By Ty Malcolm
In my last blog post, I gave some good options for cheap food in Vienna. But as you might expect from a onetime imperial capital, experiencing Vienna in all its glory has always required a lot of Thaler (1800's), Schillings (1900's), and in 2016, Euros.
One easy possibility for a cheap excursion from Vienna is the Slovakian capital of Bratislava.
Also located along the Danube River, Bratislava is the largest city in Slovakia. It has around 450,000 inhabitants, and although it is only 60 miles away it has a much more eastern European feel compared to Vienna.
How to get there
- Train (Austrian Federal Railways, under €20, 60 minutes)
- Bus (FlixBus, under €10, 90 minutes)
- Boat (TwinCity Liner, €30, 75 minutes)
We decided to take the train, because it could fit our entire group of 10 people! With the ÖBB Advantage Card, I paid €6 for a one-way ticket.
Taking a group of ten to Bratislava also created another dilemma: where could we stay overnight? Luckily we found Hostel Brickyard, which had two 6-person rooms on the top floor for €90/night. €90/6 = €15 per person per night - Perfect! The receptionists at the hostel were so nice to us, and gave us a ton of information on restaurants and sights around the city!
Besides our group of 10, there were a few other large groups of WU students going to Bratislava that weekend. Due to the 2016 EU Summit in Bratislava, there was another (more famous) group wandering the town as well. Unfortunately, we didn't get any pictures with them!
While you are there
Visit the castle - this Baroque castle has been restored, and it looks very impressive from the town. If you can survive some steep stairs up to the castle, the views of the city and the countryside are beautiful! There is a museum inside the castle that explains some of the history of Slovakia.
Eat the (cheap) traditional food - The food prices are where Bratislava really shines. Compared to Vienna, many of the same dishes were 25% to 50% cheaper. We ate 4 times, and my favorite dish was called Bryndzov Haluky, which the waitress explained was small balls of dough made from potatoes, and then covered with sheep cheese and bacon! After hearing that description and seeing the pictures, I was on the fence... but after trying it, it reminded me of some of the high-end mac & cheese I've had in Washington DC. I'm glad I decided to try it and didn't chicken out!
Explore the Old Town - While we were there, there was a band playing in the city center. There are funny statues to take pictures with, a chocolate shop with cool demonstrations and samples, and several historical buildings to visit. Everything was walkable, and after a few hours we didn't even need the map.
Experience the nightlife - Bratislava is a capital city, and the amount of cool things to do doesn't decrease just because the sun goes down! There are clubs for dancing, cafés for poetry and live music, pubs for watching sports. There really is something for everyone! Prices here are also a huge discount compared to Vienna.
Added together, trains (€15) hostel (€15) and food & drink (€50) -- around €80! I don't think you could do a similar 24 hour trip to Vienna for that amount. We were all really happy with our trip, and I'm sure we'll be back!