An impressive skyline

A quick check on bakery opening times found that bakeries didn’t open in Slovakia on Sunday mornings. We had decided to stay on the Slovakian side of the Danube, so detoured via the supermarket to pick up morning tea pastries and bread rolls for lunch.

The day was already warm as we left, following a nice bike path along a levee, with glimpses of the Danube through the trees.  We passed some Roman remains, but unfortunately missed the fortress due to our selected route. 

Spotting a shelter at the edge of the path, we pulled in for our morning tea stop.  Shade was hard to come by and we needed to make the most of it.  The dedicated cycle path joined a road and we spotted a few points of interest in the small towns, largely deserted given that it was a Sunday. 

A little further on, we found a little bistro offering cold drinks so bought the largest bottle of mineral water on offer, as well as a big glass of Kofola, a carbonated soft drink produced in Slovakia and seen as an alternative to Coke or Pepsi.  It was a little less sweet with a slightly licorice after taste.  I explored some of the local sights, including climbing a tower with views up and down the Danube, and panels indicating distances from capital cities. 

Our lunch spot was another picnic shelter, which we shared for a short time with a couple that spoke a little English and were curious about our travels.  Soon after we reached the outskirts of Esztergom. Its cathedral is one of the largest basilicas in Europe and is located next to the Esztergom castle – making for a very impressive skyline. 

After a quick detour via the supermarket, we checked into our Airbnb apartment which was on the ground floor of an old house, covered by vines. The rooms were lovely and cool, which was much appreciated now that the temperature had climbed into the 30s. 

We enjoyed a rest and cold drinks before heading out again to climb up to the castle precinct, passing an impressive sculpture at the entrance to the castle.  We had to prioritise our visits, as it was just over an hour until closing time.  We opted for the ‘red’ castle tour, a 30 minute highlight tour, which included the cistern room, chapel and Wite tower with its panoramic views.  We did manage a sneaky peek at some of the other rooms as there were no barriers to entry. 

When we tried to buy tickets into the Basilica we were told that most of the sights were closed and we could enter the liturgical space for free.  Given that most of the church was hidden by scaffolding, we were pleased that we hadn’t paid to enter.  Some of the artefacts included body parts encased in gold, one being a fragment on an arm bone.

Dinner was at the nearby Next restaurant, where we tried a few more Hungarian dishes including goulash, duck and pork knuckle.  All very tasty.  Feeling full, we wandered into town for ice creams before returning to our accommodation.