Europe apart from Switzerland

         So you are planning a Europe trip...and your idea of Europe is just the snow caped romantic mountains  and green pastures of Switzerland! i must tell you that you are missing out a lot!
          Yes, i know that it is indeed the most beautiful place on earth, and that the idea of romance, immortalized by certain Bollywood director is incomplete without the backdrop of the snowy mountains and jersey cows with bells around their neck, grazing on the picturesque pastures. But Europe, as I have mentioned earlier, is once in a lifetime experience. So limiting it to just one place does not do justice with others.
         I would like to share with you, some of my Favorite European destination, apart from Switzerland, because much has been written and said and shown about this ultimate holiday destination, and there is nothing more left to write on it.
         The first part of this series will cover the Little Big City- Bratislava.

Bratislava: 

                      Set on the banks of the beautiful Danube River, is the capital city of Slovakia- Bratislava. It is twinned with the city of Vienna (capital of Austria), and the two capitals are one of the closest in the world.    The two cities are just 40 minutes apart ! 

                    Since the country is the part of Euro zone, you don't have to worry about getting your euros changed here.

                   

Transport : 

                  Trams are the main mode of transport in the city. The has to be bought beforehand and is to be validated beforehand. The tickets are valid for certain amount of time only, so make sure to by proper tickets and calculate the duration of it's validity. The tram drivers and conductors are not very pleasant to people who fail to carry proper tickets, and you might be asked to disembark immediately. 

                   However the main sightseeing spots are all located in the old part of the town and can be easily covered on foot. 

Sightseeing:

                 The old part of Bratislava has a small European town feel to it. With it's stone paved roads and small souvenir shops. It's a perfect place to get lost, just walking aimlessly, through Quite narrow allies and old charming houses. The crowd is confined to tourist spots and hence the rest of the town is left in peace, which is soothing.

                 Maps are easily available at tourist desk, but you might still get lost, and love it !

The major tourist attractions are as follows:

• The Bratislava Castle :It was destroyed by fire some years ago and has been rebuilt. The castle offers a panoramic view of the city, and is worth a glance for art and history buffs. The palace's snow white ceiling and walls, lined with golden paint and marble floor are make it look royal, yet elegant.
• The Devin Castle : This castle is not located in the old part of the city, and hence you will have to board the tram or hail a cab to visit. It was also in ruins and has been renovated. It's a lovely spot to click some pictures.

•  Michael's Gate : It's construction dates back to the 13th century. The bridge can easily be spotted while walking through the city and is of great historic importance. The gate leads to a small bridge and it feels as if you have been transported into a different era altogether.
• The silly statues : The old part of the town is littered with them. Those who love to take eccentric pictures, will love these statues. You have a workman hanging out of a manhole, a photographer lurking around a corner, a french army soldier bending on a wooden bench, and many more...click away with a good dash of humor.
  
  

  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Nový Most Bridge with the UFO restaurant on top of it : Sounds ridiculous? But tourists think otherwise, and despite being eccentric, the "UFO" adorns the skyline of Bratislava. Sitting in a UFO, overlooking the city and having a lazy lunch does sound tempting.
• Danube river bank : The beautiful river bank has a paved walkway which is lined with maple trees and 
• park benches. A perfect place to sit down and relax or have a picnic lunch, after a tiring trek, specially in autumn.
• You can also visit other places like the Presidential palace, St.Martin's cathedral etc...if you have time and energy left.

Shopping: 

                 Bratislava is one of the best places to shop in Europe. The rates will make your wallet cry with joy and your family will be eternally grateful to you. A perfect place to buy souvenirs, clothes, shoes, bags and many more goodies, that too of great quality. Take out time and energy from your tour and channel it into shopping ! 

Food:

          If you want to try some local cuisine you can try their cabbage soup, sheep cheese gnocchi, nut rolls etc. But if you are not willing to experiment, you can easily find Chinese or Italian restaurants here, as you can in any other part of the world, or McDonald's for that matter. The food, as with shopping, is economic. 

            But i would strongly recommend the small local cafeterias if you are in a mood for some warm coffee and delicious pastries. A small cozy pastry shop, whose name I cannot remember unfortunately, served us aromatic cappuccinos and soft warm brownies. They felt like heaven after a long exhausting and cold day!

Links for more info : 

in case I have managed to tempt you check out more information at these links:

http://visit.bratislava.sk/en/

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/slovakia/bratislava