Audioguided Tasting In The Dark

Overview

A cellar on Michalská street, in the courtyard behind the Palace Apartments Hotel, goes completely dark and stays that way while you taste four Slovak wines from around the country. The tasting runs about 40 minutes, guided by a pre-recorded voiceover from start to finish. You never see the wine, the label or the colour, so smell and taste have to do all the work.

Reviewers describe the recording as funny as well as informative, and several said that losing their sight genuinely changed how the wines came across. One reviewer who tried a blind tasting format here found it interesting and informative, while others praised the quality of the Slovak wines served.

It suits adults who want something short and different in the centre of Bratislava. It does not suit children, since alcohol is served, and the listing advises against it for pregnant travellers or anyone with serious medical conditions, mental difficulties or phobias. Groups run to a maximum of 40 people, and one reviewer reported attending what amounted to a private tasting.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Find the cellarHead to Michalská 3 in the Old Town. The entrance sits in the courtyard of the Palace Apartments Hotel, next to the reception, marked with an illuminated sign reading Tmavá Degustácia.
2. Take a seat in the darkGo down into the cellar area and meet the host before the lights go out completely for the session.
3. Guided tastingOver roughly 40 minutes, a pre-recorded narration walks the group through four Slovak wines from different parts of the country, served one by one in the darkness.
4. Return to the lightThe experience ends back at the same cellar meeting point.

What To Expect From The Tour

Here is what helps to know before booking a tasting held entirely in the dark.

• Alcohol only. No children are allowed because alcohol is served. The four wines included are all alcoholic, with no mention of a non-alcoholic option.
• Short and central. The whole session lasts about 40 minutes and starts on Michalská in the Old Town, close to public transport.
• Recorded, not live. The commentary is a pre-recorded voiceover, which many reviewers found funny and informative.
• Group feel. The listing caps numbers at 40 travellers, though one reviewer reported a small group and another an effectively private tasting when attending alone.
• Optional extras. The included drinks cover the four wines.
• Darkness comfort. The room is pitch black by design. The listing does not recommend it for travellers with mental difficulties or phobias.

Common issues. The cellar is not wheelchair accessible, and the tasting is off limits to children, pregnant travellers and anyone with serious heart or other medical conditions. The full refund window closes 24 hours before the start time, with no refunds or changes accepted after that point.

Common Questions