Life in Bratislava

Culture and Leisure

Bratislava is the cultural and intellectual center of Slovakia, and as a result is home to many of the country’s cultural institutions, including the Slovak National Theatre and the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra. The city has many museums, art galleries, and exhibition spaces, most notably the Slovak National Museum and the Natural History Museum, both of which are open to the public for free. There is also the Slovak National Gallery, which has both permanent and temporary public art displays around the city. Bratislava also has a thriving café culture, which best enjoyed during the summer months. Sport is also popular in Bratislava, with two football clubs based in the city: ŠK Slovan Bratislava and FC Petržalka Akadémia.

Healthcare in Bratislava

Expatriates can use the public healthcare system in Slovakia, provided they make the necessary social security contributions through their employment. However, as a foreigner, you will incur some small fees for treatment. As the standard of care provided by the public system is not of the same as in other European nations, many expatriates living in Bratislava take out private healthcare insurance, so that they can use the private healthcare system, where many doctors speak English and the standard of care is much higher. There are many private medical facilities located in Bratislava that would be suitable for expatriates.

Education in Bratislava

Although Slovakia has a free public school system, many expatriates living in Bratislava send their children to private, international schools where they will be taught in English. Due to its large expatriate population, Bratislava has a number of highly regarded international schools that would be suitable for the children of expatriates living in the city. The most notable include The British International School Bratislava, the Cambridge International School Bratislava, and Quality Schools International Bratislava. As the capital city, Bratislava is home to the largest university, Comenius University, the largest technical university, Slovak University of Technology, and two of the oldest art schools, Academy of Performing Arts and the Academy of Fine Arts and Design, in Slovakia. There is also a branch of the City University of Seattle located in the city.