I'm going to be in Vienna in March and was curious if it is worth a day trip or an overnight to Bratislava. I don't know anything about the city, but it is very nearby.

Been there twice. I can't pinpoint what it is that I like about BTS, but I really do like it (may have to do with the incredible local "talent" evident on the streets, in the cafes and so on )! Definitely worth a daytrip...Go up to the castle, then stroll down to the old city and find a nice little place to eat dumplings or something homely.

Yes, you can make it as a daytrip by a speed boat from Vienna. But one day it�s enough, because there are not really a lot of sights to see.

and don't eat anything

I know a lovely little hostel you can stay in...

I've done the day-trip from Vienna a couple of times (by train rather than boat - never could get organised in time to do the boat). By train, you have the option of a swish, new, fast train to the incredibly inconvenient Bratislava-Petrzalka or an ancient one-car railcar through some bizarre border backwaters to the much more convenient Bratislava hl. st (a short tram ride to the old town). I prefer the latter, but then I like things like that (I'm actually disappointed that it now runs through, and that you don't have to hop off on to the tracks at the border, wait for the police to turn up, and then hop across the tracks to an even more ancient one-car railcar).

The old town has been very well restored, with some lovely squares and back streets that are good for wandering around. You can get decent food and drink for very cheap (some of the more back-street bars do have some raw meat dishes that I wasn't too keen on, though...) At weekends, it can be popular with heavy drinking groups of lads who come from all over (not least from the UK) to take advantage of the cheap prices and behave accordingly.

It's a good place to wander round, explore the old back streets, and look at the bizarre welcome-to-our-alien-overlords boat over the Danube.

It does have its seedier side, and it does have its organised crime. The two often collide in nightclubs and strip clubs. You probably won't come across this, but it's a good idea to make sure you don't.

Is there much in the way of history or museums or anything besides the castle? Is the food pretty much similar to what I would find in Budapest or Vienna?

no offense intended, i just find the food in bls...lacking.

vienna and budapest are international cities, you'll find all sorts of food at all sorts of prices there. bratislava has traditional slovak food and bad italian food.

While it will not be available during your upcoming trip, Starwood is planning a new hotel in the city. Also from VIE there appears to be frequent bus service dirctly to Bratislava.
PS- Why do I keep thinking of that Slasher/Horror flick HOSTEL, whenever the name Bratislava comes up ???

Mmm...stay at a suite in a local property for �100 or pay Starwood �230 for a double room at the Sheraton (that's the going price in KRK) ? That'll be a tough one

Maybe you can hook into a local tour while there. I totally enjoyed one. Can still see a canon ball 1/2 buried in a wall that was supposed to have been put there by Napolean's army. The tour I ended up on was all Germans except for me. My German is minimal. The guide would go though her full spiel in German, and then turn to me and repeat the whole thing in English.

The city has sort of an Austrian feel to it. Spotlessly clean and similar architecture.

Romelle

I took the boat there, thinking of sort of drifting lazily down the Danube. It was a rushing thing with water splashing up in all directions. We were inside and couldn't see out of the windows because of the splashing water. You will get more scenery with a train.

Yup, this is the first thing that came up to my mind when i heard Bratislava.

Hostel was filmed in Prague

Yup.
Or stay in a local hotel in the town square for about 100euro or a hostel in the town square for 19euro

I can usually get a nice room at the Sheraton Krakow for 140 euros, including breakfast. Maybe you're saying during busy times?