Bratislava, the Most Underrated Capital

If it hadn't been for a widely circulated meme of "Jack Slow Fxxk" from my childhood, I might never have considered visiting Slovakia. Without this trip to Slovakia, I might never have known that its capital is called Bratislava, or bothered to remember its tricky. And without coming to Bratislava, I never would have realized that there's such a "deserted" European capital.😊😊😊 I took a train from Vienna's Wien HBF station and arrived at Bratislava Hlavná Stanica in just an hour. There was no security check, and the train was sparsely populated, making the whole journey incredibly smooth. But as I exited the station, I was taken aback by the retro aesthetic, as if I'd stepped back into a TV scene from 20 years ago. The ticket vending machine at the entrance printed tickets one by one, which was really nostalgic. Fortunately, this old-fashioned charm meant that even without English signage on the machines or street signs, I could still figure things out. I just had to insert the ticket into the machine with a click, and it took me straight to my hotel. And just like that, my one-day tour of Slovakia began.😍😍😍 Before I arrived, I had read that there were casinos everywhere around my hotel, but I soon realized that this city has noDice at all. It turned out that Bratislava had issued a decree to ban gambling city-wide starting January 1, 2021. Maybe that's why even from my hotel balcony, there were hardly any people in sight. There aren't many tourist attractions in Bratislava, but the Old Town is slightly busier. The Blue Church Farský kostol sv. Alžbety (Modrý kostolík) This was my first stop. The Blue Church is very photogenic, and I'd say it's the most worth visiting in Bratislava. Bratislava Castle Bratislavský hrad The castle overlooks the city, with a large viewpoint where you can see panoramic views of Bratislava. It's most beautiful at sunset, so I'd recommend saving it for last. This was also the emptiest viewpoint I've seen in all the European cities I've visited. With such a perfect vantage point and hardly anyone around, you can really take all the photos you want.😂😂😂 Galéria Nedbalka I didn't go inside, but the umbrella installation outside on the street was quite cute. Čumil This is a statue of a man emerging from a manhole cover. It takes only five seconds to see, and you can't really take a photo with him since you can't lie on the ground with him, haha. There are also Segways everywhere, and you can rent one. They're super convenient for getting around, even for going up the hills. You can easily spend a day exploring the city. Alright, that's it for completing my 35th country achievement! #Slovakia #Bratislava #EuropeanTravel #HiddenGemDestination #BratislavaTravelTips #AroundTheWorld