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).
