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Bratislava (ger. Pressburg, lat. Posonium, hun. Pozsony) is one of the youngest European metropolises with a population of 433,072. The first chronicle of the city dates to 907 A.D. The political importance of the city surged following the Battle of Mohács in 1526. During the nearly 250-year occupation of the Hungarian territory by the Ottoman Empire (1536 – 1783), Bratislava served as the capital city of the Kingdom of Hungary. Until 1830, 11 kings and 8 royal consorts were crowned in St. Martin’s Cathedral. The city enjoyed an extraordinary boom during the 18th century under the rule of Maria Theresa, who was crowned in Bratislava on 25 June 1741 and who designated Bratislava as the summer seat of her kingdom. Not only the castle, but also newly-built Baroque and Rococo noble palaces were at the crux of the lively political, social and cultural life of the time, which was further enriched by visits by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Joseph Haydn, Ludwig van Beethoven and Franz Liszt. The Napoleonic Wars did not avoid Bratislava either. Following the Battle of Three Emperors at Austerlitz, the Peace of Pressburg was signed at Primate’s Palace on 26 December 1805.

The most-visited part of Bratislava, the Old Town, has something to offer to everyone: historical walking tours, get-togethers in stylish restaurants and cafes offering Slovak and international culinary specialities and drinks, rare museum and gallery exhibitions, opera, ballet and concerts. If you have more time, we recommend sightseeing trips to places surrounding the city: the ruins of Devín Castle, the nearby wine-producing towns in the Little Carpathians such as Svätý Jur, Pezinok, Modra and Limbach, river cruises, and cycling tours along the arms of the Danube. The most important events include the Cultural Summer and Castle Festival (June - September), the Coronation Festival in September, Bratislava Jazz Days sponsored by Slovenská sporiteľňa in October, the Bratislava Music Festival (November - December), Christmas in the City (November - December) and the New Year Celebrations in the city.