Bratislava is the least known of the trio of capital cities situated on the mid-reaches of the Danube - and it's all the better for it. While Vienna and Budapest have long wooed tourists, one of Europe's newest capitals has retained its quiet, unassuming air, the unsung poorer cousin of the Austro-Hungarian empire.

In the 11 years since breaking away from its Czech neighbour, the Slovak capital has thrown off its communist clothes and slipped into something more comfortable; its new capitalist wardrobe is a perfect fit. What this means in practical terms is a beautifully restored old town, a buzzing café life, and a fast-emerging sense of style to rival its grander Danube neighbours.

An unusual feature of this gem of a city neatly sums up the rapid strides it has taken in the past decade. Just off Hlavné square is Peeping Tom, a pavement sculpture of a workman idly peering out of a manhole, a statement on the way communists dished out hollow jobs, I was told. What he is really doing from his unique vantage point, however, is eyeing up the elegant "new" women as they walk by.

Up the street is the gorgeous Art Deco front of the Roland Café, the green-roofed 14th-century town hall, and picturesque Venturskala street, where a precocious nine-year-old called Franz Liszt and a six-year-old called Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart once performed. At the end is the medieval Michael Tower, which can be climbed for great views and visited for its gun museum.

Music is a key to understanding this compact city. In every street, it seems, young people are striding by with violins, cellos or horns tucked under their arms. No surprise then that in one month the Slovak National Theatre performed 13 different operas by Bizet, Verdi, Puccini, Mozart, Rossini and Donizetti, with seats for as little as a tenner.
For something more boisterous, try ice hockey, the Slovak national sport. Tram 4 will take you to the ST Arena where you can see Slovan trounce all-comers. Be prepared for extreme macho displays.

Sample authentic, cholesterol-laden Slovak cuisine at Slovenski Restaurancia on Hviezdoslavovo namestie, or at Woch, which has jazz in the basement until late. The meal starts with a trolley of spirits being wheeled to your table. I had Becherovka, a herbal spirit, then roast goose and pancakes with red cabbage, and apple strudel to finish. New, lighter cooking is making its mark too at cool places like Peoples, provocatively adjacent to the inevitable McDonald's.

The walk up to the castle passes through the old Jewish quarter, half demolished to make way for the brash Novy most bridge, built by the communists with a revolving, flying saucer café on top. Three delightful museums are worth stopping off for - one for clocks, another for decorative arts, and a third for folk music.

Look down on the town, up to the bobsleigh, skiing and toboggan runs on Kamzik Hill, then across the Danube to the concrete jungle of Petrzalka and its acres of Soviet tower blocks. From the quayside you can take the hydrofoil to Vienna, but better, surely, to stay awhile and soak up the quiet style of this infinitely manageable central European charmer.

Need to know



Robert Nurden travelled with SkyEurope (020-7365 0365, www.skyeurope.com), which has direct flights from Stansted from £55. He stayed at the Radisson SAS Carlton Hotel, Hviezdoslavovo nam 3 (00 421 25939 0000, www.radissonsas.com). The trip was arranged by ITC-Travel (25249 4668, www.itc-traveller.com). Slovakia's official tourist website is at www.slovakiatourism.sk. A useful publication is "What's on Bratislava and Slovakia", available from kiosks. You can download a free travel guide to the city from www.inyourpocket.com.Malta: fireworks

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