Bratislava deserves a second visit

I start with a confession: the first time I visited Bratislava I did not like it. It was in 2010 after visiting Vienna and Budapest. Therefore, I did not plan to revisit the city again. A friend of mine convinced me to give it a second chance. I went back in 2014 and I am glad I did. In my opinion, as long as you don't try to compare Bratislava with Vienna, Budapest or Prague, you will have better appreciation for the city. Bratislava is small, it does not have the overwhelming opulence of its bigger "sisters" but it makes a great daytrip destination and if by chance you need to take a flight from there do not hesitate to spend sometime wandering in the city. 

The main attraction of Bratislava is the old town. It is small, clean and beautiful. Prices in the old town are higher than in the rest of Bratislava, so it would be a good idea to venture outside the old town for lunch break. I found some interesting gargoyles "observing visitors" from the roof of the houses. On the edge of the old town, there is Bratislava's cathedral (St Martin's). The cathedral is beautifully decorated, it has an interesting treasure and  the choir has many creepy"monsters." You can also visit the church's  catacombs which is quite an experience, specially for the eerie feeling that you will have there.

He was watching me the whole time

The cathedral is next to a highway

This little fella is waiting for you inside the church with all his friends

There is a castle relatively close to the cathedral where apparently visitors could take good pictures of Bratislava;  however the tourist information desk was not to much enthusiastic about this attraction. In addition to the cathedral there were other churches that were worth visiting but the Blue church deserves a special mention. This secessionist building is at walking distance from the old town. The blue church is small and quite extravagant, it reminds me of the modernist buildings in Barcelona.

In addition to the churches, there is the Danubiana, museum of modern art, in the outskirts of the city. Unfortunately when I was in Bratislava the museum was closed. Apparently it has reopened recently. You could go by bus or by boat like the Tate Modern in England. A good  choice for lunch is the Pivoraská Restaurant. It is gastropub relatively close to the city center that offer good beer and local specialties (warning: a paradise for meat lovers). The Hungarian bakery franchise Fornetti is present in the city, it is very cheap and its turnovers are delicious.

If you take the train from Vienna to Bratislava, the train ticket includes the use of all public transportation in Bratislava for that day. I recommend to spend one morning or afternoon in Bratislava unless you visit the Danubiana museum or you take an early flight from Bratislava Airport, then you could stay a little bit longer (maximum one full day). Beware, that the bus that goes from the downtown to the airport is sometimes crowded. It is a good idea to go with extra time to the airport despite the fact that it is relatively close.

Bratislava is a small pleasant city with a lot of potential. It feels that the city is trying to find its niche. I believe it is the right track.