Home PARTNER STORIES PARTNER NEWS Bratislava’s Christmas market delighting visitors with novelties in 2023

Bratislava’s Christmas market delighting visitors with novelties in 2023

The iconic festive markets in the Slovakian capital will stay open until New Year’s Eve

Nov 17, 2023

christmas_bratislava — Photo: The Slovak Spectator, TASR

A hallmark of Bratislava in wintertime

The Christmas market is one of the hallmarks of Bratislava in wintertime. This year, the organisers announced that the legendary Christmas market will be prolonged from 23 November to 31 December. In addition, guests from far and wide can enjoy friendly zones this year, where they can take a break from the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping.

“We were supported by the stall tenants to prolong the Christmas market,” said Katarína Hulíková, director of the Bratislava Cultural and Information Centre (BKIS). The market on the Main Square will open on 23 November, and on the next day, guests will enjoy the official opening of the Christmas market.

A plethora of gastronomic options

More than 70 stalls on the Main Square will delight guests during the main Christmas market season. The rich offer will include mulled wine, a variety of beer, vegan dishes and more. One of the highlights of the Christmas Market is the imposing 12-metre Christmas tree donated by the Karlova Ves borough. Its branches will serve as food for the animals in the Bratislava Zoo after Christmas.

Friendly zones

The city is cooperating with the Old Town borough in organising the Christmas markets this year. Markets on the Main Square and Hviezdoslavovo Square will be connected by so-called friendly zones, a novelty the organisers will roll out in 2023. They will mainly provide visitors with a peaceful space away from the hustle and bustle of the markets.

“We have created a space that will particularly help families with children, the elderly, vulnerable groups and all those who may not cope very well with the overcrowding in the square after a while,” said Hulíková. “Fridays will belong to the reading for adults, followed by concerts by young bands,” said Hulíková. “On Saturdays, we have again prepared readings for children and performances by female artists with bands.”

The festival will implement several sustainable measures, including returnable cups and compostable utensils. In addition, guests will manage their waste in two sorting stations. There will also be ashtrays for cigarette butts, which will be recycled.