Bratislava Old Town (Self Guided), Bratislava

The cityscape of Bratislava is characterized by medieval and other ancient buildings, the lion's share of which are concentrated in the Old Town. The special charm of the city's old quarter never ceases to amaze and is bound to leave anyone absolutely dazzled with its beauty.

The Old Town is indeed Bratislava's historic center, and as such, houses many historic monuments and cultural institutions. Among them: Bratislava's Town Hall – a complex of three buildings erected in the 14th–15th centuries, now hosting the Bratislava City Museum; the Old Slovak National Theater – an 1880s' Neo-Renaissance home to the national drama, opera and ballet troupes; Michael's Gate – the only surviving gate from the city's medieval fortifications, built around 1300; and many more.

The historic center is also rich in Baroque palaces, such as the Primate's Palace, in which in 1805, diplomats of emperors Napoleon and Francis II signed the fourth Peace of Pressburg, after Napoleon's victory in the Battle of Austerlitz.

Other historically or otherwise important sights include:

Hlavne Namestie (Main Square) – the centuries-old hub of the city, replete with numerous landmarks.

Napoleon's Army Soldier Statue – commemorating the two occasions on which Napoleonic army entered the city in the 1800s; one of the most popular photo spots in Bratislava.

Schone Naci (Beautiful Ignaz) – the bronze statue of an eccentric individual who once roamed the streets of Bratislava in the early 20th century.

Cumil Statue – a lovely kind of “Man at Work” statue, adored by children.

Leopold de Pauli’s Palace – a historical edifice in which both Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ferenz Liszt once performed.

Being so compact, Bratislava's Old Town is easy to explore on foot. For a truly enjoyable full- or half-day walk around the area with a culturally-enriching Slovakian experience, take this self-guided tour.

Image Courtesy of Flickr and Jorge Láscar.

How it works: Download the app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store to your mobile phone or tablet. The app turns your mobile device into a personal tour guide and its built-in GPS navigation functions guide you from one tour stop to next. The app works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Create Your Own Self-Guided Walks in Bratislava

Map Instructions: (1) Click the "Nearby Sights" button to view the nearby attractions; (2) click a map pin to see sight information.

Guide Name: Bratislava Old Town
Guide Location: Slovakia » Bratislava (See other walking tours in Bratislava)
Guide Type: Self-guided Walking Tour (Sightseeing)
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.2 Km or 0.7 Miles

Sights Featured in This Walk

WalkBuilder (customize this walk)

Use the WalkBuilder tool below to customize this walk to suit your interests. Instructions: click

at the upper right corner in the map above to view other sights in the city. To learn more about a sight, click a map pin. Click the “+” or “–” to add or remove a sight from the walk. To reorder the selected sights, simply drag and move them up or down the list in the left column.

Click here to view route map

Enter a name for your custom walk, along with your email address, in the fields below. You will receive the instructions for retrieving your custom walk in the GPSmyCity app by email. The GPSmyCity app offers turn-by-turn travel directions to guide you from one attraction to the next.
Walk Name*:
Email*:

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I access my walking tour in Bratislava?
Save your walking tour on the website. Then download the GPSmyCity app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and sign in to your GPSmyCity account. Next, download “Bratislava Map and Walking Tours” within the app. Your walk will appear on the Walks screen.

2. How do I view other attractions in Bratislava?
At the upper-right corner of the map above, click the “Nearby Sights” button to show or hide other sights in the city. Click a map pin to view details about a sight. To add a sight to your walk, find it in the right column of the WalkBuilder tool above and click the “+” button next to it.

3. How do I re-arrange the sight order?
In the left column of the WalkBuilder tool, drag a sight to move it up or down the list. Then click “Click here to view route map”. Repeat this process until the route meets your needs.

4. Can I add my hotel to a walking tour?
Yes. You can add your hotel as the starting point, the ending point, or both (creating a loop route). This feature is currently available only in the GPSmyCity app.

5. Can I add my own sights to a walking tour?
Yes. You can add sightss that are not in our database and include them in your walk. To do so, sign in to your GPSmyCity account on the website or use the GPSmyCity app.

6. How many sights can be included in a walking tour?
For technical reasons, the number of sights in a walking tour is currently capped at 20. This limit may be increased over time.

Walking Tours in Bratislava, Slovakia

Create Your Own Walk in Bratislava

Creating your own self-guided walk in Bratislava is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

Bratislava Architectural Jewels

For centuries, Bratislava has been influenced by European art, culture, and architecture. The juxtaposition of styles here creates a captivating fabric where centuries-old Gothic and Baroque structures harmonize with sleek, modern designs.

The majestic Bratislava Castle, perched on a hill overlooking the Danube River since the 9th century, has seen many renovations over the years. Today, it... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.5 Km or 2.2 Miles

Bratislava Introduction Walking Tour

The capital of Slovakia, Bratislava, is a lovely city straddling the river Danube near the convergence of the Austrian and Hungarian borders. Such closeness had its toll on the city's long and often tumultuous history, in which the Austrians, Croats, Czechs, Germans, Hungarians, Jews, Serbs and Slovaks played their role.

Formerly part of the Hungarian Kingdom, from 1536 to 1783 it was the... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.4 Km or 2.1 Miles

Historical Churches

Although somewhat modest in terms of sights, compared to the neighboring Vienna or Prague, the capital of Slovakia, Bratislava, does have a collection of historical churches that may be of interest to lovers of religious architecture.

Perhaps one of the most prominent landmarks in this area is Saint Martin's Cathedral. Dating back to the mid-15th century, this Gothic-style temple with a... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles