Even seasoned rail-riding pseudo hobos like ourselves make exceptions on occasion. While I have developed a genuine appreciation for Romania and also Bulgaria, I nonetheless felt an immediate sense of how incredibly pleasant a city Bratislava is. Put simply, it makes a great first impression. Whether this is because we just arrived from some of the least affluent regions of the EU or not, I cannot say for sure. Either way, Bratislava is stunningly beautiful in most central places. The salt of the earth, good and honest local cuisine is all of delicious, filling and easy on the eyes. There is a craft beer culture nurtured by local brew pubs whose methods and skill appear to have been passed down through the centuries. Bratislava is a lively city. During the summer months there are countless festivals, celebrations, concerts and special events. Both beer and wine play a significant role in Slovak culture from what we can see, so while teetotallers might enjoy many aspects of this fascinating city, they would miss out on this very social dimension.

Just walking around in the old town, it’s easy to cover the main sights in just a few casual hours. For those who are in pursuit of elevated views of the city and the Danube, the Bratislava Castle is the obvious place to visit. Mild inclination and generally good repair sidewalks take you all the way up to the open main gates and the accessible castle grounds. Only entry to the castle itself costs money. The grounds encompassing the, admittedly rather modest, garden is open to the public including the clinically frugal. So far, we have accomplished very little during our visit here. We’ve found a rhythm of the city that works for us with strolling, eating and drinking with the odd working session peppered in to keep the economy going.