The Celts and the Romans settled for a while in Bratislava and later the Turks nominated Bratislava as their capital city. The sense of history in Bratislava is fantastic. There are some breath-taking views from Devin Castle, as well as museums with loaves of bread dating hundreds of years and Celtic jewelry. To get to Devin castle, you take No.29 bus from Novny Most - the bridge opposite Hotel Danube. From this castle, you can see vast communist architecture on the other side of the river, providing a stark contrast to the more westernised side we were living in.
Older people speak excellent German.
There is a laid-back atmosphere in Bratislava. If you are on your way to Prague or Budapest, I would heartily recommend Bratislava. Go off the beaten track a little and you will be very pleasantly surprised. We did and were all the richer for the experience.