The best of Brno Trips - City Tour

Probably everyone eager to visit Brno studied its architecture, sights, monuments and so called must see places well ahead the visit, but probably most of the information found was quite similar. Brno has many historic buildings or memorabilia, but it attracts people with cyclical events and happenings. Let’s take a city tour around Brno together.

QUICK TOUR AROUND THE CITY

Let’s start at Moravian Square between legs of a huge horse, which is the Statue of Margrave Jobst of Luxembourg. Here at the Moravian square you’ll also find one of many buildings of Moravian gallery. At the balcony of Governor’s Palace every year in November “Napoleon Bonaparte” waves and gives a speech to crowd standing below. This is a huge event, which reminds the times Napoleon came to Brno for the first time. Inside the Governor’s Palace is situated Morgal-Gallery Café and Bar serving homemade lemonades, sweet or savoury bites to eat.

If you look around the Moravian square and sacrifice few more minutes , a 3D map of Brno will probably draw your attention. It presents the city of Brno from 1645, when it was beset by Swedish army. Also the SCALA cinema, not the oldest in Brno, but very remarkable one needs to be mentioned here. It’s here to entertain Brno citizens, but not only, for more than 80 years. The first movie called Maryska was played in 1935.

Next on the city tour Brno is Saint James’s church with its ossuary discovered only 15 years ago. It took a while before 2012, when tourists could go inside. It’s the second largest ossuary in Europe. It’s opened every day from 9.30 to 6 pm. except Mondays. The full admission is 140 kc.

Freedom square

If you follow the pathway you will reach the Freedom square with its vanguard clock. A waste of money according to citizens and beauty of engineering among others.It should resemble a bullet, but not everyone sees it that way. It took 3 years and 12 millions Czech crowns to build this 6 meter marble clock. It releases a glass ball every day at 11 o’clock, so called Brno’s noon. The story is connected with Swedish army, which promised to leave the city if they won’t evade before noon. Brno decided to cheat a bit and chime noon an hour earlier. This way they got rid off Swedes and saved the city. Freedom Square is also famous for its fountain, monument Morovy Sloup and all the events taking place here like Beer or Vine Festivals, Easter or Christmas Markets and many many more.

what’s next

Now turn to Janska street and visit alfa passage, a functionalistic building on the corner with Postovska street. Popular Metro Music Bar, Chocolate Shop Minach or Café Alfa are only few out of many you’ll find here. Next stop is Menin gate, which is the only remaining part of Brno’s fortification. Turn back, follow Josefska street and visit the oldest cake and baker’s shop in Brno-Zemanova cukrarna. I’ll never get used to typical extremely sweet Czech cakes but maybe you’ll like it. The interior is quite interesting, nothing like modern cafes.

zelny trh

Next of the quick city tour Brno is Zelny Trh, which until 6 o’clock pm on weekdays and 2 o’clock pm on Saturdays offers variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs or local delicacies. Brno Underground, which entrance is at Zelny Trh as well is worth spending the admission fee for. It takes only an hour to learn fascinating facts about Brno. Also two out of many theatres are situated on Zelny Trh, it’s Reduta and Husa na provazku. I could also recommend Cosmopolis Café with delicious cheese cakes or sacher dort. Ideal after a tiring walk around the city.

TIC at Old city hall

Radnicka street will lead you directly to Old City Hall (Stara radnice), which nowadays serves as a Touristic Information Centre(TIC). Don’t be surprised by the view of a 5 metre crocodile in the corridor of the Town Hall, it’s just a reminder of an old legend about a dragon that lived at the bank of Svratka river. If you go a bit further you’ll see a 63 metre high tower. It’s an observation tower, you can enter during Museum Night or during summer break. Every Sunday from May to September at 11 o’clock am the beautiful sound of trumpets resound above the city. Stop around the corner on Panska street if you long for coffee. Probably the best in Brno served in a tiny Cafe in hostel Mitte.

petrov

When in the city centre you cannot miss Petrov, the gothic cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul located at the hill above the city. The Cathedral with its two towers is a dominating feature of the cityscape. Right below is Denisove Sady, a small park, in the summer crowded with youngsters, not everyone looking friendly. If you’re lucky you can encounter a wedding ceremony at the gazebo. And of course don’t forget to take your girlfriend for a romantic walk on a narrow paths close by the Cathedral and admire the beautiful view, especially when the sun sets completely.

spilberk castle

If you still have some energy left, use the exit at Husova street and visit Spilberk castle, the casemates and huge park around the castle. It’s up the hill it’s true, but at least you will find some shade there. On your way back to Moravian square there’re still some touristic attractions. Another building of Moravian Gallery-Prazak Palace, Museum of Applied Arts, Philharmonic, the Academy of musical talents or the church of Jan Amos Komensky, also known as the Red Church. You’ll also go through Ceska street, where under the clock there’s a popular place for young people to meet. No wonder there’re bunch of teenagers gathering around in the evening.

And that’s actually a point where the quick city tour Brno stops, but it doesn’t mean there’s nothing more to see. I didn’t mention famous Vila Tugendhat in Cerna Pole district, magnificent building of Mahen Theatre, Kamenna Ctvrt (Kolonie) with its unique little houses and odd Duck bar or the old Stadium Luzanky. I hope you’ll get the chance to spend more time in Brno, but if it’s not possible my advice would be: don’t rush. It’s better to have a sip of your favourite coffee in one of many fantastic bistros or cafes and take a slow walk around the city than run wildly in order to see as much as possible and die from exhaustion in the evening.

FACTS

Check also for your city tour Brno: Moravian gallery: Every first Friday in the month free admission to all the permanent exhibitions.
Behounska Street-Some famous restaurant, bistros and pubs on it
Obilni Trh-Big playground for kids, in addition you can buy coffee at one of many cafes or restaurants around.
VIDA! Science center- science amusement park for the whole family.
Lunch Time- between 11 am and 2 pm you can get soup+main course for around 100 kc in most restaurants. Remember ask about Denni menu.

EVENTS

Maybe an interesting choice would be to plan your city tour Brno visit while something special is hapenning.

Trhy jako Brno

Shopping Mall Vankovka invites to celebrate food, every time something different. Whether it’s coffee day, burger&hot dog festival, hot&spicy food, farmers market, it’s always delicious. Street food festivals are organized outside the shopping mall. To follow what’s new, please enter the website and check out the events. You should probably also look around the city, because there’re plenty of advertisement hanging around the city.

Ignis brunensis

A great fireworks show, that is actually a competition between different countries. It take place at the turn of May and June, mainly at Spilberk Castle or Brno Reservoir.

Museum night

It takes place in May, you can get to Museums for free or much cheaper than usual. Expect the crowds, special programmes and a lot of fun. Check the programme ahead the visit.

Majales

A music festival for young and old.

Spilberk Food Festival

The event takes place at the Spilberk Castle and it’s not a regular food festival. The entrance fee is quite pricey, but you’ll get high-end gourmet food. It lasts 3 days, for more info and the full programme go here

Divadelni Svet Brno (Theatre’s world Brno)

A festival of progressive theatre. Mahen, Janacek, Reduta or City Theatres are only few among all where the event will take place. It lasts 5 days, usually in May.

Shakespeare Days is Brno

At the end of July and beginning of August Shakespeare will visit the city again.

Grand Prix

Year by year in August at Brno circuit adrenaline level spikes. Well, fast machines and beautiful women is a bomb mix.

Moravian castles’ festival

Which is basically a music festival on castles. Quite a nice initiative. I like the idea of listening live music on fresh air mixed with great atmosphere on the castle.

I could go on and on like this, because it seems there’s no end to festivals and events in Brno. Calendar of events may be handy at this point. There’re many to be found on the Internet.

RESTAURANTS/CAFES

Skog Urban Hub is recently a very popular place, this café situated on Dominikan square is fresh, different and cold looking one
Stopkova, Vytopna restaurants, Starobrno brewery or Pegas brewery will serve some traditional Czech meals.
Oaza, Vegalite– healthy, meatless food for the ones who like to keep it simple.
Bistro Soul– a great place with great food.
Spolek-from what I heard the best nakladany hermelin in the city.
Kabaret spacek-extraordinary food for reasonable prices.
Trojka Café– alternative way of drinking coffee
Falk Cafe– exquisite chai latte and carrot cake. Odd interior.
Bar, ktery neexistuje– top 10 place in Brno, they offer a variety of colorful cocktails or home made burgers

believe me there’s more

I can’t recommend a place I’ve never been to, but trust me there’re way more places to eat good food, meet friends, drink a tasty beer or wine. There’re really nice spots on every corner.What’s surprising they are always full of people. No matter if it’s morning coffee and muffin in the café, noon lunch or evening beer with friends. The city centre is vibrant and vivid, and all thanks to people who live here.

Plenty of cool places like Havana restaurant in Brno-Lisen, Velorex in Kralovo Pole, Moname in Medlanky, Café Wellington in Reckovice are also outside the city centre. Just decide what do you want to eat today and choose your destination.