As well as art galleries, medieval landmarks and lively bars, this large Czech city is also a gateway to the rolling countryside of South Moravia.
Visit Brno to experience Moravia’s easygoing charm. Explore a city decorated with architecturally impressive monuments, atmospheric bars, galleries, glorious parks and museums. Established as a stronghold in the 11th century, today Brno is the Czech Republic’s second-largest city and capital of the Moravia region.
Admire architectural masterpieces of Brno’s Old Town, centering on Náměstí Svobody square, such as the 14th-century Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul and the Old Town Hall. Spot mummified corpses in the Capuchin Monastery’s eerie crypt. See spooky bone collections of plague and war victims in the ossuary of the Church of St. James.
Mingle with locals at colourful food displays at Zelný trh (Cabbage Market). Look for Parnassus Fountain, symbolizing the empires of Babylonia, Greece and Persia. Join a guided tour of underground tunnels, previously used as hideouts, storehouses and torture chambers.
Learn about local history at the excellent Moravian Museum. Browse exhibits of the Moravian Gallery in Brno and the Brno House of Arts. Outside the city centre, find the Mendel Museum of Masaryk University, Museum of Romani Culture and Technical Museum of Brno. Walk or catch a tram to the hilltop Špilberk Castle and functionalist-style Villa Tugendhat.
Visit Brno’s parks and gardens on sunny days. Relax on the open lawns of Park Lužánky, see and smell the botanical displays at Botanicka Zahrada and view the exotic wildlife at Zoo Brno. Take a boat ride along underground rivers to the vast caves at Macocha Abyss. Watch motor-racing events and try go-karting at Brno Circuit.
Enjoy a night out at the Old Town’s bars and restaurants, many with outdoor terraces overlooking grand squares. Sample locally brewed Starobrno beer and wine produced in the vineyards of South Moravia. Watch ballet, opera and philharmonic performances at the Mahen Theatre and Reduta Theatre.
Brno is a 3-hour train journey from Prague. Get around the main sights comfortably on foot or by buses and trams. Enjoy the Czech Republic’s enchantment without Prague’s large crowds.
