Brno is the second city in the Czech Republic after Prague. Its history goes back more than a thousand years, it has preserved many historical monuments, for which tourists from all over the world come here. This is the most convenient point for exploring the main natural attraction of the Czech Republic - the Moravian Karst, which is located nearby.
Semi-official, it is considered an "IT-town": there are many offices of IT companies, and students make up almost a third of the population. There are 6 large educational institutions in the city, and there are entire neighborhoods that are occupied by their buildings and hostels.
The Czech Republic has a warm continental climate: in summer it can be hot, up to 38-40 degrees Celsius, but in autumn and spring this country is ideal for recreation, ecological tourism and exploring all its beauties.
City districts
Officially, Brno has 29 municipal districts, but we will highlight those that are close to the historic center and which also have something to see:
- Brno-Stred;
- Stare Brno;
- Zabrdovice;
- Viveri;
- Brno-Bystrc;
- Racovec;
- Trnovca.
Brno-Stred
This is the very center of the city, where all the most interesting is concentrated. In fact, it is not large, but there are so many things here that one day for inspection, as usually happens on excursions, is completely insufficient. In the center of Brno there is a mountain on which the Spielberg Castle is located, the city is visible from there at a glance. The castle itself was built in the 13th century, after losing its strategic importance at the end of the 18th century, it began to be used as a political prison, then as a barracks, and now there is a large museum and exhibition center.
In the lower part of the city, there are two main city squares. This is Freedom Square (former Market) with a plague pillar in memory of the plague of 1680. The main building of the square was created in the Art Nouveau style at the beginning of the 20th century, when the dilapidated old quarters were demolished. The main city festivals and events take place on this square, in particular, the Christmas market.
The second square, which has retained its “market” name, is Vegetable. The Zelnytrh green market is still open here in the summer, although it is not cheap and is more of a tourist attraction. On the square in the old building of the Dietrichstein Palace is the Moravian Museum - one of the largest and most interesting museums in the Czech Republic. There is a huge collection of historical treasures that tell about the history of Moravia. In addition, there are several more churches and museums in the area of the old town.
Renting an apartment here is not cheap, but interesting. Many hotels are located in historic buildings. It is worth paying attention to the five-star Grandezza Hotel Luxury Palace - it is located right on the Vegetable Square. The Royal Ricc is housed in a Baroque building dating back to the late 16th century. Hotel Pegas Brno grew up next to the oldest brewery in Moravia. The Grandhotel Brno is housed in an Art Nouveau house built at the end of the 19th century. There are also simpler accommodation, but as always, the closer to the sights, the more expensive it is.
Stare brno
The area that lies to the south of the castle hill is actually the second part of the Old Town. Here is the main and most notable attraction of Brno - the Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul. It is visible from everywhere, and on the slopes of the mountain there is a park around it. The cathedral was built in 1256, and at the beginning of the 20th century it was significantly rebuilt in the neo-Gothic style. Its two towers, which are the architectural dominants of Brno, were designed by the architect August Kirstein. Inside the cathedral, a baroque interior has been preserved, which combines various elements from the 12th to the 20th century. One of the towers has an observation deck. A diocesan museum with a rich collection of church art was opened under the mountain in 2006.
There are fewer bright sights in this area, but more of old buildings: if you want to enjoy a journey through medieval narrow streets, then they are located right here, and the central squares are literally a stone's throw from here. The streets here are winding, and when walking along them, you should stock up on good shoes: they are covered with cobblestones, which can be difficult to walk on.
The most famous restaurants serving traditional Czech cuisine are located here. Shopping can be done at numerous art galleries. There is a flea market Blesitrhy, several antique shops. The main large shopping centers are located in the station area, in the southeastern part of the city, but it is in the center that unique souvenirs and art and antiquities are sold.
Most of the hotels here are also occupied by historic buildings. It is worth paying attention to the five-star Barceló Brno Palace, which is located in the building of Mestský Dvur, a former trade and business center built at the end of the 19th century.
Zabrdovice
Region in the northeast. Here, in the area of Zeil Street, the city's Gypsy community is concentrated. In general, Moravia is home to a lot of sedentary Roma, and they make up a small but significant part of the Brno population.
The main attraction is the Museum of Roma Culture, opened in 2003 - this is the first Roma museum in the world in general. It has 28 thousand exhibits and tells about the history of this people from the most ancient times. The exposition occupies 6 rooms.
The second dominant feature of this area is Luzansky Park. This is a large, very quiet and clean green area, with ponds, sports and playgrounds: people come here to walk their dogs, ride bicycles and go jogging. There are some good pubs here, mostly student-occupied, like Tenis Pub Lužánky. There is a vegetarian restaurant - Ponava. There are no large hotels in this part of the city, mostly apartments are rented here.
Brno-Sever
North-eastern area of the city. It is quite far from the center; you will have to get to the main attractions from here by car or public transport. But it has its own flavor, which makes this area the most attractive for those who love nature and ecological tourism. Here is the University of Agriculture and Forestry and a huge arboretum with a botanical garden attached to it.
This part of the city is closest to the Moravian Karst - the main natural attraction of the Czech Republic. This is a whole system of caves, which stretches for 25 kilometers and has more than a thousand caves and caves, of which five are equipped for tourists. The Moravian Karst and its surroundings are a place for trekking tourism; there are tourist centers and campings nearby. But for day trips, it is quite possible to choose accommodation in Brno-Sever as the main base. Since this is an ordinary urban area, there are more shops here than restaurants - it is very convenient to live in an apartment with its own kitchen. Most of the housing here is inexpensive and unassuming, designed for students.
Viveri
The most student area in the city center. It is here that the famous Technical University, founded in 1899, is located. It occupies a large green area. There is also a university botanical garden and several other educational institutions or their departments. Slightly westward within walking distance is an observatory with a city planetarium. From here you can enjoy beautiful views of the city center and Špilberk Castle.
The area is convenient because it is clean and green, and there are many inexpensive cafes for students. Accommodation here is mainly - inexpensive apartments, with one exception - the four-star Hotel Continental, one of the best and most modern hotels in Brno, is located here. But at the same time, there are no large supermarkets and shops; it is not very close to the old town to get to on foot. So this is a great place for young athletic people who are willing to walk a lot and interact with local youth. They have fun here - it is in this area that the most famous nightclub in Brno, Mersey, is located.
Brno-Bystrc, Racovec, Trnovca
These are actually the suburbs of Brno, which lie in the northwest around the reservoir (Brněnská Přehrada). The reservoir on the Svrtka River was created in the 30-40s of the last century, and now it is a favorite resting place for local residents. Many sanatoriums and recreation centers have been built along its banks, there are water sports centers, boat stations, boats go up the river to the Veveří castle. Along the banks there are several beaches for swimming: some of them are equipped and have a paid entrance (for example, Riviéra), some are public, there is also a nudist zone (Osada). Holidays are held here, such as the fireworks festival. Fish is specially bred in the lake - you can feed it from the piers. There are several hiking trails along the shore - you can go around almost the entire lake, the route will take about 15 km. The main infrastructure is located at the dam in the Brno-Bystrc area, there is a marina and an amusement park.
In addition, the Brno Zoo is located in the Brno-Bystrc area on the slopes of the Mnisi Mountain. Several hundred species of animals live here, there is a children's area, there is a large safari area, a terrarium The zoo participates in a program to save several endangered species: Sumatran tigers and Przewalski's horses are specially bred here.
Around the reservoir there are several hotels with views of the lake and their own beach areas, which often also provide wellness services, because they arose on the basis of sanatoriums, for example, Orea Resort Santon.
