Weekend Getaways From Bratislava

The little town of Modra  lies in Western Slovakia, and has been for many centuries now, an important centre for both handicrafts as well as wine. Best known of the local crafts of Modra are the distinctive Modra ceramics. Factories and workshops in the town hold regular demonstrations of the craft for tourists, and the ceramics are also retailed at much lower prices than you’d pay in Bratislava. Modra also has vineyards, many of which are open to visitors, and can offer a good sampling of Slovak wine. The wooded hills that surround Modra are excellent for trekking and hiking. There are regular buses to Modra from Bratislava, and a trip to the town can comprise a pleasant day’s trip.

Pezinok is a wine town- it sits in the Little Carpathian Mountains, close enough to Bratislava to be a day trip, and great fun for anybody who’s fond of wine. Pezinok is a small town, and its inhabitants have been making wine- very good wine, may we add- for centuries altogether. Some houses of vintners- all used as wineries- are well preserved, and one has even been converted into a Vintage Museum- definitely worth a visit. Also worth visiting is the château of the Palffy family, with its huge cellars and historic rooms.

The castle of Pajstun is about 45 minutes’ drive from Bratislava, close to the tiny village of Borinka - a lovely place to spend some time before you make the trip up to the castle, which is a good hour’s walk uphill from the village. The castle, with its high stonewalls and gargoyles, is a perfect place for a picnic and there are lots of people coming here just for that pleasure, weather permitting, besides being an interesting place to explore.

The town of Rusovce dates back to the earliest inhabitations in Slovakia - of the Romans. Rusovce is, today an unprepossessing little hamlet, south of Bratislava, but it’s historically important, and the museum with its Roman artefacts, is worth a visit. Apart from the Roman remains, there is a 19th century neo-Gothic Castle, sitting amidst lovely parkland with a dense forest around the periphery, which touches the Blue Danube. Rusovce is a good place for a day’s trip, particularly if you want to have a quiet day away from the din of Bratislava.