Staré Mesto is Bratislava's historic old town and the centre of tourist life in the city. The district contains all of the main historic sights — Bratislava Castle, St Martin's Cathedral, the Main Square, Michael's Gate, the Primate's Palace, and the cluster of Baroque palaces that line the streets around them. It is compact enough to explore entirely on foot in a day, though the density of things worth seeing rewards a slower pace.
The old town is equally Bratislava's nightlife district. The streets around Michael's Gate and Hviezdoslav Square have a concentration of cafes, wine bars, and restaurants that fill up from late afternoon onward. The cobbled lanes are at their best in the evening, when the tourist crowds have thinned and the terrace tables are occupied by locals.
Staré Mesto is small — it covers barely a square kilometre — and surrounded on all sides by districts with a different character. Walking out of the old town in any direction takes you quickly into the residential city that most visitors don't see.