The capital of Slovakia, Bratislava, is probably one of the least known and least Instagrammed destinations in Europe. Rarely on the itinerary of the visitors traveling through Central and Eastern Europe, Bratislava is overshadowed by its famous neighbors Prague, Budapest, and Vienna. Because I live in Prague, Bratislava was the perfect weekend getaway to escape the tourist crowds of the city of hundred spires. Even if it is indeed very small, to my surprise, Bratislava has a lot of Instagram spots that just beg to be discovered! The intimate historic old town is filled with winding cobbled streets and charming narrow lanes. Because it is not too touristy, you can easily get amazing photos with no one in them, something very difficult to achieve unless you wake up at sunrise in most European capitals! So if you want to know the top Instagrammable places in Bratislava, keep on reading!
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1 • On top of Michael’s Gate Tower
Michael’s Gate is the Medieval entrance to the old city center. You can climb the adjoining tower, which is now Bratislava Museum of Arms and enjoy the wonderful 360° views over the city. It was my favorite place to see Bratislava Castle. Just look at this view!
2 • The Blue Church & Other Cute Churches
The Church of St. Elizabeth, usually called the Blue Church for obvious reasons is Bratislava’s most appealing art nouveau building and definitely one of my favorite places in the city! Located at Bezručova 2, it is just a 15-minute walk from the Old Town’s Main Square. During a sunny day, the Church is the exact same color as the baby-blue sky. If you go there, visit the inside as well because it is also all blue! Definitely one of the most Instagrammable places in Bratislava!
Bratislava is actually full of cute churches. Two of my favorites besides the Blue Church were the Capuchin Church (bottom left) and the Trinity Church (bottom right) depicted below.
3 • Bratislava Castle & Baroque Gardens
The most famous place in Bratislava is definitely its Castle, located on a hill above the Old Town. In the 16th century, King Ferdinand rebuilt the castle in the Renaissance style and now, it has served as a venue for the Slovak Parliament and it houses collections of the Slovak National Museum. Not only the Castle is worth checking out for its stunning views, but the Baroque Gardens behind the Castle are gorgeous and super Instagram-worthy as well! The Vienna Gate, one of the four entrance gates, is also out of this world!
4 • The Main Square
The Main Square of Bratislava (Hlavné Námestie in Slovak) is the historical center of Bratislava. A lot of the most famous city landmarks are located there such as the Old Town Hall, which is home to the City History Museum and the Maximillian Fountain with its tall statue known as the Roland Statue. You can also climb up the steps of the Old Town Hall to get great views of the Old Town. It is a small city center but full of charm because made up of cute colorful Baroque buildings!
Behind the Old Town Hall, you can also find a very cute courtyard as well (pictured in the picture below).
5 • The Cute Old Town’s Streets
The Old Town is full of gorgeous Instagram spots but my favorite streets are Kapitulská, Baštová and, Židovská. Kapitulská is one of the oldest streets and it is rarely busy. Fun fact; the first school in the city was established there. I advise you to walk around and get lost in the tiny streets. All of them are beautiful!
6 • Devín Castle
Devín is a well-preserved castle in ruins on a cliff, offering gorgeous views upon the confluence of Danube and Morava rivers. Only a little more than 10 km (6 miles) away, this National cultural monument that stands strategically on the frontier between Slovakia and Austria. Devín is an important part of Slovak history that deserves to be visited!
7 • UFO Bridge
The UFO Bridge also called officially Bridge of the Slovak National Uprising (Most SNP) or New Bridge (Nový most) is a road bridge that goes over the Danube. It is one of the most recent landmarks of Bratislava. The UFO structure atop the bridge houses an observation deck and a restaurant which is called UFO (hence the nickname of the bridge).
You can take photos of the bridge from either side of the Danube or you can also take gorgeous panoramic photos of the city itself from the restaurant or observation deck there.
8 • Primate’s Palace
Located right next to the Main Square, the Primate’s Palace is a neoclassical palace built from 1778 to 1781 for Archbishop József Batthyány. It is super instagrammable thanks to its pink color! Inside, you can find the pretty Hall of Mirrors which serves as the location for Bratislava City Council meetings.
9 • Grassalkovich Palace
Also known as the Presidential Palace, Grassalkovich Palace is the official seat of the president of Slovakia (even though she doesn’t live there!). It is located between the Old Town and the main train station. The main gate looks like one of the gates in front of Buckingham Palace in London! Behind the Palace are the Presidential Gardens which, contrary to the Palace itself, are open to the public.
10 • The Old Slovak National Theater
Located by the Hviezdoslav Square, the old Slovak National Theatre is called “old” because it used to house the Slovak National Theatre. Nowadays, it only shows opera and ballet ensembles. This Neo-Renaissance building was built during the time of Austria-Hungary. The restoration between 1969 and 1972 added a new modern building behind the old one.
Some of you who have been to Bratislava might wonder why I didn’t add Slavín to the list. Since Slavín is a memorial and military cemetery, I think that it is not an Instagrammable place per se. It is a place that can be photographed for sure but by Instagrammable I usually mean pretty places where you can twirl in a dress in front of and Slavín is not it. It is a place of commemoration. Thousands of Soviet Army soldiers who fell during World War II are buried there so if you go and if you take photos, please be respectful.
Even if you might not be as wowed as when visiting Prague or Budapest, Bratislava is still full of charm and offers many surprising cute gems. In this European capital, you can find the authenticity and atmosphere of a medieval old town mixed with modern and interesting architecture. Worth a weekend trip!
Have you been to Bratislava? What was your favorite Instagram spot?
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