Valentine's Day in Slovakia
For Valentine's Day this year, we made a trip back to Slovakia to re-visit Bratislava, after our September 2024 visit resulted in a washout, with terrible floods across the region, and torrential rain. We rebooked the same hotel, but this time the skies stayed blue and we could explore the city on foot, without any umbrellas in sight.
We revisited the Hotel Matysak for two nights, and booked dinner each night to experience their new Slovak menu - it was an amazing experience, especially as I got to swipe the top clean off a bottle of bubbly, with a rather large sword. Staying just outside the main areas of the town, at the Hotel Matysak, meant we were in a great position to get out and about and wander around the lanes.
Brunch cocktails at the top of the UFO tower were followed by lunch at Soup Culture - where they make amazing edible cups and fill them with the most delicious freshly made soups. The choices include vegan and gluten-free so everyone can enjoy the soups.
Having visited the Nivy Centrum in 2024, we went back to play another round of games at DIVR Labs, because we can't get enough of fighting zombies! The Nivy Centrum also hosts an amazing gluten-free bakery with the majority of the items dairy-free or lactose-free. Getting around on foot is easy, and so is ordering a BOLT. When we wanted to speed across town, we used the BOLT app and were picked up in minutes. Trams in the area are also an excellent choice and a cost-effective way to get around.
Last time we missed visiting the Transport Museum even though it was across the street from the hotel. We wrongly thought it wasn't worth the dash in the rain, just to look at a collection of old vehicles. This visit proved us wrong and we spent a good hour or so walking around the museum, reading about the transport links and looking at many different vehicles, including trains, buses, cars, motorbikes, and bicycles from generations before our time.
Bratislava may not be the first choice for Valentine's Escapes but it definitely should be on your bucket-list of places to visit - even if you only go for the soup.