Bratislava blog

Eating in Hacienda in Bratislava – Worth the money?

Posted on October 11, 2018 by Bratislava Guide

Hacienda is a restaurant located in the heart of Bratislava, easy to spot, and with lots of tempting food on the menu. But, is it worth the time and the money?

We recently wrote about our dinner in Los Mexikas in Bratislava which was a total disaster. But, what about our stay in Hacienda in Bratislava?

The first impression of Hacienda is way better than the Los Mexikas impression. The place looks nice both from the outside and on the inside, and the menus make you hungry!

The prices of the restaurant are just average, not very cheap, but not at all that expensive either. In other words, if you want to eat dinner in Bratislava at an average price, Hacienda might be a good option for you!

The food we were served in Hacienda Bratislava

The menu in Hacienda is packed with food that most people will like, meaning that families can easily visit the place and find something that they will like and enjoy at the menu. We ordered a hamburger and a quesadilla.

hamburger in hacienda — The hamburger in Hacienda in Bratislava

The hamburger, as you can see in the picture above, looked nice and everything was fine. It wasn’t a hamburger I would travel to Bratislava to taste, but as an average hamburger, I would judge it to be just fine. If you want a better burger, then there are for sure other places worth visiting in Bratislava, and there is also Lucky 7 Burger in Budapest.

There were lots of different quesadillas at the menu in Hacienda, and they all looked very good. As you can see at the picture above, it looked nice on the plate, and the taste was just the same.

The judgment on the quesadilla was quite similar to the hamburger judgment. It was a great thing to eat for dinner, but not a taste and an experience we would return to the restaurant to taste several times. But, if you like a good quesadilla, it is a sure winner if you pick it from the menu.

The price level in Hacienda Bratislava

How much did this experience cost us? It wasn’t bad at all. The prices for most main courses were between 8 and 20 Euro, with most costing around 10 Euro. In other words, not bad prices at all, and not at all more expensive than most other restaurants in the center of Bratislava.

We have no problem recommending Hacienda as an option for a family dinner in Bratislava. It might not be the best restaurant you will ever visit, but there are for sure a hundred times worse restaurants you could pick!

Conclusion: Hacienda is a safe bet for a safe and good dinner in the Slovakian capital!

Los Mexikas in Bratislava – Worth a visit?

Posted on October 2, 2018October 2, 2018 by Bratislava Guide

A little while ago, I got the chance to visit Los Mexikas in Bratislava. It is a Mexican restaurant located in the heart of the city, and I actually read some good reviews of the restaurant on TripAdvisor before making the visit.

We were fairly hungry and ready to eat as we arrived in Los Mexikas in Bratislava. It was a windy and grey afternoon, so we had to sit outside. The first shock came before entering the restaurant. The pictures of the food on the outside had terrible quality, and my companion said that a restaurant with such pictures of the food outside, is a restaurant to avoid. But, I had read some good reviews, so I convinced my companion to join me for a dinner in Los Mexikas. But, I had to agree… the pictures portraying the food on the outside looked terrible!

Safely on the inside, we got a menu and sat down to eat. The interior was okay, but nothing special. The waiter was really eager to help us out (in a way I would say too eager). We looked through the menu and noticed that the prices were very similar to all the other restaurants in Bratislava (that looked way better). My companion wanted to leave the restaurant again, but once again, I convinced her to stay with me!

Time to order and eat in Los Mexikas

After a while, we ordered our food, and it was quickly served. I don’t like to be negative, but to be honest, the taste in my mouth felt somewhat similar to the quality of the pictures of the food on the outside… I like Mexican food, and I want to be as positive as possible at all times, but this was food that was hard to like and to enjoy.

The picture above might look okay, but the taste wasn’t at all as good as what it looks like on the picture. I am not sure what was missing, but it simply wasn’t a tasty and good experience.

After eating parts of our food we asked for the bill, paid, and left. Considering the fact you can get high-quality food for the same price elsewhere in Bratislava makes me say that I would never return to waste money in Los Mexikas again. Maybe we were unlucky? I don’t know. All I know is that I had to say sorry to my companion as we left, and she could smile at me and say “I told you so!”

Your thoughts of Los Mexikas?

Have you been to Los Mexikas in Bratislava? How did you enjoy the meal? Were we unlucky, or did you have a similar experience as we did? I would love to hear your thoughts about Los Mexikas!

Visit the Devin Castle in Bratislava

Posted on September 13, 2018October 17, 2022 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).

Come to the Christmas markets in Bratislava in 2018

Posted on August 31, 2018 by Bratislava Guide

Are you still thinking about which city to visit for some Christmas market shopping in 2018? Why not do something un-traditional and visit Bratislava?

Bratislava is a quite small city with a population of approximately 500,000 people. You can easily feel this when you visit the city, as the inner city is quite small and easy to discover. This is what Thomas tells about in the story of his day-trip to Bratislava as well. But, the fact that the inner city is small, doesn’t make it boring. There are plenty of things to see and discover while in town, and it is perfect if you want to visit the different Christmas markets only by walking a few hundred meters.

There are several smaller markets here and there in Bratislava, but the two main markets can be found at the cities main square, and at the Hviezdoslav square. These can be found very close to one another, making it very easy to walk between them.

The market on the main square has beautiful lights and the famous Maximillian fountain in the middle. The market at the Hviezdoslav square is much bigger (due to the size of the square). Here you can also find an ice skating rink for kids, and if you want to live in the heart of the city, the Radisson Carlton hotel at this square can be warmly recommended.

What are the Christmas market dates in Bratislava in 2018?

Are you unpatiently waiting for us to reveal the Christmas market dates in Bratislava in 2018? The markets will open two weeks after the opening in Budapest, and one week later than the first markets in Vienna. That is, they will open on November 24th, and they will remain open until December 22nd.

Christmas market dates 2018: November 24 – December 22nd

If you want to read more about the different Christmas markets in Bratislava, check this article.

If you have any comment or questions, use the comment field!

Going to the Christmas markets in Bratislava? Read this first!

Posted on October 20, 2017October 20, 2017 by Bratislava Guide

Are you going to the Christmas markets in Bratislava? Are you looking forward to it? You should! But, before you go, read this article to enjoy the Christmas markets to the max!

The annual Christmas markets in Bratislava brings tens of thousands of tourists to the town and lots of locals to the city center of Bratislava. These markets will give you the chance to experience the local culture and buy lots of products you will not find in regular stores. So if you want to enjoy your stay in Bratislava, use five minutes to read this article. It will help you in your preparation, and it will also share some insight that will help you return home with cool experiences you will remember for a long time.

Christmas market advice

Come with an open mind

Do not travel to the Christmas markets in Bratislava and think that you are only going to eat food that you like and know. Come with an open mind, and prepare yourself for new tastes! Half the fun in visiting Bratislava and the Christmas markets is experiencing things you haven’t experienced before, and tasting stuff you haven’t tasted before. Do not be afraid of tasting something that you will not like, rather be afraid of missing out on something that you might like.

Come with warm clothes

Do not only arrive with an open mind but bring some warm clothes in your suitcase. You might drink a whole lot of hot wine, and it will for sure help you stay warm, but some warm clothes will prove themselves even more useful. During the daytime, you will often experience beautiful sunshine and quite nice temperatures, but as soon as the sun goes to bed or hides behind some buildings, the temperature will decrease, and you will get cold. The best way of avoiding that is, of course, bringing warm clothes, warm shoes and whatever you need to keep warm.

Live in the city center

Would you like to live in the very heart of Bratislava? Would you like to leave the hotel and be by the biggest Christmas market in Bratislava at once? If your answer is yes, then you should stay at Radisson SAS Carlton in Bratislava. This is the most central hotel in Bratislava. It might be more expensive than other hotels, but you will save a lot of time living in a hotel as central as this one. If you want to live at a cheaper hotel, but still in the center of Bratislava, we can warmly recommend Hotel Michalska or Hotel Arcadia.

Why is it important to live in the city center? You will save a lot of time. It is also very convenient because you do not have to bring all sorts of clothes with you out all the time. If you start freezing, return to your hotel room and put on extra clothes. If you get too hot, leave the clothes in your hotel room and come back for them whenever you need them. If you live outside the city center you will use money on cabs and public transportation, and of course spend lots of time traveling/walking, so all in all, we believe you will do better simply booking a central hotel in Bratislava instead.

Plan your programs already

Have you read about a Bratislava restaurant that you for sure want to visit? Do not forget to book a table in advance. You might think that it is easy just to drop by, but in December both locals and tourists visit their favorite restaurants in Bratislava, and it can often happen that a restaurant is fully booked. It is important to remember that lots of companies also have their “Christmas celebrations” in December, and thus they go out to eat with all their employees. This, combined with lots of tourists, will cause restaurants to be fully booked/reserved. So, go ahead and book your table in advance, at least if it is important for you to visit a certain restaurant.

Are there other programs you want to take part in? Book them as early as possible!

Visit Vienna or Budapest

If you come to Bratislava and have some time left, why not make a day trip to Bratislava or Budapest, or maybe even Prague? Vienna is the most accessible city to visit as it can be reached in less than one hour from Bratislava. Budapest and Prague are a bit further away, but if you have a private driver, these are both destinations easy to visit on a day-trip from Bratislava. If you have 3-4 days in Bratislava, you might feel as if you have discovered the essential places and Christmas markets after the first two days. In such cases, a day-trip to one of the mentioned cities might be a great program. It should also be mentioned that these cities all have fantastic Christmas markets!

Get some cash from an ATM

If you come from a nation with Euro this should be no problem. But, if you visit Bratislava for the Christmas markets and do not have any Euro’s in your wallet, you should get some. You can pay with your card in most stores in Bratislava, but at the Christmas markets, you will normally have to pay with cash. For that reason, get hold of some cash, and the best way to get some Euro is by using an ATM.

Bring a large suitcase

It is much funnier to visit the Christmas markets in Bratislava if you have a large suitcase in which you can bring extra stuff with you home. If you come with hand-luggage only, you will visit the markets and know that “I cannot bring anything with me home anyway.” That is a boring mentality, and it is much cooler if you discover Bratislava and the Christmas markets knowing that anything is possible, and you look for great products to bring with you home.

Check out the Christmas market dates

The dates for the Christmas markets in Bratislava differ from year to year. Make sure to check them out, so that you will not arrive too early, or too late. You can read more about the Christmas markets in Bratislava (including dates) in the linked article.

What is your Bratislava Christmas market advice?

Have you got any advice that you would like to share with our readers? Have you got a question about the Christmas markets in Bratislava? Use the comment field beneath and let us hear!

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!

Andrea Bocelli concert on November 19th

Posted on June 28, 2017 by Bratislava Guide

The 19th of November in 2017 Andrea Bocelli will come to perform in Bratislava. This is a part of his 2017 tour, and we look forward to it!

If you come to Bratislava for the Andrea Bocelli concert on November 19th, you might get a big and positive surprise in addition. It is not something that will happen during the concert, but before and after you might be able to enjoy the fantastic annual Christmas markets in the city center of Bratislava. Those are a real treat with local products and much better prices than the similar markets in Budapest and Vienna, making it a great experience. We do not know the dates for this years Christmas markets yet, but hopefully it will open by the time Andrea Bocelli comes to town.

Andrea Bocelli will visit lots of cities in Europe in 2017. But, he is not touring in the same tempo as other stars. When he comes to Bratislava on November 19th, his last concert was in Prague 8 days earlier. When he leaves Bratislava he has six days to relax before entering the stage in Budapest on November 25th. If you want to listen to the beautiful voice of Andrea Bocelli, buy your tickets using the Viagogo link beneath.

Andrea Bocelli Bratislava 2017

Ondrej Nepala
November 19th, 19:30

Tickets: Viagogo

You can find more information about the different activities in Bratislava here in our Bratislava Guide. We will hopefully publish articles on the upcoming Christmas markets in Bratislava as well within shortly, so keep coming back for updated information.

Can I visit Prague on a day-trip from Bratislava?

Posted on May 29, 2017September 13, 2018 by Bratislava Guide

Are you bored in the capital of Slovakia and look for options for day excursions from Bratislava. Are you considering a day-trip to Prague from Bratislava?

Most travelers would agree that Prague has lots more attractions and famous sights to offer its visitors than Bratislava. For that reason, most people have already been to Prague, but they have yet to discover the beauties of Bratislava. But, if you still come to Bratislava and would like to do a day trip to Prague, then it can be done quite easily.

There are bus companies operating buses between Bratislava and Prague, for example, Orangeways and Flixbus. You can do a quick Google search for those companies to book your tickets right away. There is, however, better options, and the best option is for sure your own private car. If you use a bus you will have to use time getting to the bus station in Bratislava first, then you need to get from the bus station in Prague to the city center, and as you leave Prague in the evening you will have to repeat those actions again. For that reason, a private driver or your own private car is far more convenient.

Driving from Bratislava to Prague

The distance between Bratislava and Prague is 328km. Almost the entire road is done on highways, and the quickest route passes by the city of Brno, another Slovakian city you might consider to visit. According to Google Maps, the travel time from Bratislava to Prague with your own car should be a bit more than 3 hours, without stops. If you want to stop and have something to eat along the way, then the travel time will, of course, be even longer.

You should of course not forget that when you actually arrive in Prague you will also need to find a place to park your car, and often you spend a long time doing so (unless you have planned where to park your car in Prague), so our recommendation is that you plan this beforehand in order to save time and get the most out of your day in Prague.

Visit the Prague Christmas market on a day trip from Bratislava – Source: Fotolia

What to do in Prague on a day trip?

You will find lots of advises concerning your day trip to Prague in the Prague Guide. There you can also check the list of what’s on in Prague, in case you would like to travel to Prague to check out a concert, a festival or some other cool program.

Our general suggestions for a day in Prague would include walking across the Charles Bridge, visit the Old Town square, eating a Czech Goulash and taste some local beer, and maybe do a river cruise on the Vltava River.

We hope this information will help you out. If you have further questions or comments, just use the comment field beneath.

Can I watch Slovakian football on Fubo TV?

Posted on February 28, 2017 by Bratislava Guide

I have heard lots of great stuff about the Fubo TV streaming service. Is it possible to stream Slovakian football there as well?

Unfortunately the Slovakian club football is quite poor, at least at the moment. Slovan Bratislava is one of the best teams in the nation, but they are still not good enough to perform well at an international level. They have been close to qualify for the Europe League/Champions League a couple of times, but unfortunately things always end up wrong in the last match (or second last), and thus there is little to rejoice in for fans of Slovakian football on the international club level. But, luckily the national is doing much better, and Slovakia has some fantastic football players active in some of the best leagues in Europe.

But, when it comes to streaming Slovakian fotball on Fubo TV the answer is no. It can unfortunately not be done, but there is still so much football to watch on Fubo TV, that you might not even miss the Slovakian football. Since February 2017 you can stream the top leagues and tournaments in Europe on Fubo TV. If you want to know more about Fubo TV, then you can read the following Fubo TV review for screenshots, general information, price information and much more.

Since Fubo TV broadcast both Europe League and Champions League we have a hope that in the near future you can watch some Slovakian teams on Fubo TV as well.

What’s up with Slovan Bratislava?

If you take a look at the standings for the Slovak Super Liga at the moment you might be surprised to find out that Slovan Bratislava is only located on the second spot, and quite far behind the leading team which is Zilina. That teams origins from the city of Zilina which is about 200km from Bratislava, and not so far from the Polish border and a city like Krakow.

There are still some matches left, but we have our doubts about Slovan Bratislava being able to catch up on Zilina. What do you think?

Free shipping from Amazon.de to Slovakia!

Posted on November 28, 2016 by Bratislava Guide

Would you like to order a product from Amazon.de to Slovakia? Live in Bratislava and want to buy on German Amazon? You can now get free shipping as you order!

In the middle of November 2016 it was announced that Amazon.de now offer free shipping on orders of 39 Euro or more to nations such as Slovakia, Hungary and the Czech Republic. It is a requirement that you order has to extend 39 Euro, but this principle is also used by companies in Slovakia, so that is not strange. You should however pay attention to the fact that this free shipping only works for orders that are shipped by Amazon.de.

If you visit Amazon.de and find a product that you like, then you must look for the following sentence: “Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.”

If the product is dispatched by some other company then it will not be available with the free shipping. But, most products on Amazon.de are dispatched by Amazon.de as well, but keep this in mind.

order-from-amazon-germany-to-slovakia-for-free — Now you can have your orders shipped for free from Amazon.de to Slovakia

Order from Amazon.de in English

The German language is a nice one, but most people in Slovakia rather prefer to speak and read English. That is why it is a brilliant upgrade as Amazon.de can now be reached in English as well. You can read more about how you can visit Amazon.de in English in this article, or you can press the link beneath to visit Amazon.de in English directly.

Visit Amazon.de in English

Are you ready to do some shopping? We have personally tried this and it works fantastic. And the fact that you get free shipping on orders exceeding 39 Euro makes it even better than it has ever been. In fact it makes it much cheaper than lots of local stores in Slovakia and in Bratislava, so make sure to compare prices with the German Amazon store before you go ahead and purchase something from a local store in Bratislava.

We are writing this article on Cyber Monday and today there are lots of special deals available on Amazon.de as well. There have been major discounts available throughout Black Friday, but they are soon to stop as Cyber Monday comes to an end. But, check the Amazon Store in Germany to see if they have any discounts available that will be of interest to you!