Autumn Full of Colors, Art and Taste

Wine as an experience

You can taste the best wines grown in Slovakia at the Slovak National Collection of Wine in the center of Bratislava. Every year, experts select one hundred of the best wines from all over Slovakia, which visitors can taste during specialized tasting programs in the historical cellar of Apponyi Palace.

If you want to get deeper into the taste of the wine specialties of the Bratislava region, go for dinner outside the center at the hotel Matyšák – one of the famous wine families. You will surely choose from 45,000 bottles of wine at the unique cellar. You can taste today’s wines made from grapes born directly on the hillside above Bratislava long time ago in the wineries Vínimka on Ventúrska street or Wine not? on the Main Square.

Bratislava is a paradise for winemakers thanks to the proximity of the picturesque Small Carpathian region. Visit the Small Carpathian Wine Museum in Pezinok with the largest collection of unique wine presses. Do not forget to visit the wine cellars in Svätý Jur or the Wine Park Elesko with the modern art gallery Zoya Museum in Modra. If you long for a little bit of exotics, head for Safari in the Vineyards – you can discover the small Carpathian vineyards on a jeep with a pinch of adrenaline.

Autumn delicacies and traditional Pressburg cuisine

The biggest autumn attraction for which locals wait eagerly all year, is goose meat. The golden-roasted delicious meat, stewed cabbage and potato pancakes are delicacies that no one refuses. The small town of Slovenský Grob near Bratislava is a kingdom of goose. There are more than twenty inns and restaurants where you can taste this delicacy. Since 2016, “Her Majesty, Goose” has a giant, almost three meters high statue on the square.

The rich offer of goose and duck meals is waiting for you at the restaurant Leberfinger near the Janko Kráľ Orchard at the Danube, where you can taste the genuine Pressburg cuisine. The center of Bratislava is full of genuine restaurants with local specialties that will delight many gourmets.

Traditional Pressburg meals can be found at the prestigious Carlton Hotel in Savoy Restaurant, where one of the top 20 chefs in Slovakia will take care of your perfect gourmet experience, or at Zylinder Restaurant opposite Carlton on Hviezdoslav Square. The friendly staff will be happy to advise you on which specialty to choose and which wine will harmoniously complement its taste.

After a good meal, you can enjoy cookies and cakes baked in the historic Konditorei Kormuth pastry shop with love for traditions – all pastry is based on original recipes dating back to the Austro-Hungarian monarchy and are served on historic porcelain.

Celebrating autumn with art and culture

Today, Bratislava is a place where you can admire the art of top musicians, exceptional works of art and performances by famous actors. All you have to do is choose from a number of galleries, theaters or concerts. Most of the works of art from Gothic to the present can be found at the Bratislava City Gallery (GMB). Its collections also feature an unusual Matej Krén Passage in Palffy Palace. The installation of books and mirrors creates an optical illusion of infinite space.

Works of art are also the buildings of the Danubiana Museum of Modern Art and the Nedbalka Gallery. They rank among the most interesting exhibition spaces in Europe. You will find contemporary art by Slovak and foreign artists there. While Danubiana was inspired by the Roman gallery, Nedbalka is often compared to the Guggenheim Museum in New York.

The best of ballet, opera and drama can be enjoyed at the Slovak National Theater. In addition, there are many other theaters in the capital that regularly change the repertoire – tempting dramas or comedies with the cast of well-known Slovak actors. Love live performances? Visit the Slovak Philharmonic, its programme is packed with performances by world-renowned artists.

If you want to experience the real autumn atmosphere in Bratislava, visit some of the many wine festivals. In September they take place in different districts as well as in the Small Carpathian region. In addition to wine, you can also experience the true taste of homemade specialties. Music and dance performances as well as various entertainment activities for children are part of the event. Various harvest celebrations in different variations are typical for Bratislava and its surroundings throughout all autumn.