During my recent trip throughout central and eastern Europe, I had a few people ask me why on earth I had selected Bratislava to spend a couple of my precious travel days. I had a few reasons. First, Bratislava was practically on my route anyway, as it’s only about an hour from the hub of Vienna. I was also drawn to having a break from some of the larger cities and the tour groups that come with them. Third, there’s something special to me about traveling to a place you never anticipated you might go to, and learning as much as you can about that place and its culture.