3 castles and manor houses near Bratislava for a day trip

A day trip to the manor houses around Bratislava is well worth it: their big parks are made for a walk in the fresh air. My picks are Tomášov manor house, Bernolákovo manor house with its golf course, and Šimák Castle in Pezinok. The manor house in Malinovo, where I went to secondary school, is sadly falling apart.

Quick factsby Milan Bez Mapy

Tomášov manor house

Now a hotel with a park and mini golf, just 20 km from central Bratislava; I stayed here in 2017

Watch out for

Parking in Tomášov, where you drive through the grounds and right under the manor house to reach the public car park

Bernolákovo manor house

I remember it as a ruin; today it’s restored, with golf, tennis and paintball around it

Šimák Castle in Pezinok

A moated castle in an English park, with a wine bar; I’ve stayed the night there too

Not worth it

The manor house in Studené, where a no-entry sign stopped me at the entrance, and the crumbling manor house in Malinovo

I wrote this article in 2020. Prices, opening hours and connections may have changed since then, so check them before you go.

Manor houses near Bratislava worth visiting: I have a soft spot for the manor houses around the capital, because I once went to one of them every day. It was the manor house in Malinovo, where I spent four years at secondary school. It only gets a passing mention in this article, though, because it’s falling apart and has become a disgrace to Malinovo.

The manor houses in the neighbouring villages are in much better shape. So bookmark this article and plan your own trip to the manor houses around Bratislava.

Tip from Milan I’d recommend booking your accommodation as early as you can, because rooms in a good location at a fair price go first. Here you’ll find accommodation offers in the area valid today.

Castles and manor houses near Bratislava worth visiting

There’s no shortage of manor houses around Bratislava. Practically every village has its own, and so do some of the city’s districts. Why so many? They were the country seats of the nobility. In this article we’ll visit:

• The manor house in Tomášov
• The manor house in Bernolákovo
• Šimák Castle in Pezinok

There’s also the manor house in Studené, but you can only visit it if you’re a member of some programme or other. I arrived, parked, saw a no-entry sign and turned round. If you’d like to see a manor house in a sorry state as well, pop over to the manor house in Malinovo. It was built on the foundations of a medieval castle in the late Renaissance style and later remodelled in the Neoclassical style. You can’t miss it as you pass through Malinovo, thanks to its huge 13-hectare park.

Malinovo manor house, Eberhard Castle, the English park and the horticultural school

In the 19th century the manor house passed to the Apponyi counts, one of the most influential noble families in the Kingdom of Hungary. That’s why it’s also known as the Apponyi manor house. It’s a two-storey building with four wings. What makes it special is the park, an English landscape park that a horticultural school looked after from 1923. The manor house stands on the foundations of Eberhard Castle, built between 1344 and 1385. The castle belonged to an estate in the Kingdom of Hungary and had a moat, which gradually became overgrown and dried up. Only traces of it are left today. I’d definitely take a walk here and do a loop around the manor house. The park once had a collection of rare and valuable trees. After that it went to seed for many years, until the Bratislava Region restored it. It reopened in October 2026 and is open daily from 6am to 10pm (until 8pm from November to March). The manor house is still waiting for its own restoration.

There’s a car park just outside the park entrance, right in the centre of Malinovo next to the bus stop. From there it’s about a two-minute walk through the park to the manor house.

Tomášov manor house and Art Hotel Kaštieľ, famous for weddings

Like its neighbour, the manor house in Tomášov has a vast park with graceful garden architecture. Add the elegance of its salons and an unusual pumpkin garden, and you have Majorháza manor as the traveller Gottfried von Rotenstein described it in 1782. Hundreds of people passed through the manor house in the war years. In the First World War it served as a military hospital. Between the wars it put up tourists, much like a hotel. After the Second World War it became a nationalised reform school for girls, and later for boys too.

After its restoration in 2010, the Tomášov manor house officially became a hotel, Art Hotel Kaštieľ. There’s even mini golf in what is the oldest English park in Slovakia. Think spa treatments, a romantic dinner or a stroll in the park, just 20 kilometres from central Bratislava. On hot summer days there’s an outdoor pool next to the manor house, or you can have a picnic with a hamper full of treats. I stayed here myself, way back in 2017, and you can read my review of Art Hotel Kaštieľ in Tomášov. You may well have heard of the place already, if only because in season it hosts one wedding after another.

Parking here is a bit awkward: you drive through the grounds, right under the manor house, and on through the park to the public car park. It does rather spoil the mood when you’re on the terrace with a coffee and a big Audi rolls past your table.

Bernolákovo manor house and its golf course

The manor house in Bernolákovo dates from the 18th century and is considered one of the first aristocratic residences designed as one with the surrounding landscape. Even Maria Theresa paid a visit. The designs came from the Austrian-born imperial court architect Fischer von Erlach, then one of the most important architects in Europe. The building was completed in 1722. The park around it once had sculptures, but none have survived. Today there’s a golf course, tennis courts and paintball. Out on the manor meadows you can try archery or catch a fish at a private fishery.

The Bernolákovo manor house has suffered serious damage: a fire gutted it, and attacks during the Second World War nearly destroyed it. The original furnishings are gone, but you’ll still see the hallmarks of a Baroque residence, such as a double staircase and a suite of salons. With three wings over several floors, corner towers and a central oval tower, it makes a great venue for any social occasion. I still remember it as a ruin: my friends and I used to cycle over from Malinovo and play inside. Today the manor house in Bernolákovo has been beautifully restored.

Šimák Castle in Pezinok

Šimák Castle in Pezinok is a Renaissance building that stands in the Castle Park (Zámocký park). It was first built in the 13th century as the seat of the lords of Svätý Jur and Pezinok. In the Middle Ages the park was the site of a moated castle. Because of constant attacks it was surrounded by two moats, so the only way in was over drawbridges. The moated castle has kept its medieval form to this day, which sets it apart. You won’t find many like it in Slovakia.

In the 19th century the castle passed to the Pálffy family, who remodelled it in the Romantic style. They also reworked the garden into a lovely English park with rare trees. In the southern part of the castle there’s a wine bar that showcases the castle winery (Zámocké vinárstvo) and its old wines from the cask.

There are rooms in the romantic tower too. Another curiosity: the thickest mattresses in Slovakia, a full 27 cm. Then there’s a spa, a garden with peacocks that make a break for it now and then, and a wine cellar. Two castle restaurants see to the gourmet side of things. I’ve stayed at Šimák Castle in Pezinok as well, and you can read my review for detailed tips and photos from inside the hotel.

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My 3 tips for a day trip to castles and manor houses near Bratislava

The manor houses and parks around Bratislava are a big subject, and I could write about them forever. Following my route around the manor houses and castles near Bratislava makes for a pleasant day outdoors. They all have big parks, so you get plenty of fresh air. If planes are more your thing, I’ve put together a list of nine places where you can watch planes landing at Bratislava Airport.

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