Are you planning a vacation in Brno and want to know what to visit? Or are you traveling to Prague, decided to take a trip out of town and want to learn more about this Czech city on the Morava River a short distance from the capital?

You’ve come to the right place. I’m Andrea from Prague Tip and in this post we discover together what to see in Brno, its history and geography, and see what is the best way to get to Brno from Prague Tip.

Are you ready? Let’s get started!

Before we get started, a brief preamble: if you want to visit Brno and have a few hours to spare, my advice is to hire a professional tour guide. Click here to book a 2-hour Brno Old Town tour with a local guide.

Brno Czech Republic

Brno is a city as large as it is populous. Once you’ve visited Prague, I can’t help but suggest you drop by here as well: history, art, culture, and modernity come together here in a mix that has no equal. Of course, you will have to travel about 200 kilometers, Brno is not exactly very close to the capital, but it will still be worth it.

The city, moreover, itself the capital of the Moravian region, is capable of providing many services to those who live there and to those who visit it as tourists. Considering all this, it is not surprising to hear that the Czechs consider it an elected metropolis, of those, in short, in which the quality of life touches the highest levels.

What to see in Brno

Photo by Ignat Arapov on Unsplash

By virtue of its vibrancy, size and population density, Brno is to date considered the second most important city in the entire Czech Republic.

But why should you visit it? There is no shortage of attractions for visitors in these parts. This is true not only in terms of monuments to see, but also from the point of view of the creativity, folklore, and vitality that distinguishes this city.

Here are some tips on the itinerary for visiting Brno in a few hours.

The Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul Brno

The Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul was built around 1296 on top of Petrov Hill. It was originally a Gothic church that towered imposingly over the entire city. Its walls stood on the remains of a Romanesque structure, a place of Christian worship.

The fate of this church is somehow linked to change. In fact, following the vicissitudes related to the Thirty Years’ War it was rebuilt again twice: in the mid-1700s and in the mid-1700s. In both cases it was decided to adopt a typically Baroque style. Remodeled, in 1777, the cathedral became the official seat of the city’s bishop. Between the 19th and 20th centuries the church underwent new reconstruction work, finally assuming its present appearance.

Despite the many renovations, the building has always retained its towering twin spires, whose shape closely resembles that of two pins. They, at 84 meters high, do not fail to enchant visitors on a par with the old medieval Crypt kept here (12th century) and recently made accessible to the public again.

Villa Tugendhat

Villa Tugendhat is a functionalist-style palace of undisputed beauty. Built in 1929 at the behest of the textile industry magnate of the same name, it quickly enchanted Europe. There are so many stained glass windows in it, windows that gave the wealthy family a way to admire the beautiful surrounding landscape. Villa Tugendhat is the only modern building in the Czech Republic to be deemed a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Spilberk Castle

Spilberk Castle has a very long history behind it. Built in the 13th century at the behest of the king, it soon passed into the hands of the Marquis of Moravia.

Its intended use, residential, was maintained for a few more centuries, then, around the 1600s, the structure was converted into a Baroque fortress serving as a prison. The ancient building by then had become the dreaded Prison of Nations. It was here, among others, that Pietro Maroncelli and Silvio Pellico were interned.

Brno: places of interest

The Old Town and its most important square, Freedom Square, are also worth a visit. All the main city streets start from here, and right here you can see some buildings of singular beauty. Among all of them, I recommend that you pause to look at the Schwarz Palace and the highly original House of the Four Mamlas.

Also very interesting is the Cabbage Market, another city square on which stands a striking Baroque fountain. Brno’s historic center, however, still has much to offer: from the Husa Provazku Theater to the bishop’s courtyard, from the Hausperk Palace to the Monastery of the Ecclesiastical Orders. But that is still not all.

The Mahen Theater, the Veveri Castle, the Governor’s Palace with adjoining Moravian Gallery, the Brno Fair Buildings Complex, and the local motor racing circuit are also places of interest to visit.

How to get to Brno from Prague

Brno, as we mentioned, is not exactly the closest city to Prague: in fact, the two cities are 186km apart.

For this reason, if you are staying in the capital but wish to visit Moravia, the suggestion is to think well about your itinerary by organizing your schedule as best you can.

Keep in mind that getting to your destination by taking advantage of the rail network will take between 2 and 3 hours.

Alternatively, you might consider opting for a bus or private transfer, although the time required for the move will not be all that dissimilar.

Here are the 4 ways to get to Brno from Prague.

From Prague to Brno by train

If you wish to go to Brno from Prague, you should know that the train is definitely the most convenient way. It leaves from Prague’s main train station (Hlavní nádraží) in the center of the city, near Wenceslas Square, and arrives at Brno’s main train station (Hlavní nádraží). This means of locomotion takes between 2 hours and 2.30 hours to reach the center of Brno.

• Duration: 2.30h
• Price: from €55 per person
• Departure: Prague Hlavni Nadrazi station
  Arrival: Brno Hlanvi Nadrazi station
• Frequency: approximately 33 trains per day
• Where to buy tickets: ticket vending machines at stops and metro stations, ticket offices and information centers, ticket offices of the České dráhy railway company, PID Lítačka mobile app.

Prague to Brno by bus

To travel from Prague to Brno you can opt for the bus. It is inexpensive and quite comfortable, but you may get stuck in traffic on the D1 highway. One way to mitigate this problem is to take an overnight bus, that way there is less chance of heavy traffic or traffic jams along the way.

• Duration: 2.20h
• Price: from €9 per person
• Departure: Central Bus Station Florenci
  Arrival: Brno Benesova
• Frequency: about 29 buses per day
• Where to buy tickets: online or at Prague’s Central Bus Station Florenci.

From Prague to Brno by car

If you wish and have the opportunity, you can travel from Prague to Brno by car. If you have a car or rent one, this is asomewhat faster option than taking the bus, with the added advantage of free choice. Want to stop for a bite to eat? No problem. Any shows along the way that piqued your interest? Stop The same problem with the D1 highway applies here as well, although with a good navigation system (such as Google Maps) you should be able to reduce some of the time you would otherwise spend bottled up in traffic.

• Duration: 1.50h
• Price: –
• Departure: –
  Arrival: –
• Frequency: –
• Where to buy tickets: –

Prague to Brno by cab

Although cab is one of the most expensive options for travelling from Prague to Brno, you can travel with peace of mind as Prague taxi drivers regularly operate this route. Below are the details for the cab transfer from Prague to Brno.

• Duration: 1.50h
• Price: about 220€
• Departure: –
  Arrival: –
• Frequency: –
• Where to buy tickets: –

Visiting Brno: frequently asked questions