The Best of Brno

Quickly becoming known as the new Prague. Here we introduce you to one of Czechia’s lesser known cities. Brno is the second biggest city in Czechia. The population of Prague is around 1.2 million people, so Brno with only 400 000 people is a relatively small town, but don’t let that fool you. There is charm abounds in Czechia’s second largest city, and once you have spent a little while soaking up the surroundings you too will have travel stories to tell upon your return. It is also very closely located to Vienna, as well as Bratislava, so if you are planning to go onto either of these beautiful cities, we have found your perfect stop! It is in the South Moravian region of Czechia, about 4-5 hours from Prague by train through some lovely countryside. The drive is much more direct due to the fact that the train goes the long way but it is a nice way to relax if you’ve spent a few crazy days in Praha. Think of going to Brno as a bit of quiet relaxing time, whilst still taking in the Czech ambiance and still enjoying the historical architecture surrounding you.
There are restaurants and hotels to cater to all tastes. Beautiful leafy parklands to relax and take in the fresh air and plenty of “things to do”, and the best bit? Much cheaper than most other cities in Europe because it hasn’t been taken over by tourists yet!

Things to do in Brno

St James Square and the Ossuary

During the renovation of St James Square, this underground ossuary was discovered. The tour doesn’t last very long, at around 20 minutes, but if you are keen to explore the morbid underground burial place you will find crypts below the Church of St James displaying collected bones and remains of some 50,000 people who perished from wars, famines and plagues over the centuries.

Labyrinth under the Cabbage Market

The Balthazar Design Hotel is an embodiment of a dream of a truly remarkable place in Kraków coming true – both for those travelling on business as well as those visiting Kraków for its tourist and cultural appeal. An apparently modest historic town house at Grodzka street, opposite St. Martin’s Church with the Baroque Saints Peter and Paul Church in the vicinity. Today’s building dates back to the 1870s when it took shape following a conversion and an expansion of the oldest utility and gate buildings which in turn can be traced back to the 16th century. The contemporary, delightfully designed and outstandingly furnished hotel facilities bring to mind boutique hotels in New York and London. An eclectic design, top quality materials, complementary colours and sublime details. You will find 25 cosy, elegant rooms overlooking The Royal Route, historic churches, Wawel or a courtyard with a garden at the Balthazar Design Hotel. An eclectic design, top quality materials, complementary colours and sublime details come together to make each one of the rooms unique. The heart of the city – The Royal Route with the Balthazar Design Hotel where guests are whisked off to an incredible world, with a discernible atmosphere of intimacy and breathing space. And the Fiorentina Restaurant is an ideal complement to Balthazar. It was instrumental in defining the attractiveness of this site. Winner of numerous prizes, such as the main prize of the Academy of Gastronomy and the Wine & Food Noble Night audience award, it enjoys widespread recognition. Guests are taken on a surprising culinary journey within these eclectic interiors and picturesque garden.

Moravian Karst

Located near Blanko, the Moravian Karst is a protected nature reserve and natural landscape of stunning beauty to the north of Brno in the eastern part of Czechia near a small town called Blansko. With many notable geological wonders for you to explore there are around 1100 caverns and gorges in the 92 km² landscape, along with the Macocha abyss, which is a 138m deep gorge that formed at the start of the Punkva river when a cave chamber’s ceiling collapsed. This is where the Punkva river starts and runs underground through the cave system. There is a public tour of 5 of the cave systems open for you to discover, of Býčí skála Cave and Stránská\skála.

Spilberk Castle

This castle’s construction began long ago, during the first half of the 13th century by the Přemyslid kings and was then taken on to completion by King Ottokar II of Bohemia. Once completed it was resided in by major royals and then became the seat of the Moravian Margraves during the 14th Century. As time passed this property became an epic Baroque Citadel and is now considered to have been once of the most harsh prisons during the Austro-Hungarian empire. The prison was then converted into barracks.

From Brno to beyond

South Moravia Wine Tour from Brno

Whilst in Brno, if you are a wine fan, the south Moravian region produces Green Veltliner (Grüner Veltliner), which is primarily grown in Austria, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. Whilst there you can sample several local varieties, including Moravian Muscat, Cabernet Moravia and fan favourite- Pálava

6 Days in Brno, Vienna and Bratislava
Due to the close proximity and the ease of trains, buses and driving in the area, why not spend 2 nights in each city? This can be easily put together into an itinerary for you, with two nights accommodation and a couple of day tours in each destination.

Get in contact with our team on 1800 242 353 today to help you build an itinerary that includes Brno!