But those that take the time — even if it’s just a day or two — to visit Bratislava are certain to be rewarded with a small capital city that’s easy to explore, full of utterly charming squares and classical architecture. The authentic local spirit in the city can be intoxicating.

Oh, and by the way, everything is super cheap!

Bratislava budget travel guide

To help you get the most of your stay in Bratislava, as well as find even more ways to save, we’ve gathered together the following collection of budget tips.

Getting there

By plane

The Bratislava Airport is a quick ride 15 to 20 minute from the city center. You can order a taxi immediately from the company established inside the airport for a fixed rate of €13 to the city center. As with most central European countries, it’s not advised to ever take a taxi that you’ve not ordered in advance, as there is a good chance that you will be overcharged, sometimes massively.

Cheapo tip: Take the bus from the airport to the city. You can find a direct line that takes 25 minutes from the airport to the main train station on Bus 61, running ever 15-20 minutes between 5 am to 11 pm. One ticket costs a mere €0.90. You can also take a night bus which runs hourly between 11 pm and 5 am. From the main train station to the center you can then use the same ticket you purchased from the airport and hop on bus 84 or 93 to get you to the city center in five minutes (stop Kapucinska is the closest to the Old Town).

Arriving by train or bus

Arriving by bus will take you to the AS Mlynske Nivy Bus Station, which is served by major international bus companies such as Flix Bus and Euro Lines. This station is only a 15-minute walk to the city center or you can take a quick five-minute ride on Bus 88, getting off at the stop SNP (Novy Most).

Tip: If you should be arriving from Vienna, you will likely be dropped off at the Novy Most bus stop. From here you are just a few steps into the heart of the city center and several bus and tram lines.

By car

Another cheap, as well as social option, is car sharing. Check out BlaBlaCar and hitch a ride at a nice price with someone who’s headed for Bratislava.

Tip: To find the cheapest travel options to Bratislava, check out the website goeuro.com, where you can compare prices for trains, buses, and flights to any destination within Europe.

Getting around Bratislava

Ask any local or traveler who has been there, and they’ll tell you that Bratislava is really more of a bustling village than a proper capital city. This makes it super convenient to go absolutely everywhere you need to go by foot in a short amount of time. You can expect to see the entirety of the Old Town center within half a day, and that’s if you are walking slowly. This allows you more time to explore some cool parts just outside the city center which give you an authentic taste of Slovak culture. To get to these places you can take a tram or bus.

Public transport fare & fines

Be sure to buy your ticket in advance of getting on the vehicle from an automatic ticket dispenser near the stop or from a convenience store or a shop selling tobacco and newspapers. Once you’ve boarded, look for the ticket validating machine to punch your ticket.

There is a chance your ticket will be inspected by a public transport official, who will identify themselves with a badge. If you get caught without a validated ticket the fine is €50 paid immediately.

Things to do in Bratislava

Bratislava is certainly not Rome or Paris when it comes to sightseeing, but it does have a certain small city charm that can make you unexpectedly fall in love with it. Here is the short list (of the already short list) of places to visit in Bratislava.

Old Town

Bratislava’s small Old Town center, known as Stare Mesto, is a completely pedestrianized area that features a collection of beautiful squares, lovely Hapsburgian, and Renaissance-era architecture, winding medieval alleyways, and a large selection of appealing cafes, restaurants, and bars. It’s a relatively tiny area that you will be able to walk through in no more than a few hours.

Hlavné námestie, or simply The Main Square, offers a gorgeous view on all four sides of perfectly preserved Baroque architecture reminiscent of Austria and Hungary. Here you can find the Old Town Hall, Renaissance-era Roland Fountain, and the Statue of the French Soldier (who they say decided to desert Napoleon’s army after he fell in love with Slovak women and wine).

Hviezdoslavovo Námestie is a beautiful, expansive, tree-lined square where one can grab a table at a cafe and enjoy watching the locals go about their daily business in the most relaxing manner possible. Here you’ll also be able to catch a glimpse of the Slovak National Theater, visit a bronze statue of Hans Christen Andersen, or listen to Slovak folk music during the many festivals that take place here year round.

Michalská Brána, or Michael’s Gate, is one of the original four gateways into the medieval walled city of Bratislava. From here you can climb the 51-meter tall tower and look down onto Michalská Ulica, one of the most lively streets that cut right through the Old Town and offers several places to eat or have a drink.

St. Martin’s Cathedral is the city’s oldest and largest church, dating back to the 15th century. It is where the Austro-Hungarian nobility members were crowned between 1563 and 1830, including Austrian Queen Maria Theresa. You can also take a tour of the cathedral’s crypt and catacombs for a more spooky experience.

Museums and parks

Bratislava boasts several lovely parks located in or near the city center. Sad Janka Krala, just a few minute walk across the Danube River on the Novy Most Bridge (the one with the big UFO-looking thing on it), is the oldest public park in Central Europe and covers 42 hectares. Horsky Park, located approximately 10-15 minutes from the train station, is a hidden gem with hilly forested areas, plenty of fresh air, and the quaint Funus pub, one of the best outdoor drinking spots in the city to get in touch with the true locals.

If you are there in the summer season and are in the mood for a little time on the beach, then head to Zlate Piesky. This is an expansive recreation area with a lake, beach, and wakeboarding park. It’s an excellent hangout spot full of beautiful Slovaks. Admission is only €2 and you can even camp here for only €3.50.

A must-see in Bratislava: Bratislava Castle is a 20-30 minute uphill walk from the city center, but the views and the complex are wonderful to see. If you choose to go inside, you can check out the exhibits which cover the history of the castle, Slovak ethnographic history, and a fascinating ancient coin collection. Otherwise, just the view and a stroll around the complex is worth the trip.

The best view

Without question, the hill where the Bratislava Castle complex is perched upon provides the best views of the city. Not only can you see the Old Town below, but you can also clearly see the infamous communist-era architecture of the Petrzalka neighborhood, look well beyond the Austrian border, and even into the land where Hungary begins.

Tours

There are several paid tours you can take but budget travelers can take advantage of the free tours offered by Be Free Tours, Discover Bratislava, and Strawberry Tours.

For more tips, check out the Visit Bratislava website.

Slovak Pub attracts locals and tourists alike. Photo: ys

Cheap eats in Bratislava

Eating

Slovak food is something most people will have never experienced before coming to Slovakia itself. To give you an idea, just imagine German-style food with roast meats, goulash, breaded chicken and pork cutlets, and hearty soups. There are some local specialties as well, notably Bryndzové Halušky which is like gnocchi with melted sheep cheese and fried bacon.

Due to Bratislava becoming more international in recent years, there is a variety of eating options worth checking out that don’t purely revolve around a big hunk of meat and potatoes or cabbage. These are mostly located in the Old Town center and most offer lunch specials for less than €5.

Here are some of our local favorites, both traditional and international, to eat well for less in Bratislava:

Slovak Pub
Obchodna 62

Slovak Pub features the most classic Slovak food in the most classic Slovak setting, a massive, high ceilinged mountain style chalet ensconced in wood. This is the place to experience the aforementioned Bryndzove Halusky or some meat filled Pirohy (dumplings) for 4-5 €. Highly recommended.

Govinda
Obchodna 30

Simply put, being vegetarian in Bratislava is not easy. Therefore, one needs to be a bit creative in finding strictly vegetarian meals, including eating at an underground Hare Krishna restaurant. This eclectic spot offers a healthy portion (400g) of Indian food at a good price (€4) and is full of amazingly friendly singing and dancing employees. Open only Monday to Friday, 10:30 am – 4:30 pm.

Mileticova Market
Mileticova 5841

This is the hidden gem that only a local would ever be able to recommend to you. The Mileticova market is an outdoor farmer’s market that feels like you’ve stepped back in time. It’s a mix of the old communist era and a provincial market from centuries past.

The number of fruit and vegetable stalls is overwhelming with colors, smells, sights and sounds that will leave your mouth watering. Here you can find incredible seasonal fruits, juices, homemade pickled vegetables, roasted nuts, tiny shacks selling grilled sausages, Slovak sweets, and much more.

The market is a 10-15 minute ride on tram 8 or 9 from the city center to stop Saleziáni and then a few minutes walk. It operates Monday to Friday morning until late afternoon, Saturday until early afternoon, and is closed on Sunday.

An absolute must visit if you are even slightly in the mood for Asian food is the immensely popular Phong Nam Bistro which features some of the best Vietnamese food you’ll eat outside of Vietnam.

Don’t miss a plate of Bryndzové Halušky, a gnocchi-like pasta popular in Slovakia. Photo: Alpha

Nightlife

Bratislava might not seem like it has much to offer after the sun goes down, but scratch a bit underneath the surface, and you’ll be blown away by the numerous weird, wild, and fun places that you can find.

To at least help you get started, below are some of the more fun, local places to enjoy yourself while on a budget.

Next Apache Café
Panenska 28

This tiny Canadian owned café/used bookstore is much more than a place to grab a delicious cup of Fair Trade coffee and a dog-eared paperback. It’s also a local bastion for expats, intellectuals, artists, and musicians to congregate over a drink and a discussion in English. Come at night and ask for a “rybicky” a small shot of local booze done out of a porcelain glass shaped like a fish, and instantly make friends with the fun-loving locals hanging out at the bar or in the garden during the summer.

U Certa Pub
Beblaveho 2

This pub, which features a nice rum selection and good Czech beer on tap, is the center point for the nightlife neighborhood beneath the castle. In warmer months, it turns into a street party as crowds congregate outside. If you are looking to save some money, feel free to bring your own supply of beer and join the party.

KC Dunaj
Nedbalova 3

A former department store that was turned into a bar/club, KC Dunaj offers concerts, DJs, great microbrew beers and cocktails, plus, a terrace with a sweeping view of the city. It’s more chilled out hipster than Axe body spray wearing meat market, so you can relax and have nice conversations with the young crowd that gathers here.

Subclub
Nábrežie armádneho generála Ludvíka Svobodu (underneath the castle, by the river)

There are underground music clubs, and there are literally underground music clubs such as Subclub, which is located inside a communist-built nuclear bunker beneath the Bratislava castle. Come here for the late, late music scene, and unique, if somewhat edgy atmosphere.

Sleep well (and for cheap) at Elisabeth Old Town.

Cheap hotels in Bratislava

You won’t lack for affordable hotels in Bratislava, but not all budget hotels are created equal. We’ve compiled a few picks in Old Town to get you started on your hotel search.

With rooms as low as $49, Elisabeth Old Town is an excellent value with a central location and private bathrooms and free Wi-Fi in all accommodations. If you love the water, you might consider climbing aboard the Botel Gracia that’s anchored on the Danube. You can cap off your night with a beer at the small bar terrace or wake up with the hotel breakfast. Hotel Max Inn might not look like much, but the low prices and free use of bicycles make it popular with budget travelers. Hostel Folks is a modern and cheap choice with bunks for less than $15 and double rooms for less than $50. The communal kitchen is a good place to cook up a meal from your finds at a local market.

Search more than 130 hotel rooms and apartments in Bratislava

Your Bratislava tips

Have you been to Bratislava? Tell us your best tips for visiting in the comments section below.

The post A Budget travel guide to Bratislava, Slovakia appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Changing timetables

To keep abreast of changing schedules, the best comprehensive source of information is the monthly European Rail Timetable (ERT). It’s good for more than just trains for, within the tightly packed pages of the ERT, you’ll also find lots of ferry timetables as well as key bus links across Europe.

Traveling through the Tatra Mountains just a few weeks ago, we checked out the bus service that connects Zakopane (on the Polish side of the High Tatras) with Poprad (in Slovakia). It’s shown in Table 1183 of the ERT. This cross-border bus service taking just under two hours has long been such a valuable link, plugging a major gap in Europe’s rail network.

Crossing the Polish-Slovakian border

So, flicking through the pages of the May ERT, we are concerned to see that the direct bus from Zakopane to the Slovakian Tatra resorts and Poprad has just been axed. The service was run by Polish bus operator Strama, which has dropped the direct international bus service amid a dispute with the bus licensing authorities in Slovakia over the company’s right to transport local passengers on journeys wholly within Slovakia.

We very much hope that this important bus route will be reinstated sooner rather than later, but meanwhile the journey can still be undertaken using local buses on either side of the border, connecting between the two on the frontier between Poland and Slovakia.

Houses in Zdiar (Slovakia) in traditional Goral style. Photo: © hidden europe

By bus through the High Tatras

Trans-Bus Bukowina run regular scheduled services during the spring and summer months from Zakopane to a remote beauty spot in the High Tatras called Morskie Oko. Along the way, these services stop at Lysa Polana on the border, but they do not actually cross into Slovakia. From Lysa Polana there are local buses on to Poprad. You just need to walk over the border bridge, a hike of about ten meters, to connect between the two bus routes.

This is a journey that need not be rushed. It covers some glorious mountain country. Our top tip for a stopover is the Slovakian village of Zdiar. It is a long and straggly village, strung out along the flank of the Biela Valley. It is bypassed by the main road and is easily missed. But last month we took time out for Zdiar and it is an absolute gem. With the land rising up north of the village to the slopes of Mount Magurka, and superb views south to the Tatra summits, the location of Zdiar is hard to beat.

Goral style

The village styles itself as a hub of Goral culture. The Gorals are the local mountain people, pastoralists by inclination, who populate parts of the Carpathian region. Several guest houses and small hotels in Zdiar play the Goral card, offering food and entertainment that is evidently typically Goral in character. It’s a neat piece of cultural theater. Ultimately, though, Zdiar is above all just a good place to be—a place to stop off for a day or two, breathe the clear mountain air and relax.

The post Poland to Slovakia: Crossing the Tatra Mountains appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Claim to fame: Karlovy Vary

The famous Czech spa at Karlovy Vary (often styled as Carlsbad or Karlsbad in older travel literature) traces its origins back to the 14th century, and the curative properties of the thermal springs have underpinned a healthy spa trade ever since. Peter the Great twice came to Karlovy Vary (in 1711 and 1712), and a steady stream of Romanovs and other well-connected Russians followed in his wake. Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna of Russia visited no less than seven times.

Royal backing

A handful of spa communities claim to predate Karlovy Vary. One of the most interesting is Bardejovské Kúpele which lies in the hills of northern Slovakia. It was by all accounts commended by the Hungarian royals as early as the mid-13th century. Bardejovské Kúpele has pulled its share of titled visitors too, even including a Russian czar. Alexander I visited in 1821, taking time out to consult local doctors over his health. The spa at Bardejov was in the premier league of European spas in the 18th and 19th centuries, regularly attracting clients from the most distinguished families of Poland and Hungary.

The Hotel Ozon at Bardejovské Kúpele where wine is cheaper than water. Photo: © hidden europe

Staying at Bardejovské Kúpele

Today Bardejovské Kúpele has slipped slightly below the horizon, although its merits are still very much recognised among the Slovakian and Russian guests who make time for a cure at Bardejov. It has all the appeal of more celebrated spas (like that at Karlovy Vary), but without the crowds. We spent a weekend last month at Bardejovské Kúpele, and it was an excellent short break.

All traditional spas have an other-worldly quality, and Bardejovské Kúpele captures that to perfection. The classic spa town offers a retreat from the realities and stresses of everyday life, and the location of Bardejovské Kúpele assists in that quest. It is tucked away in a side valley that drains down into the River Kamenec. The city of Bardejov, which boasts a fabulous town square, is just ten minutes away from the spa by regular local bus. But to take the bus from Bardejov up to the spa is to move between two worlds. One trades in modern Slovakia and the pressures of life for a quieter, simpler world: one where the tempo is notably slower.

Treatments and facilities

There is no noise of traffic, but just the church bells and birdsong. There are well-marked walks through the hills, the rhythm of spa life and hushed conversations in long corridors. It is an oasis of peace. Ten different mineral springs are the spa’s key asset and, water therapies aside, a wide range of other treatments are on offer: from peat wraps to phototherapy. And all this comes at a fraction of the prices prevailing at a new generation of posh resorts in western Europe that play the spa card.

The competitive pricing extends across the full range of facilities. We stayed at the Hotel Ozon, where a glass of wine with dinner costs less than one euro. You can splash out and buy a whole bottle for five euros.

In the skanzen at Bardejovské Kúpele. Photo: © hidden europe

A bonus surprise

Bardejovské Kúpele has one thing that you’ll not find in other spas. It has an outdoor museum (locally known as a skanzen) with a very fine collection of buildings from the Carpathian region. It includes churches, farm buildings and houses that together showcase the range of local vernacular architecture. The skanzen buildings are mainly constructed of wood—a material so wholesome, so brimming with virtue, that it just adds to the feel-good factor that surrounds life at Bardejovské Kúpele.

The post A very affordable European spa vacation in Slovakia appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Tokaj or Tokaji

Say Tokay and most people will immediate think Hungary. But the Tokay region, which produces some of the world’s most celebrated and sought-after dessert wines, transgresses borders, and the northernmost portion of the designated Tokay region is actually in Slovakia.

This is a part of the world where one letter makes a big difference. On maps, the range of wooded hills that dominate the Hungarian part of the Tokay region is known at the Zemplén Mountains. Move north into Slovakia and they become the Zemplín Mountains. In Hungary, the wine is known as Tokaji. But in Slovakia, the name is rendered as Tokaj.

The wines on the Slovakian side of the border are every bit as distinguished in character as those from Hungary. They rely on the same three basic grape varieties and the production and quality control standards of Slovakian Tokaj wines conform to those laid down for Tokaji in Hungary.

The Penzión Tokaj on the Ostrozovic Estate. Photo: © hidden europe

A taste of Slovakian Tokaj

Last week, we took time to explore the Slovak side of the Tokay region. We stopped off here and there in quiet villages like Malá Trna—where Hungarian is evidently still the most commonly spoken language. It’s a nice reminder that modern frontiers in Europe do not divide ethnicities or language groups. Then we moved north to Vel’ká Trna, a predominantly Slovak-speaking community, where we met Jaro Ostrozovic.

Jaro was born just a few miles away to the south in the border town of Slovenské Nové Mesto, but is now based in Vel’ká Trna, where he and his wife Jarka manage one of the premier Tokaj wine businesses in Slovakia. The Ostrozovic Estate produces the full range of Tokaj styles from the tongue-tingling dry samorodné through various grades of sweet aszú-style wines (locally known as Tokajský výber) to the intoxicatingly sugary esencia.

They also produce regular wines from each of the three main grapes that are combined in making the region’s signature Tokaj wines. Those grapes are the furmint, the yellow muscat and the lipovina—the latter will be familiar to lovers of Hungarian Tokaji under the name hárslevelü.

Wine growers Jarka and Jaro Ostrozovic. Photo: © hidden europe

The Ostrozovic Estate

Visitors to the Ostrozovic winery in Vel’ká Trna can tour the cellars, sample the wines and stay overnight. Room rates start at €35 for a single or €25 per person in a shared double. It is a chance, too, to try some of the local Zemplín cuisine.

As to the wines, you’ll be in for a treat. The rich concentration of natural grape sugars and favorable conditions for the development of botrytis give Ostrozovic favored status for making classic Tokaj sweet wines. And they won’t break the bank. Prices start at just over €10 for a Tokajský výber. We happen to be fans of the drier samorodné style, which is often frustratingly hard to find outside the Tokay region and one or two other markets (such as Poland, where it has long found favor as an aperitif). The Ostrozovic version is delicious and just €6.80 a bottle. Just look for the word suché on the bottle to be sure that you really are buying the dry wine. It is something quite special, redolent in many ways of palomino sherry.

The Slovakian Tokaj region deserves to be far better known. It is overshadowed by its very much larger Hungarian counterpart to the south, and it is a small player within the wider Slovak wine industry. If you have a big budget, sixty euros will buy you a very fine bottle of Ostrozovic esencia. Taste it to discover why historically Tokay has been feted as “the wine of kings, and the king of wines.” But even a sample of the lesser wines from the region will be enough to convince you that Tokay is something very special—especially when it is Tokaj from Slovakia.

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When we last chatted with Tim back in June at the Travel Blog Exchange conference in Keystone, CO, he was hard at work wrapping up the latest edition of his book, The World’s Cheapest Destinations. We had plenty of questions for him then – as we do now – and love his perceptive, er, perspective on travel. We think you will, too.

Question 1: We’ve been fans of yours for years and appreciate you participating in our Q&A series. Can you first let our readers know a little about you and what led you into such an expansive travel writing career?

Like a lot of your readers, I took off on a round-the-world “trip of a lifetime” and had trouble stopping. My first trip was 20 years ago though, with my now-wife, and we circled the globe two more times, teaching English along the way and in my case, getting some toes in the door with editors as a travel writer.

I kept at it as a part-time writer for many years before finally quitting my day job and becoming a full-time travel writer and publisher last decade. I added a site here, a blog there until one day I woke up and realized I was a real business owner.

Question 2: Congrats on the success of “The World’s Cheapest Destinations.” It must be fascinating to see how budget travel has evolved since its first edition. What have been the biggest changes since the book’s initial publication?

The first edition came out 10 years ago and I’m quite embarrassed now when I look at it. The book is a lot better and meatier now.

The main changes in the world of travel though all stem from one trend: far more travelers. Every place is more crowded with tourists than it used to be, except for a few holdouts like North Korea, and while you can still quite easily get off the beaten path if you want, the flood of images on the web means there are fewer unknowns out there. Everything is easier and more organized.

There’s also 100 times more information about 100 times more places than a decade ago, which overall is probably a good thing. The world is wealthier overall, which is also a good thing, even if it does mean prices have inched up in some of our favorite places.

On the negative side, it saddens me to see four travelers sitting silently around a table, all exchanging messages with friends back home and posting status updates. Sometimes that goes on for a half hour, nobody talking to the person right across from them. There’s less experiencing, more sharing. Less reflection, more blabbering. Get the photo, upload, move on.

People seem unable to let go and just be in the moment, in the place, without immediately connecting to the home they supposedly left behind.

Question 3: Let’s talk Europe. You cover a lot of ground in this book and we’re interested in the trends you see shaping up across the continent. What destinations do you think should be on a Cheapo’s radar these days? Why?

My big destination change this time was removing Turkey and adding Slovakia. Turkey’s still great and I’m heading there later this year, but it’s definitely gotten more expensive as the economy has taken off and more cruise ships dock there—especially Istanbul. A decent value still, but not a great one for backpackers.

In Slovakia you can still feel way ahead of the curve. It’s beautiful Olde Europe with castles and historic architecture, plus surprisingly good wine in addition to the good beer, but it gets a tiny fraction of the visitors of the Czech Republic or Hungary. The main drawback is, because there aren’t many backpackers, there aren’t a lot of hostels and cheap day trip tours.

Although I’ve had Bulgaria in the book from the start, I was relying on third-party info and interviews. I finally made it there this past year and was blown away. It’s as cheap as some places in Asia and Latin America, with incredible scenery and excellent food. I’m itching to go back again and do some longer hiking trips, staying in mountain huts that are priced like hostels.

Cheapness depends a lot on exchange rates too, of course. Hungary felt less expensive this time I visited than it did four years ago, almost entirely because the dollar was stronger.

Question 4: What’s the next big trip for you and how are you doing it on the cheap?

I took my family to southeast Asia last summer, moving around as backpackers for three weeks, and it wasn’t hard to do it on the cheap there. Our budget was $150 a day and for that we really lived it up in Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

Nice hotels, three daily restaurant meals, frequent massages, etc. In the near future though I’m doing a lot of writing trips for articles, things where it’s not all on my dime. I’m doing a biking trip in Portugal in May though and am curious to see how prices there are looking during the ongoing crisis.

In the summer I’m moving back to Guanajuato, Mexico with my family though for two years and will be doing most of my travel the second half of the year there and in other spots in Latin America. I find Mexico quite affordable if you are in the interior rather than at the vacation resort areas.

I’ll probably get to Ecuador, which is another place you don’t have to try very hard to travel on the cheap. And oddly enough, they even use the U.S. dollar.

Sounds fantastic. Thanks for stopping by, Tim, and good luck with all your upcoming travels!

The post 4 Cheapo Questions for Tim Leffel of Perceptive Travel appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

The country was granted permission by the European Union to make the switch during the summer of 2008, when the exchange rate was pinned at 30.126 koruny to the euro. The currency, however, didn’t switch until January 1, 2009.

In the months leading up to its circulation, Slovakia hosted Euro-themed events to raise awareness and entertain, and also pay tribute to the exiting currency. (Among these, chocolate euro coins were thrown to children, and a theater troupe staged a play about the demise of the koruna.  Sad clowns.)

What it means

The introduction of the euro in Slovakia could mean that Cheapos heading to Bratislava or other Slovak cities will notice restaurant prices and hotel rates listed in both currencies (euros and Slovak koruny), a trend that will last until January of 2010.

Others may notice that prices have jumped a bit. According to a piece in Slovak Today, consumer prices increased 0.5% in the 10 days following the changeover.

In case you’ve got a koruna or two hanging around the house, banks in Slovakia will still exchange banknotes through the end of 2009 and coins through June 2009 (although they may charge you for it!).

Need help with your own euro conversion? Check out xe.com to see today’s euro exchange rate.

The post Goodbye Koruna: Slovakia joins the euro club appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

But, one of Bratislava’s national treasures is free and open to the public every day except for holidays and Mondays.

Bratislava Castle sits high on a hill. It’s a national landmark you simply can’t miss, visually or otherwise. The castle itself probably dates back to the 9th-Century and was first inhabited by the Celts. It’s known for the four, massive towers at each of its corners; these giants seem to dot the sky with importance.

Today, the Castle houses the Museum of History – an impressive collection of art, artifacts, and architectural marvels – all under the umbrella of the Slovak National Museum. Exhibits at the Castle include art and sculpture by Slovaks, venues exploring Slovakian culture’s reach across Europe, and lots of military objects, ceramics, and items of folklore. Note: From time to time, some exhibits do charge a nominal admission fee, typically SKK60 (about $3).

To visit the grand collection and see parts of the old castle, pick up a free ticket, available at the visitor’s center on the premises.

Note: Much of the Castle will be undergoing planned renovation from 2008-2011. While the castle doesn’t have its own web site, you can check for more details via the Slovak National Museum page, where you can also learn more about the current exhibitions that open to the public.

Join us again tomorrow, Cheapos, for more free tips. Next stop? Brussels!

The post Bratislava: Free historic visits at Bratislava Castle appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

This is a shame, because Slovak beer is excellent and the festival has a great program, and is very cheap. A ten-entry pass costs SKK550 (€16.25; $22) and includes a free Junifest beer glass, a discount card, vouchers, and ten raffle tickets.

And the festival is certainly not just about beer. Every night is a themed music night, rock, dance, R-n-B concerts as well as a men’s night and a ladies’ night, and also a performance by the Scorpions. The highlight of the festival: an attempt to break the Guinness Book of Records entry for the largest mass toast.

The post Slovakia: Bratislava Beer Festival appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Slovakia’s budget airline SkyEurope flies between Košice and Bratislava, making the city both easy and cheap to visit. We found one-way fares from Bratislava to Košice for as little as SKK436 (€13; $18) in May. That’s including taxes and charges, Cheapos.

In Košice, take time to just wander through the cobbled streets with their pastel buildings, dating from the time when Košice was an eastern metropolis of the Hapsburg Empire. We recommend a visit to Craftsman’s Row, a long street in the heart of the city, where leather and jewelry makers, silversmiths, coin minters, herbalists, potters, and bakers make and ply their wares.

In the summer, cold Czech beer flows freely on the streets and squares. On the main street look down. Glass panels under your feet display 13th century fortifications underground. Finally, pay a visit to the Jakab’s Palace, a small gem of art nouveau architecture.

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The liner is not only a service to tourists but also another means of transport for locals of both cities as well as business people who would like to try an alternative to trains and cars. Ship passengers don’t have to worry about parking spaces or grumpy cab drivers—the liner takes passengers from city center to city center. Plus, the murky waters of the famous Danube afford great views along the way.

The cheapest one-way ticket costs €15 on weekdays and goes up to €17 on weekends and holidays. Kids up to two years old travel for free, and there’s a 50% reduction for children under 12. Twin City Line is also wheelchair-accessible and accepts dogs and bikes.

For the month of April, 2007, the line is offering a child-free-with-parent special. The offer is valid for all routes but can only be reserved by telephone: +43 1-588-80. For more information, please email twincityliner@ddsg-blue-danube.at.

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