International Destinations

Bratislava – hidden treasure In Central Europe

By Nicholas Spillios

Photo by Wikipedia Commons

It couldn’t be helped. There he was, The Peeper, smiling nonchalantly at passersby from a manhole on one of the main streets of the Old Town in Bratislava. And I had stepped on him!

It is acknowledged that he is the favourite of the city’s statues, embedded as he is into the cobblestones, exposed to all. The townsfolk apparently have several stories associated with “the Peeper,” including that a pat on his head will bring you good luck at the nearby casino.

Seniors should really watch where they’re walking in foreign countries, particularly yours truly.

Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, proved to be one of the delights of a recent tour my wife Charlotte and I took of Central Europe.

The city is situated on the Danube River in the southwestern part of the country on the Danube River, bordering on Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland, and is less than 60 kilometres from Vienna.

Its success in moving from stagnation under the former Communist regime state to strong economic growth was evident as we moved around the thriving town.

Bratislava’s population – about 430,000 – includes a great number of young people, as it boasts five state universities.

The reason we loved Bratislava was the charming Old Town, which is where everything of interest to visitors is located. Clean, quiet and leisurely, it reminded me of the German university town Heidelberg.

Its streets, although cobblestoned, were easy to manage for seniors, in contrast to those of other cities in this part of the world, including Prague where they are truly an obstacle course.

Entry to the Old Town is through St. Michael’s Gate, with its onion dome and St. Michael perched on top of a steeple. Immediately within are a number of outdoor cafes and galleries. There is a striking lack of noise as few cars are to be found on the main street, which requires a special permit.

Several landmarks are to be found, including statues of Hans Christian Anderson depicting his tale of “The Emperor’s New Clothes” and at least one of Napoleon indicating his influence on the town.

A Holocaust Memorial commemorating the deportation of Jews during the war was pointed out by our guide. We were reminder that Slovakia was allied with Nazi Germany in World War II.

St. Martin’s Cathedral is a historic church located on the Danube and noted as site of the coronation of several Hungarian kings and queens. Difficult as it may be to believe, despite Bratislava’s smallness, it was once the capital of Hungary. Consequently, a stop here is recommended before moving on to other busier urban centres, including Vienna and Prague.

We also saw an impressive Gothic church with a side entrance, as well as the narrowest house in the town, sandwiched between two imposing buildings.

Art lovers may be interested to know that an Andy Warhol design was noted on at least one café window, the artists’ parents having come from here.

Bratislava offers a pleasant break from the rush to be found in other cities of Central Europe. It is well worth a visit during a tour of more hectic tourist stops.