Bratislava - Girls on Tour February 2020

16/2/20 Due to an early flight on Monday we decided to book a hotel at Stansted Airport for the night before. Days Inn Stansted is at the services and was basic, but adequate for our needs. We ate in the Ramada next door, for convenience, which is not to be recommended. One of our meals arrived 15 minutes after the others and two had to be sent back because they were cold. However, we did manage to get our wine for free after complaining so all was not lost.

17/2/20 Early start as flight at 7.45am. Very efficient Ryanair flight and we arrived in Bratislava just under 2 hours later. Our taxi was waiting for us, so at our apartment before lunchtime. Lovely spacious apartment with views over the city. After unpacking we headed out to explore. Fabulous weather for February we needed our sunglasses! We walked to the SNP bridge over the Danube and went up the UFO tower. Fantastic views over the city from the top and a quick drink in the very swanky bar, taking in the views. Even the toilets had a view over the city with a frosted glass panel protecting your modesty. After a stroll along the Danube we crossed the bridge and found a lovely restaurant for lunch. We all had soup and crusty bread which was scrummy and a bargain at just €10 euros each with drinks. We then strolled to the iconic blue church and back through the old town to the apartment for a chill before going out in the evening. Later we had dinner at Nobile Restaurant which was a Georgian restaurant just a few meters from our apartment. The food was fantastic and very reasonable for the quality and ambience. We had our first taste of Slovakian wine which was excellent. Nightcap in an overpriced bar in the alleyway behind our apartment before retiring to our comfy beds.

18/2/20 After a stroll around the pedestrianised old town taking in the sights, we decided to take a city tour on the vintage bus. At just €20 each for 1 1/2 hours it was excellent value for money. At 1pm we had booked a wine tasting tour with Taste Bratislava. Our guide Daniela was amazing, we tasted 6 different wines in a lovely wine cellar opposite the Blue Church. Slovak wine really is excellent and we purchased a few bottles to drink in the apartment. We then walked back through the old town and sampled blackberry wine with traditional pastries. Our final stop was to sample honey and mead. The wine tasting tour is highly recommended and lasted about 2 1/2 hours; at €39 each, good value considering we were well fed too. Back to the apartment to chill and sober up before dinner. Dinner was at Thema, where we had lunch yesterday and was excellent. Night cap of Slovak brandy in a dog bar which was enough to put hairs on your chest!

19/2/20 Trip to Vienna today, only 1 hour by train and at just 14 euros return, good value. We took a hop on hop off bus tour of Vienna and were a bit underwhelmed. Actually really glad we chose to stay in Bratislava instead. Vienna is a very large sprawling city, some lovely grand architecture, but not as compact and cute as Bratislava. Also a lot more expensive! But we did manage to sample Viennese coffee and drink a bottle of prosecco in an Irish bar. Back in Bratislava we went to Zylinder for dinner which was conveniently located next to our apartment, handy as it was raining!

20/2/20 Last full day in Bratislava. We started the day with a walk around St Michael’s cathedral and as is tradition I lit a candle. We then walked up the very steep hill to Bratislava Castle. The castle has been extensively restored and renovated so feels quite modern. Interesting museum of the Czechoslovakian Velvet Revolution. All the more pertinent as we all remember the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the subsequent revolutionary changes in Eastern Europe. Strange to think that back then Slovakia didn’t exist, it came into existence 1/1/93, joining the EU in 2004 and the euro zone in 2009. In the afternoon Karen and I went to the spa at Hotel Nivy, whilst Ann and Chris hit the shops. Hotel Nivy is a very weird communist era hotel, but the spa complex was great with a hydra therapy pool and whirl pools alongside a large swimming pool and at only €5 for 1 1/2 hours great value. We then had a quick lunch, before meeting Ann and Chris in a wine bar in the main square. Afterwards we headed up to the sky bar opposite our apartment for rooftop views over the city and excellent cocktails. The cocktails were so good we had another and then decided to go straight for dinner at Korzo. Final nightcap at Weird Flowers before retiring to pack and have an early night.

21/2/20 Our flight home was at 11am, so up and out. We took an Uber back to the airport. Bratislava airport is very small, so was very easy to navigate and quick to pass security. Only issue, is that I doubt we would choose to fly from Stansted again as it is not the easiest airport to get to for us. Took 2 hours to drive back to Nuneaton, but Chris and Karen then had a horrendous journey back up the the M6 to Congleton and Wrexham.