Devín Castle is a ruined medieval fortress perched on a cliff at the confluence of the Danube and Morava rivers, about 12 km west of central Bratislava. The setting is one of the most dramatically sited in Central Europe — the castle is built into an almost vertical rock face, with the two rivers meeting directly below and Austria visible on the far bank.
The site has been fortified since at least the Celtic era, and the Great Moravian Empire had a major settlement here in the 9th century. The current ruins date from the medieval Hungarian period. Napoleon's army blew up much of the castle in 1809 (same campaign that fired the cannonball into the Old Town Hall). The ruins are well preserved and include a keep, curtain walls, and a Roman watchtower.
The castle is a 25-minute cycle from central Bratislava along a dedicated riverside path — one of the best short excursions from the city. A bus also connects Devín to the city centre. The village at the base of the castle has a few restaurants serving good Slovak food. Combine the castle visit with a walk along the Morava river floodplain for a half-day out.