Bratislava

Bratislava - just 60km east of Vienna - has two distinct sides: the old quarter is an attractive slice of Habsburg Baroque, while the rest of the city has the drab, concrete looks of the average East European metropolis. Indeed, more buildings have been destroyed here since World War II than were bombed out during it, including virtually the whole Jewish quarter, which was bulldozed to make way for a colossal suspension bridge and highway. Much has been done recently, however, to spruce the city up, and the paved streets and squares of the old town are now abuzz with cafés and bars. Thanks to its large student population and position at the meeting-point of three nations (Bratislava lies very close to both the Austrian and Hungarian frontiers), the city has a lively, cosmopolitan atmosphere - and with none of the sightseeing crowds of Prague, it makes for a pleasant place to spend a couple of days.