Three Capitals on the Danube: 2/3 Bratislava

after visiting beautiful Vienna, here we are in the Slovak capital. We transfer by Eurolines bus from Vienna's Sudbahnhof station to Bratislava station, which is in the eastern part of the city.. but really just a stone's throw from the centre; in fact at first glance the city may seem big, but actually its old town is truly tiny, and it's obviously easy to get around on foot, since there's no metro, and taking the bus seems quite risky unless you know Slovak very well, since few people speak English.. but unless you're a lazybones, it's the right city for a nice wander through the many alleys of the centre! The old town is a succession of alleys and small streets leading from the main square (Hlavné námestie) to all the main attractions, first and foremost the castle, which is easily visible from its lofty position, dominating the city and overlooking the Danube...

very pretty, especially at night when it's lit up! Worth seeing are St. Martin's Cathedral, the museum and national gallery, the Church of St. Elizabeth (also known as the Blue Church, a gem), the new UFO bridge, and the many statues around the main square, very charming! Bratislava is a small city in the making; the gap with the more famous cities of Eastern Europe is still wide, but it's the typical detour to make if you're visiting Vienna, and a day is well spent, since you can see all the main attractions and a reality completely different from the Austrian capital.