Slovakia is one of those places that most people skip over during their travels abroad.  Such a shame!  It's a quaint little country with loads of charm.  And Bratislava is a perfect example of one such city within the borders of Slovakia.  I recently read it was one of Empress Maria Theresa's favorite locations (she being of the Hapsburg Empire). After our short excursion through Bratislava, I now understand why.  It's a lovely city that has an old vibe but hip, modern art, cafes and upscale boutiques.  And a castle to boot.  What more could one ask for?

On a sidenote, there is a store called Folk Art, on the main drag in Bratislava (Address: Rybarska brana 2).  They have a great selection of handmade collectibles from the area (mostly higher end items).  Even if you aren't looking to buy, its worth walking into this lovely store and taking a look around at some of the traditional dressing, woodwork and arts/crafts. I feel it lends a good idea to the culture.  The people who work their are incredibly kind (yes, they speak English) and in my opinion, made my trip to Bratislava all the more warm-hearted.