Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia is located towards Eastern Europe, close to the Austrian border. The Old Town is made up of beautiful baroque and old architecture, cute streets, as well as churches and a historic castle. Throughout the city, almost at each end of the Old Town, are various viewpoints, providing great spots for you to admire and photograph the destination. Below are the best viewpoints in Bratislava that you should see during your visit.
Old Town Hall
The Old Town Hall sits on the main square (Hlavné námestie) in the centre of the Old town. The observation deck is open-air and you can walk around it to see the city in all directions. This viewpoint is my favourite as you get views across the main square towards Bratislava Castle, and get to see some of the most beautiful baroque architecture in the city. This viewpoint is fantastic both day and night, and at Christmas it provides the perfect opportunity to get pictures of the main market as seen below. During the warmer months, you will only be able to get day shots, as sunset is much later and the tower is already closed by that point. As well as visiting the tower you can also visit the museum located in the building. There are separate ticket prices for these, but both are very cheap.
Address: Old Town Hall, Hlavné námestie 501/1, 811 01 Staré Mesto
Website: visitbratislava.com/places/old-town-hall
Bratislava Castle
Bratislava Castle is one of the most famous landmarks and features of the city. The castle used to be a royal residency and is now a museum. The castle and paths surrounding serve as a great viewpoint, with spots overlooking the Old Town, towards the Danube River, UFO Tower and other parts of the city. Seen below is a view towards across the Danube River towards the UFO Tower.
Website: visitbratislava.com/places/bratislava-castle
UFO Tower
The UFO Tower is one of the more unusual towers in the world and has its name because of its design (see above)! It is listed in the World Federation of Great Towers, which also includes towers such as the Eiffel Tower, Empire State Building and Burj Khalifa. The UFO Tower is located at one end of Most SNP, which is one of the main bridges and crosses the River Danube. The Tower provides some of the best views of the city, from the Old Town to the north and residential areas in the south. It is also a great spot for sunset and seeing the city at night. At the tower is an open-air observation deck that provides the highest views, as well as an interior bar and restaurant which is just below.
Address: Most SNP, Bratislava
Website: redmonkeygroup.com
Lemontree & Sky Bar Restaurant
This bar and restaurant isn’t a viewpoint I’ve been to yet, although I’ve seen it from ground level. It is located to the south of the Old Town and should provide a perfect angle over the rooftops and into the city. As well as the views the restaurant and bar offer over 70 kinds of vodka and Mediterranean and Thai cuisine.
Address: Hviezdoslavovo námestie 7, 811 02
Website: skybar.sk
Michael’s Gate
Michaels Gate is towards the north of the Old Town. The tower has both a museum and an open-air observation deck. From the observation deck you get views across the rooftops of the city towards Bratislava Castle, and also views along Michalská which is a beautiful street in the Old Town.
Address: Michalská ulica 22 81103
Website: visitbratislava.com/places/michaels-gate
Photography tips
Here are some photography tips for Bratislava:
- Use a tripod when taking photographs at night.
- Check when sunset is on timeanddate.com so you can plan where to be for the best light.
- Take pictures during the day with a long exposure for wispy clouds.
For more tips head to my page on Travel Photography.
More information on Bratislava
Head to the official Tourism website visitbratislava.com for more information on visiting the city.
