Dates: 11-18 October 2011.
With Bratislava and Vienna being barely an hour apart by train they presented a opportunity to take-in two very different cities in the same short break.
We flew into Bratislava airport, crossed the Austro-Slovak border by train, and then flew home from Vienna airport.
The slightly unnerving ancient lift at our cheap-and-cheerful hostel:
And yes, we did watch Hostel before the trip!
As it was late we headed next door to a bar which was full of locals and thick cigarette smoke, but the beer cost less than 30 pence a pint due to us being outside of the touristy centre.
The next day we explored said touristy centre. The garden beneath Michael’s Gate (we’d actually see that cat each day!):
Michael’s Gate, the northern entrance to the old town:
A gentle stroll through the historic old town:
The 13th-century old Town Hall:
Hugs:
Maximiliánova fontána:
A quick sgwrs with Napoleon’s Army Soldier:
Schöne Náci, a famous Bratislava street character:
Cumil, another of the handful of whimsy bronze statues scattered around the old town:
The ornate Lekáreň u Salvátora building:
Primaciálne námestie (Primate’s Square) with the old Town Hall in the background:
The 18th-century Primate’s Palace:
Local poet Pavol Országh Hviezdoslav on the square named after him:
Lurking behind Hans Christian Andersen:
The Holy Trinity Column with the “UFO” in the background:
The UFO was on the cards for the following day so we headed back to the main square to get an elevated view from the old Town Hall:
Skateboarders taking a break:
The imposing Bratislavský Hrad (Bratislava Castle) all lit-up as we headed home for the day:
The view from our room; the UFO and St. Martin’s Cathedral on the left, with the castle up high:
Kamzík televízna veža (TV tower) up on the Little Carpathians mountains:
Grasalkovičov palác (the Presidential Palace) near our hostel:
From the palace we headed toward the the castle. The red eyes of Bosorka (Slovak for ‘witch’) were very unsettling:
The stroll up the castle hill:
The UFO observation deck on Most SNP over the Danube:
Around the castle:
Next-up was the UFO, an observation desk perched atop the single-pylon, Soviet-era Most SNP (Bridge of the Slovak National Uprising) which was opened in 1972.
The view after riding the elevator to the top:
After the UFO we took a stroll along the Danube to Sad Jank Kráľa park:
Poet Janka Kráľ himself:
A gothic tower:
There was an abandoned football stadium nearby:
Some brutalist architecture back over on the north side of the Danube:
And in stark contrast, the stunning art-nouveau Modry Kostol:
En route to the Kamzík TV Tower:
The Kamzík TV Tower:
Photo-bombed by pigeons:
On our walk back to the city we visited Slavín, a monument and cemetery for Soviet soldiers killed during the liberation of Bratislava:
The old town by night:
For our final full day in Slovakia we headed west out of Bratislava on a local bus to visit Devín Castle, an archaeological site which overlooks the Danube.
Devínsky hrad (Devín Castle) perched up high:
Around the grounds:
Great views over the river:
More statue fun:
It was a peaceful place:
But cold!:
Back in Bratislava:
Neither Liz nor I had been to an ice hockey match. Fortunately, Slovan Bratislava were at home in the evening.
Arena of Ondrej Nepela:
Necessary ice hockey food:
Unfortunately, our presence couldn’t prevent our adopted team for slumping to defeat in what was an entertaining match. Slovan went without a ‘keeper in the dying minutes in an effort to equalise!
On our way back to our accommodation we finally found Paparazzi guy :
The following day we left Bratislava and headed east to Vienna on the train:
Around an hour later we were greeted by a crisp and sunny Austria:
After finding our accommodation – a cool split-level apartment – I wanted to see if we could get tickets to the Rapid Vienna match. They were playing Wiener Neustadter at the Gerhard Hanappi Stadion.
After turning down some enthusiastic fans/touts we opted to buy from an official source.
The Gerhard Hanappi Stadion:
It was bitingly cold by the time the match kicked-off and thankfully Rapid came back from 1-0 down to earn a 1-1 draw.
Our very cute and cosy split-level / duplex apartment:
From that moment my ambition has been to own a duplex apartment! The next day we set out to explore Vienna.
A sneak preview of the neo-gothic Votivkirche on Rooseveltplatz:
More neo-gothic fun with the Rathaus on the nearby Rathausplatz:
Statue of “Father of the Republic” Dr. Karl Renner in the Rathauspark:
The Austrian Parliament:
The outer castle gate separating Heldenplatz and Maria-Theresien-Platz:
The twin buildings of the Museum of Natural History and the Museum of Fine Arts square-up to each other across Maria-Theresien-Platz:
Looking back at Maria-Theresien-Platz you can make out the tops of each museum:
On Heldenplatz a pair of statues face-off, Erzherzog Karl (below) v Prince Eugene:
Michaelskirche:
The famous Spanish Riding School:
Not sure what this was, but it’s called Schweizertor:
The Hofburg, a former Habsburg palace and current residence of the President of Austria:
There were no ordinary buildings in central Vienna:
After a much-needed hot drink it was more awesome architecture:
Curious figures near Café Central:
From there we went to find an elaborate clock on Hohermarkt:
Our architectural journey continued with a visit to the Holocaust Memorial on Judenplatz:
Our wanderings continued:
Vienna is the home of the Prater amusement park which I first saw on the Bond film The Living Daylights. Ever since Timothy Dalton kissed “Kara” (Maryam d’Abo) in one of the Ferris wheel’s gondolas I’ve wanted to visit.
The gondolas are far less glamorous in real life:
The “famous” wheel:
Don’t look down:
Some great views over the city:
And a glorious sunset:
We eat a particularly large meal of roast hog in one of the cafes with copious amounts of local ale and waddled-off home for the night.
Pink skies:
The following day was another sunny and crisp one and we headed out of the centre to Hietzing to visit Schönbrunn Palace, the former summer residence of the Habsburg dynasty.
Rococo delights:
Around the gardens:
Spot the black squirrel:
A lovely vista:
The Gloriette Schloss Schönbrunn at the southern end of the gardens:
After a heiße Schokolade mit schlag we jumped on a metro to see Belvedere Palace south of the city centre.
The 18th-century baroque palace:
Around the Belvederegarten:
The Lower Belvedere palace at the northern end of the Belvederegarten:
The monument commemorating Soviet soldiers killed during WWII’s Vienna offensive on Schwarzenbergplatz:
We got back on the metro and got off at Spittelau to witness the curious and spectacular (and working) Spittelau incinerator:
Cheesy grins:
A peak at the Rathaus through the trees:
The neo-gothic Rathaus, the seat of local government, with winter cafés and bars located in the grounds outside:
The nearby extremely ornate Museum of Natural History:
The “people’s theatre” Volkstheater:
At this point we noticed a slight disturbance and a gathering of people below a ordinary (by Vienna’s standards) building.
Could have been a communist demonstration?:
St. Stephen’s Cathedral on Stephansplatz:
We found a cosy little eatery nearby in a basement restaurant and I had some thoroughly hearty goulash – much needed warmth!
St. Stephen’s Cathedral with some colour:
For dessert we went to Vienna’s most famous café, Demel:
Vienna by night:
The Rathaus lit-up:
For our last day we went for a walk along the Danube with the aim of finishing with a view of the city from the Danube Tower.
Photo-bombing the Karlskirche on Karlsplatz:
Lovely day for it at Burggarten on Josefsplatz:
Brasserie Palmenhaus. Not even Viennese restaurants are boring buildings:
The Danube:
The St. Francis of Assisi Church:
We got to Donau Park a bit late for photographs but we took the express lift to the top of the Danube Tower to see Vienna from 150 metres up:
Bratislava and Vienna were very different, and not just in the price of a pint. Bratislava is noticeably smaller and the general architecture reflects communist influences, all whilst still having its share of eye-catching buildings. Meanwhile, Vienna manages to mix fairy tale with a metropolitan feel. It was genuinely difficult to find a drab building! Both had loads to offer and I can see myself re-visiting both in the future.
Notes From The Road 