Day Trips From Bratislava, Slovakia - The Top 40 Destinations

Bratislava is located near the point where the borders of several different countries meet, which means that it is possible to make day trips not only in Slovakia but also in Austria, Hungary and the Czech Republic. Many of Slovakia's most interesting destinations are in the central and eastern parts of the country and are too far away to reach in a day, but I've included the best places to see in southwestern Slovakia along with a good mix of attractions in each of the three neighbouring countries. Vienna is an obvious day trip in Austria, and Budapest is also reachable in a day from Bratislava but I haven't included it in this list since it doesn't make much sense to travel so far to visit a city with as many attractions as Budapest has just for the day. For the purposes of this list I've included destinations that are reachable within three hours of travel by public transport, and given each place a star rating out of five to give you an idea of how worthwhile it is to make the effort to travel there. Instructions are also included for how to get there by public transport starting from the train and bus stations in Bratislava. I've organised the destinations into three categories, those which are within one hour of travel by public transport, within two hours, and within three hours. For more information about the destinations in Slovakia see this post about the Top 100 Destinations in Slovakia and for those in the Czech Republic see this post about The Czech Republic's Top 100 Destinations. The photos included in this post show, from top to bottom, Mikulov (CZ), Esztergom (HUN), Plavecký Castle (SK), Smolenice Castle (SK), and Kopčany Romanesque Church (SK).

Destinations Less Than One Hour Away From Bratislava:

***** Vienna, Austria - (55 minutes to 1 hour) Train from Bratislava main station or from Bratislava-Petržalka station

*** Devín Castle, Slovakia - (20 minutes to 25 minutes) Take Bratislava city bus #28 or #29 from under Nový Most (New Bridge) to Devín village

** Gyor, Hungary - (1 hour) Take the bus with the company called Student Agency from Bratislava main bus station (daily at 11:15am)

** Trnava, Slovakia - (30 minutes) Train from Bratislava main station

** Hainburg, Austria - (20 minutes) Take Bratislava city bus #901 from under Nový Most (New Bridge) which goes across the border to Hainburg

** Piešťany, Slovakia - (1 hour) Train from Bratislava main station

** Čunovo Art Gallery, Slovakia - (25 minutes) Bus from Bratislava main bus station to the bus stop 'Čunovo Muzeum'

** Modra, Slovakia - (1 hour) Bus from Bratislava main bus station

* Pottenburg Castle, Austria (15 minutes) Take Bratislava city bus #901 from under Nový Most (New Bridge) to the Austrian border village of Wolfsthal, then hike up the red-marked trail to reach the castle ruin

Destinations Less Than Two Hours Away From Bratislava:

**** Mikulov, Czech Republic - (1 hour 50 minutes) Take a train from Bratislava main station to the Czech border town of Břeclav, then change to another local train to reach Mikulov

**** Esztergom, Hungary - (1 hour 25 minutes) Take a train from Bratislava main station to the Slovak border town of Štúrovo, then walk across the bridge over the Danube river to reach Esztergom. The huge dome of the basilica in Esztergom is visible when you get off the train in Štúrovo, so you can use it as a landmark to follow to reach the bridge over the river

*** Trenčín, Slovakia - (1 hour 25 minutes) Take a train from Bratislava main station

*** Čachtice Castle, Slovakia - (1 hour 25 minutes) Take a train from Bratislava main station to Nové Mesto nad Váhom, then change to a local train to reach the village of Višňové which is directly beneath the castle

*** Brno, Czech Republic - (1 hour 30 minutes) Take a train from Bratislava main station

*** Beckov Castle, Slovakia - (1 hour 40 minutes) Train from Bratislava main station to Nové Mesto nad Váhom, then take a bus from outside the train station to the village of Beckov

*** Lednice, Czech Republic - (1 hour 20 minutes) Take a train from Bratislava main station to the Czech border town of Břeclav, then take a bus from outside the train station to reach Lednice

*** Valtice, Czech Republic - (1 hour 35 minutes) Take a train from Bratislava main station to reach the Czech border town of Břeclav, then change to another local train to reach Valtice

** Červený Kameň Castle, Slovakia - (1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes) Take a bus from Bratislava main station to the village of Častá, then walk up the hill along the road to reach the castle

** Nitra, Slovakia - (1 hour 15 minutes) Take a bus from Bratislava main bus station

** Plavecký Castle, Slovakia - (1 hour 20 minutes) Take a bus from Bratislava main bus station to the village of Plavecké Podhradie, then hike up the hill to the castle ruins

** Smolenice Castle, Slovakia - (1 hour 15 minutes) Take a bus from Bratislava main bus station

** Skalica, Slovakia - (1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 50 minutes) Take a train from Bratislava main station to Kúty, then change to a local train to reach Skalica

** Eisenstadt, Austria - (1 hour 10 minutes) Take a train from Bratislava-Petržalka station to Parndorf, then change to another train to reach Eisenstadt

** Trenčianske Teplice, Slovakia - (1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours) Take a train from Bratislava main station to Trenčín, then take a bus from outside the train station to reach Trenčianske Teplice

* Štefánik Hilltop Monument in Brezová pod Bradlom, Slovakia - (2 hours) Take a bus from Bratislava main station to reach Brezová pod Bradlom, then hike up the red-marked trail to reach the monument

* Tematín Castle, Slovakia - (2 hours) Take a train from Bratislava main station to Nové Mesto nad Váhom, then take a bus from outside the train station to the village of Lúka and walk up the blue-marked trail to reach the castle ruins

* Kopčany Romanesque Church, Slovakia - (1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 40 minutes) Take a train from Bratislava main station to Kúty, then change to a local train to reach Kopčany village. Walk from the village across the fields towards the Morava river to reach the church

* Dražovce Romanesque Church, Slovakia - (1 hour 45 minutes) Take a bus from Bratislava main station to Nitra, then change to another bus to reach Dražovce village. The church is on the hill above the village

Destinations Less Than Three Hours Away From Bratislava:

**** Olomouc, Czech Republic - (2 hours 40 minutes) Take a train from Bratislava main station to Břeclav, then change trains to reach Olomouc

**** Visegrád, Hungary - (2 hours 25 minutes) Take a train from Bratislava main station to Szob in Hungary, then change to a local train to reach Nagymaros-Visegrad station. From there walk down to the Danube river and take the passenger ferry across the river to Visegrád on the opposite bank

*** Kroměříž, Czech Republic - (2 hours 25 minutes) Take a train from Bratislava main station to Břeclav, then change to a second train to Hulín, then change to a third train to reach Kroměříž

*** Moravský Krumlov, Czech Republic - (2 hours 30 minutes) Take a train from Bratislava main station to Brno, then change to a local train to reach Moravský Krumlov

*** Znojmo, Czech Republic - (2 hours 45 minutes to 3 hours) Take a train from Bratislava main station to Břeclav, then change to a local train to reach Znojmo

*** Carnuntum Roman Archaeological Site, Austria - (2 hours 15 minutes) Take Bratislava city bus #901 from under Nový Most to Hainburg, then walk southwest along the red-marked trail to reach the town of Petronell-Carnuntum where the Roman site is located

** Gýmeš Castle, Slovakia - (2 hours 10 minutes to 2 hours 25 minutes) Take a bus from Bratislava main bus terminal to Nitra, then change to another bus to the village of Kostoľany pod Tribečom. In the village there is a Romanesque church to see, then hike up the yellow and then green-marked trails to reach the castle on the nearby hilltop

** Sopron, Hungary - (2 hours 20 minutes to 2 hours 45 minutes) Take a bus with the company Student Agency from Bratislava main station to Gyor (daily at 11:15am), then take a train from there to Sopron

** Rust, Austria - (2 hours to 2 hours 15 minutes) Take a train from Bratislava-Petržalka station to Parndorf, change to a second train to reach Eisenstadt, then take a local bus from there to Rust

** Dobrá Voda Castle, Slovakia - (2 hours to 2 hours 20 minutes) Take a train from Bratislava main station to Trnava, then walk out to the bus station outside the train station and take a bus from there to the village of Dobrá Voda. From there hike up the red-marked trail to reach the castle ruins

** Tata, Hungary - (2 hours to 2 hours 20 minutes) Take a bus with the company Student Agency from Bratislava main station to Gyor (daily at 11:15am), then take a train from Gyor to reach Tata

** Komárno, Slovakia - (2 hours 5 minutes) Take a train from Bratislava main station

Essential Travel Destinations # 2 - Lake Bled, Slovenia

Lake Bled is without doubt one of the most picturesque locations in Slovenia, if not in all of Europe. The shimmering lake surface, cliff-top castle, island church and backdrop of towering mountain ranges form a view that is certain to take up a lot of memory space in your camera.

Given it's relatively accessible location from the capital Ljubljana (a little over an hour by bus), the lake sees a steady stream of visitors all year, but especially in the high summer season when many come to take part in activities like hiking and horseback riding in the surrounding mountains.

The most enjoyable way to experience the lake and its stunning backdrop of mountain peaks is to take a ride in a pletna (a small rowboat of a design which is unique to the Bled region) to reach the small island in the centre. A church has stood on the island since the 9th century and archaeological evidence suggests it was the site of stone-age burials long before. The appearance of the current Church of the Assumption dates from the 17th century. It is traditional for visitors to ring the church bell and make a wish; this means that in the high summer season the bell is kept ringing almost continuously.

It's possible to walk around the lake in about two hours, allowing you to see the island and clifftop castle from every possible angle. Making the hike up to the Osojnica lookout for knockout views of the lake and surrounding countryside is also highly recommended. For those who would prefer to comfortably ride around the lake, a wheeled tourist train operates in the summer months. Willow branches reach out over the water at many points along the shore, providing shady spots that draw huge schools of fish looking for cooler temperatures in the summer months.

The first written record of Bled dates from the year 1004, and visitors have been making the pilgrimage to see the island church ever since. Towards the end of the 19th century the lake became a popular spa resort for the upper classes of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, who came to drink its supposedly curative waters.

Several socialist-era hotels line the shore of the lake near the town of Bled, though luckily they aren't prominent enough to detract from the lake views. Leader Josip Broz Tito enjoyed visiting the lake so much that he had his summer residence built there, a grand villa where he entertained many famous guests. The Slovene national poet France Prešeren praised the beauty of Bled in his verses, calling it a 'second paradise of Eden'.

It's possible to visit Bled as a daytrip from Ljubljana (about 1 hour and 15 minutes on one of the frequent buses from the main station in the city), though there are plenty of hotel and pension options for those who would prefer to stay the night and have the chance to experience the lake when it is peaceful at dusk and in the early morning. Buses also run regularly from Bled to Lake Bohinj (one hour), another beautiful alpine lake with clear views of Mt. Triglav.

Day Trips from Český Krumlov, Czech Republic - The Top 10 Destinations

Český Krumlov is an essential stop on anyone's tour of the Czech Republic, and settling in for a few days to fully experience the town's charms and surrounding countryside is highly recommended. There are a number of worthwhile day trips that can be made from Český Krumlov to see more of South Bohemia, such as a hiking trip in the Šumava National Park or a visit to nearby Rožmberk nad Vltavou castle. Here are ten possible destinations that can be reached using public transport, including a star rating out of 5 for each place. All of these options begin from the main train station or bus station in Český Krumlov. For more details on each of these destinations, see the post Top 100 destinations in the Czech Republic. The photos included in this post show, from top to bottom, Tábor, Třeboň and Prachatice.

**** Hluboká nad Vltavou castle - (1hour 15 min to 1 hour 45 min) Bus to České Budějovice, then change to another bus to Hluboká nad Vltavou village

**** Šumava National Park - (1 hour 30 min) For a great one day hike, take the train to Černý Kříž and hike along the yellow-marked trail (five to six hours) past some of the park's finest scenery until finishing at the train depot Ovesná to get the returning train to Český Krumlov

*** Rožmberk nad Vltavou castle - (35 min to 40 min) Bus to Rožmberk nad Vltavou village

*** České Budějovice - (55 min) Take the train for the very scenic journey

*** Jindřichův Hradec - (2 hours to 2 hours 30 min) Bus to České Budějovice, then change to a second bus

*** Tábor - (2 hours 25 min) It's easier to reach as a day trip from Prague, but if you're in Český Krumlov you can get there by train with a change of trains in České Budějovice

** Prachatice - (2 hours to 2 hours 30 min) Bus to České Budějovice, then change to a second bus

** Třeboň - (1 hour 25 min to 2 hours) Bus to České Budějovice, then change to a second bus

** Holašovice folk village - (1 hour 25 min to 1 hour 50 min) Bus to České Budějovice, then change to a second bus

** Kratochvíle chateau - (1 hour 40 min to 2 hours) Bus to České Budějovice, then change to a second bus

Day Trips From Prague, Czech Republic - The Top 50 Destinations

Prague's central location in the Czech Republic and role as the capital means that all transport connections lead to and from the city, making it possible to reach many destinations around the country as a day trip and even a few across the border in Germany. For the purposes of a day trip I've limited the options to places that can be reached in less than 3 hours of travel by public transport; many travellers prefer short day trips of around one hour of travel and I've included many in that category, but for those who are short on time in the Czech Republic and staying in Prague it can be worth the effort of making longer day trips to see top attractions like Český Krumlov or the Bohemian Switzerland National Park. I've given each destination a star rating out of 5 and grouped them into destinations of one hour of travel or less, two hours or less, and three hours or less. I've included details on how to reach each place using public transport and where the buses/trains depart from in Prague. For more details about things to see in each of these destinations, see the post Top 100 Destinations in the Czech Republic. The photos included in this post show, from top to bottom, Loket, Kolín, Jičín, Jindřichův Hradec and Nelahozeves.

Destinations Within One Hour of Prague:

***** Karlštejn castle - (40 minutes) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží station to Karlštejn village

**** Konopiště castle - (45 minutes) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží station to Benešov, then walk 1.5 km west through Konopiště park to reach the castle

**** Kutná Hora - (50 min to 1 hour) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží station

*** Terezín - (50 min to 1 hour) Bus from outside Prague Holešovice train station

** Mělník - (35 min to 45 min) Bus from outside Prague Holešovice train station

** Nelahozeves - (50 min) Train from Prague Masarykovo nádraží station

** Veltrusy - (35 min) Bus from outside Prague Holešovice train station

** Litoměřice - (1 hour) Bus from outside Prague Holešovice train station

** Pardubice - (1 hour) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží station

** Lidice - (20 min) Bus from outside Prague Dejvická metro station

** Lány - (50 min to 1 hour) Bus from outside Prague Hradčanská metro station

* Kolín - (40 min) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží station

Destinations Within Two Hours of Prague:

**** Křivoklát Castle - (1 hour 20 min to 2 hours) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží station, change to a second train in Beroun

*** Tábor - (1 hour 35 min) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží station

*** Plzeň - (1 hour 40 min) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží station

*** Hradec Králové - (1 hour 40 min) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží station

*** Kokořín Castle - (1 hour 10 min to 1 hour 30 min) Bus from outside Prague Holešovice train station, change to a second bus in Melník

*** Sobotka & Kost Castle - (1 hour 10 min) Bus from outside Prague Černý Most metro station to Sobotka, a hiking trail leads from there through the forest to Kost castle

** Liberec & the Ještěd Tower - (1 hour 15 min) Bus with the company Student Agency which departs from outside Prague Černý Most metro station, take a local tram from outside Liberec train station to reach the Ještěd Tower

** Český Šternberk Castle - (1 hour 45 min to 2 hours) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží station, change to a second train in Čerčany

** Jičín - (1 hour 25 min) Bus from outside Prague Černý Most metro station

* Říp Hill - (1 hour 20 min) Train from Prague Masarykovo Nádraží station, change to a second train in Vraňany, then get out in Ctiněves village and walk 1 km along a hiking trail to reach the hill

* Sázava - (1 hour 20 min) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží, change to a second train in Čerčany

* Blatná Castle - (1 hour 45 min) Bus from outside Prague Anděl metro station

* Jihlava - (1 hour 45 min) Bus from Prague Florenc bus station

* Žatec - (1 hour 20 min) bus from outside Prague Zličín metro station

Destinations Within Three Hours of Prague:

***** Český Krumlov - (2 hours 55 min) Bus with the company Student Agency which departs outside Prague Anděl metro station. Buy tickets in advance for this bus, especially in summer

**** Karlovy Vary - (2 hours to 2 hours 15 min) Bus from Prague Florenc bus station

**** Dresden (Germany) - (2 hours 15 min) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží station

**** Saxon Switzerland National Park & Bastei Bridge (Germany) - (2 hours 20 min to 2 hours 30 min) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží station to Bad Schandau, then change to a second train to reach Kurort Rathen. Take the local ferry across the river to beneath the Bastei Bridge, where many hiking trails lead into the park

**** Brno - (2 hours 40 min) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží station

**** Olomouc - (2 hours 20 min) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží station

**** Telč - (3 hours) Bus from Prague Florenc bus station to Jihlava, change to a second bus to Telč

**** Loket - (3 hours) Bus from Prague Florenc bus station to Karlovy Vary, change to a second bus to Loket

**** Nové Město nad Metují - (2 hours 30 min) Bus from Prague Florenc bus station

**** Litomyšl - (2 hours 20 min) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží to Česká Třebová, change to a local bus outside the train station to reach Litomyšl

**** Jindřichův Hradec - (3 hours) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží station to Veselí nad Lužnicí, then change to a second train to reach Jindřichův Hradec

**** Bohemian Switzerland National Park - (2 hours 50 min) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží station to Děčín, then outside the train station take a local bus to Mezní Louka, where hiking trails begin in the park

**** Czech Paradise National Park - (2 hours 20 min) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží station to Turnov, then change to a second train to reach Hrubá Skála, where hiking trails lead into the park

**** Hluboká nad Vltavou Castle - (2 hours 45 min to 3 hours) Bus from outside Prague Anděl metro station to Strakonice or Tábor, then change to a second bus to reach Hluboká nad Vltavou

**** Mariánské Lázně - (3 hours) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží station

*** Kuks - (2 hours 25 min) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží to Jaroměř, then change to a second train to reach Kuks

*** Třeboň - (2 hours 50 min) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží to Veselí nad Lužnicí, then change to a second train to Třeboň

*** Orlík Castle - (2 hours 30 min to 3 hours) Bus from outside Prague Anděl metro station to Písek or Mirovice, then change to a second bus to reach the village of Orlík nad Vltavou where the castle is

*** Zvíkov Castle - (2 hours to 3 hours) Bus from outside Prague Anděl metro station to Písek, then change to a local bus to reach the village of Zvíkovské Podhradí where the castle is

*** Červená Lhota Castle - (2 hours 45 min to 3 hours) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží to Soběslav, then outside the station take a local bus to Červená Lhota (this local bus only operates from Monday to Friday, not on Saturday or Sunday)

** Bezděz Castle - (2 hours 50 min to 3 hours) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží to Bakov nad Jizerou, then change to a second train to reach Bezděz village

** Prachatice - (2 hours 45 min) Bus from outside Prague Anděl metro station

* Pelhřimov - (2 hours 10 min) Bus from outside Prague Roztyly metro station

* Písek - (2 hours 20 min) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží