Bratislava: Beyond beautiful

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia — It isn’t every day that you travel thousands of miles away to be welcomed home in a completely different destination.

Bratislava, the eclectic, vibrant and pulsating capital of Slovakia, greeted us with warmth as we explored the old city that made us feel so at home. It’s no wonder that the city is nicknamed “Beauty on the Danube” because it didn’t take more than a heartbeat for us to fall for its allure. The minute we set foot on the centuries-old pathway that led to the Bratislava Square was the moment we began savoring what the city had to offer.

With every wonderment that generously poured across Bratislava, a swoosh of maple leaves also fell our way, an apt gesture of nature to bid autumn adieu and give way to winter.

It was cold, but perfect, as we strolled through the cobbled streets of this city; it is, perhaps, the best time to get acquainted with this beauty. In the Old Town, you can trace the footsteps of many famous composers and venerable archbishops and traipse through mind-blowing churches and castles that bear witness to the impressive spiritual and worldly power of the former rulers.

Beneath its placid veneer, Bratislava pulsates. The Stare Mesto (Old Town), which is securely nestled along the north bank of the Danube, overlooks the city’s historical life and, well, its very life. The Old Town is a gorgeous compact melting pot of cafes, restaurants and nightclubs. And to get around Bratislava, there is a myriad of perfectly functioning public transport system of trams, buses and trolleybuses.

As you walk along the Ventuska Michalska, a gorgeous cobblestoned alley, a force will tell you to look back. And when you do, the view of St. Michael’s Gate winks at you. You walk to the square and you can feel that you can sit forever and a day on a bench and simply watch the world go by. The Old Town Hall Tower Clock gives you a sense of time, yet you choose to ignore it, because all you want to do is to bask in its Old World charm. The Slovakian National Opera House is another charmer. And just when you decide to bid the square adieu, yellow flowers shower your way out of Bratislava’s Old Town: the ground is carpeted with yellow blooms and maple leaves — they continue to fall upon you, as though begging you to stay or sit for a little longer at its elegant promenade areas.

It is so easy to fall in love with Bratislava. It is also very easy for your spirit to get lost here. In the old city that evokes charm and appeal of the past, you will certainly be able to appreciate the present more. For how can one appreciate the past if it is not preserved for the present and future generations to enjoy them?

Bratislava is situated in the southwestern corner of the country, practically on the borders of two other states — Austria and Hungary. After the split of Czechoslovakia in 1993, Bratislava became the seat of the Slovak parliament, government and presidency. It is not just the political, economic, cultural and scientific center of the country; Bratislava is also the site of three universities whose students account for the lively atmosphere of the Old Town streets and squares. It is populated by about 500,000 polite people.

This opportunity to discover Bratislava was made possible by the synergy of Trafalgar Tours and Cathay Pacific (competently represented by its marketing manager, Anna Maria Lee.)

The flight aboard Cathay Pacific’s business class from Manila to Hong Kong then to Frankfurt was a comfortable, luxurious one. The seat can be totally reclined to become a flat bed; the succulent meals have choices of salmon and steak; and the stewardesses pamper you with every little request you require. There are even fresh lavender orchids displayed as an accent in your private cubicle.

From Frankfurt, Lufthansa delivered us eager and excited visitors to Budapest. After a three-day experience of Budapest (next on that in my future column), a comfortable Trafalgar coach ride brought us to the bosom of Bratislava.

For this particular sojourn, with an itinerary that includes Budapest, Prague and Vienna, you can be assured that Trafalgar is simply the best — what with its very friendly, funny and highly knowledgeable tour director, coach driver and all the staff that put in so much effort to assure you of an unforgettable time. By the end of the trip, all the passengers had forged a sense of solidarity, having shared a sojourn in common — the one that Trafalgar had thoroughly prepared.

Choy Teh, marketing specialist of Travel Tours, which operates Trafalgar, told me that Stanley Tolman, founder of Trafalgar, belongs to a family that has been in the business for four generations and has taken so many thousands of satisfied customers on their journey as well. His nephew, Gavin, has aggressively made strides to create travel innovations that prove to be truly revolutionary. 

I always enjoy traveling with Trafalgar tours because of how special its people make you feel. They provide experiences that are unique to the culture of the place you are visiting. They even have a “Be My Guest” activity where you get to interact with the locals, whether for a wine pairing dinner, cooking, or baking activity. The tour company is also famous for its “Hidden Treasure” discovery where a particular place that is not part of the original itinerary is surprisingly included in the schedule of places to visit.

In our Budapest-Prague-Vienna discovery recently, Bratislava proved to be more than a “hidden treasure.”

Helen Hao, VP and manager of Pan Pacific Travel, which is the general sales agent of Trafalgar in the Philippines, ably and lovingly led our Philippine group consisting of 13 travel agents and media people. She said Trafalgar has the most choices for travel journeys and its prices are very competitive, what with these prices dropping remarkably this year. She also assured us that we would be taken care of by a highly knowledgeable Trafalgar travel director. And she was correct, for Malcolm Macrae, our travel director, proved not only to be erudite but also a caring, witty and loving guy who led our coach of 44 passengers that also consisted of people from Singapore, Malaysia and India.

Malcolm is a traveler’s dream travel director. His knowledge is incomparable. For example, he would just rattle off details about Bratislava, such as: “Bratislava is now a magnet for inward investment, helping the Slovak economy grow at an unprecedented rate. As the largest city in the country, Bratislava accounts for 26 percent of Slovakia’s GDP and is the engine driving the country. Lying just 60 km downstream from Vienna, Bratislava is the closest of neighbors of all the world’s capitals. In fact, Bratislava used to be called a ‘suburb of Vienna.’ Thanks to reconstruction efforts, the Slovak capital is shining again in its original splendor while, just like Vienna, it has retained a nostalgic atmosphere from bygone days.”

My best friend Bum Tenorio was happily snapping away on his camera together with everyone else in our group. They all wanted to capture the beauty and allure of the moment and share them with their loved ones for posterity. Bum said Bratislava is beyond beautiful. “It is breathtaking and beguiling as well,” he said. He was so in love with Bratislava that he wanted to be left behind at the Roland Café at the square and spend the day ogling the gorgeous architecture, old buildings and beautiful people passing by. By the way, it was at Roland Café that we savored the best beef stroganoff and steak of our lives. Those entrees were so tender we could cut the meat using only our fork. 

Bratislava is the youthful, dynamic and bustling capital of Slovakia. It is a pleasant surprise and a precious gift to one and all. When you are in this area, take a trip through this fascinating city that will leave you breathless because of its beauty, luxury and grace. After all, Trafalgar only chooses the destinations that are truly worth calling “simply the best.”

Bratislava will take your heart away in an instant. It stole mine. And how joyful I was that Bratislava stole my heart and made it its home.

* * *

For more information, call Pan Pacific Travel Corp., the GSA of Trafalgar in the Philippines, at 536-1265 or 536-1267 or send e-mail to trafalgarmanila@panpacifictravel.com. Avail of an early bird promo/ preview sale as Trafalgar offers 15 percent off for tours to Europe and Britain and 10 percent off for CostSaver promo. This promo is only up to Nov. 30.

E-mail the author at miladay.star@gmail.com.