Open houses, free events mark start of tourist season

WARM weather invites people to spend more time outdoors and tourism season ceremonially opens with Bratislava for Everyone, or Open Days of Bratislava, events taking place April 24-26.

Bratislava for EveryoneBratislava for Everyone (Source: Pavol Funtál)

This year, several new events and activities have been added to staple hits like open day at the zoo, free ship voyages on the Danube, swimming and ice-skating on an artificial rink, Foresters’ Day (in Sunday 26) at Železná studienka and Kačín in the Small Carpathians, rides in historical “small train” and “tram” along the city centre.

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This time around, there will be also horse races at the racecourse in Petržalka-Ovsište (the Mayor’s Cup), rowing race of eights – and a quiz, University Regatta (OC Eurovea, April 25), a ride in dustmen’s truck (April 25, 10:00, Primate’s Palace), an exhibition of Alpine plants in the Botanical Garden in Karlova Ves, and more.

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On April 25, the city gates will be ceremonially “opened” at 10:00, thus starting the main programme. Apart from the mayor’s office residing in the Primate’s Palace, also the Old Town office will open its doors to curious visitors.

The museums operated by the city of Bratislava (the City Museum, Museum of Clocks, Museum of Arms, Museum of Pharmacy, the Devín Castle, Gerulata in Rusovce, and some more) as well as the Bratislava City Gallery will open their doors, too – and for free, as will the Waterworks Museum on the outskirts and the Museum of Trade in Podunajské Biskupice that offers a less traditional view of the historical shopping and trade.

St James’(St Jacob’s) Chapel, surprisingly discovered during renovation works and re-building of the Old Market Hall at the SNP Square, opens its doors, or rather its underground ossuary, just once a year for public. The military cemetery of soldiers who died in World War I, in Petržalka-Kopčany, will also be open and guided tours offered.

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Some other events fall on this weekend, too, like the Farmers’ Market Trh-Piac-Markt (April 25) which offers both fresh products from locals farmers and exotic food, and the Sunday Parade (April 26) – an event hailing foreign cultures and communities living in Slovakia, mostly their traditions, crafts and meals. Both take place in the Old Market Hall. An outdoor market can be visited, too, in the Jakubovo Square (April 25).

As for foreigners – the French Embassy to Bratislava has followed the nice example of Bratislava Mayor Ivo Nesrovnal, and open its doors (of the Kutscherfeld Palace in the Main Square) to visitors between 10:00 and 14:00.

Tickets for the free boat voyages can be obtained on April 22 until 19:00 in the P. O. Hviezdoslav City Theatre in Laurinská Street.

There will be also free guided tour around downtown Slovak capital, with those on Saturday and Sunday at 14:00 (starting at the fountain in Primate’s Square) being held also in English and German.

However, as the events are mostly for free, the interest is each year enormous, and thus it may happen that the queue waiting for the entrance or a ride is too long and the patience too short. Thus, it is good to have ”a plan B”, or another attraction, selected for example at www.bratislava.sk.

Bratislava for Everyone, selected events

Friday, April 24

  • daylong - crafts market, Old City-hall yard
  • 19:00-20:00 Slovakia Cantat 2015 festival of choirs, Klarisky concert hall, Klariská Street

Saturday, April 25

  • 9:00-18:00 Open Day of Mayor, Primate's Palace
  • 8:00 rowing race of eights - University Regatta; Eurovea, Námestie M.R.Štefánika
  • 9:00-18:00 Open day at the zoo; Mlynská dolina 1
  • 10:00 Unlocking the city gates, Michael's Gate
  • 14:00-15:30 guided tour in English and German: Bratislava – Pressburg – Pozsony; starting at the fountain in Primaciálne námestie (Primate’s Square)
  • 10:00-15:00 free ship voyages on the Danube; Ship Prešov, Bratislava port, platform No. 52 – Fajnorovo nábrežie 2
  • 10:00-16:00 free rides in historical “small train”; start from Hviezdoslavovo nám. or Bratislava Castle
  • 10:00-17:00 free rides rides in historical tram along the city centre; tram stops directly in the historical centre: Kapucínska, Mostová, Jesenkého
  • 14:00-18:00 St James’(St Jacob’s) Chapel; Námestie SNP (in front of Old Market Hall)
  • 10:00-15:00 Famers’ Market Trh-Piac-Markt; Námestie SNP - Old Market Hall
  • 10:00-17:00 Dobrý th / Good market; Jakubovo námestie
  • 10:00-18:00 museums and galleries operated by the city of Bratislava open their doors for free:
  • *City Museum – Old town hall, Prinaciálne/Hlavné námestie
  • *Period Rooms Museum – Apponyi Palace Hlavné námestie / Radničná 1
  • *Museum of Viticulture – Apponyi Palace Hlavné námestie / Radničná 1
  • *Museum of Clocks – Židovská 3
  • *Museum of Arms – Michael’s Gate, Michalská 22
  • *Museum of Pharmacy – Michalská 26
  • *Museum of Arthur Fleischmann – Biela 6
  • *Museum of Johann Nepomuk Hummel – Klobučnícka 2
  • *Devín Castle – Muránska 10, Devín - Bratislava
  • *Gerulata – Gerulatská 7, Rusovce – Bratislava
  • *Bratislava City Gallery (Mirbach Palace) – Františkánske nám. 11
  • *Bratislava City Gallery (Pálffy Palace) – Panská 19
  • 10:00-17:00 - Waterworks Museum, Devínska cesta 1
  • Sport
  • *8:00-20:00 free swimming; Swimming pool Pasienky, Junácka 6
  • *10:00-17:00 ice-skating, Ice rink Dúbravka, Harmincova 2
  • *10:00-12:00 / 14:00-16:00 ice-skating, Ice rink of O.Nepela, Odbojárov 9
  • *10:00-20:00 bedminton, Sport hall StaRZ, Harmincova 2
  • Open Day - French Embassy, Hlavné námestie / Main Square

April 26

  • 10:00-17:00 Open Day of Mayor, Primate's Palace
  • 9:00-18:00 Open day at the zoo; Mlynská dolina 1
  • 14:00-15:30 guided tour in English and German: Bratislava – Pressburg – Pozsony; starting at the fountain in Primaciálne námestie (Primate’s Square)
  • 10:00-16:00 free rides in historical “small train”; start from Hviezdoslavovo nám. or Bratislava Castle
  • 10:00-17:00 free rides rides in historical tram along the city centre; tram stops directly in the historical centre: Kapucínska, Mostová, Jesenkého
  • 10:00-17:00 Foresters's Days, Partizánska lúka (Železná studienka)
  • 14:00-18:00 St James’(St Jacob’s) Chapel; Námestie SNP (in front of Old Market Hall)
  • 11:00-17:00 Sunday Parade – Fjúžn Festival; Námestie SNP - Old Market Hall
  • 10:00-18:00 museums and galleries operated by the city of Bratislava open their doors for free:
  • *City Museum – Old town hall, Prinaciálne/Hlavné námestie
  • *Period Rooms Museum – Apponyi Palace Hlavné námestie / Radničná 1
  • *Museum of Viticulture – Apponyi Palace Hlavné námestie / Radničná 1
  • *Museum of Clocks – Židovská 3
  • *Museum of Arms – Michael’s Gate, Michalská 22
  • *Museum of Pharmacy – Michalská 26
  • *Museum of Arthur Fleischmann – Biela 6
  • *Museum of Johann Nepomuk Hummel – Klobučnícka 2
  • *Devín Castle – Muránska 10, Devín - Bratislava
  • *Gerulata – Gerulatská 7, Rusovce – Bratislava
  • *Bratislava City Gallery (Mirbach Palace) – Františkánske nám. 11
  • *Bratislava City Gallery (Pálffy Palace) – Panská 19
  • 10:00-14:00 - Waterworks Museum, Devínska cesta 1
  • Sport
  • *8:00-20:00 free swimming; Swimming pool Pasienky, Junácka 6
  • *10:00-17:00 ice-skating, Ice rink Dúbravka, Harmincova 2
  • *10:00-12:00 / 14:00-16:00 ice-skating, Ice rink of O.Nepela, Odbojárov 9
  • *10:00-20:00 bedminton, Sport hall StaRZ, Harmincova 2

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