When I decided to cap off my 2007 Germany trip with a week in Vienna, I tacked a couple extra days onto the Vienna stay to take advantage of the weekend days. I filled the extra time with a couple of day trips, including one to Bratislava, Slovakia.

Bratislava is only 40 miles from Vienna, making it easy to get to by train or boat. The Old Town area has a lot of charm without the tourist crowd, and is easy to explore. The city is also historically interesting. Several Hungarian kings, queens and their consorts were coronated in Dom Sv. Martina when the Turks occupied other parts of Hungary, and Napoleon and the Holy Roman Emperor negotiated the 1805 Peace of Presburg here, effectively bringing an end to the 1000-year-old emperor.

Friendly people, good food and bargain prices - well worth a visit in its own right, and certainly as a day trip if you're in Vienna.

Mark Wasson, http://www.markwasson.com > Trips has detailed summaries of my trips

http://www.markwasson.com/u2007g07agermany.htm