If you live in a rented apartment or dormitory without air conditioning, this summer in Bratislava there is a place to go: the city launched a network of cooling centers Ochlaď sa! (literally — “Cool down!”), where you can sit for free in an air-conditioned room, drink water, and use the toilet. The project is a pilot, planned for summer 2026, coordinated by Klimatická kancelária Bratislavy (Climate Office of the city hall).
The reason is serious: the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute (SHMÚ) announced the highest, third level of danger due to heat in the south and west of the country, and thermometer readings these days approach 40 °C, writes Startitup. At such temperatures, discomfort is the least of the problems: heat stroke takes lives every summer, so keep important emergency service phone numbers handy (single line — 112).
Centers are activated not constantly, but on alert
The network activates automatically based on SHMÚ forecasts. The conditions are: cooling points open when forecasted
- three consecutive days with temperatures from 33 °C,
- two consecutive days from 35 °C,
- or at least one day from 38 °C.
After activation, the network operates for at least three calendar days in a row. So even if the heat drops a bit, the doors will not close the next morning. The current status of the network and an up-to-date map with addresses are published by the city on the official project page.
Where to find coolness
More than 30 locations participate in the pilot, and it is not limited to shopping centers. Eight city districts (mestské časti) joined the network: Staré Mesto, Lamač, Rača, Ružinov, Nové Mesto, Petržalka, Karlova Ves, and Vajnory. Each has city institutions — libraries, community and cultural centers, local administrations (miestne úrady).
Private partners include shopping centers Aupark, Eurovea, and Westend, stores IKEA, Lidl, and Kaufland, as well as the bookstore Martinus. So you can cool down both on the way from work and while shopping.
What is provided for free
Each network point must provide a basic set:
- air-conditioned room;
- a place to sit;
- drinking water;
- access to a toilet.
Some locations add bonuses — Wi-Fi, books, board games, or children’s corners. Formally, the project is open to all residents and visitors of the city, but primarily it is aimed at the most vulnerable: elderly people, small children, people with chronic illnesses, and those who physically cannot cool their homes.
This is only part of a big plan
The Ochlaď sa! network is part of a broader strategy for Bratislava’s adaptation to climate change. The city is simultaneously preparing a long-term Heat Action Plan, installing drinking fountains and water mist sprayers, planting trees. Public transport has also been modernized: by the end of 2022, almost 100% of city buses were equipped with air conditioning. For comparison — in 2019, only 56% had it.
What you should do: check the project map for the nearest point to your home or work and save it. If elderly relatives or small children live at home, plan hot days so that the hottest hours (from 12:00 to 17:00) they can spend outside the heated apartment. And basic advice: drink more water, no alcohol in the heat, wear light clothing.
