Accommodation
Anybody Hotel – stays for role-play lovers; 10 rooms inspired by iconic American films
Bunker 10-Z – accommodation in a former nuclear bunker under Špilberk Fortress
BAM: Brno Architectural Manual
The Brno Architectural Manual brings architectural knowledge directly into the streets. Visitors can explore the city along nine suggested routes or create their own architectural itinerary. Markings on the sidewalks in front of buildings show the object’s code and website. Using a mobile phone, you can easily pull up information about each site.
BRNOPAS
This is a tourist pass that offers attractive discounts and free entry to Brno’s sights. There’s also an option to combine BRNOPAS with admission to Villa Tugendhat – handy if official tickets are already sold out.
DPMB: Brno City Transport Operator
12 tram lines, 12 trolleybus lines, 47 bus lines, and 11 night bus lines.
In Brno you will usually only need tickets for zones 100+101.
Prices: 20 CZK/15 min, 25 CZK/60 min, and 27 CZK/90 min.
Seniors 70+ travel free (note: an ID is required).
Tickets can be purchased from ticket machines, kiosks, via SMS, or directly on board (card payment only).
More information about paying by bank card is available on the DPMB website.
Night buses depart every night from the Main Railway Station.
Departure times (note: times may vary):
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On nights before a working day: 23:00, 23:30, 00:00, 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, 4:00, 4:30, 5:00
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On nights before Sat, Sun & public holidays: 23:00, 23:30, 00:00, 0:30, 1:00, 1:30, 2:00, 3:00, 4:00, 4:30, 5:00, 5:20, 5:40, 6:00
Drinking Fountains
Map of public drinking fountains in Brno
IDOS Timetable Search
An online timetable covering almost all Czech public transport (urban transit, regional systems, long-distance buses) as well as international schedules. You can filter results (trains only, buses only, etc.) or limit the search to a specific Czech city.
Luggage Storage
Brno Tourist Information Centre
Daily 9:00–18:00, address: Zámečnická 2
30 CZK per item per day (max. 40 items).
A separate room; each item gets a number and must be picked up during opening hours.
Main Railway Station (lockers, 00:00–24:00)
Besides luggage storage, the information centre offers a rest zone with public Wi-Fi, power outlets, and toilets (10 CZK). Free brochures, leaflets, and city maps are available in English and German. Various souvenirs are also sold here.
Leisure Activities
Exit Game: The Treasure in the Labyrinth – an escape game in the labyrinth under the Cabbage Market (also available in English)
Ignis Brunensis – an international fireworks competition (27 May–21 June 2023)
Absurdia Museum of Illusions – an interactive experience center full of optical illusions, surprising perspectives, and visual tricks
Papilonia – a magical world of butterflies
VIDA! Science Amusement Park – a science center with a permanent interactive exhibition at the Brno Exhibition Grounds
Wellness & Spa Infinit Maximus – thermal baths, sauna world, massages, plus a free shuttle at the reservoir
Opening Hours
Supermarkets are open Monday–Sunday (with the exception of certain public holidays), usually 7:00–21:00.
Parks and Green Spaces
From spring to autumn, many locals spend their free time in the city’s numerous parks. The oldest, coolest, and largest is Lužánky (Auepark), just a few minutes from the city center. There’s a skatepark and two street-workout areas, tennis and volleyball courts, and joggers use the park year-round. But you don’t have to be active here—read a book in the shade of old trees, grab a vegan ice cream from a colorful ice-cream truck, or just lie down on the grass.
Close to Lužánky you’ll also find Tyršův sad and the slightly hidden garden with a café behind Villa Löw-Beer. Other recommendations: Björnsonův sad, Wilsonův les, Špilberk, Kraví hora, and the Holedná wildlife park. A perfect spot to hang out on summer evenings is the area in front of the newly renovated Janáček Theatre.
Public Toilets
Sports
Hangar Brno – one of the largest bouldering centers in Europe with 200+ problems – and if you’re lucky, you might even meet Adam Ondra here
Canoeing – in summer you can rent a canoe with all equipment right in Brno; transport to other locations/rivers is also possible (note: Czech may be needed) – more information
Bike Arena Anthropos – for cycling enthusiasts, more information; unofficial trails: Zamilec Trails
Laser Game – Sport Balkán offers Brno’s best laser-game arena plus bowling, squash, foosball, billiards, and darts – more information
Stroll Tips
City Gallery in the “Brno Bronx”
In this former working-class district – often called the Brno Bronx – twelve murals have been created in recent years. The designs are by well-known Czech artists, and the wall paintings were executed by the studio Malujeme jinak. You can find a map with all murals here.
Kamenná kolonie / “Kamenka”
A former workers’ colony that arose in the 1920s in an abandoned stone quarry. With around 130 houses, it’s the largest such colony in Brno. In the 1960s the workers moved to new flats and “Kamenka” became a bohemian quarter.
Tips: the viewpoint above the colony; DuckBar.
The Villa District of Černá Pole
A quiet walk through the first public park in the Czech lands and some of Brno’s most beautiful streets. Stroll past the functionalist Villa Tugendhat by the famous German architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2001) to Schrebergärten Park, the first allotment-garden colony in the monarchy.
Tips: the garden behind Villa Löw-Beer and Café Löw-Beer, Kavárna Pole, Tři Ocásci, or the notorious pubs Traubka and Mýdlo.
You can find a clear map of the route here.
Swimming
A dip in an outdoor pool or a swim in a lake is simply part of summer! Among the most popular outdoor pools are Kraví hora, with a beautiful view of the city, and Riviéra, the largest outdoor pool complex in Brno.
If you prefer a lake, head to the Brno Reservoir (“Prýgl,” about 30 minutes from the city center). You’ll find beaches with changing rooms, toilets, snack stands, as well as sports courts and pedal boat rentals.
For a quieter, more natural experience, there is also a small swimming biotope in the Ořešín district – a hidden gem tucked in the woods, with refreshments right next to the biotope. You can get there on foot, by bike, by public transport, or by car.
Viewpoints
Špilberk Castle, the Old Town Hall tower, and the cathedral towers are the classic lookout points. You can also enjoy lovely views of Brno from rooftops, terraces, or various hills around the city. My two “insider tips” are the terrace on the 7th floor of the House of the Lords of Lipá (náměstí Svobody 17; free entry) and the terrace of the market hall at the Cabbage Market (Zelný trh).
If you prefer to take in the views in nature, I recommend these spots:
Bílá hora, Hády, Kamenná kolonie, and the lookout towers Holedná in Jundrov, Ostrá horka in Soběšice, and Babí lom in Lelekovice.
Food and Drinks
At lunchtime, you should definitely try svíčková (roast sirloin in cream sauce), the traditional dish of Bohemian cuisine that appears on almost every menu in Czech restaurants. I recommend Stopkova Plzeňská Pivnice, one of the oldest pubs in Brno right in the city center, or Hostinec U Semináru, where you can savor the charm of bygone times.
To drink, order a perfectly tapped Pilsner Urquell – the world’s first pilsner – or the Czech cult soft drink Kofola.
Vegetarians and vegans will be very happy at Tři Ocásci, Dhaba Beas, or Bistro Franz (partly vegetarian).
Brno has a long coffeehouse tradition – the first coffeehouse in the Czech lands opened in 1702 right here in the Moravian metropolis. Take your time and enjoy your coffee in one of the many cafés in the Old Town.
My personal tips: Kafe v rozkladu, Café Tungsram and Café Placzek. With our promo code, you’ll get either a discount on everything or a special offer at all the cafés mentioned.
Tea drinking, by contrast, has a much shorter tradition in the Czech Republic; it only really took off after 1989. Today, though, the country reportedly has the highest density of tearooms in the world. Visit Čajovna za zrcadlem, Dobrá čajovna, or Utopia – the latter is located in a former cinema in the basement of the Morava Palace and is one of the coolest spots in the city.
In the evening, you simply must have a cocktail at Super Panda Circus – the quirkiest bar in the Czech Republic. And for absinthe lovers, Naproti, a bar with a unique underground atmosphere, is a must. If you prefer wine, head to Klára Bára Wine Café, Marinada Store, or the wine bar U Žíznivého mnicha.
My insider tip for the bold: Blues Bar Traubka and Mýdlo – two pubs just a few meters apart. Let yourself be surprised.
Sights and Attractions
10-Z Nuclear Bunker
A former secret nuclear bunker beneath Špilberk for key figures of the city and regional administration. A few years ago it was opened to the public. Besides guided tours, you can even stay overnight.
Agudas Achim Synagogue
A functionalist synagogue and the only one in Moravia and Silesia that still serves its original purpose to this day.
Capuchin Crypt
Beneath the church of the Capuchin Monastery lies the Capuchin Crypt. Until the late 18th century, members of the order and its benefactors were buried here. Due to a special ventilation system and the dryness of the rooms, the bodies were naturally mummified. The oldest body dates from 1658. Also buried here is the Pandur leader Franz von der Trenck, the most famous prisoner of the Špilberk fortress.
Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul
The bishop’s seat and the city’s iconic landmark.
Jewish Cemetery
The largest Jewish cemetery in Moravia and, founded in 1852, the oldest cemetery in Brno. Free entry.
Labyrinth under the Cabbage Market
An almost one-kilometer complex of passages and cellars, 6 to 8 meters beneath one of Brno’s oldest squares.
Museums
A particular favorite with visitors is the Museum of Romani Culture – the only museum of its kind in Europe – and it’s located in a “Roma quarter.” Otherwise, in Brno you can also visit the Moravian Museum, the largest technical museum in Moravia, the Moravian Gallery, or the Jewish museum Mehrin.
Old Town Hall
The oldest secular building in the city, dating from the 13th century, with a 63-meter tower.
Ossuary at the Church of St. James
The second-largest ossuary in Europe after the one in Paris. The number of people interred here is estimated at over 50,000.
Špilberk Castle and the Casemates
Špilberk Castle was founded in the 13th century as the seat of the rulers of Moravia and to protect the city of Brno. In the 17th and 18th centuries it was transformed into a powerful fortress, and in 1783 it became a prison for serious criminals – and soon after for political prisoners from across the Austrian monarchy. At that time, Špilberk was considered the harshest prison in Europe.
Veveří Castle
Brno has another castle besides Špilberk: Veveří. It is less well known, but older. The castle lies near the reservoir and can be reached by bus 303 (departing from the Zoo). Note: since the stop “Hrad Veveří” is already in zone 310, in addition to your ticket for zones 100+101 you need to buy another ticket for 16 CZK.
Tips: From April to October you can also sail to the castle by boat – from “Bystrc, přístav” to “Hrad Veveří, přístaviště”; the trip takes 48 minutes. Departure times: https://www.dpmb.cz/cs/lodni-doprava-odjezdy-lodi
The castle is also reachable on foot from the stop “Přístaviště” (along the red tourist trail, about 8 km).
Villa Tugendhat
The functionalist villa of Greta and Fritz Tugendhat was built in 1929–1930 to a design by architect Mies van der Rohe. Greta received the plot as a wedding gift from her father, Alfred Löw-Beer, a prominent Jewish textile industrialist who also financed the entire construction. The villa ranks among Mies van der Rohe’s finest works and has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2001.
Note: Ticket numbers are limited and queues for tours are long. Even without a reservation, you can at least visit the garden for free. Since April 2023 it has again been connected to the garden behind Villa Löw-Beer.
Tip: If tickets are hopelessly sold out, it’s often still possible to visit the villa with the so-called BRNOPAS, which also grants free entry to many other sights. Tickets for specific dates are available at the earliest 7 days in advance.
Other villas: Löw-Beer, Stiassni
Water Reservoirs at Yellow Hill
Four unique underground water tanks, often compared to Istanbul’s Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarayı).