E-Travel Slovakia created and managed a 3-night/4-day travel itinerary for a group of Spanish clients in April 2023, to Bratislava, the Slovakian capital lying on the border of Austria. This makes it an excellent starting point for exciting day trips. Bratislava, also known as “Beauty on the Danube” is easily reachable from the airport (20 mins) or even from Vienna airport (1 hour).

Arrival day:  Our experienced local guide took the guests on a walking tour to discover the thousand-year-old city of Bratislava, which was once the Hungarian capital for 200 years. Highlights included visiting Bratislava Castle, Main Square, St Michael’s Gate (a medieval fortification) and a fun Slovakian craft beer tasting. The welcome dinner was enjoyed at the traditional old Bratislava Café.

Day 2: Taking advantage of the close proximity between Bratislava and Vienna, our guests enjoyed a full-day tour of the city of Vienna in Austria. Enjoying stunning views of its iconic landmarks such as St Stephen’s Cathedral, Vienna Old Town architecture, with the highlight being an audio-guided tour of Schönbrunn Palace and a walk through its beautiful garden park.

Day 3: Charming day trip to North Slovakia, rated by the clients as the best experience of their stay. We visited the picturesque countryside village of Cicmany with its wooden-painted houses and saw the famous 8.5 x 3-meter Wooden Créche, carved by Jozef Pekara, depicting the daily life and local customs of the Slovak people. Lunch of pierogi and goulash soup was enjoyed in the beautiful city of Zelina set on the Váh River. In the afternoon, we visited the splendid Vratna Valley with a ride on the funicular to Snilovske Peak, which offers breathtaking views of the Small Fatra National Park mountain range. The day ended with a visit to Salas Syrex and an enjoyable workshop on producing Slovakian traditional cheeses.

Departure day: Transfer by luxury coach to the airport. Those with later flights were offered the optional excursions of visiting a local chocolatery, Devin Castle, or the Pandorf Outlet Factory.

Travel tips:

• Make time to add a wine tour of the Small Carpathian Wine Region, where you will learn about local wines, handicrafts and Slovak traditions.
• Upgrade your transfer between Bratislava and Vienna and take the scenic and fast Twin City Liner catamaran ferry that takes 75 minutes (instead of the luxury coach).