Bratislava: hrad, pivo a viac

 FRIDAY

Bratislava is one of my favorite city in Central Europe where some of my close friends live too. I started to know this city 6 years ago and then I keep coming at least once a year.. I missed last year so I said lets go back and meet my friends there.. spring just started but Bratislava kept in my mind uhm winter is still here so I just felt the difference when we landed from Rome..

Bratislava castle

I moved quickly to meet my friend at her job then after a nice chat in front of an cup of hot chocolate we went to her house in a district new for me but very nice: Koliba.

Koliba is situated on the foothills of the Little Carpathians and is part of the Bratislava Forest Park.

I always like to discover new corner and Koliba is very nice area where you can start nice trekking and its just 5-10 minutes to the old town by trolley-bus. My friend lives in a cute house with other 5 people coming from US, Germany, Belgium and Slovakia too wow nice combination and good start for an international dinner with other friends coming to meet me.

Koliba

Dinner was very yummy and I cooked bucatini all'amatriciana and I brought olive and cremini, specialities from my home town. Funny was the making of 2 desserts during the evening before people came. My sweet friend Vero just finished the two cakes and left them in the nearby room while we were keeping to cook in the kitchen but we heard some weird noise from other room: well lovely dog called by me Dario just ate half of both two cakes lol so we just managed to put the other two halves together to keep at least one.. Meanwhile Ivana was making a salad and a german couple competed with me making a vegan pizza ;).

Meal was enough for everyone and I convinced the vegan couple to have some pasta with bacon :))..Other roomate welcome me with some shot of hruškovica and we ended up the night  in a cosy pub U Dezmara in old town.

Brati and Danube by night

SATURDAY

After a yummy breakfast, we decided a meet up after 11 at Trhovisko nearby old town and reachable by bus or tram. This open-air market typically sells a mixture of products direct from local farms and orchards, herbs, cut flowers, bread, mushrooms, pickled goods like gherkins and peppers, and local cheese and dairy products. There are also small shops selling inexpensive clothing, stationery and wine, as well as cafes and pubs, clustered around them. Main idea was to taste some cheap food and very cheap wine in many pubs you can find all around. I really loved the atmosphere and people I met as it seemed to me life was back to 20-30 years ago. I had a  typical lokše while my friends had langoš and well some glasses of local wine too

Trhovisko

After a fast lunch in a peruvian restaurant called Casa Inka, I had to meet an italian friend coming to Bratislava for the first time so I was her private guide to discover old town. You can move easily in old town and everything is close by. Our first stop was in the main square Hlavne namestie where colorful buildings reminiscent of the baroque and renaissance era fill the perimeters. The Old Town Hall and the Roland Fountain also are nice spots to have a look.

Hlavne namestie

We had a little detour to see Opera House with a coffee break before moving along Danube and have a look at new Apollo Bridge and from far at the Bratislava castle. If you have time go up the castle on foot or by bus and from the castle windows, 3 countries come to view - Slovakia, Austria, and if weather is clear, Hungary. So we just passed by and have a stop at St. Martin's  cathedral. From there we moved around old streets till the famous Micheal's gate: this area is full of restaurants, clubs and café bar mostly attended by tourists. Going through the gate we ended up our fast tour at Presidential Palace and in the same square you can visit summer archbishop's palace.

Micheal's gate

After some relax, it was right time to visit a local restaurant with cheap prices and good food but away from touristic routes. Just take tram 9 or 14 and get off Herlianska stop then walk till U Deda restaurant . Here first I had a glass of my favorite slovak drink Kofola then I ate a typical slovak dish bryndzové halušky, potato dumplings with Bryndza ( a soft crumbly sheep cheese). It was curious to have a dessert maková štrúdľa, a strudel with poppy seeds and have a look at it ;)

maková štrúdľa

The night was the main event of my weekend in Bratislava, common friends had an idea of an ugly sweater party at 4 you wine bar. Lots of people gathering there to have fun and taste some local pivo (beer): people from all over the world coming  from near Vienna too just for this. Night is along so we kept having fun at another bar called Goblins where it was time to catch last night bus to go home ;)

Ugly Sweater party

SUNDAY

Sunday is the day of rest and it was like this, pity I didn't know it was the weekend of bratislava marathon so next year maybe I can run at least half marathon as included in the program or marathon relay with other three friends. Nice idea to end this awesome weekend was a brunch at Hugo's place. I cooked my last olives and I brought small spicy salami and yummy smoked scamorza (italian cheese). We also had lovely pasta cooked by Hugo and an omelette by Ivana and we tasted cocido mate too and colomba, italian traditional easter cake. 

smoked scamorza and little spicy salami

Time to say bye and hug my friends and luckily find a lift to airport.. Ahoj Brati and just a little tip if you have time go to visit Devin Castle nice place nearby Bratislava good for picnic too in spring and summer time so go and try :)))