Slovak trip advise please..

echinacea_2

Hiya guys,

Me and my husband are planning to have a 5 days holiday to Slovakia next week for our wedding anniversary. We both don't speak any other languages than English so we would really appreciate any suggestion on what to do and where to stay for that period (cheap accomodation etc). We will arrive in Bratislava on Monday night and fly back on Friday 6pm, and thought we could have a day trip to vienna as well? Perhaps a couple of days for ski (we both never try ski before) would be nice as well, I know, it's only short time and we will use mainly public transport for going anywhere so we really need your expert advise for this.

Many thanks in advance,
Ech

williamrobb88

Hi

I went a couple of years back to watch England play football in Bratislava. If it helps, I can tell that there are lots of pubic transport buses to Vienna, which I might ad is beautiful, but very expensive! Slovakia is AMAZINGLY cheap for beer (About 30p for a pint of Budweiser), and the food is reasonable too. I can't remember the hotel we stayed in, but as long as you choose one of the 'Big' hotels, you should be ok.

Changing money can be very difficult, with not many hotels wanting to change money, and travellers cheques are not accepted everywhere.

I would try and take as much currency as I could, as our hotel, soon ran out of notes, after serving only four of us. There is only so much currency they have, and because the economy is so bad you get about 10 Billion Koruna for a quid!

Just a note! Look out for the local mafia guys. Don't worry, they are of no harm to you. It's just funny. They sit at the end of the bar with a small black wooly hat on and say nothing.

In Slovakia, if there is trouble in a bar, the owner simply phones his mafia guy instead of the Police. I know, 2 England fans were shot at point blank in the legs, for the crime of.......................

Trying to pull their own Pints of beer while the bar man wasn't looking.

All in all, the people are quite pleasant, but you can't help feling they wish they were Czech and not Slovak.

mystic_trev

I spent a few nights in thr Ibis, which was cheap(ish) and well.....like any other Ibis Hotel. It was central Bratislava too. You can use your Debit card in the ATM's there, even better if you have a NATIONWIDE account i.e. no bank charges and a better ROE.

Takecareofthepennies

Make sure you don't miss the (largely pedestrianized) Old Town. Chances are you'll end up there in the quest for a meal anyway. :beer:

If you are that way inclined, check out whether the local ice hockey team (Slovan Bratislava) have a match on. It's a great sport to watch and you'll get the best seats in the house for a pittance.

If you are planning on bringing back cheap cigarettes etc., check customs regulations beforehand. Although Slovakia is now a member of the EU, I believe there is still a (rather low) limit on what you can bring from certain of the newer member countries.

Enjoy your trip!