events in Bratislava.

Christmas Market in Bratislava 2014

Posted on September 29, 2014September 29, 2014 by Bratislava Guide

This year the end of 2014 the Christmas Market will open its gates again in the capital of Slovakia. Every year since the first Christmas Market which was held in 1993 more and more visitors are coming from the neighbor countries and from all around the world to Bratislava during the Christmas period to do their pre-Christmas shopping and to experience the real holiday mood.

Apart from getting the best Christmas presents you will have the chance to try the best food and drinks at the market. From 107 different stands you can choose the best authentic Slovakian foods such as roasted chicken or beef in a bun which is topped with mustard and grilled onion or potato crepes which is stuffed with cabbage, goose fat or poppy. The Christmas Market would not be complete without the best mulled wines, punch and plum brandy. At the market you can also explore handicraft products from the locals like the homemade candles, Christmas decorations, scarves and ceramics. The Christmas Market takes place in the heart of Bratislava at the Main Square from 23rd November until 23rd of December 2014.

For information on other Bratislava events, check our calendar.