Bratislava makes for a good weekend escapade, since it is an easy hop from many other European cities and its sights can be taken in over just two days. Though it has become the stag party capital of Europe, thanks to cheap flights and beer, the city also offers a nice portion of history and culture for other types of visitors.

A stroll down the cobblestoned streets of the old town will take you through the remaining gate of the medieval fortifications, along quaint shops and up to Bratislava castle. The building itself is not particularly impressive, but the view from the grounds is worth the short climb: it encompasses the roofs and steeples of the Old Town, the Danube and its modern suspension bridge, the rows of Soviet-style housing blocks on the other shore and sometimes offers a glimpse of the nearby lower Carpathian range.