When you think of Christmas in Europe, Bratislava is probably not the first city that comes to mind. However, located in eastern Europe, the city has learned a few things from their neighbors in Austria and Hungary. The Bratislava Christmas Market feels cozy and festive with excellent food and treats. Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia with just over 400,000 people living in the city. In comparison to surrounding capitals, it’s a pretty small city. While it’s smaller, there are still a few markets in the city making Bratislava a great stop on your winter holiday in Europe.
Max and I visited the market in 2019 and loved the atmosphere. We were traveling full time at the time so leisurely explored the city. With 4 days in town, we spent quite a bit of time at the market! The main market takes place in the Old Town transforming the Old Town into a wintry dream. The markets are filled with small wooden booths decorated to the brim with candy cane colored roofs. There are holiday performances throughout the majority of the season bringing the town to life. The evenings are beautiful with lights strung across trees and buildings everywhere in the city.
While the Bratislava markets haven’t quite gained the recognition cities like Vienna and Budapest have, it’s a wonderful market to visit! It’s still relatively busy but feels less touristy than traditional markets. Below I’ll go through everything you need to know to plan your trip to Bratislava this holiday season.
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GETTING THERE
Located in eastern Europe, Bratislava is less than 4 hours from major cities including Vienna, Budapest, and Prague. At about one hour from Bratislava, Vienna is the closest major city. If you’re headed to any of these cities during the holidays, consider adding Bratislava to your itinerary.
You can either fly into Bratislava or Vienna. If you’re coming from a surrounding city, the easiest way to get to Bratislava is by train or bus. You can take the train or bus to/from any of the cities listed above as they run frequently.
MARKET DATES
The Christmas Market in Bratislava generally begins the last weekend in November. Unfortunately, the market ends a few days before Christmas but there is still plenty of time to visit! Throughout this time, the market is generally open from 10 am to 10 pm. Meaning you’ll have plenty of time to site see and wander the markets during your time in Bratislava.
Market Dates 2023: November 23rd, 2023 – December 23rd, 2023
SUGGESTED DURATION
If you’re headed to Bratislava during the holiday season, I recommend two days in the city. Two days will give you plenty of time to site see and enjoy the markets. While two days is ideal, Bratislava can also be done on a day trip from Vienna since it’s only an hour away. Another option is to visit Bratislava from Budapest since it’s 2.5 hours away which makes for a long day trip but is doable. You can travel by bus or train as both run frequently throughout the day.
MARKET LOCATIONS
There are 2 main markets in the city which I’ll go in detail on below. There is also generally a small Christmas Market at the Bratislava Castle and in front of the mall.
My favorite part about the Christmas Market in Bratislava is the view of the main market from the Tower at the Town Hall. The view overlooks the Main Square showcasing the candy cane roofs on top of the market booths in the square. It’s a beautiful view and will surely get you in the Christmas spirit!
MAIN SQUARE: As I mentioned, the main Christmas Market (pictured below) is located in the Old Town. This is definitely the most packed Christmas Market in town as booths are packed tightly into the Main Square. Over 80 market booths fill the square selling everything from Slovak treats to handmade goodies. While it’s busy, I loved the layout of the market with Christmas decor and the smell of sweet treats overtaking the square!
HVIEZDOSLAVOVO SQUARE: About 5 minutes walking from the Main Square is the Christmas Market at Hviezdoslavovo Square. This Christmas Market feels much more spacious than the main market as the booths are much roomier. The square is beautiful complete with an ice skating rink and Christmas Tree.
WHAT TO TRY
The Christmas Market in Bratislava actually offers some pretty delicious dishes. The main dishes I tried were some of my favorite out of all the markets we visited. The dishes are unique to Bratislava and feel Christmassy. Similar to most Christmas Markets, the market also serves sausage generally with mustard and bread. As far as desserts go, you’ll find a lot of gingerbread cookies as well as other strudels. I’ll go through the staples of the market below.
LOKSA: Lokša is a very popular dish you’ll find at the market which is a thin pancake made out of potato dough. You can eat them plain or with a filling. Traditionally they’re filled with sauerkraut or chicken liver. However, you can choose from a variety of sweet or savory options at the market. We chose cheese and really enjoyed it! They look similar to a tortilla or crepe.
CINGANSKA PECIENKA: This is basically a sandwich bun filled with either chicken or pork, onions, and mustard. We opted for another version of this which was grilled sheep cheese and onions with cranberry sauce. It was surprisingly delicious!
TRDELNIK: Similar to most eastern European Christmas Markets, Trdelinks are a popular at the market. A Trdelnik is a pastry roasted over the fire with your choice of toppings including cinnamon sugar, nuts, or chocolate.
MEAD: Hot honey wine is a traditional drink at Slovak Christmas Markets. In addition to hot wine, there is also a variety of red and white hot wine.
WHAT TO SEE IN TOWN
As I mentioned, two days in Bratislava is ideal but you can also take a day trip from surrounding cities. The places I’ve listed below can be seen within one day since the majority of them are within walking distance of the Old Town. With that said, there is plenty more to see if you’re in town longer.
Built in the 9th century, the main focal point in town is the Bratislava Castle. Perched on a hill overlooking the city, it’s impossible to miss. Throughout the history of the castle there were eleven kings and eight queens crowned. As I mentioned, there is a small Christmas Market at the castle so it’s a great place to wander around and explore.
Make your way to Old Town to wander the streets and enjoy the markets. Within the Old Town you’ll see Michael’s Gate which is the only gate to be preserved of the medieval fortifications. From there, head to the Old Town Tower and Hall, it’s the oldest town hall in the country. As I mentioned, the tower offers an incredible view of the Main Square especially this time of year. You won’t be able to walk around the Old town without noticing the statues scattered around town.
There are also several noteworthy churches in town. My favorite was The Blue Church (Church of St. Elizabeth) which is a relatively short walk from the Old Town. It’s really unique in comparison to traditional churches.
The UFO Tower is less than a 20 minute walk from Old Town with top notch views of the city. We didn’t have a chance to visit the tower but I’ve read the elevator is really small and the building feels old. With that, it still has the best view in town!
We absolutely loved visiting the Christmas Market in Bratislava. After visiting larger markets like Vienna, Prague, and Budapest it was a nice change of pace! The market is cozy but still has all the essentials for a great Christmas Market. Nothing gets you into the holiday spirit more than a cool city decked out for Christmas.
Headed to eastern Europe this holiday season? Here are a few more articles you shouldn’t miss!
Safe Travels,
Sarah :)
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