We were finally on our way and farewelled Budapest which was looking beautiful at night with many of the magnificent buildings lit. Quite magnificent!

We headed north along the Danube turning west at the Danube bend on our overnight sail to Bratislava in Slovakia where we arrived at about 1pm the following day being Friday. The highlight of the sail was the navigation of our first (of 68) locks of our trip. The Gabcikovo lock accommodates 4 craft at the same time including 2 cruise ships end to end with the water step a staggering 18 metres.

Following docking at Bratislava we took a walking tour of the historical centre of the town, which was small but charming, and then climbed to the city peak to the historic Hrad Castle which provided stunning views of the city and Danube.

Bratislava has a population of 430,000 and so is not too much larger than Canberra. Historically it was part of the Hungarian Empire and there is evidence of this everywhere. Bratislava became the capital of Slovakia when Czechoslovakia split in 1993 to become the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

As with Budapest there is stunning historical architecture mingled with contemporary city buildings. And with many outdoor cafes and seating in the manicured central plaza area it was a delightful city to stroll around.

And the weather is apparently unseasonably warm so we broke out shorts and sunscreen.

A relax under the stars on the top deck following another faultless dinner completed a great day. Sigh!