Yet alongside rockers, rogues and renegade stars from foreign climes, Bratislava hosts a fair few home-grown events that are well worth putting in your diary. In summer and autumn in particular, travellers have a true smorgasboard of sounds and sensations to soak up. June offers double-barrelled liquid refreshment, with a Water Sprite festival followed by the annual 'Juni Beer Festival'. The latter begins with a blast of cannon fire across the city. Later, visitors who drink too much are ceremoniously fired into the river in keeping with the ancient Slavic custom (just kidding, they fire you across the Market Square). August is a contender to steal the summer show, with the epic Summer Cultural Festival bringing in music, dance and theatre troupes for some seasonal hijinks.
As autumn unfurls, you can follow in Royal footsteps with the three day Coronation Festival. After these chivalrous shenanigans, you've got Bratislava Jazz Days in October and the prestigious Month of Photography in November. The Bratislava International Film Festival winds up the year's events calendar with cinematic flair.
If you're coming to Bratislava and you'd like to know what's going on in the coming months click on the links at the top of this page for a browse. We'll strive to update you on all the major events plus one or two more esoteric choices. All in all there'll be no excuse for moping about your hotel!